Rumors had been spreading for a while, but a network spokesperson finally confirmed the bad news to Entertainment Weekly yesterday: FX has decided not to renew the Eddie Izzard and Minnie Driver dramedy The Riches for a third season.

I and other fans were afraid this would happen, if only because the series was such a unique show that really required continuous viewing to fully appreciate all of the many, many comedic and dramatic nuances. Still, it would have been great to see the gem continue, lower ratings be darned.

One thing fans don’t have to worry about is the careers of the show’s various stars. Izzard and Driver will never want for work, and in the last few months, I’ve already spotted Todd Stashwick (Dale Malloy) and Noel Fisher (Cael Malloy) in several different roles each on prominent series, ranging from Psych to Life to the Law & Order franchise. It doesn’t take much to imagine the same happening for the rest of the talented cast. Best of luck to them all.

On the premature second-season finale of The Riches, “The Lying King” the Malloy family grows further and further apart as the Bayou Hills deal seems closer and closer to disaster. Meanwhile, at the Traveller camp, Rosaleen encourages Cael to stay, just as Quinn wants.

The Riches airs Tuesdays on FX at 10pm EST.

I like the title of the April 22 episode of The Riches, the next-to-last installment of the second season, because it reminds me of one of the more entertaining thrillers about deceptive people, the Australian movie of the same name starring Nicole Kidman, Sam Neill, and Billy Zane.

This “Dead Calm” has nothing to do with boats or bodies of water, though, because the deceitful Malloys ply their trade on land. As the series builds up to the premature season finale, Cael finds (puppy?) love at a Traveller camp, while his mom Dahlia struggles with the extent of her husband Wayne’s deceptions involving Pete.

The Riches airs Tuesdays on FX at 10pm EST.

On the April 15 episode of The Riches, “Trust Never Sleeps,” the individual members of the Malloy family continue to get increasingly entangled in their deceptive lives.

Wayne not only has to cope with the deepening danger of his involvement in the Bayou Hills deal, but the arrival of a stranger makes him anxious about his and Dale’s secret. His wife Dahlia and son Cael undergo their share of angst brought on by their decisions, as well.

The Riches airs Tuesdays on FX at 10pm EST.

Original Air Date: April 6, 2008

NOTE: This series and recap contain mature themes and language.

DAHLIA walks into a Louisiana police station and tells a cop named DEVEREAUX (Guest Star Ntare Mwine) that she just got out of jail three months ago and violated her parole in Alabama when she left the state without checking in with her parole officer. She then launches into a farfetched story about searching for her husband, who allegedly left with her children, but the cop sees right through it.

Claiming that he’s sick of people disrespecting him by lying right to his face, the cop calls over a uniformed officer to arrest Dahlia, who panics and starts pleading that she wants to stop lying. The cop then gives her 24 hours to find a job and a place to live. If she can prove she has and stays on the right path for thirty days, he’ll consider taking over her file. Otherwise, he’ll put out a warrant for her arrest and hand her picture over to every cop in the state to hunt her down like a dog.

The next morning, Dahlia tries to tell WAYNE what she did because of her anxiety about her parole situation. He’s not listening, however, because he’s too wrapped up in the Bayou Hills deal. He stayed up all night memorizing details, and now it’s time to go to the office and make the $150 million Hugh secured on the golf course real.

After a security guard arrives to have CAEL put out the bonfire he’s started in front of his tent outside — he refuses to live in the house because it’s supposedly stealing their souls — Wayne and Dahlia head their separate ways.

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It’s double-trouble time for Wayne Malloy on the April 1 episode of The Riches, “Field of Dreams.”

First, he has to cope with Eden Falls, where Cael’s bad behavior causes a stir at school. Then, he has to deal with Hugh, who’s scared the Bayou Hills transaction might fail.

The Riches airs Tuesdays on FX at 10pm EST.

Coming up next on The Riches: “Friday Night Lights.” And, no — the episode has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with football or the NBC series of the same name or the feature film, although I wouldn’t mind a guest-star appearance by Kyle Chandler.

This installment picks up exactly where the last one left off, with Dahlia, her children and mom, and Nina in Blunt, Texas. You’ll never guess what happens next, and I can’t wait to find out how the Malloy brood gets out of the dangerous situation while Wayne remains in Eden Falls with oddballs Dale and Peter.

The Riches airs Tuesdays on FX at 10pm EST.

Oscar, Emmy, and Golden Globe nominee Minnie Driver stopped by Ellen DeGeneres‘ show on Monday morning, a fitting time since the English star of The Riches is part Irish and yesterday was St. Patrick’s Day.

Of course, the actress’ recently confirmed pregnancy was a major topic of discussion, along with her black Labrador Buddy, which apparently isn’t too thrilled at the moment about her expanding belly.

The interview actually fit into one commercial-free segment. But, Driver, who freely admits she spends a lot of time upchucking these days, was nice enough to stick around for a game-show type feature afterwards.

Two audience members went head-to-head in a holiday-inspired, charades-style game called Off the Top o’ Me Head, and one won a TiVo while the other received — wait for it — a six-day trip to Dublin, Ireland.

Wow! How about that?! And just like all talk-show audience members, all she paid to get in for the show was nothing. Lucky lady…

Anyway, I’ve included clips of both segments after the jump.

The Riches airs Tuesdays on FX at 10pm EST.

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Basic cable’s FX has a penchant for creating original series with enough personality and drama to pack a huge punch. In other words, when you watch an episode of such shows, the events stick with you long after the last scene has faded from the TV screen.

Tonight at 10pm EST, one of those series will return for its abbreviated second season, thanks to you know what. I’m talking about the Eddie Izzard and Minnie Driver dramedy The Riches, of course, which kicks things off with the premiere episode “The Last Temptation of Wayne.” Although patriarch Wayne will remain behind in Eden Falls, it looks like the rest of the thieving Malloys will begin traveling again. I feel for anyone who crosses them or their path.

To get everybody back up to speed and to provide a bit of insight into the series for both fans and newcomers, I’ve included a couple of behind-the-scenes featurettes after the jump. Take a look at what cast members have to say about the Malloys’ attempts to steal the American Dream and cope with the accompanying struggles. Nobody ever said getting your hands on an elusive goal that big would be easy…

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