MTV ‘Cribs’ just returned to television 20 years after its original debut. But ‘wealth porn’ may not have the same appeal to a new generation.

• MTV "Cribs," which first premiered September 12, 2000, makes its grand return to TV this week.
• But growing income disparities have made US viewers look at extravagant wealth more critically.
• The wealthiest 10% of families controlled 76% of America's total wealth, per a 2019 report.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

On September 12, 2000, MTV "Cribs" premiered its first episode.

It was, at that time, a novel entry point for eager viewers who wanted a voyeuristic peek into the lives of the ultra-rich. For thirty minutes, fans could see celebrities flaunt everything from fleets of rare luxury cars to custom-made furnishings – then watch them open up their refrigerator to show that, despite all that obscene wealth around, they were really just like you and me.

Since then, the show has experienced a series of short-lived spin-offs and curated revivals as it largely lived on in reruns consumed by a new generation. But in July, the network announced that the show would be officially relaunching with a list of new celebrities set to show off their lavish homes.

The revival is yet another sign of the thriving trend of early 2000s nostalgia taking over the industry, from the sometimes questionable fashion statements to long-over celebrity couples finding their way back together after years apart.

At the height of the show's popularity, viewers could indulge in similar programming like VH1's "Fabulous Life," which debuted in 2003 and documented the extravagant spending of celebrities, billionaires, and rich socialites like Paris Hilton, who at that time was becoming increasingly famous simply for being born into a billion-dollar hotel dynasty.

"When 'Cribs' first debuted in 2000,' Survivor' had just completed its first [US] season that previous month. Reality television was just getting started," Robert Thompson, director of the Bleier Center for Television and Pop Culture at Syracuse University, recently told Insider in an interview.

"Jessica Simpson, the Osbournes, the Kardashians - all of those reality shows were still in the future," he continued, noting that though "The Real World" technically predated both "Cribs" and "Survivor" (debuting in 1992) that was "a whole different kind of thing" in the reality-TV space.

With the advent of shows like "Cribs," according to Thompson, "reality TV in its modern iteration was just getting started."

The reboot may not fit into the modern era the way the original did in its time - we have other 'wealth porn' outlets now, even if they're just as fake as 'Cribs' could be

The television landscape of the early aughts is not the same as it is today. MTV "Cribs" is no longer a novelty.

Reality shows have become more popular than ever, and the rise of social media has allowed celebrities to provide unlimited access into their luxury lifestyles. In addition, influencer culture has turned social media into advertising for rich public figures (and the aspiring-rich) to sell extravagance to their followers daily.

Given all that, it's hard not to see MTV "Cribs" as a bit redundant in this modern era.

And it's not as though "Cribs" was relied upon for showing celebrities' real lives - it could be just as fake as the average Instagram feed is today.

Despite the number of notable celebrities that have appeared on the series over the years, there have also been controversies around stars using homes that weren't their own (like Robbie Williams and JoJo) and renting cars (50 Cent was accused of doing this in 2007) just to take advantage of the show's massive reach and project a certain luxurious image.

Today, this inclination towards fakeness is just further compounded by influencer culture, with social-media personalities regularly being accused of everything from renting out luxury shopping bags to staging setups of private jets just to increase their engagement and follower count.

Thanks to the internet, our obsession with "wealth porn" has only been transferred to a different medium.

But with more conversations on wealth disparities within the country, there is a more critical lens on the discussion on wealth and how much one person should have. Nowadays, we have organizations lobbying companies like Amazon, owned by billionaire Jeff Bezos, under numerous allegations of misconduct and keeping employees unionized to fight for better compensation.

As with real life, our fictional depictions of the mega-rich have gotten less glossy too. On HBO's critically acclaimed series "Succession" following the billionaire Roy family, for instance, the luxurious filter has been stripped off these wealthy figures. Instead, the show leaves viewers to focus more on their often unsavory actions and the lack of empathy towards the world around them.

Likewise, the new "Gossip Girl" show caused a stirring debate among fans, many of whom complained that it lacked the original series' immersion into its characters' wealthy lifestyles.

Rather, HBO Max's "Gossip Girl" has its new characters focus on grappling with their privilege - something that was partially inspired by "Succession" and how that show portrays wealth to the American audience, showrunner Josh Safran told New York Magazine.

But as the economic gap becomes wider and more glaring, many don't have much enjoyment of 'wealth porn' at all

Wealth porn has transformed culture, as social media inundates us with influencers who make thousands of dollars by posting lavish insights into their lives. However, the difference is new data and studies that shed more light on the growing wealth disparities within the United States, and the dispersion of that information more widely to the public - thanks, once again, to the internet.

A 2019 report by the Federal Bank Reserve of St. Louis found that the top 10% of wealthy families, consisting of over 12 million people, controlled 76% of the country's wealth. A 2020 poll by NPR showed that 57% of respondents believed very wealthy Americans should pay more in taxes than they do now, and 48% thought the top 1% of very wealthy Americans should pay even more.

Clearly, there are changing attitudes towards the ultra-wealthy.

On one hand, the "Cribs" revival fits into the social-media landscape of today that showcases the highlight reel of wealthy public figures displaying that obscene wealth. But on the other hand, most of the country is still recovering from the economic devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic that forced a record number of Americans into joblessness last year. The timing of this reboot certainly leaves a bit to be desired.

Thompson sees an obvious dichotomy when it comes to viewers' perceptions of wealth from their intake of pop culture and television.

"I think in one way, part of us or some people might want to roll their eyes and, you know, oh, here are the celebrities and all of their rich stuff," he said. "And they're so totally out of touch, the same way that we watch all these billionaires launching into space every week and lots of jokes made at their expense."

"At the same time, another audience, or even the same person watching it, might also really kind of get into it," he added. "There's all kinds of ambiguity when we are looking at the fabulously rich and famous."

The new iteration of MTV "Cribs" will ultimately be met with longtime fans who love to indulge in the early millennial nostalgia that is so popular right now.

Still, the revival will also be dependent on a new generation of viewers who have become more critical of wealth disparities and how it fits into an economy in recovery from one of the worst disasters in the country's history.