The New Yorker(@NewYorker):Television has historically presented affluence as the norm. Recent shows like “Succession,” and “The White Lotus,” have taken this tendency even further, inviting viewers to hate the über-rich while coveting their five-star amenities. A new set of shows, however, have taken a different approach. Three new offerings center on society’s sinking middle, portraying financial woes and their resultant emotional tensions. They're also the best series of the year thus far, Inkoo Kang writes. Read about how “DTF St. Louis,” “Beef,” and “The Comeback” feel tailor-made to meet our moment of inflation anxiety, affordability crises, and fiscal doomerism:

2026.07.28 23:30

Television has historically presented affluence as the norm. Recent shows like “Succession,” and “The White Lotus,” have taken this tendency even further, inviting viewers to hate the über-rich while coveting their five-star amenities. A new set of shows, however, have taken a different approach. Three new offerings center on society’s sinking middle, portraying financial woes and their resultant emotional tensions. They're also the best series of the year thus far, Inkoo Kang writes. Read about how “DTF St. Louis,” “Beef,” and “The Comeback” feel tailor-made to meet our moment of inflation anxiety, affordability crises, and fiscal doomerism: