“The Riches” premiered on the FX network on March 12, 2007 to overall good critical reviews. The pilot episode drew 3.8 million viewers, making it the second highest debut on FX after “The Shield”. The show averages 5.9 viewers per week, which is enough for FX to air a second season in 2008.
Season One
“Pilot” (1.01) – Dahlia Malloy gets out of prison on parole. Shortly after, she and her family are on the run from relatives after stealing the clan’s money and avoiding their daughter’s arranged marriage. After a car accident that leaves Doug and Cherien Rich dead, the Malloys steal the Riches’ identities and live their lives in Edenfalls, a well-to-do suburb of Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Original Air Date: March 12, 2007
“Believe the Lie” (1.02) – Everyone begins trying to fit into their new “buffer” lifestyle. Wayne attends a job interview and bluffs his way into a job as in-house counsel at Panco working for Hugh Panetta. Dahlia hides the clan’s money and loses it. Cael and Di Di do research on the people they are impersonating.
Original Air Date: March 19, 2007
“Operation Education” (1.03) – Wayne starts work at the law firm where his first job is to fire the head of the department. Dahlia and Wayne get the kids social security cards and attend an interview at Rosemere Academy, a private school. Despite not having any current openings, Dahlia insists on registering the kids and when they are rejected, she comes up with an elaborate scam to win over the school’s headmistress. Back at the Traveller camp, Dale tries to use Cael’s girlfriend Tammy to track down Wayne.
Original Air Date: March 26, 2007
“Been There, Done That” (1.04) – The Malloy’s cover is compromised when the real Doug Rich’s ex-wife when she attempts to track Doug down because of missed alimony payments. Wayne and Dahlia pull off a con involving ex-wife Jolida’s lawyer and the sale of one of neighbor Jim Burns’ alpacas in order to pay her the $75,000 she is owed. Dahlia continues to struggle with drug abuse and gets high with Jim Burns’ wife Nina. Hugh catches Dahlia stealing pills from the Burns’ bathroom. At school Cael helps classmates break in after hours to change grades and Di Di seems to be striking up a relationship with local boy Erick.
Original Air Date: April 2, 2007
“The Big Floss” (1.05) – Dahlia gets a job as a dental hygienist which she is entirely unqualified for. Meanwhile Wayne is forced to deal with the legal arcana in an eminent-domain case despite a complete lack of knowledge about law. The Malloys are tracked down by Ginny Dannegan who in turn blackmails Wayne and Dahlia into agreeing to going through with the arranged marriage between Di Di and Ginny’s brother Ken.
Original Air Date: April 9, 2007
“Reckless Gardening” (1.06) – Ken shows up with intentions of marrying Di Di. At school, Di Di takes the fall for him when students plant marijuana on him. Dahlia goes to work as Hugh’s personal assistant at Panco. Upon learning that his father Earl planned for Wayne to lead the Traveller camp after his death, Dale takes brutal action against his father and leaves him in the woods to die.
Original Air Date: April 16, 2007
“Virgin Territory” (1.07) – Upon learning of Earl’s death, Wayne, Dahlia, Cael, Di Di, and Sam return to the Traveller camp to attend his funeral. Since according to Traveller tradition a marriage is to follow a funeral, Di Di gets ready for her wedding while Wayne tries to come up with a way to stop it. Dale tells Dahlia about murdering his father and she forces him at gunpoint to write a letter to his mother and the rest of the clan saying what he had done. Wayne doesn’t come through for Di Di and the wedding goes as planned until she refuses to marry Ken. Later back in the RV, Ginny threatens Di Di and makes her agree to sleep with Ken. She leaves and Ken comes in, and Di Di refuses explains that she only went as far as she did with the wedding because of Ginny’s threats. Ken is hurt, but tells Di Di that he will always love her and protect her and her family from Ginny.
Original Air Date: April 23, 2007
“X Marks the Spot” (1.08) – The Malloys return from the funeral to find that Hugh is missing $40,000 from his safe and he suspects Wayne. To get out of hot water, Wayne comes up with a story that explains his absence. He tells Wayne he was meeting with a potential investor with very deep pockets. Wayne and Dahlia proceed to get former baseball player Rudy Blue to invest half a million dollars into Panco.
Original Air Date: April 30, 2007
“Cinderella” (1.09) – Wayne is offered a partnership in the law firm on the condition that he and Dahlia throw a dinner party and invite Hugh and their neighbors. While shopping for the party, Dahlia runs into her old cell mate and best friend from prison Chunky K whom Dahlia ends up hiring as a maid for the dinner party. At the dinner party, Chunky K outs Jim Burns as a homosexual and causes Hugh to relapse back into drug use.
Original Air Date: May 7, 2007
“This is Your Brain on Drugs” (1.10) – Wayne suspects Dahlia is still on drugs and takes meth as an ill-advised way of showing her how much her drug abuse hurts him. Things at Panco go crazy with Wayne gone, and Dahlia is forced to try to keep things together. Meanwhile, Dale shows up in Edenfalls and befriends Hartley, one of the family’s neighbors.
Original Air Date: May 14, 2007
“Anything Hugh Can Do, I Can Do Better” (1.11) – Hugh goes missing and Wayne is left to take over at Panco. Dahlia works to rebuild her relationship with Di Di, and Dale tells Hartley why he is really in Edenfalls.
Scheduled Air Date: May 21, 2007
“It’s a Wonderful Lie” (1.12) – Season Finale. Doug’s friend Pete comes by for a visit and the family must be extra careful to hide their secret. Hugh returns from Las Vegas and brings with him a new wife. Hartley and Dale become closer and she helps teach him now to blend in while in Edenfalls.
Scheduled Air Date: May 28, 2007
