S01.E01: Pilot

[Door County Cherry]

Airs 9/21/20:

Quote

The unknown heirs of a wealthy businessman hatch a plan to get a piece of his fortune. 

 

[statsgirl]

That was hilarious in its cynicism of tele-evangelists which makes it an odd chioce for Fox. Margaret is so sugary sweet and hypocritical.

It's based on a New Zealand series. Kim Cattrall is a producer of this one. She's smart and thoughtful so I'm feeling optimistic. She also seems like she's having a ball.

I'm enjoying the power plays between Margaret and Ginger the most, but Antonio and Rose add heart to the show.

On 5/13/2019 at 9:39 PM, Door County Cherry said:

I can't explain why but that feels disappointing.  And does this mean Gerald McRaney will only be  in flashbacks?

The body was never found, he's still alive.

[mtlchick]

This could be fun, but the sexual innuendo between the half siblings was weird stuff. I’m guessing the pot head isn’t really his kid and mooching in place of someone else.   
 

kim cattrall seems to be having a blast and you can’t go wrong with Major Dad. 

[Maverick]

 It was pretty obvious from the start Gerald McRaney's character wasn't dead. Almost as obvious as the one brother's test being contaminated because he's pulling a fast one.  I'm glad neither point was drug out.  I am worried that GM will be stuck is not horrible Misery knockoff plot for the duration of the season.  Not really looking forward to that.

[Door County Cherry]

34 minutes ago, mtlchick said:

This could be fun, but the sexual innuendo between the half siblings was weird stuff. I’m guessing the pot head isn’t really his kid and mooching in place of someone else.   

I'm a weirdo because I was actually looking forward to some implied incestuousness.  I was disappointed that they pretty much telegraphed that Jason (or the man calling himself Jason) isn't actually the illegitimate child when they showed him swabbing the guy in the hospital bed. I'm also a little surprised for something as significant as the inheritance that they allowed the claimants to do their own swabbing. 

In fact, while I like the premise, one of my complaints is that everything seemed to move so fast.  His plane goes down, then we're at the funeral, then it's a month later...etc.  I also don't love that we already have Ginger's mother and sister on the show when we've barely gotten the chance to know the characters we have.

Still, I do think this show has the elements for a good show so I hope it eventually all clicks in place. 

[truthaboutluv]

1 hour ago, mtlchick said:

This could be fun, but the sexual innuendo between the half siblings was weird stuff. I’m guessing the pot head isn’t really his kid and mooching in place of someone else.   

Yeah they kind of revealed it in the episode. After the guy tells Kim Cattrall's character the one child's test was contaminated, they showed him in a hospital room taking a swab from someone who looks like they've been in a really bad crash. By the way he gently kissed the older woman by the guy's bed, I kind of assumed he's probably his brother. 

Edited September 22, 2020 by truthaboutluv

[njbchlover]

This looks like it could be good, mindless soap-operaish fun!  Kim Cattrall looks like she's having a blast, and the storyline so far is interesting.  I only saw a short trailer for the show and decided to watch based on that, so I didn't realize that was Gerald McRaney until he stated speaking - his voice is just so distinctive. 

My only complaint is the filming - they are using that gauzy filter in certain close up scenes for Kim and then, not for others.  It's distracting.  I'm sure she requested it, but I wish they didn't use it. 

Looking forward to more!

[Door County Cherry]

Now for an official announcement:

FOX mentioned that the next two episodes would be available on Hulu and FOX Now.  If you choose to watch them, please put any discussion about them in spoiler tags until after the episodes air on old fashioned broadcast TV.  

And any discussion of the original NZ show, also available on Hulu, should be in spoiler tags.  

[Guest]

30 minutes ago, njbchlover said:

My only complaint is the filming - they are using that gauzy filter in certain close up scenes for Kim and then, not for others.  It's distracting.  I'm sure she requested it, but I wish they didn't use it. 

I was wondering if she had done that too her face with too much plastic surgery or if it was a filming trick for the sake of the character.  I was thinking that it helped move her character in a more Tammy Faye Baker direction minus the heavy make up. But it was really distracting.

I won't dismiss the show because of the pilot.  But I thought it was bordering on dreadful.  It felt derivative.  

[Maverick]

58 minutes ago, truthaboutluv said:

Yeah they kind of revealed it in the episode. After the guy tells Kim Cattrall's character the one child's test was contaminated, they showed him in a hospital room taking a swab from someone who looks like they've been in a really bad crash. By the way he gently kissed the older woman by the guy's bed, 

 It looked more to me like he had an eye dropper and used it to collect a spit sample.  That makes more sense because there's no way he would be allowed to swab himself and mail it in.   He almost certainly used slight of hand to place the spit sample on the swab instead of actually swabbing his own mouth.   Since was living at the real heir's place, he's probably a (half) brother, boyfriend or just a buddy.   His being concerned for the woman with Jason (most likely Jason's mother) makes the third option unlikely.  Inappropriately mouth kissing a woman/"half sister" he just met makes the second option unlikely (unless he's bi).    

40 minutes ago, Door County Cherry said:

Now for an official announcement:

FOX mentioned that the next two episodes would be available on Hulu and FOX Now.  If you choose to watch them, please put any discussion about them in spoiler tags until after the episodes air on old fashioned broadcast TV.  

And any discussion of the original NZ show, also available on Hulu, should be in spoiler tags.  

 You forgot to mention that we get to see these episodes early thanks to Blue Moon(tm).  Thanks, Blue Moon(tm)!

[mtlchick]

7 hours ago, ParadoxLost said:

I was wondering if she had done that too her face with too much plastic surgery or if it was a filming trick for the sake of the character.  I was thinking that it helped move her character in a more Tammy Faye Baker direction minus the heavy make up. But it was really distracting.

I’ll say filming trick. She was doing a lot of press yesterday on the talk shows via Skype and she didn’t look like that. If anything I thought her hair on the show was too yellow. 
 

 

[cardigirl]

10 hours ago, mtlchick said:

This could be fun, but the sexual innuendo between the half siblings was weird stuff. I’m guessing the pot head isn’t really his kid and mooching in place of someone else.   
 

kim cattrall seems to be having a blast and you can’t go wrong with Major Dad. 

He's the half brother of the half brother.   

 

[cardigirl]

I enjoyed it a lot more that I anticipated and look forward to more episodes. The production values were great (i.e., they spent a lot of money on this show) and they introduced enough characters to keep me interested. I'll watch the next few episodes.  It's new content and I'm all for new content. And a mystery to boot, about who was trying to kill off dad?  I'm in!  (For now,) 

I never got into Empire for some reason, but how does this show compare with that one?  There were some outrageous characters on that show I recall, and it was a  HUGE hit for FOX for a number of years. This one might follow suit. 

[RedDelicious]

I absolutely loved that at least once, when she said "ladies", you could hear Kim as Samantha ❤️ 

[Door County Cherry]

3 hours ago, cardigirl said:

I never got into Empire for some reason, but how does this show compare with that one?  There were some outrageous characters on that show I recall, and it was a  HUGE hit for FOX for a number of years. This one might follow suit. 

Empire was more outrageous with unpredictable and shocking twists but they flowed really well.  I eventually stopped watching but the first season was damn near soapy perfection.

I don't think  think this show is quite there yet.  

[incandescent]

14 hours ago, njbchlover said:

My only complaint is the filming - they are using that gauzy filter in certain close up scenes for Kim and then, not for others.  It's distracting.  I'm sure she requested it, but I wish they didn't use it. 

Reminds me of Calista Flockhart in Supergirl.

[bilgistic]

This was just OK for me. HBO's "The Righteous Gemstones" is a way, way funnier and darker take on Southern evangelism. I'll try the next episode or two to see if it sticks for me. The filtered lenses and bad wigs on Kim were very distracting. She's looks pretty fantastic especially considering she's 64, so I don't understand the vanity with the filtering, but then, I'm not a star.

[Bulldog]

Not great, but I liked it well enough to give it a few more tries.  Given the lack of new content around, may stick with it awhile. 

Am I the only one old enough to remember a show back in the 80s that was also called Filthy Rich, which coincidentally starred McRaney's wife, Delta Burke? 

 

[seacliffsal]

I really enjoyed this and appreciate that the story seems to be moving fairly quickly.  I did not catch what Jason did in the hospital room so thanks to those of you who explained.  It helps me understand the story a bit more.  

I was surprised by the ending that Eugene is still alive.  I don't know why I didn't see that coming.  

[tvfanatic13]

Count me in. Glad for new content and the show is soapy fun. And I love Kim. 

[Doublemint]

Love Kim, the other actors, not so much, but I'll stick with it.   Hope it lasts!

[peachmangosteen]

I loved this. Super fun, super bad. I’m in lol.

Some of the acting was so so bad. The woman playing Kim Cattrall’s daughter was amazingly horrible and I love it.

I hope that Jason fesses up to her that he’s not actually biologically related to her soon because I actually think they have a nice vibe already but I’m not interested in watching her think she has the hots for her brother.

I assumed the dad would still be alive but I really did not expect that reveal during the pilot. The show moves very fast but I kinda like that.

It kinda gave me Grand Hotel vibes and I miss that so I hope this fills the gap.

[Bulldog]

5 hours ago, peachmangosteen said:

The woman playing Kim Cattrall’s daughter was amazingly horrible and I love it.

I almost wondered if the daughter was supposed to be, shall we say, . . . . special?  If not, the way the role was played was definitely a choice. Whether it was her choice or the director's choice, I don't know.   I've seen the actress in other roles and she was quite good (or at least, not actively bad) so this seemed very odd.   

[methodwriter85]

Corey Cott has my undying allegiance due to his roles as Jack Kelly in Newsies and Donny Nova in Bandstand so I'll give this a chance. I think everything just moved way too quickly but I liked the set up. I kind of wish this was a thinly veiled parody of the Hallmark Channel, though.

Edited September 24, 2020 by methodwriter85

[Angeleyes]

On 9/22/2020 at 3:53 PM, Bulldog said:

Not great, but I liked it well enough to give it a few more tries.  Given the lack of new content around, may stick with it awhile. 

Am I the only one old enough to remember a show back in the 80s that was also called Filthy Rich, which coincidentally starred McRaney's wife, Delta Burke? 

 

Yes, Filthy Rich was the first time Delta worked with Dixie Carter before they went on to do Designing Women together. I was a kid when it aired, but I thought it was funny and was sad it didn’t last long. Of course, in that show everyone named in the will had to live in the same house for a set term in order to inherit. In this show they’ve switched it up from being an oil tycoon to a televangelist. That definitely invites comparisons to The Righteous Gemstones. The main difference here is that they won’t be able to curse or have the nudity that was on the Gemstones. It seems turning 80’s half hour comedies into hour long dramas is a thing now with the Fresh Prince about to do the same. I’ve never heard of the series from New Zealand. 
 

My first impressions of this show:

I liked Kim Cattrall here. I recently saw her on Tell Me A Story and this feels more in her wheelhouse. 

I’m annoyed every time the announcer lady pronounced New Orleans. She made no attempt to pronounce it like a local or a Southerner. 
 

Every time they say the name Eugene my husband and I cracked up because that was Steve Harris’s character’s name on The Practice. We used to yell, “Damn it, Eugene” because that phrase was so ubiquitous on that show. It’s funny that he’s on Filthy Rich and the character name given to someone else  

I was a fan of Aubrey Dollar on Guiding Light and I’ve seen her in a few other things. I’ll reserve judgement on whether I like her here. 

It definitely seemed like they wanted to pack as much as possible in this episode to get the audience attention. I think they will pace things better going forward and so far, I’m willing to give it a chance. 
 

 

Edited September 25, 2020 by Angeleyes

[Chaos Theory]

I forgot this was on my DVR do I ended up  watching it when it replayed.   I want to like this and when I was younger I probably would have but even starving for new content this might be a pass for me.   

[Cherry Cola]

I liked it right away.  Very soapy and fun. 

[SG429]

I slogged through the first 3 eps (can't make it any farther) of the original New Zealand production on Hulu. Unlike Office (NBC) and Shameless (SHO), FR-Fox did not do a shot-for-shot remake of the original pilot, and our version veers quite sharply from the original plot points, all for the better. The original seems to be quite a mess, ran 2 seasons for 20(!) eps each, cost them a ton to make and was widely panned.

[zillabreeze]

On 9/22/2020 at 7:05 PM, tvfanatic13 said:

Count me in. Glad for new content and the show is soapy fun. And I love Kim. 

I missed having a silly "tele-novella" type show this summer.  So far, this works just fine!

My catty inner bitch also likes to see a woman my age (Kim) finally puffing up and aging, too.  

[zillabreeze]

On 9/22/2020 at 3:53 PM, Bulldog said:

Not great, but I liked it well enough to give it a few more tries.  Given the lack of new content around, may stick with it awhile. 

Am I the only one old enough to remember a show back in the 80s that was also called Filthy Rich, which coincidentally starred McRaney's wife, Delta Burke? 

 

Just Barely.  Was it smart with pithy writing?  Then, of course it was short-lived.

I'm getting vibes of "Dirt Sexy Money"- Peter Krause & Jill Clayburgh

[SuzieQ]

This was a pretty fun watch!! Campy and over the top but kind of an entertaining show to lose yourself in while I'm Netflixed out!   

Seems like will be one of those where you can't give it too much thought or the ridiculousness will make you crazy!

[iMonrey]

I thought it was good enough to keep watching, but that's about it. I'm not sure how they perpetuate this kind of premise long-term though. 

I hated Righteous Gemstones. Couldn't make it past the first few episodes. Danny McBride's humor isn't for everyone. I like this show better, but I hope they don't lean too heavily into the televangelist stuff. 

If I live to be a thousand I will never understand why Hollywood actresses mutilate their faces in a fruitless effort to look younger, only to look weird and mummified. Kim Catrall looks like she's been Botoxed and stretched to within an inch of her life. I'd be really interested to know what she would look like right now if she'd never done anything to her face. It couldn't possibly be worse.