Vrinda Bachchan
Show creator Tate Taylor’s newest soap series for Fox Broadcasting Company, ‘Filthy Rich’, follows the dramatic story of a mega-rich southern clan, all devout Christians, as they plan and plot to get a piece of the considerable fortune that’s at stake after their patriarch, Eugene Monreaux, dies in a plane crash. The Monreauxes have built their empire with a Christian-themed television network and are about to launch an online shopping venture when Eugene, the founder of the Sunshine Network and a minister, passes away in a tragic plane crash, along with his two mistresses. Eugene’s death exposes his previously secret life of extra-marital relations which is ironic for a man of his supposedly devout personality.
Eugene leaves behind a grieving fur-clad widow, two grown children (as snooty and ambitious as they come), an entertainment empire that cannot sing enough praises of the Lord, and a will that lists three illegitimate children as beneficiaries to inherit part of his wealth. All three children that he had fathered with three different women – a single dad and boxer, a marijuana grower, and a vengeful owner of a fetish-cam website. Margaret Monreaux tries to pay them off but when hush money and cake don’t make them go away, she decides to take them into the family fold, as long as they play by her rules.
Religion, money, and power collide in an explosion of faith and lies as the family tries to adjust to their new reality, but accepting the outsider half-siblings is not easy, especially when everyone has their own hidden agenda. Margaret is left alone to take care of the business and she can more than handle the empire efficiently but what she doesn’t know is who she can trust. Her son is only driven by his ambitions with his catty wife constantly whispering in his ear, while her daughter only wants to get away from the sometimes over-bearing Margaret. And then there are the three new additions to Margaret’s home – a living reminder of her late husband’s cheating. Will Margaret be able to rise above the family politics and emerge a winner and a “boss-bitch”?
Is Filthy Rich based on a True Story?
No, ‘Filthy Rich’ is not based on a true story. ‘Filthy Rich’ is actually a remake of a 2016 New Zealand TV show of the same name. The New Zealand show, created by Rachel Lang and Gavin Strawhan, also revolves around three illegitimate half-siblings who, one fine day, find out that they have a legit claim to part of a huge fortune and an empire built by one of New Zealand’s wealthiest men. The storyline is the same, with the legitimate family of the late patriarch not wanting to share their inheritance with the unwanted heirs. The New Zealand show does not have any basis in real events either.
It may not be inspired by true events, but it’s still incredibly engaging and entertaining to watch. And it’s not just conventionally soapy, ‘Filthy Rich’ is also a satirical drama with moments of levity scattered here and there.
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