Riches series 1 lands on ITV this week, and it’s perfectly addictive TV for a Friday night in front of the box – find out why in my review.
If you love shamelessly trashy shows like Footballers’ Wives, Dallas and every soap that ever was, then you’re going to LOVE Riches. If Footballers’ Wives and Succession had a love child, Riches would be its very beautiful, shallow offspring.
The storyline borders on the ridiculous at times, but the cast is insanely hot, and there are enough bombshells dropped each episode to keep Jack Bauer in business.
Here’s my brutally honest review of Riches on ITV1 (with no spoilers!).
Riches review on ITV1
Like Succession, Riches dramatises the bitch-fight that sometimes follows the death of a filthy rich and successful patriarch. But that’s where the similarities end. While the HBO series saw the Roy family battle to take the reins of Waystar Royco after Logan Roy’s death, Riches starts with the death of Hugh Quarshie’s character Stephen Richards.
He’s the successful head of hair and cosmetics empire, Flair and Glory… But when he drops dead of a heart attack, his last wishes cause friction between his kids – all five of them.
Stephen unexpectedly gives the company to his estranged children Nina and Simon – abandoned by their dad when they were young. Naturally, this causes outrage with his new wife and their three children Alesha, Gus and Wanda, who were all expecting to get the booty.
The six-part series first streamed in 2022 on ITVX, and now lands on ITV1 on Friday nights, which is the perfect place for it.
Riches is trashy, soapy and addictive!
The ITV drama isn’t trying to win a BAFTA. Which is just as well, as it won’t. It’s much more soap, than serious drama – and nestles nicely amongst the likes of Footballers’ Wives, Bad Girls, and soaps of yesterday like Dynasty.
The script isn’t trying to be clever, it’s basic family drama – with feuds, affairs, sex and secrets. It’s intentionally trashy, but with a central mystery which will intrigue you enough to tune in again and again. You’ll want to binge all six episodes!
In the first episode, there is a scene in which furious wife Claudia throws a bowl full of fruit across a boardroom table and screams “you bitch!” at Nina. It’s a scene reminiscent of Dynasty’s famous catfights between Krystle and Alexis. And I loved it!
Claudia is the volatile matriarch, who isn’t afraid to speak her mind – something which often gets her into trouble. She’s most definitely the villain, and the one who twitches with rage in every scene.
At the heart of the drama lies several questions… Why did Stephen abandon his first family to start a new life with his second wife Claudia? And why did he, just six months before he died, change his will to give his successful company to his first two kids, with whom he was estranged?
In his last phone call to his estranged daughter Nina, he told her: “Someone is trying to hurt me. Someone is trying to hurt my company.”
Was he, in fact, murdered? And, if so, by who? Or is he still playing with his family from beyond the grave?
As well as double guessing whether there’s a killer in the family, you’ll inevitable take sides in the fallout. While none of the Richards seem particularly likeable at first, you’ll have your favourite for sure. And, if it isn’t Nina, I’ll be very surprised. You’ll want to see her/them win.
Riches review ITV: Underneath the glitter, there’s a moral tale
At the beginning of Riches, Hugh Quarshie tells a journalist that he had to fight to get to the top as a result of prejudice. The self-made millionaire, who was British-Nigerian, was a great advocate for black-owned business. And all the while, female writer Abby Ajayi seems to be asking – how many nearly all-black series are there on TV right now?
The drama throws a bombastic side eye at cultural appropriation, bias, racism and the widely accepted meaning of ‘homegrown’ British talent.
Deborah Ayorinde is mesmerising as Nina Richards, who decides the best way to avenge the injustice done to her and her family is to takeover the firm – despite her enemies.
Meanwhile, supermodel Jourdan Dunn plays Davina Chase in the drama, alongside Cold Feet’s Hermione Norris as Maureen Day. Downton Abbey’s Brendan Coyle plays Gideon Havelock, who has more than a little skin in the game.
Riches is OTT, and thoroughly enjoyable – it’s pure escapist fun. I guarantee it will be your guilty pleasure this Friday night!
Read more: Riches on ITVX: First look at high stakes drama starring Hermione Norris and Brendan Coyle
Riches starts on ITV1 on Friday, June 30, 2023 at 9pm. All episodes are currently available to binge on ITVX.
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