Why we can't get enough of watching rich and terrible characters in TV series like 'The White Lotus'
CNN
Series like "The White Lotus" and "Succession" satirize wealthy, privileged people. The average viewer watches in awe, envy and, sometimes, even with admiration of their lifestyles.
The pilot sees the media magnate Roy family -- an amalgam of the Murdochs, the Hearsts and other dynasties -- decide to play an impromptu game of softball. A boy and his family watch nearby, and when youngest son Roman Roy notices them, he brokers a deal with the boy: If the kid can score a run, Roman will pay him $1 million. It's chump change for Roman -- he's got the nasty swagger of someone fully aware of their privilege and willing to wield it like a weapon -- but the funds could radically change the boy's family's life. The boy swings and sends the ball soaring. He darts around the bases and almost -- almost -- slides into $1 million when Roman's soon-to-be brother-in-law tags him out with disturbing zeal.More Related News