The White Lotus

I went into watching The White Lotus not really knowing what to expect. I just finished the second season and now know why it's had so many great reviews and won so many awards. What makes this show so good is the acting and the writing. Each character is beautifully written and acted, not a weak link on either season. HBO always puts out great content and this is no different. It's not a show for everyone but I definitely enjoyed it. It's one of the rare anthology shows where both seasons are equally as good. I'm now looking forward to future seasons of The White Lotus and hope they stay as good as these first two.

Season 2 in Italy was overall the best one so far. Season 1 is right behind that. Season 3 was a downer and way too slooooow. It is not a coincidence season 1 was just 6 episodes and season 2 was 7 while boring, slow season 3 was 8! It really could have been just 6 episodes and it would have come across as more action packed and dramatic. The common thread across all three seasons so far is the superb acting and filmography. It does not matter where in the world this production crew goes, it will be an immersive experience for the viewer. As for season 4 coming up (location TBD), I hope they cut it down to 6 episodes and stay away from the overarching darkness of season 3. Yes, people died in each season but season 3 hits you differently and not in a good way at all.

Though some of the first season was cringe-worthy. This second season is about as masterful as anyone could hope for.

It starts a bit slow, the first episode, but soon finds its legs and impresses again and again, captivating me as if I weren't quite seasoned. It feels like a review of every thought I've ever had at a vacation resort, many of which I'd long forgotten. On that score alone it's a delight, but not to worry, it goes way beyond that to flirt with opera-like heights of drama and beauty something quite appropriate given its setting in Sicily.

Given the excellence of the acting and the seeming effortlessness of the story I would have to say Mike White, this series' creator, is some sort of unsung genius. The guy seems unaware of boundaries coupled with one of the sharpest eyes for detail I've ever seen.

Honestly, "reviewers"? This show is a true HBO show. It is quirky, uncomfortable, exquisitely written, beautifully acted, and is presented nakedly, warts and all.

I found the reviewers fell into two categories - love it or hate it. The "love its" praised it for what I praised it for (above). The "hate its" did not like that you don't have a joke, then a laugh, then a joke, then a laugh. This is an adult satire. When you reviewers write that you can't find anything to like about the characters, THAT'S the idea. You are supposed to delve into why you don't like them. You are supposed to not like what they do (or, if you're a little bit twisted, LOVE what they do). Brilliantly written by Mike White, it exposes the underbelly of people, yet still shows dignified people in the same context. You don't like water breaking? That is a natural occurrence. White mingles humanity with absurdity, and coats it with a sheen of money, power, and humility. These actors are willing to be bad people, honest people, people at the end of their rope, and people trying to understand what life holds for them. I have only watched two episodes, and I feel that this show could go in any direction and I'd still love it.

The first season of the show gets a nine from me. It's tight, consistent, darkly humorous, and its social commentary is nuanced and central to the show. Season two gets more like a six. It's good enough for me to watch a season three, but overall season two is less interesting because it feels more like a slow moving trainwreck of a tabloid story. The writing is just too obvious and lacks the nuance necessary to make the excesses interesting or meaningful. That doesn't make it bad television, but it does move it to the "maybe" category of recommendations for me - except for Aubrey Plaza's performance. She is excellent and definitely worth showing up for. Overall, the show is engaging and has plenty to say. If they can move past the sophomore slump of overly obvious excess, I'd love to see more seasons.