The Riches: X Marks The Spot

I remember thinking after episode two that it was good, but mostly setup for the good stuff that would eventually come along as I follow the Malloy's story. With the return to traveler camp last week, and the big scam this week, that setup has really started to pay off.

This episode is very much what I envisioned when I first met the family. It's a classic con, with all manner of stumbling blocks along the way. And each of those is handled creatively by the ever inventive team Malloy.

I loved the setup. I was a Minnie Driver fan coming in to the show, but she impresses me more and more as the series goes on. The scenes between Cherien and Rudy were great. I totally bought into Rudy's infatuation with Cherien. She really sold the "nympho routine." Even while she had a problem doing it the whole time. I especially liked the irony of Dahlia covering Sam's ears so he wouldn't hear any of the sex talk, but uncovering them so he could help them plan the huge felony that they were undertaking. Dahlia is a complicated character, as is the rest of her family.

The protection racket being run by the denizens of the trailer park was a nice setup for bringing them into the scam. I thought they worked well and it would be interesting to see some of them pop up again from time to time. While it was obvious from the get go that the FBI agent was part of the plan, Cael not breaking character being the first clue, the twist that he was the pool guy was funny.

It didn't really come as a surprise that Di Di was the one that had reservations about the plan. However, Dahlia's speech about why they were going to do it wasn't what I was expecting. It marked something of a change in Dahlia. I'll chalk it up to the events at the camp, along with her natural instinct to protect the family. It also laid the groundwork for the final scene with Doug. That was a very different Dahlia than the one we have come to know so far. "You got a job. I got a job. The kids are in school. We live here now." With that, I think the whole family is now fully committed to the plan.

That scene also served to float something of an escape clause. Now that they have seen just what kind of opportunities this new life has brought them, they could make a big enough score to get out of it. Of course, before that can happen, there are other fish to fry. Dale, and Ginny, are still lurking on the horizon. That part of the story isn't done by a long shot. But I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.

Another round of great performances from the cast and a fun con to play along with. The Riches has hit its stride.