Arrivederci

IMO, Mike White, the creator, writer and director of The White Lotus, is a genius. There, I said it. (Keep the stream going after the end of S2E7 to experience his thoughts on the characters.) From his time at the end of the '90s writing for Judd Apatow on Freaks & Geeks, through that perfect vehicle for Mr. Jack Black, 2003's School of Rock, and now the plethora of awards for this series, well this man hasn't been involved in anything that wasn't exceptional. I was wondering how he would wrap up all the story threads unwound in the previous six episodes, and he sure did that. And all the actors seem committed to his vision. Of course, the glue holding things together this season is the same as last: Jennifer Coolidge as Tanya. It's not possible to adequately describe her, as both the character and her embodiment of it are uniquely hers. And this year's additions include Aubrey Plaza as an outspoken wife becoming increasingly frustrated by her uptight husband (who seems to feel guilty even over the things he *didn't* do). There are 3 generations of Italian-American men seeking their Sicilian roots, and indeed anything to help ground their overindulgent desires. There's a local, high-end call girl and her best friend, a wanna-be singer; a couple of hotel staff members of note; and the one and only Tom Hollander, as Quentin, whose cadre of middle aged gay men anoint Tanya as their Diva Queen. Hollander has his own unique ability to be the most polite and respectful man you've ever seen, yet still project a little menace. Anyway, the "murder plot" all comes out in this 7th and final episode, and I dare anyone to see it coming in all its complexity and nuance. This episode, in particular, is the best of both seasons and so I rate it a 9/10 stars, which I rarely do.

I was nervous that this episode wasn't going to tie up everything I needed answers for due to the slightly disappointing end of season 1, but I finished this episode feeling very satisfied. All the performances are incredible and add to the tension that consistently builds all throughout the episode. I really appreciate the fact that this episode was a bit longer, since there was a lot that needed to happen. I think the ending was equally shocking and anxiety inducing, as it should be. I had no idea what to expect but I love the direction it took. I don't want to say too much because the episode does a great job of wrapping things up here.

Overall I think this was a great season, and I prefer over season 1. I am very excited to see what happens in season 3.

The White Lotus Sicily as a hotel resort is spectacular to behold. After all, these luxurious accommodations and scenic vistas are what you get for a pretty price tag. The intention of any tourist coming here is obviously to fully enjoy such a place, and yet here the character Daphne is the only one who truly fulfills that intention. Initially presented as a vapid trophy wife, she evolves quite deeply as we get to peek through the layers of her nuances. Seemingly both carefree and in denial, deep down she is aware of her pain, embraces it, and makes the choice to take life by the balls despite of it. Daphne is by far one of the most unique characters to grace the TV screen. She is a modern-day female Stoic, a great example of the concept promoted predominantly so far by males in mainstream media, that is until now. Great job, Mike White for creating the character and outstanding performance, Meghann Fahy! Bravo!

To be truthful, I knew about the events that happened in this episode. I mean, if you had any social media around the time of the episode's release, you'd know. So I was excited to see if the episode would still be able to surprise and get to me, because Mike White has done a great job of expanding so many things this season, crafting a more interesting mystery, although some of the storylines have felt a little overblown. So did he bring it home? Yes, yes, yes, and a lot more yeses, because this episode was still shocking and was still a great time.

This season has been a true rollercoaster, and a lot of tension has risen between the characters over the last six episodes. However, instead of going completely crazy with the finale like he did for the first season, White takes a more subdued approach to it, still including his recognizable craziness, but actually giving the characters an opportunity to sit back and have a final gathering with each other and have it just being a nice and easy affair. It's a nice way to give closure to some of these arcs that have culminated in high tension, but also just to give the audience a breather after that crazy penultimate episode. With that said, there's plenty of craziness to appreciate here, and a lot of it has to do with the revelations of the people from Palermo and what is actually going on. Even though I knew where that was going, they did it in such a delicate and honorable way that it still came as a huge surprise. There was an ease to the whole affair, but it also felt very respectless, but in the best possible Mike White way, that's it difficult not to appreciate it. The acting has been stellar and may have even upped the performances of everyone in the first season, with Coolidge just nailing the character once again. She gets the chance to do something different here with Tanya, and it's incredible and heartbreaking, and it brings the episode and show to some dark and very shocking territories.

"Arrivederci" is the perfect sendoff for this batch of "The White Lotus," and leaves everyone clambering for more, building a strong anticipation for season three. It was a shocking finale that felt very laid back for, but also appropriately structured in such a way that the ease came with plenty of shocks and memorable moments.

I thought the White Lotus Season 2 finale was a fitting ending. The episode was full of tension and drama. One thing this show does well is building up the tension and not playing out the way you think or want. Harper's relationship with her husband had an interesting ending. That storyline, along with the story with Dominic and Portia, both felt tragic, and there is strange hopefulness to it. My only complaint was the deaths that were teased at the start of the season seemed a little over the top, but I won't spoil anything. Overall, season 2 was slightly better than season one, but they were both great.