Dirty Sexy Money - TV-PG

Juicy, scandalous family drama isn't for kids.

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Common Sense rates it
4
Seen the show?
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details
  • TV Rating: TV-PG
  • Network: ABC
  • Cast: Donald Sutherland, Peter Krause, William Baldwin
  • Genre: Drama
  • >Available On: DVD

Parents need to know

Parents need to know that, as the title suggests, this adult-targeted drama involves all sorts of dirty deeds. Affairs abound; one character, a senator, is sleeping with a transsexual, and there are scenes of them lying in bed together (no nudity), along with saucy dialogue (like a play on the word "come," for example). The adult children of a wealthy family exhibit lots of iffy behavior -- for instance, one is a coke addict who likes to gamble (and also smokes and drinks constantly). That said, the main character is honest and has the best intentions, though he's tugged in dodgy directions by the family he works for.

Families can talk about balancing your ideals with reality. If someone offered you $10 million for charity in exchange for doing work you didn't agree with, would you take the job? What would be a deal breaker for you in that situation? Why do people do work they don't love? Is making sacrifices for money a necessary evil? Families can also discuss how wealthy people are depicted in TV shows and movies. How realistic do you think these portrayals are? What might get exaggerated for drama's sake?

Message

Social Behavior:

The main character has strong moral beliefs and wants to help people and causes through charitable works. But the obscenely rich family he works for is involved in all sorts of scandalous and/or illegal ventures.

Consumerism:

Wealth and what money can do, for both good and bad, is big theme of the show.

Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco:

One character smokes, drinks, and uses cocaine and other drugs frequently. Other characters drink frequently, sometimes to intoxication.

Violence

Some physical tussling, threats, and angry encounters. A murder mystery is part of the show's narrative. In one scene, a child finds his mother dead of suicide in the bathtub (some blood).

Sex

Post-sex scenes featuring a man and a transsexual. Some kissing and intimate embraces. Plenty of affairs, plus discussion of virginity, promiscuity, and more.

Language

Fairly mild profanity like "hell" and "screw."

Common Sense says

What's the story?

Reviewed by Sierra Filucci

DIRTY SEXY MONEY's title says it all. This glitzy drama is all about a ridiculously wealthy family, their misdeeds, and the honest lawyer who's lured into representing them -- getting dirty, sexy, and a good deal of money in the process. Nick George (Six Feet Under's Peter Krause) reluctantly follows in his late father's footsteps as the Darling family's lawyer. The ultra-rich Manhattanites are a little like the Hiltons, with a few more children to keep track of. Patriarch "Tripp" Darling (Donald Sutherland) manages his brood with a mix of love and disdain, accompanied by his wife, Leticia (Jill Clayburgh). Their five grown children range from politico Patrick (William Baldwin), who's having an affair with a transsexual, to spoiled-but-sweet aspiring actress Juliet (Samaire Armstrong), whose greatest put-down is "you're poor!"

Is it any good?

4

With some captivating actors and a juicy, scandal-ridden plot, Dirty Sexy Money is a sort of modern-day Dynasty that's shed its hokey soap opera skin. Besides tracking the Darlings' assorted depravities, the show ponders greater questions about self, identity, and family -- especially how these concepts intersect with money, power, and privilege. Plus, there's a mystery to latch onto: Who killed Nick's father?

Because it has so many adult themes and situations -- including a transgressing reverend and his illegitimate child, the senator and his "girlfriend," multiple affairs, and a cocaine-addicted playboy -- Dirty Sexy Money is best for mature audiences.

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Parents and kids say

All Reviews

There are 1 reviews.

5


Posted on 03/27/08 by Mom of 2 Girls Adult contributor

I love this show...but it is NOT appropriate for children!!

The acting is great, and the story line is thought-provoking. While most of us cannot begin to imagine having the kind of money the Darlings have to throw around, most parents worry about how to provide material things for their children without spoiling them. There are lots of great plot-twists and I can't wait to see how they all play out. The poor choices made repeatedly by the "adult" children could be fodder for a conversation with your teen about how important it is to learn to make good decisions now...because they'll continue to cause problems for you down the road, but are simply inappropriate for younger viewers.

Adult Reviews

There are 1 reviews.

5


Posted on 03/27/08 by Mom of 2 Girls Adult contributor

I love this show...but it is NOT appropriate for children!!

The acting is great, and the story line is thought-provoking. While most of us cannot begin to imagine having the kind of money the Darlings have to throw around, most parents worry about how to provide material things for their children without spoiling them. There are lots of great plot-twists and I can't wait to see how they all play out. The poor choices made repeatedly by the "adult" children could be fodder for a conversation with your teen about how important it is to learn to make good decisions now...because they'll continue to cause problems for you down the road, but are simply inappropriate for younger viewers.

Kids Reviews

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There are no kids reviews.

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