Windfall
Windfall
| 08 June 2006 (USA)
SEASON & EPISODES
  • 1
  • Reviews
    Raetsonwe

    Redundant and unnecessary.

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    ReaderKenka

    Let's be realistic.

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    Glimmerubro

    It is not deep, but it is fun to watch. It does have a bit more of an edge to it than other similar films.

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    Raymond Sierra

    The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

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    Misshipsg

    I loved this show.I watched it from the first airing to the end.Even video taped it.I would love to see this show air again with more story lines.The best cast ever.It was the most watchable show on my block that summer,every house on the blocked watched it.I remember having our block meetings,boy we could even get started without discussing Windfall.We loved it,and the cast.Is there anyway that this show could be brought back for a second,third and maybe even forth season.We would love it.We would love everyone responsible this if you could make the possible. Sincerely,Windswept by Windfall,Overbrook,Pa.Community

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    liquidcelluloid-1

    Network: NBC; Genre: Drama; Content Rating: TV-PG (for some language and suggested sex); Perspective: Contemporary (star range: 1 - 4);Seasons Reviewed: Complete Series (1 season) At a Lottery Party, a group of 20 friends of all different ages and ethnicities - including Lana Parrilla ("Third Watch"), Jason Gedrick ("Boomtown"), Sarah Wynter ("24" hottie with the angry eyes) and Luke Perry - each put a dollar into a pot and, overnight, the numbers hit and they all become millionaires. At first it is great. Who wouldn't want to be a father able to give his kid a carnival in the backyard for his birthday or be able to hop on a first class jet and take an afternoon shopping spree in Paris.But this is a dysfunctional group and there are a few problems from the outset all of which get heightened by the fame and fortune that comes from the lottery. The most compelling story involves Jon Foster ("Life As We Know It"), as a high schooler who cooks up a scheme to emancipate from his ruthless father by marrying a Russian mail-order bride. D.J. Cotrona ("Skin", not "Wonderfalls" but they look alike) plays an ex-con, unable to claim the money on his own for fear of being caught by the feds and tracked down by an old nemesis. He enlists a lawyer, Zoe (Sarah Morris) for help claiming it.Created Laurie McCarthy and Gwendolyn Parker, "Windfall" has such a potentially fun concept it can instantly appeal to everyone. Who hasn't at one time stated that all their problems could be solved by winning the lottery? But soon what began as a fun and entertaining wish fulfillment series takes a sharp left turn into full-on soap opera mode. And not fun sudsy soap stuff, but dark, tiring, endlessly melodramatic stuff.While every other story slowly looses steam the more complicate and convoluted it becomes, it is single-handedly with the Sean/Zoe storyline where the show jumps the shark. The unexpected turn it takes is pretty damn horrifying and effectively jars it out of our fantasy land. The promise that is made in the light-hearted Pilot is not fulfilled; "Windfall" makes for a terrible wish-fulfillment show.Am I wrong to ask that this show be a light-weight wish-fulfillment series? Normally, this is where I would tell someone to meet the show on its level and not demand it be what you want. But we've been down the relationship melodrama road a thousand times before. A married women is secretly in love with another married man. A son angry with his overbearing father runs away and gets in over his head. It's hard to shake the "90210" feel of the show, which ironically comes the least from the appearance of Luke Perry. Perry's character seems to be the only one who enjoys the money and is one of the show's bright spots. The guy is unusually laid back even when learning his wife is in love with another man.What "Windfall" doesn't seem to get is that the wish fulfillment angle is the most original option to take this story. Maybe "Windfall" as a comedy about people misusing and abusing of money and fame (wait, that was pretty much "Arrested Development"). Or maybe just "Windfall" as a more intelligent drama. The age-old hypothetical of choosing between love and money is boiling under the surface here - and the show is unwilling or unable to dig deep to get to it.Why? Might I propose the reason is to fill a TV mandate that demonizes money and fortune in order to play up the importance of the concept of love. Watch any scripted show at any time and more than likely you will see a depiction that money is inherently the root of all evil and love is inherently the source of all happiness. The fact that the money only allows these characters the opportunity to make all their selfish desires come true seems lost on them and muted by the show as one-by-one they seek to solve their problems by giving the money back.Really anything would be better than the slow death-crawl that befalls this series. The show appears bored with itself. The cast appears to all but detest each other. The show is depressing. I'm all for an intelligent, insightful show about the heavy price of fame and fortune, but this will just make you want to chase a bottle of Xanax with a bottle of Jack. "Windfall" just may have sacrificed any chance of pure entertainment to spend an entire series lecturing to us.* ½ / 4

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    abdaughtry

    I can't imagine what kind of show the first reviewer on here likes, but I watched Windfall and was hooked immediately. It is no train wreck - it simply has many story lines for a variety of colorful characters. There is humor and drama. After each of the first two shows, I couldn't wait till the next one to see what would happen. Everyone I know who's watched this is also hooked on it. And I think the acting is fine - perhaps the critics could show the credentials that qualify them to criticize this great ensemble group. Also - there's no way they used Luke "Dylan" Perry from 90210 to get viewers. The only reason I tuned in was for Jason Gedrick, who is a far bigger star than anyone else, including Luke, although he didn't star in a television show that was watched by millions of adolescents. I will continue to watch it for all the other characters, as well. The fact that everyone else is unknown is just one more refreshing reason to watch and enjoy this show. NO ONE gets excessive screen time over anyone else. It is a show about many characters and many stories.

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    shawntae strickland

    I thought this was amazing! I thought the storyline was so adorable. I was happy when they were happy and sad when they were. I thought the acting was fabulous! Each character brings something amazing to the show. It is also full of drama, humor and romance. I cant wait to see more of this within the coming weeks. I think that everyone should watch this show at least once. I found out by watching the first episoide that there was going to be a lot of drama, and learned that greed can make people do crazy things. That is why i think this show is so fantastic, you can learn and be entertained all in the same time. So, once again, watch this amazing show you wont be disappointed.

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