'Windfall': Be Careful What You Wish For

I'm at that stage of life where $1 million would really help. I could pay off my mortgage. Buy a couple of new cars to replace the beaters I have now. Set up a smokin' college fund for my infant son. Take my wife on a dream vacation. Help out my friends who run orphanages around the world.

I'm sure you have your own list of things you'd do if Ed McMahon ever came knocking. I'm also sure you're thinking, "When in the world would a boat-load of money not help?!"

The instant multimillionaires on NBC's summer drama, Windfall, could certainly answer that one. Because week after week, their series preaches a familiar sermon: Money isn't everything. And indeed, it isn't. Certain (really) wise sources tell me that if I love it, it'll lead me into all sorts of evil. That it's ultimately meaningless. And that you can't serve it and God at the same time. Too bad most of these "lucky" characters will never fully realize this.

We Put the $ in Dy$function
It's easy to see why NBC thought the premise of Windfall was intriguing enough to pick up the series after its pilot was dropped by Fox. What would you do if you won the lottery—and a substantial one at that? Try $386 million. Here, the pot is divvied up among the 20 winners who pooled together for lotto tickets at a party. That's still almost $20 mil a head. (OK, $10 million after taxes.) And by the end of the pilot episode, we already get a sense of what each of these Richie Riches plans on doing with his or her money.

Blue-collar husband/dad Peter (played by Luke Perry) wants a house that doesn't keep falling apart. Problem is, his marriage may already be. His wife, Nina, is grappling with deep-seated feelings that still linger for her college beau, Cameron, who's just informed her that he's always loved her and would leave his wife, Beth, in a heartbeat. Adding to the soapy plot, Peter and Cameron have been best friends since high school. And wouldn't you know it, the winning numbers Nina purchased just happen to be Cameron's birth date.

Hiding what may be an even more sordid past is Sean, who's dodging both the feds and his ex-prison "buddies" for his part in a murder. He's managed to lure a beautiful lawyer (and complete stranger) into collecting the cash for him ... and, of course, sleeping with him. (It isn't long, however, until we're left wondering who's playing whom.)

The rest of the winning clan includes Damien, a rebellious almost-18-year-old tired of following his harsh father's rules. He befriends the younger Frankie, who has a serious crush on him and whose divorcing parents also won. Maggie is the tenderhearted nurse who's prone to giving away large portions of her prize. And single mom Kimberly can finally rest after working multiple jobs, though her share of the winnings is being disputed by another woman.

Bring Out Your Worst
If you're a little exhausted trying to keep track of all those characters, you're not alone. In writing this review, I found myself constantly rewinding my pre-release DVD to make sure I knew who was who. Granted, the mega-cast thing has been done before. ABC's Lost has been successful partially because it takes enough time to develop characters while also giving them room to grow. Windfall, on the other hand, opts for OD'ing viewers with a barrage of stories and personalities shown in flash-card form. The result is twofold: Not only is it difficult to imagine what else can be said about these one-dimensional, stereotypical individuals, it's also hard to sincerely care about any of them in the first place.

Obviously, that doesn't bode well for the series' longevity. And for those of us hoping for an intriguing concept executed flawlessly (or at least with minimal problems), moral pitfalls won't even give us a chance to try it out. On the surface are the ongoing issues of gambling and infidelity. Mild language, alcohol and steamy sex scenes are series staples. And upon learning about their instant wealth, virtually every character sticks it to their bosses, parents and customers.

Beyond all that, however, are lots of "living it up" moments—especially for teens. To collect his money and avoid a sticky legal issue with his parents, Damien marries a Russian mail-order bride. "It was just a business deal," he tells his dad, shoving his independence and the possibility of "having sex with an insanely beautiful woman" in his face. The sassy teen follows that up by hosting a raucous, liquor-filled party for his friends.

"Don't Think About It at All"
Windfall tries hard to display its characters in the gloomy shadow cast by newfound riches. On this show, money can't buy happiness, sanity, love and a host of other things.

Nice lesson. Unfortunately, it's often eclipsed by sleazy characters and a parade of things a handful of $1,000 bills can buy. As Beth and Nina embark on an impromptu shopping spree in Paris, Beth tells her counterpart to "think of it as stimulating the global economy ... or don't think about it at all." When it comes to Windfall, I'd advise the latter.