The Riches tackle gay America

I've been singing the praises of the new Eddie Izzard/Minnie Driver con family dramedy The Riches since it premiered a few months back on FX. And while it has had some queer underpinnings, there hasn't been much overtly gay subject matter in the otherwise incredibly subversive show, which takes a look at the American way of life through the eyes of a family of "Irish travelers" whose own issues with prison, meth, thievery, and more pale by comparison to the moral demands of upper-class suburbia. But last night we had three distinct queer story threads -- all of which were exceedingly well-handled and one of which had quite a bit to say about the rights of gay families.

The first was a quiet scene between the youngest Rich son, Sam (Aidan Mitchell) who prefers dressing like a girl (which was hilariously revealed in the show's very first scene) and Shareen Rich's senile mother, Dr. Morgenstern. Sam is seen putting makeup on the poor old woman, noting that it makes you feel special to highlight your pretty parts. Sam isn't given that much screentime, especially independent of the family, so this was a special moment where we got to see him open up a little. Sam's choice is unconditionally supported by his family thus far, which is an incredibly progressive way to handle the story (it of course is no coincidence that Izzard identifies as a straight transvestite in real life).

The second gay element delivered on the promise of the dinner party episode, in which Dahlia's former cellmate Chunky Kay called out neighbor Jim as being a closeted homosexual, much to his wife Nina's dismay. In last night's ep, Dahlia stopped by to visit Nina just as Jim's and his "friend" Wes went off to the market to get ingredients for dinner:

Nina: (making snooty face) They're making a bouillabaisse for dinner!

Dahlia: He seemed nice...

Nina: Wes? Oh, he is! Real Nice. Good cook.

Dahlia: So he and Jim are --

Nina: Friends. Yeah. For some time now, it seems.

Dahlia: And you all just -- hang out together?

Nina: Jim and I have been doing a lot of talking since your dinner party, Dahlia -- I guess you could say we've come to an understanding. Netiher of us wants to downscale at this stage in our lives, and there's Zinny to think about, so ... we're sharing the house. That's about all we're sharing.

Dahlia: Wow. Well, I don't know how you're doing it.

Nina: (lighting a joint) Weed!

But we still haven't gotten to the real meaty part: one of the episode's main plots was about how Wayne had to defend Panco (and its evil boss, Hugh) against a wrongful discrimination suit lodged by two lesbians to whom Panco refused to sell a house, due to the fact that the other five families on the house's cul-de-sac were conservative Christians. Wayne -- panicked about losing the case and his job -- learns that in the eyes of the law, the lesbians have no case -- but when he mentions this to Dahlia, she isn't buying it. Here's the brilliant exchange:

Wayne: (excited) Gay people are not specifically protected under the fair housing act. Hugh could absolutely refuse to sell to them and not be breaking any laws!

Dahlia: And you're gonna stand there and tell me that that's okay?

Wayne: Absolutely! It's completely legal! No, I mean it's not "okay" -- but in the state and in the whole country as it is, gay couples are not protected under the constitution.

Dahlia: Well they should be.

Wayne: Well that's not the point -- the law is on Hugh's side -- I can win this!

Dahlia: So you're going to walk into court tomorrow, and you're gonna defend Hugh's right to be a total flamin' asshole.

Wayne: Yeah -- that is what is so great about the law!

Dahlia: Well, that makes you an asshoole too, Wayne. Excluding people? Oh my god, are you kidding me? What if that was your child, huh? What if that was your son? You are no better than Hugh.

Wayne: Well if I don't do it and Panco collapses, what are we gonna live on, air?

Dahlia: (defeated) So this is it, huh? The American Dream.

Doug makes the decision to stand up for the lesbians and their son after meeting one of the ladies and realizing how unfairly they've been treated by the community, but the judge throws out their case before he has a chance to back down. Yet another hard lesson learned.

From the beginning, The Riches has used an outsider family's experience of "success" as a means of exploring what our values are as a society. And the point that has been driven home over and over -- and made crystal clear in the above two scenes -- is that the American Dream is all about compromise. Compromising your personal morals for a paycheck, selling out your own needs for comfort. It's a point that hits home for many underrepresented and unprotected people -- gays, minorities of all kinds -- and one that is seldom made, especially in the context of a criminally funny but otherwise unassuming television show.

if you've been missing out on all this, steal yourself some repeats and get in while you can.