For this particular group of ambitious friends, money is arguably their greatest antagonist, and Loaded goes to painstaking lengths to highlight that their hard fought success — which is all implied in the years leading up to the show’s events — doesn’t result in happiness.
Unlike other shows of a similar ilk, Loaded does stand out for its decidedly bitter attitude towards success.
Most series make money the end goal and a grand prize, but Loaded serves as an indictment of wealth and a cautionary tale.
Where shows like Silicon Valley or Halt and Catch Fire chronicle the rise to power for their respective tech companies, as well as the subsequent bumps along the way, Loaded’s decision to open on an already successful business thrusts it into a noticeably different thematic realm.