Filthy Rich Enters Primetime Soap Fray: Season One, Episode One Recap

Move over Carringtons, there’s a new (evangelical) dynasty in town. They’re the Monreaux family, they own and operate the Wings of Dove ministry, and their devotion to God and the spreading of his teachings has made them filthy rich – which is also, coincidentally, the title of this satirical soapy drama.

Filthy Rich: Judge Not Least Ye Be Judged…And Found to Be A Sinner

“True integrity means you’re the same in public as you are in private.” That’s from the gospel according to Reverend Paul Luke Thomas (Aaron Lazar) – a Monreaux employee and in-law. Unfortunately, Pastor Eugene Monreaux (Gerald McRaney) doesn’t live up to those exacting standards.

And Eugene’s family is soon confronted by the spoils of his less than perfect existence when he goes missing and is presumed dead following the downing of his private jet.

To say that they are shocked to learn of the existence of three illegitimate children is an understatement. Luckily, Eugene’s missus, Margaret Monreaux (Kim Cattrall), is used to dealing with bastards… and she’s sure that this trio will be no different.

Ah, Margaret. What a delicious contradiction in terms. She’s the kind of lady who is sometimes in need of a smoke, but she’s defiantly not a smoker. She espouses family values and the joy of giving but she’s not above manipulating herself into the ministry’s top spot – to the detriment of her son – and she’s unwilling to hand her daughter the start-up money she desperately needs for her fashion collection.

Lambs For Slaughter

Enter Ginger Sweet (Melia Kreiling), Antonio Rivera (Benjamin Levy Aguilar), and Jason Conley (Mark L. Young). Ginger is a porn peddler *ahem* — make that an entrepreneur in the adult entertainment field, while her brothers find employment as a boxer and a marijuana farmer respectively.

All three are summoned to the Monreaux stronghold down south and presented with a flat offer of $1 million – rather than the 1% stake in the family business which Eugene’s will allots.

Ginger summarily refuses… and convinces her newfound relatives to follow suit. Margaret counters with $2 million. Then she agrees to honor the original terms of the will on the proviso that each recipient signs an NDA.

Rather than accept, Ginger stages a press conference in order to reveal her existence to the world. But before she can take to the stage, Margaret beats her to it, confesses Eugene’s adultery, and introduces the world to the children that he fathered. Game, set, match!

Appearances Can Be Deceiving

Hell is apparently a place much like Louisiana (or is it the other way around) – at least that’s the impression we get from Eugene after he awakens inside a swamp-adjacent shack and wonders if he’s currently residing in Lucifer’s toasty domain.

Filthy Rich Musings

If the series introductory moment is anything to go by, something very, very untoward transpires five months hence. How else to explain the sight of a bejeweled and fur-clad Margaret sashaying away from her burning mansion and croaking out a defiant, “Rot in Hell!” in the prologue before the backward time jump?

The pilot didn’t exactly offer much insight into the lives and personality of the Monreaux offspring other than the facts that Rose (Guiding Light alum Aubrey Dollar) is a budding fashionista with a welcoming spirit and Eric (Corey Cott) is a truly gifted vocalist, and a little too knowledgeable about a product called butt butter. However, color us intrigued as to how these characters will develop in future installments.

Though it was made painfully obvious that Jason was an imposter – what with his whole surreptitiously thieving a comatose man’s saliva – was there anyone still REALLY skeeved out by his sudden lip-lock with sweet, trusting Rose… you know, the woman who is supposed to be his half-sister?

Did the makers behind Lucifer’s title design also create the one for Filthy Rich? Both feature the title superimposed on a black background with a crackling fire just out of view of the screen. That can’t be a coincidence. Right?

Let us know what you thought of the show in the comments section below. Filthy Rich airs every Monday night on FOX. Check your local listings for airtimes.