"Dirty, Sexy, Money" is Funny

Dirty, Sexy ,Money is a new series that aired Sept 26. The time slot is 10 p.m., late for me but this seems to be the hot time slot for the best of the new series that are appearing this season.

LIke Jimmy Smits and Cane this is a story about the rich, their incredible problems and the weight of being a Dynasty . This is another dynasty story, perhaps another soap opera but in a much lighter form. This one has a strong undercurrent of humor carrying it along.This takes place in Manhattan and brings you in to the story just as Nick George, Peter Krause from "Six Feet Under" is burying his father. His father was the lawyer to the extravagantly wealthy Darling family. Nick is a lawyer, an honest lawyer, with principals who refuses to be bought. This a reaction to his father, attorney and mouthpiece for the Darling family. Nick does not want to sell out, he does not want to put his family on the back burner for the miscreants in this obscenely wealthy family the way his father did. He is also a rarity in that he is involved in helping the needy, building parks, working for orphanages.

The head of the Darling family is Trippy Darling, played by Donald Sutherland. Tripp Darling approaches Nick with an offer he can't refuse if he'll just pick up where the deceased father left off representing these people. Tripp's wife is played by Jill Clayburgh and has been having a long term affair with Nick's deceased father. We find this out only when Nick finds this out. He suddenly realizes there is a strong possibility that his father was murdered. Another twist.

Nick succumbs to the incredible offer of $10 million salary over and above whatever else he earns practicing law. You are immediately presented with the repercussions of working for Tripp Darling and his offspring who are each one of them a mess in their own way.He now has a cell phone with all these hysterical ring tones assigned to each of the members of this crazy family. "Pretty Woman" plays when Karen ,the Darling with the crush on him, rings. This does not sit well with his wife. More intrigue, more problems, this one in his personal life.

The Darling clan includes Patrick, a Baldwin brother, who is running for office and married but has a transvestite lover. He doesn't like her/him to be called a hooker but unfotunately this is a factor. Twins, Jeremy and Juliet are a pampered actress wannabee and a cocaine addict respectively. Juliet overdoses at her parents anniversary party and Jeremy wins a yacht in a gambling bit. Seth Gable plays Jeremy and is supposed to be the hottest young new star out of Miami.

Karen, another daughter is working on her fourth marriage but still has a thing for Nick since he was her first lover. Whiney, beautiful and a thorn in Nick's wife's side.

Brian, one more son, a minister has an out of wedlock son that he is trying to hide from the media. He is also trying to buy the child's way nto a prep school. He is carrying a real axe for Nick. With a flashback or two you see the long term hostility brewing between Nick and Brian.

All this is done with a real comedic tone and great dialogue. The scandals, plot twists and undercurrents are all done with a terrific humor to them. It's a slapstick soap opera style almost reminiscent of the series "Soap". It's well written and quite funny. I highly recommend this new series. It's worth staying up for. The obscenely wealthy can be very entertaining.