Less than halfway through the first episode of the final season of HBO's wildly successful show Succession, even viewers with the strongest resolve were cringing. Sitting through multiple scenes featuring out-of-touch billionaires’ offspring and ageing media empire moguls – each party completely at ease talking about immense amounts of money – these windows into the lives of the fictional ultra-rich are taking on a new meaning as the cost of living crisis trundles on, bringing all but the 1% under its cloak of uncertainty.

In the UK, 57% of people report that they’re actively spending less on non-essentials, while 72% of middle-income families in the US say that earnings aren't keeping up with the increasing cost of living. With inflation directly impacting the lives of so many people, the increased prevalence and consumption of 'eat the rich' narratives poses some interesting questions.

From series like Succession and The White Lotus to films such as Triangle of Sadness and The Menu, the vibe of how we consume content about the rich has changed from aspirational – yet arguably unattainable – voyeurism to the have-nots openly mocking, hating, and vilifying the haves. It should come as no surprise that as people fall on hard times, they’re more likely to want to consume content that depicts how celebrities and the rich might be just as, if not more, miserable – even with overflowing bank accounts.

“There has been a recent shift from admiration of celebrities to hatred of celebrities,” says Ho Phi Huynh, an associate psychology professor and the author of a recent study on people’s hatred of celebrity culture. “This study was conducted to answer the question of why an inter-group conflict is forming between celebrity class and community by investigating the potential psychological factors that predispose individuals to hate celebrity culture as well as exploring the potential consequence of such a perspective.”

When Succession debuted in 2018 – pre-Covid, pre-recession 2.0 – the viscerally dislikeable rich characters stood out in a world of media and entertainment that saw wealth as enviable. Fast-forward to 2023, and TV screens, cinemas, and theatre stages are full of narratives showing the rich and famous as more appalling than aspirational.

Audiences are finding common ground with character portrayals that better reflect the world as it is and their version of normal. They’re eating up watching the downfall of the rich – and are united in their enjoyment of it.