I saw the DVD at my local library, and recalling how I liked the show when I saw it years ago, I checked it out. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing again the first part of the series. The characters were well played, believable and interesting, as was the plot. However, the second part was a disappointment. The writing seemed stilted, focusing on prurient and unlikely sexual encounters to the detriment of continuation of the story. It seemed that the supposedly upright and principled male characters lost all self control when it came to dealing with women. They had to have 'it'. I don't watch the Soaps, but I think this segment was pretty much written with that venue in mind. Too bad.

Book 2 doesn't hold a candle to Book One. Standard soap opera fare punctuated by a weekly scene of Falconetti doing something violent, being it slapping a woman or torturing a cockroach. The romance between Rudy and Maggie is challenged by Kate. Rudy sees both of them and must choose. Now, you don't tell a woman that you have to choose between her and another woman. Women don't take this well, so this scenario was not realistic. Also, Rudy and Maggie are perfectly matched - same age, well educated....Kate seems like a giggling teenager and her scenes with Rudy are rather creepy. One common theme here is a lack of motherhood - all of the women in books one and two are lousy mothers. Rudy's mom favored him and ignored her other son, Tom. Julie ignored her son, Billy - sending him off to boarding school. Wes's mom was a prostitute and the courts took him away from her. Wes's stepmom, Kate, told him she didn't want him around. Maggie ignored her daughter, Diane, and sent her off to boarding school. Kate was always apart from her daughter - you never saw her. Ramona's mom died when she was a child. Anyway, the plot was predictable. Billy fell for Annie and kept getting rejected. Estep was always plotting and his goons killed for him. Wes and Ramona never worked it out....the whole thing had a very disappointing ending and nothing was resolved...just a bunch of people with shattered lives and life-threatening injuries. Had Rudy, Wes, or Billy ever bothered to call a cop instead of taking matters into their own hands, everything would have worked out just fine...duh...

The continuation of RICH MAN POOR MAN is entirely different from the very beginning. Rudi Jordache (Peter Strauss) makes the political career and leaves Julie Prescott. What is more, it is no longer the story of two different brothers because one of them, Tom, is dead. A kind of replacement for his character appears to be Wesley (Gregg Henry), his son. He is similar, gets into trouble as easily as his father did, and even behaves in a similar fashion. Into view comes Julie's son, Billy Abbot, who is, on the one hand, very ambitious and good at his job, but, on the other hand, falls into serious problems. The sequel is equally involving.Most of the content is occupied by two major plots: the problems that Rudi has to cope with as a senator (one of them is indeed the investigation of the mysterious scandals of Tricorp company, the mysterious past of Estepp's wife, and Jordache-Estepp conflict) and the story of Falconetti, who is set free from prison and seeks revenge on the senator and his family.The whole story is showed equally well as the first 12 parts. As I already wrote in my previous comments on RICH MAN POOR MAN Book II, all characters are ambiguous, not totally good or evil. Nevertheless, Rudi appears to be better than in the first part. His career is not so much of utmost importance but he looks at other people's happiness too. He cares for Tom's son Wesley; helps Billy financially, and aims at other values in life. All other characters are, like most people, very unique. Two interesting new characters, worth mentioning are: Annie Addams (Cassie Yates), who wants to be famous, but later realizes that career is not the most important thing in life; and Ramona (Penny Peyser) who is a wonderful individual, especially when applied to her attitude towards abortion (young girls and women should see it).The acting is EXCELLENT. Most cast perform very well. I particularly like Peter Strauss as a tired senator seeking for a calm life, William Smith as crazy Falconetti, and Susan Sullivan as ambitious but jealous Maggie.After the sad final scene of dying Rudi, noticed by nobody, I came into conclusion that there is one message not directly but rather implicitly conveyed at the end. The most important thing in life is not career, not riches, not even fame. It is friendship. Friendship between Wess and Roy, between Wess and Rudi, and every single friendship in everyone's life...I would recommend everyone to see both parts of RICH MAN POOR MAN. It is, though quite long, a wonderful lesson of life.

It is very strange to see Rich Man Poor Man (book one and two) after all these years. When I was a kid, i remember enjoy both parts. But I haven't seen it since the 80s... And on a french channel TEVA, they rerun part one and two. To be honest the two parts are really different : even if we find some similar characters and apparently the same storyline, it's really not the same thing.the first chapter is a strong and brilliant story about the fate of two brothers. The second part gives me (now) a strange feeling : the estep/falconetti storyline is strong and full of suspense. It's a kind of dram/detective/soap show, but it's really enjoying.I think you have to appreciate it as a different thing. My wife, who is watching the show (one and two) for the first time love both parts. I have to admitt that it was very difficult test for gregg henry to act after nick nolte. But it is great. And James Caroll Jordan (playing billy abbott) is one of the few characters in the TV history who is very hard to understand. One second, cool and charming (the perfect guy), next second (traitor and a bad guy...)Of course, Peter STRAUSS is great like the rest of the cast, except maybe Kaye LENZ (but I suspect the dubbing - her french voice- to be in charge more than the actress).I hope americain people can soon watch the show again.