Film and TV love to show partly-relatable, partly-aspirational lifestyles that… actually don’t make a whole lot of sense when you really think about them. Of course, we’re not always watching movies and shows just to see real life, and it can sometimes work well when media choses to let go of realism a little bit to have more fun. But this can also lead to some pretty unrealistic ideas about life and money… So let’s take a look at some of the most nonsensical finances in media, why we’re influenced by them, and how we can enjoy our favorite shows without comparing ourselves to the fantastical examples on screen.
“Look, you clearly are living beyond your means. Can you afford that bag?” “This was a gift from a very wealthy friend.” “That’s too expensive for you.” Broad City
THE FABULOUS LIFESTYLES OF THE FINANCIALLY FLAWED
As much as we love our favorite film and television characters, it can be frustratingly distracting that their salaries, or lack thereof, just don’t make sense with their lifestyles – especially when it comes to their living spaces. So often on screen we see a scrappy young adult attempting to make ends meet working odd jobs, and yet still somehow able to afford a huge apartment in a major city. Part of this is due to the real-world constraints that come with filming a movie or show – whether it’s a soundstage or an actual home, you need space for all of the crew and equipment, so having your character live in a converted walk-in closet just isn’t realistic.
It’s noticeable that so many of these shows and movies are set in New York City, a haven for attractive young adults with big dreams. In season four of Glee, for example, Rachel and Kurt leave Ohio for the Big Apple and somehow manage to snag a sizable loft in a lively, expensive neighborhood.
“This place is enormous!” “For 1,800 bucks a month we could get a shoebox in Manhattan or this hangar in Bushwick.” Glee
These two are students, who at the time were still unemployed. When you think of enviable sitcom residences, the wildly popular show Friends likely comes to mind. While Chandler and Joey’s set up can be smoothed over by just assuming that Chandler pays for most of the rent with… whatever it is he does for a living.
“Alright kids, I’ve gotta get to work. If I don’t input those numbers…doesn’t make much of a difference.” Friends
Aspiring chef Monica and part-time waitress Rachel managing to afford their huge apartment is a lot more difficult to square away. This has been analyzed countless times both while the show was on the air and in the decades since. Friends itself eventually provided an explanation during the run after the writers got hit with so many questions about it: it turns out that Monica inherited the apartment from her grandmother and it was rent-controlled, and so significantly more affordable than a similar apartment would have been at market rate.
“And thanks to rent control, it was a freakin’ steal!” Friends
So, not a totally unrealistic set up as some people do have this happen in real life, but definitely not something attainable for the average viewer. The West Coast isn’t immune to tv-finance-magic either: take New Girl’s roommate set up, which is slightly more realistic, with multiple adult roommates with jobs splitting the rent. But given the soaring rents in downtown Los Angeles, the four-bedroom loft likely would still be over budget for people with regular jobs like school teacher Jessica Day.
In addition to living spaces, character’s entire lifestyles often seem out of step with reality. Friends even made fun of the fact that its characters always being free to sit around and drink coffee in a cafe in the middle of the workday doesn’t really make a lot of sense:
“That’s weird, I don’t think my boss likes me either.” “Mmm… I don’t think mine likes me either.” “Maybe it’s a… universal thing?” “Yeah, or maybe it’s because you’re all hanging around here at 11:30 on a Wednesday!” Friends
We’re also used to seeing characters gathered around takeout boxes and going out to eat – which may seem like small expenses but as we all know, all those “small” expenses can definitely start adding up. Take Gilmore Girls – Lorelai comes from money, but is out on her own and a huge point of contention on the show is that she doesn’t want to take money from her parents to make her life easier. She worries about how to pay Rory’s tuition at Chilton, but never really seems concerned about budgeting to any degree. Between daily meals at Luke’s Diner, ordering pizza, and buying snacks, the mother-daughter duo probably blow a huge amount of cash on just coffee and treats alone (on top of, you know, their actual groceries.) Seeing them enjoy takeout and poptarts is part of the cozy fun of the show, but it can at times feel a little divorced from the reality of what it’s like to be worried about money.
A more recent example of pure fantasy is Emily in Paris. The titular marketing maven moves to France for work and lives a dreamy, Insta-worthy life. She has a stylish but impractical wardrobe, frequently goes out for food and drinks, and lives in an apartment that in real life would be much smaller. But, of course, the creators aren’t striving for realism here – and that’s not necessarily a bad thing; it is a fictional tv show after all. But when these worlds that are being presented as ‘so relatable’ on screen are so far from real life, it can start to cause some problems.
OUR CULTURAL PERCEPTION OF FINANCES
Shopping is often portrayed as a hobby or even self-care.
“A little retail therapy before work?” Emily in Paris
And as much as we can appreciate the fashion, showing characters spending money so frivolously only makes it that much easier for us to also begin to see shopping as a solution to all of life’s troubles.
“They didn’t even need any money, they had magic cards. I wanted one. Little did I know… I would end up with 12.” Confessions of a Shopaholic
The use, and overuse, of credit cards is a common plot point in film and TV used to explain away the less than realistic finances of hardcore shoppers. But their financial woes often come to a head and are “overcome” in a single episode before they continue on with their happy lives, and… things definitely don’t usually go that smoothly in real life. In How I Met Your Mother, Lily is forced to confess the truth about her finances when she and Marshall try to purchase a home. It turns out that she’s been stress spending and has maxed out fifteen credit cards. But after that it’s… kind of never mentioned again and everything seems mostly fine?
Emily in Paris creator Darren Starr is also behind the iconic Sex and the City, another series full of some rather reckless spending and unrealistic portrayals of living in NYC. Carrie Bradshaw’s expensive taste and designer shoe addiction don’t really seem to line up with her once-a-week column writer’s salary. The show does address how she’s often on the edge of a big issue, but it never seems to actually affect her in any material, long-term way.
“It says here that you have $700 in your checking account.” “I just paid my credit card bill.” “And…$957 in savings.” Sex and the City
The infamous season 4 episode “Ring a Ding Ding” that sees Carrie finally fully confronted by her outrageous finances really lays out how ridiculous her lifestyle is.
“I spent…$40,000 on shoes…and I have no place to live?” Sex and the City
But because this is TV, instead of having to sell half of her stuff and buckle down on the budgeting… Carrie just wines until she gets her friend to fix her problems by guilting her into selling her own engagement ring – which was so out of line even fans were rubbed the wrong way.
We may be talking about fictional people living fictional lives on shows that aren’t supposed to be viewed as a documentary or a rule book by which to live your real life. But it’s long been shown that our understanding of the world is influenced, or shaped, by the media we consume, also known as the “cultivation theory.” A 2022 report by Credit Karma found that nearly 40% of young adults put more money towards experiences rather than essentials like bills. The concept of “fake it til you make it” encourages spending way beyond our means just to keep up appearances. These otherwise relatable characters give people an unrealistic impression of finances, particularly for young adults entering the workforce. An aspiring journalist might move to NYC expecting to land a taxing but glamorous job at a magazine, find a spacious one bedroom with a killer view, all while having the time and money to enjoy what the city has to offer. Because if they’re not familiar with the city, they’ll think it’s totally plausible that a stand-up comedian could afford to live alone in Manhattan, or that a freelance writer makes enough cash to live comfortably on the Upper East Side.
Thankfully, there are some shows that value the accuracy of a character’s financial situation and how it affects their lifestyle.
“I mean, we got our places years ago when the Arconia was affordable, but you? Do your parents have a place there…” “Good God! You don’t have to answer that, Mabel. I mean unless you want to because I’m also curious.” Only Murders in the Building
Only Murders in the Building explains Mabel’s living situation by having her essentially working for her aunt. And when that aunt eventually sells the apartment, Mabel is tasked with finding a new place to live and an actual job.
”This is the whole apartment?” “I know. Feels like a palace. 460 square feet all to yourself.” Only Murders in the Building
And while we don’t see where season 3’s newcomer Kimber actually lives, we do see that she makes her way by holding down multiple jobs.
“So, you manage all this? Businesses, TikTok, an acting career?” “You know how it is. Being our age in New York. You have to hustle if you want to make it here.” Only Murders in the Building
Broad City in particular has been praised as a more realistic portrayal of millennial women living in New York.
“It’s a hallway. It is a beautiful railroad-style apartment in your budget.” “Where’s the bathroom?” “Where isn’t the bathroom?”
Abbi and Ilana don’t have expensive brunches or shopping sprees, and they both have to live with roommates in actually New York City-sized apartments. Neither have steady jobs; instead they cycle through different gigs like waitressing, house sitting, dog-walking, cleaning, and the occasional startup. Any event or fancy dinner is treated as a rarity instead of a routine. In one episode, Abbi hesitantly drops over $400 on a dress for a party. But instead of returning it, she proceeds to wear that same dress throughout the season because it was an investment.
“So that’s your total equity, three hundred and seventy four dollars? Are you kidding me? You gotta keep more money in your bank account.” Broad City
WHY THE FANTASY CONTINUES…
When it comes to entertainment, most audiences want escapism not realism which is, in part, why shows like Friends, The White Lotus, and Emily in Paris are so popular. And why society can’t seem to kick its fascination with the phenomenon of escapist reality television. Plus, having wealthy characters (or not wealthy characters who just somehow never seem to have to worry about money) gives the writers more freedom with storytelling, enabling them to put characters into heightened situations while also presenting something aspirational.
Ultimately, there’s nothing wrong with escapism, it’s just important for audiences to understand what’s realistic and what’s a fantasy. Because that’s how we protect ourselves from feeling down about our own lives and finances. Getting caught up in on-screen comparisons only leads to negative emotions, self-criticism, and dissatisfaction. But even if the gigantic apartments and endless take out aren’t relatable, that doesn’t mean they aren’t fun to watch. Are there any other on screen financial mysteries or ridiculousness that you always notice on screen that we left out? Tell us about it in the comments!