Extreme wealth and out of this world personal finance is everywhere on screen, from dramas like Succession and Big Little Lies to comedies like Arrested Development and Schitt's Creek to lighter fare like Gossip Girl. Audiences love movies and shows that give us a peek into how the other half (or, rather, 1%) lives. It can be a lot of fun to escape into these bougie worlds… and to watch these people who seem to have everything actually have to struggle every once in a while. But how true to life are these portrayals, really? And how do these narratives shape our perception of the wealthy – and ourselves – in real life? Let’s take a deeper look.


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CHAPTERS
00:00 Wealthy characters are everywhere now
00:40 Ultra rich lifestyles on screen vs real life
02:53 Giant apartments, mansions, & literal palaces
04:16 The rise of the (comparitively) broke audience proxy
06:38 Money = Power... and control
09:06 How writers find humanity in ultra rich characters
11:32 Trying to still look wealthy (even after their money is gone)
14:17 Enjoying the escapism without letting it make us feel bad


CREDITS
Executive Producers: Debra Minoff & Susannah McCullough
Chief Creative Director: Susannah McCullough
Associate Producer: Jessica Babineaux
Writer: Jessica Babineaux
Narrator: Jessica Babineaux
Video Editor: Daniel Wolff