Talk Back: FX's "The Riches"

Oh, Malloys, how I have missed you.

I raced home last night after Chuck's Paley Festival panel to catch the second season premiere of FX's pitch black dramedy series, The Riches ("The Last Temptation of Wayne"), last night. When we last saw the Malloys--who had assumed the identity of the dead Riches--they were about to flee Eden Falls after being discovered by so honest-you-want-him-dead Pete and dangerous-as-fox-on-acid Dale, who wasn't about to let them escape from their fate.

Eeek!

The second season finds them trying to escape their precarious situation by running into the night. Dahlia quickly packs up the kids and Cherien's senile mother as they hit the road--joined by jilted neighbor Nina who wants to leave behind her life of suffering for adventure on the open road--and Wayne stays behind to deal with Pete... who winds up bludgeoned to death in the back of Wayne's car, courtesy of sociopath Dale.

I was a little confused as to whether Dale intended to murder Pete or if he truly did "hit him too hard" with that hammer. Either way, he clearly meant to stuff the body into the trunk of Wayne's car and possibly (A) frame him for the murder or (B) blackmail him after framing him. Whatever the explanation, I think that Todd Stashwick's Dale is absolutely insane and his off-kilter perspective (and willingness to do anything to get his revenge on Wayne and steal a piece of his American dream) makes it impossible to take your eyes off of him. Good thing too, as he'd most likely hit you over the head with the hammer if you did.

These Travelers really can't catch a break. Dahlia's car breaks down, stranding her and the kids; Cherien's mother gets drunk and has to end up in the hospital, after Dahlia is accused of elder abuse; Wayne runs over a drunk Hugh as he tries to flee Dale and has to contend with an officious Eden Falls security guard; Cael manages to steal them a new car and they're taken hostage by the truck's owner.

And while these series of unfortunate events feel a little over the top, unbelievable, and ever-so-slightly manufactured, you can't help but root for the Malloys... or the Riches... or whoever they claim to be this week. And that, in a sentence, is why The Riches is a slam-dunk of a television series.