Inventing Anna is a "quasi-feminist, girlboss-adjacent revenge fantasy"

Vox

Shonda Rhimes' Netflix series seems to be celebrating socialite grifter Anna Delvey, turning her into a Robin Hood-esque revenge fantasy, says Alex-Abad Santos. "The series goes to great lengths to tell us (but never really show us) how sexism, elitism, and inequality are barriers that keep regular folks from ever becoming rich," says Santos. "The show can’t seem to decide if Delvey is a revolutionary feminist or someone who just wanted the money; if her wins were derived from supernatural charisma and intelligence or the result of corrupt systems too impressed with displays of wealth to do their due diligence. However unsure, it’s ultimately willing to embrace themes of heroism and radical self-empowerment. By the end, as a group of reporters literally cheers for Delvey’s court successes, one thing is clear: It expects we’re all rooting for her. The show is too willing to conflate these qualities with heroism and nobility, rather than allowing its protagonist to be someone who just wanted the money. Perhaps the soft-pedaling makes the scams feel less icky for viewers, or maybe it’s an overcorrection of Hollywood historically being too quick to paint real-life women as villains. But what it does show is that Inventing Anna just isn’t equipped to tell this story."