Pilot (Dirty Sexy Money)
Encyclopedia
"Pilot" is the first episode of the ABC
television series, Dirty Sexy Money
. The episode was written by Craig Wright
and was directed by Peter Horton
. It originally aired on Wednesday, September 26, 2007.
, we are introduced to the notorious Darlings, the richest family in New York
.
The show begins as Nick George (Peter Krause
) is making his way to his father's funeral. His father had been the family attorney for the Darlings. Unfortunately, Nick's father had recently died in a plane crash. Nick is shown to resent the time his father spent with the Darlings while he was growing up. Patrick "Tripp" Darling III (Donald Sutherland
) lures Nick to replace his father with a large salary and ten million dollars for a charity foundation. Other Darling family members are introduced including: Jill Clayburgh
as Letitia Darling; William Baldwin
as Patrick Darling IV; Natalie Zea
as Karen Darling; Glenn Fitzgerald
as Reverend Brian Darling; Seth Gabel
as Jeremy Darling; Samaire Armstrong
as Juliet Darling, and Zoe McLellan
as Lisa George.
This episode also lays the foundation for future relationship issues. Specifically, Letitia Darling is said to have had a forty-year affair with Nick's father. Reverend Brian Darling resents Nick because of the affair, which is common knowledge to the Darlings. Nick doesn't find out until Karen Darling informs him. Also, Patrick Darling IV is engaged in an adulterous relationship with a male to female transgender
person. Reverend Brian Darling has an illegitimate son, who he is trying to get into a prestigious school. However, the school will only accept the child if he formally accepts the child as his own. Jeremy Darling has drug and gambling problems. Karen Darling still has feelings for Nick and a fiance Freddie who is using her for her money. Freddie will be her fourth husband. Juliet Darling is an aspiring actress, but it is said that she has no talent. She finds out that her father paid a director to give her a role, and she tries to overdose. Juliet moves out to find freedom.
called the show "incredibly funny" and said the pilot episode for the series was "great, striking just the right winking tone". He said that even though the characters were "intentionally amped up and extreme", the cast managed "to keep them nicely believable, even amongst their ridiculous behavior". He gave the episode 9.2 out of 10.
(now home to New York University
's Institute of Fine Arts) was the original set for the Darlings' townhouse; however, after ABC ordered the first season, several scenes had to be reshot to adjust to the new LA sets that would be used for the rest of the season's production. For this reason, the interiors of the Darlings' house jump somewhat incongruously from ornate marble and wood (Duke House) to extremely modern and low-ceilinged (LA sets).
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
television series, Dirty Sexy Money
Dirty Sexy Money
Dirty Sexy Money is an American prime time drama series created by Craig Wright, which ran on the ABC from September 26, 2007 to August 8, 2009. The series was produced by ABC Studios, Bad Hat Harry Productions, Berlanti Television and Gross Entertainment...
. The episode was written by Craig Wright
Craig Wright
Craig Wright is the name of:*Craig Wright , American playwright, television writer, and producer*Craig Wright , Scottish cricketer*Craig R. Wright, American baseball writer and proponent of sabermetrics...
and was directed by Peter Horton
Peter Horton
Peter Horton is an American actor and director. He played the role of Prof. Gary Shepherd on the popular television series Thirtysomething until 1991.-Early life:...
. It originally aired on Wednesday, September 26, 2007.
Episode recap
In the first episode of the new dramedy Dirty Sexy MoneyDirty Sexy Money
Dirty Sexy Money is an American prime time drama series created by Craig Wright, which ran on the ABC from September 26, 2007 to August 8, 2009. The series was produced by ABC Studios, Bad Hat Harry Productions, Berlanti Television and Gross Entertainment...
, we are introduced to the notorious Darlings, the richest family in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
The show begins as Nick George (Peter Krause
Peter Krause
Peter William Krause is an American film and television actor and film producer. He is perhaps best known for his lead roles as Nate Fisher on Six Feet Under, Adam Braverman on Parenthood, and Casey McCall on Sports Night...
) is making his way to his father's funeral. His father had been the family attorney for the Darlings. Unfortunately, Nick's father had recently died in a plane crash. Nick is shown to resent the time his father spent with the Darlings while he was growing up. Patrick "Tripp" Darling III (Donald Sutherland
Donald Sutherland
Donald McNichol Sutherland, OC is a Canadian actor with a film career spanning nearly 50 years. Some of Sutherland's more notable movie roles included offbeat warriors in such war movies as The Dirty Dozen, , MASH , and Kelly's Heroes , as well as in such popular films as Klute, Invasion of the...
) lures Nick to replace his father with a large salary and ten million dollars for a charity foundation. Other Darling family members are introduced including: Jill Clayburgh
Jill Clayburgh
Jill Clayburgh was an American actress. She received Academy Award nominations for her roles in An Unmarried Woman and Starting Over.-Personal life:...
as Letitia Darling; William Baldwin
William Baldwin
William Joseph "Billy" Baldwin is an American actor, producer, and writer, known for his starring roles in such films as Flatliners , Backdraft , Sliver , Fair Game , Virus , Double Bang , as Johnny 13 in Danny Phantom , Art Heist , The Squid and the Whale , as himself...
as Patrick Darling IV; Natalie Zea
Natalie Zea
Natalie Zea is an American actress known for her roles as Gwen Hotchkiss on the NBC daytime soap Passions, socialite Karen Darling on Dirty Sexy Money on ABC and Winona Hawkins on Justified on FX.-Career:...
as Karen Darling; Glenn Fitzgerald
Glenn Fitzgerald
Glenn Fitzgerald is an American actor who has had over 30 roles in movies or television series. He played the character of Sean in The Sixth Sense...
as Reverend Brian Darling; Seth Gabel
Seth Gabel
Seth Gabel is an American actor. Gabel plays the role of agent Lincoln Lee on Fox's television series Fringe.-Career:...
as Jeremy Darling; Samaire Armstrong
Samaire Armstrong
Samaire Rhys Armstrong is an American actress, fashion designer and model. She is best known for her roles in Stay Alive, The O.C. and It's a Boy Girl Thing. Her best known role to date is portraying the role of Juliet Darling in the ABC television series Dirty Sexy Money...
as Juliet Darling, and Zoe McLellan
Zoe McLellan
Zoe McLellan is an American actress who is mostly recognized for her roles as Petty Officer Jennifer Coates on JAG and as Lisa George on ABC's Dirty Sexy Money.-Biography:...
as Lisa George.
This episode also lays the foundation for future relationship issues. Specifically, Letitia Darling is said to have had a forty-year affair with Nick's father. Reverend Brian Darling resents Nick because of the affair, which is common knowledge to the Darlings. Nick doesn't find out until Karen Darling informs him. Also, Patrick Darling IV is engaged in an adulterous relationship with a male to female transgender
Transgender
Transgender is a general term applied to a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies to vary from culturally conventional gender roles....
person. Reverend Brian Darling has an illegitimate son, who he is trying to get into a prestigious school. However, the school will only accept the child if he formally accepts the child as his own. Jeremy Darling has drug and gambling problems. Karen Darling still has feelings for Nick and a fiance Freddie who is using her for her money. Freddie will be her fourth husband. Juliet Darling is an aspiring actress, but it is said that she has no talent. She finds out that her father paid a director to give her a role, and she tries to overdose. Juliet moves out to find freedom.
Reception
Eric Goldman of IGNIGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
called the show "incredibly funny" and said the pilot episode for the series was "great, striking just the right winking tone". He said that even though the characters were "intentionally amped up and extreme", the cast managed "to keep them nicely believable, even amongst their ridiculous behavior". He gave the episode 9.2 out of 10.
Production
The pilot was filmed primarily in New York City during March and April of 2007. The James B. Duke HouseJames B. Duke House
The James B. Duke House located at the northeast corner of Fifth Avenue and 1 East 78th Street in New York City. The house is one of the great extant mansions from "Millionaire's Row." James Buchanan Duke was one of the founding partners of American Tobacco Company and the owner of Duke Power.-...
(now home to New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
's Institute of Fine Arts) was the original set for the Darlings' townhouse; however, after ABC ordered the first season, several scenes had to be reshot to adjust to the new LA sets that would be used for the rest of the season's production. For this reason, the interiors of the Darlings' house jump somewhat incongruously from ornate marble and wood (Duke House) to extremely modern and low-ceilinged (LA sets).