But we also want the catharsis. We want the cheater to get caught. Because the secret magic of "infidelity as sweet entertainment" is not the sin itself. It is the return to safety. It is the reminder that our own messy, mundane, faithful lives are, perhaps, the real happy ending.
Nothing drives social media engagement like a love triangle. When a show features a cheater, fandoms split into Team Spouse and Team Lover. This creates billions of free impressions on TikTok and Twitter. #TeamConrad vs #TeamJeremiah (The Summer I Turned Pretty) is infidelity adjacency repackaged as sports. infidelity vol 4 sweet sinner 2024 xxx webd verified
We are, in effect, cheating vicariously. We get the rush of the first kiss, the secret text, the hotel room door closing. And then, when the episode ends, we turn off the TV and feel grateful for our boring, faithful spouse. But we also want the catharsis