Dirty Sexy Money: The Nutcracker (1.10)

Considering it was never intended to be a season finale, Dirty Sexy Money does a pretty good job at crafting a tantalizing teaser for next season, even if it doesn't necessarily follow through on its promises. While the continuing Nick/Tripp/Simon/Karen saga frustrates, there are enough enjoyable "moments" to make it at least entertaining, from Gina Torres' great cameo as Simon's ex-wife, to that great moment with Karen waltzing into The Nutcracker clearly disturbed by her recent actions.

Dirty Sexy Money: The Watch (1.9)

While the storylines started last week (Lisa's anger, Ellen's ultimatum) appear to have been immediately and annoyingly retconned, The Watch did feature a whole lot of greatness, the show finally striking that emotional chord that has so far been eluded. This was most clearly seen throughout the last thirty minutes, with the revelations about Brian's paternity and his subsequent goodbye to his son.

Dirty Sexy Money: The Country House (1.8)

It's screamingly obvious that there's no direction in the Simon Elder storyline and that the writers are pulling the varying plot strands out of their butts. So much of the plot developments related to his arc felt right out of left-field in this episode, from his lengthy connection to the Darling's, to the weirdness about the previously-never-mentioned-unless-I'm-blanking "Kenneth Darling" and his mysterious assassination. All the actors are trying, but you can tell that they're also desperately searching for some kind of understanding of what is happening.

Dirty Sexy Money: The Wedding (1.7)

There was an interesting contrast created throughout this episode, made clear with Kiki's line where she described how she wanted to live in the Darling mansion forever, no matter what. This moment was followed by Ellen angry over being part of a "fake world", smiling for the cameras and being forced to deny the pain she's actually experiencing. It's a tradition of the genre to reflect the dark underbelly beneath the glamorous exterior of the wealthy, and it's something Dirty Sexy Money has done pretty well so far.

Dirty Sexy Money: The Game (1.6)

While The Game's titular set piece left a lot to be desired, it was a necessary means to an end, both in cementing the trust between Nick and Tripp, and in helping Simon Elder become even more ambiguous as a character. Personally, any character who wants to turn Manhattan into some trashy video game-looking eyesore is pretty much guaranteed to be untrustworthy. Nick and Tripp's closing scene, which revealed their plan all along, was especially moving. Both Peter Krause and Donald Sutherland are nailing their relationship, Tripp seeing Nick as almost the son he never had, and Nick proving he's not as gullible as he likes people to think.

Dirty Sexy Money: The Bridge (1.5)

So far, I haven't talked a whole lot about the Dutch George mystery at the center of the series. The arc hasn't taken hold of an entire episode yet, but the show has kept it as a neat little subplot in the background of pretty much every hour so far. The introduction of Simon Elder successfully humanizes the story, giving the mystery a little more gravitas than the random "one-episode enigmatic guest star" characters Nick has encountered previously.

Dirty Sexy Money: The Chiavennesca (1.4)

In the continuing Nick/Karen/Lisa triangle, the writers have made a good job of making all parties pretty sympathetic. Sure, Karen is a little obnoxious in her complete lack of awareness, but Natalie Zea's winning performance and the hints of sadness and regret that layer it definitely redeem any negative qualities about her character. Likewise, it's understandable why Lisa is so panicked. She's terrified of losing her husband not only to Karen but to the Darling lifestyle itself. The scene where she handed Karen back the shoes she purchased for her was revelatory in how much it said about her character.

Dirty Sexy Money: The Italian Banker (1.3)

I'm pleasantly surprised that the show hasn't gone the easy route with Juliet. She could have been the annoying, Paris Hilton-esque spoilt daughter, but in just three episodes of this show so far, she's been allowed to develop a surprising amount of depth. She's naive about life but quietly open to knowledge, and there's a genuine vulnerability to her actions as she slowly begins to suspect that her brother is lying to her. The fact that she's a virgin is equally as adorable (on why she's happy to be labeled a slut: "It's easier that way").

Dirty Sexy Money: The Lions (1.2)

Re-watching Dirty Sexy Money's first season, it struck me how I completely overlooked Donald Sutherland's acting at the time the show originally aired. Throughout the show's second episode, he gives a truly multi-layered performance, filled with subtle nuances that scream insight into his character. From his almost giddy excitement at the start of the episode to his understated devastation in the final scene, he's every bit deserving of his reputation as a big-screen legend.

Dirty Sexy Money: Pilot (1.1)

Dirty Sexy Money was a short-lived primetime soap opera which attempted to relocate the decadent wealth and trashy romantic and professional entanglements of Dynasty to the 21st century. While it lacked the all-out campiness of its ridiculous predecessors, Dirty Sexy Money did have its own unique charm, helped by a surprisingly classy ensemble cast of major stars and fun new discoveries.