Stars: Eddie Izzard, Minnie Driver, Gregg Henry

Director: Peter O'Fallon

Summary: THE RICHES is based on the concept of what happens when a family of travelling con-artists finds its way into a wealthy suburban community, fooling everyone around them into thinking they belong while trying to convince themselves of the same thing.

Minnie Driver and Eddie Izzard star in this well-received series based on the concept of what happens when a family of travelling con-artists finds its way into a wealthy suburban community, fooling everyone around them into thinking they belong while trying to convince themselves of the same thing. Driver plays Dahlia Malloy, a wife and mother who at the start of the series has just been released from prison for a crime her husband, conman Wayne (Izzard), committed. Understandably bitter, Dahlia self-medicates and steals to protect her children, ending up on the run from a scary crew of extended family. When a crazy coincidence gives Wayne and Dahlia the keys to a new life and a new identity, they seize it, mistakenly figuring life in the suburbs will be a piece of cake. Like a mixture of DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES, WEEDS, and Coen-brothers comedy, THE RICHES has the potential for wide appeal. Features the complete first series.

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British comedian Eddie Izzard (Glorious, Dressed to Kill) brings his raffish charisma to The Riches, a sneaky satirical drama about a family of con artists who lie their way into a wealthy gated community. Wayne and Dahlia Malloy (Izzard and Minnie Driver, Grosse Pointe Blank) are travellers--a kind of American gypsies--who get in trouble with their clan and have to hit the road with their three kids (Shannon Woodward, Noel Fisher, and Aidan Mitchell). When a confrontation with other travellers causes a deadly car accident, the Malloys take over the dead couple's brand-new home--a mansion bought over the internet--and assume the lives of Mr. and Mrs. Rich.

The premise stretches plausibility, but that's part of the fun; any successful con game forces the mark to accept something absurd, because why would anyone tell such a preposterous lie? The pleasure of trickery drives the show. Wayne weasels his way into a job as lawyer to an obnoxious real estate developer; Dahlia persuades a private school to admit her kids after the admission deadline; and the kids find their skills serve them well in the surface-obsessed suburban world. But over the course of the thirteen-episode season, the Malloys' wily architecture of lies grows increasingly precarious, constantly threatened by fear of exposure and vengeful travellers. The final episode builds to a nerve-wracking crisis as someone who actually knows the dead couple comes to visit. Ironically, some of the most compelling moments are flashes of honesty--in an early episode, oldest son Cael realizes that the traveller girl he loves has set him up, and the two stare at each other across a diner table, wordlessly brokenhearted. The entire cast is great--Woodward shines as smart, conflicted daughter Di Di, and Margo Martindale (Paris, je t'aime, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story) routinely steals scenes as the Rich's unhappy neighbor. But The Riches rests on Izzard's shoulders; though Driver's acting chops are more polished (and her Southern accent is more consistent), Izzard captures the soul of a man who lives by his wits, a man who navigates the world with a wink and a stream of beguiling words. --Bret Fetzer

Main Language:	English
Region:	Region 2
Special Features:	Audio commentary with Eddie Izzard and creator Dmitry Lipkin on selected episodes , Fox Movie Channel presents casting session and world premiere , Gag reel , Nine webisodes
Year:	2006
Release Date:	February 18, 2008
Runtime:	591 minutes
Certification:
Catalogue Number:	3757001000
Keywords:	English, General, Series, Riches, Drama, Complete
Genre:	Drama