Riches - General Discussion

[AnimeMania]

Riches is a Drama TV Series that will release all 6 episodes at once on Prime Video on December 2, 2022 and will also air on ITV in the UK.      

The high-stakes family drama that follows the exploits of the stylish, privileged, super-successful Richards family. Powerful, driven, impassioned,  highly intelligent and undeniably ruthless, Stephen Richards' cosmetics empire "Flair & Glory" makes him one of the UK's most successful Black businessmen. Stephen and his glamourous second wife, Claudia, never have a dull moment. Their children, Alesha, Gus, and Wanda, enjoy living the good life.

While in New York, the estranged children from Stephen's first marriage, Nina and Simon, have established themselves as entrepreneurs in their own right, each successful in their own field.

When Stephen suffers a stroke, which eventually proves fatal, the sudden life threatening medical emergency causes the worlds of his two families to come crashing down. Stephen's business hangs in the balance, the families are set to collide as Nina Richards, Stephen's daughter from his first marriage, steps up to take control of his empire. Secrets and lies bubble to the surface as the Richards empire is at stake, this is going to be one tumultuous family reunion.

Hugh Quarshie as Stephen Richards, an immigrant who becomes a self-made multi-millionaire in London

Sarah Niles plays Claudia, Stephen's glamourous second wife

Adeyinka Akinrinade as Alesha, the daughter of Stephen Richards from his second marriage

Nneka Okoye as Wanda, the daughter of Stephen Richards from his second marriage

Ola Orebiyi as Gus, the son of Stephen Richards from his second marriage

Deborah Ayorinde as Nina, the daughter of Stephen Richards from his first marriage

Emmanuel Imani as Simon, the son of Stephen Richards from his first marriage

Brendan Coyle as Gideon, trusted advisor and confidante to Stephen Richards

Hermione Norris as Maureen Dawson, faithful personal assistant to Stephen Richards

C.J. Beckford as Andre

[AnimeMania]

On ITVX December 22.

[Angeleyes]

I saw the trailer for this on Amazon. It looks really interesting. 

[AnimeMania]

‘Riches’ Is a Juicily Fun Family-Empire Soap: TV Review

[AnimeMania]

Riches    December 2, 2022         Prime Video 

Episodes 1-6  Titles and Descriptions

Spoiler

S01.E01: See Trouble Coming

Following sudden and devastating circumstances in the Richards family, Nina and Simon, the estranged children of Stephen Richards, are brought back to the UK. A surprising turn of events regarding the future of the family’s hair and cosmetics empire Flair and Glory, brings the reunited family into collision.

S01.E02: Wrong and Strong

Tensions continue to brew in the aftermath of Stephen’s will. Claudia furiously works to regain Flair & Glory for her family. Meanwhile, as Nina acquaints herself with the business, a social media complaint against the company spirals, and she makes a shocking discovery that reveals Flair & Glory’s true state of affairs.

S01.E03: Black on Both Sides

As the Richards gear up for the biggest event of the year for Flair & Glory, news of the embezzlement comes as a blow to Claudia and Nina’s half siblings. Gus receives some awaited information, and Nina’s suspicions turn to a once trusted employee. To Claudia’s pleasure, Andre uncovers a fact of the business that will have big ramifications for Nina in her fight to retain Flair & Glory.

S01.E04: The Master's Tools

Andre makes good on his promise and finds an investor for Claudia. Meanwhile, Nina and Claudia vie for shareholders’ votes in their bids for control of the business. A damning article leaves Nina exposed and more discoveries emerge during the vote. An uncomfortable truth surfaces for Wanda, while Nina continues her search for the missing money.

S01.E05: What Needs to be Done

Nina’s trip in Zurich sheds light on Oyin and a past she’d buried. In London, Alesha and Gus have doubts about the new investors. A startling piece of evidence changes the fate of the business for Claudia and Nina, and Wanda confronts Luke. Desperate for answers, Alesha turns to someone she trusts for help. Claudia takes a break away while Nina is on to the perpetrator of the missing money.

S01.E06: Forgive, Maybe. Forget, Never.

A light at the end of the tunnel emerges as Alesha, Gus and Wanda finally get Stephen’s safe open, though Alesha is baffled by what she finds. On the back of Alesha’s discovery, Claudia rushes home. Together with Simon, Nina confronts Oyin. With the thief revealed, Nina goes after the culprit. Simon and Nina review Stephen’s will, while Maureen finds solace away from Flair & Glory.

[nb360]

This is a really good show. I've seen the first three episodes. Anyone else watching?

[Ladybugnine]

Yes! This show really surprised me. I absolutely loved it, and binged it in one sitting. Can't wait for season two!

[catrice2]

Loved it!  Like all shows some things could be improved, but overall it was a fun watch!

[Empress1]

I just started - I’m on episode two. GET THEM NINA!

[Joimiaroxeu]

I've only watched the first episode so far. Thumbs up for the most part. Good on Amazon for bringing this over for the US audience.

Edited December 31, 2022 by Joimiaroxeu

[Joimiaroxeu]

Finally finished this show. My takes along the way:
E1
Okay, I didn't realize beforehand this was a British production. Had to adjust my cultural expectations, ha ha.

I usually get annoyed when I hear British English speakers do bad American accents but then I have to remember how annoyed they must get when they hear actors from the US doing iffy British accents. Then here we have the added layer of accents from various African and island cultures. Fun times ahead. (Apologies if I'm coming across as xenophobic. I'm not; I just have a thing about accents in acting performances.)

Well the first episode was good. It was tightly written, without much in the way of moments which didn't really contribute to the plot.

E2
Nepotism works until you lose your guaranteed soft landing. The Richards kids' father did them a disservice by sheltering them from the real world where people either have to have passable qualifications or be independently wealthy.

The teeth-sucking thing took me some getting used to.

A secret shareholder. Pure soap opera. Love it.

E3
I liked how Nina was mentoring Alesha. "You have a right to be here. Take up space."

F &G has a bad IT department if someone inside the company could delete files and all backups, and make it look like someone else did it. An employee with that kind of technical power can bring a company down. Nina should've tossed out the entire IT crew.

So was this guy Nina was screwing pretending to be a gigolo or was it simply a hookup app? Wait until she finds out who he really is. But what an absurd coincidence that she just happened to pick him on the app. (And I didn't realize Indian men were into to Black women, especially one with darker skin since their culture tends to be very skin color-conscious. Maybe he was attracted to Nina's hair since it likely came from an Indian woman. 😏)

E4
Rishi was fine AF. Too bad he was kind of shady. And I still find it hard to believe Rishi didn't know who Nina was.

Dang, sometimes it be your own family. Poor Nina, undermined by her brother and mother.

E5

Gus and Alesha: but, but, but we didn't think the leopard would eat OUR faces! Fools.

Claudia gets credit for valuing her daughter over money at least. Wanda's real father must be someone Claudia is afraid of.

E6
Wow, it was Gideon embezzling from the company all along. Seems a bit cliché though for the one White man to have played all the Black people for fools for years.

Stephen Richards had a hidden life insurance policy. What was the point if no one knew about it? Whatever, it seems to me the insurance company would've been obliged to notify the beneficiaries upon his death.

Claudia in that big house out in the boonies by herself seemed unsafe  and unlikely. But Gideon threatening her? Meh, she could just have him killed.

So Maureen not only knows where the bodies are buried, she's got one of them. Richards must've paid her well to stay quiet about their kid.

Looks like the writers set up a few cliffhangers:
Who is Wanda's father and will she find out she's not a biological Richards
Did Claudia kill her husband and will Gideon be able to prove it
Will Nina find out who the sixth Richards sibling is
Why has Maureen kept her son's paternity a secret, and why was he left out of the Richards inheritance

I hope there will be a second season. The show has fantastic production values, and a short season tends heads off a lot of unnecessary extra subplots.

[TobinAlbers]

On 2/20/2023 at 5:50 PM, Joimiaroxeu said:

Why has Maureen kept her son's paternity a secret, and why was he left out of the Richards inheritance

Just binged watched this in one sitting and loved it. Hoping we get a lean mean season 2 to wrap things up. 

Re Maureen’s kid I don’t think he was excluded.  Nina noticed it herself -Stephen’s will explicitly says the 30 million pounds will be split equally among his biological/genetic issue. He didn’t give a specific number of kids or name specific names for the money (but did for everything else) so anyone who comes forward and can prove they are his child can get a piece of that pie. He was leaving the door open for the kid should (or any other kid, really) to stake their claim. So there might actually be more than the original six he had named in the earlier draft of the will! Poor Wanda isn’t biologically his but she is covered with a share of the insurance policy since he specifically named her as a beneficiary of that.  I think if/when Maureen’s son is required to take the paternity test (you know he will be) all the kids will have to as a formality which will freak out Alesha, Nina, and Claudia with Alesha switching the results somehow to protect Wanda and so that she’s named as the non-bio kid. Alesha has her own money and knows/accepts who her father is so she would deal with it better but Wanda would be devastated. I could see Alesha taking that hit for her sister.

Irony of ironies is Stephen’s non bio kid fought the hardest to preserve his legacy and continues to mourn him the hardest.

Si and Gus finally got a bonding scene in the last episode over Si preparing to be a dad. Was glad those two finally had a moment to connect and build off of. 
 

Claudia astounded me we with how she couldn’t shut up to her benefit and always had to get a jab in. 😂Nina’s literally about to sign the contract to hand over the company and Claudia just had to talk about her mother losing her man and get company. Even though we know Nina had other reasons for changing her mind, Claudia’s sass was enough reason for Nina to be petty and drop the pen and make them sweat a little.
 

[Joimiaroxeu]

Quote

Claudia astounded me we with how she couldn’t shut up to her benefit and always had to get a jab in. 😂Nina’s literally about to sign the contract to hand over the company and Claudia just had to talk about her mother losing her man and get company. Even though we know Nina had other reasons for changing her mind, Claudia’s sass was enough reason for Nina to be petty and drop the pen and make them sweat a little.

Right? Claudia had the right to remain silent but not the ability apparently.

I liked this show and I too hope there's a second season. I really appreciated how tightly written it was, plus the fantastic production values.

[AnimeMania]

‘Riches’ U.K. Series Canceled By Prime Video After One Season; “I Still Had Many More Stories To Tell,” Creator Says