Show: Easy Money (The CW)
Episode: “DNA” - Series Premiere (Season 1)
Premiere Date: Sunday, October 5th, 2008
Rating: 2 out of 4 Stars

Quick Synopsis: Loan sharking is a tough business.

Long Synopsis: A family runs a storefront loan business. They are basically loan sharks. They have to deal with a cop that defaulted on his loan and some new competition that has moved into town. One member of the family struggles with what his life has become and some news finds out.

Review: Easy Money is a show that didn’t really sound all that interesting, but it turned out to be good. Yet, it has the potential to be really good. I will be tuning in again to find out.

So, you may be wondering why it only got two stars. Well, it’s because the first half of the show is a bit of a slog. I know its purpose is to introduce you to the Buffkin family and the storefront loan business they run, but it was pretty boring.

But, if you can make it through that beginning, you get introduced to an interesting story revolving around Jeff Hephner’s (The O.C., The Jury) Morgan Buffkin. He is one of the children that have a part in running the family business. He is conflicted about what he does and wishes he could be doing something more. By the end of this episode, where the last scene just hooked me for some reason, I wanted to know what was going to happen next with him.

The cast is full of faces you will probably recognize. The head of the family is Bobette Buffkin, played by Laurie Metcalf (The Norm Show, Roseanne). Nick Searcy (Rodney, Seven Days) plays her husband Roy. Morgan has a brother Cooper and sister Brandy, who are played by Jay R. Ferguson (Sleeper Cell, Surface) and Katie Lowes (Swingtown). Judge Reinhold (Beverly Hills Cop) plays an investigator for the store.

Overall, Easy Money is worth checking out, but there is a lot of good stuff in the second hour of primetime on Sundays. On the network side, it will be up against ABC’s Desperate Housewives, CBS’ Cold Case, FOX’s Family Guy and American Dad and NBC’s Sunday Night Football. It also has to contend with HBO’s True Blood and Showtime’s Dexter.

Right now, given this first episode, it would be my fourth choice in the time period. But, if it becomes more like the second half of the show going forward, I could see it rivaling Desperate Housewives for the number two spot behind Dexter. I will definitely continue to watch and find out.

Easy Money premieres tonight, Friday, October 5th on The CW.