Showrunner Kathleen Robertson uses the series to examine modern power dynamics, particularly through the lens of the #MeToo movement. The show highlights:
At the center of this corporate feeding frenzy is (Kiernan Shipka), an intern at Fountain Pictures who arrives appearing as a wide-eyed, "chipper go-getter". However, the show quickly peels back Lou’s façade. Far from a naive newcomer, Lou has spent years obsessively researching the studio’s formidable CEO, Joyce Holt (Diane Kruger).
Lou doesn't wait for opportunities; she manufactures them. From sexual manipulation to calculated career moves, she proves she will do anything—including kill—to get close to her idol.
Blood in the Water: Navigating the Dark Ambition of Swimming with Sharks Season 1
A vulnerable subplot involves Joyce’s desperate struggle to have a baby while maintaining her grip on power, a need that Lou eventually exploits to form an "unbreakable bond". Reception: A "Frothy" Mini-Binge