Hi Ben, welcome to EM! So glad y’all are covering S2 of The White Lotus.
Completely agree with you assessment of this first episode, in particular the flatness of the return of Tanya and Greg and his blatant fat shaming of her. I loved the askew nature of their relationship in S1 and how it works because, not despite of that manic tilt. This is kind of crushing if it plays out as we are to assume (but I kind of fear most that he’s plotting her murder, not having an affair).
The actor playing Lucia (surname TABASCO, incredible) is so magnetic; she’s my favorite new character. I do hope we have some opportunity for the upstairs downstairs of it all this season. Aubrey Plaza is genius, she’s always so good and I anticipate this will be a showcase for her.
In contrast, the male characters are mostly forgettable, so far (yes, despite the CEO of Dicks and Butts being on the job) but I do think the quasi Sicilian trio have promise.
The writing is good, but I miss the lunatic edge of Season 1. I am also missing the original theme song, though I get why it was changed--the adaptation for this season feels like Weird Al doing a cover of a legit banger that’s impossible to improve upon.
Looking forward to these reviews! Haven't had a chance to catch the episode yet, but I missed the boat on live season 1 discussions so was hoping to get a bit of discussion here. I'll start: I thought season 1's value as satire was overrated. There's a line from an NPR early review of season 2 that captures the issue well: "...whether it was satirizing its rich and white characters' lack of interest in the people around them or just reproducing it". For me, it's the latter. If the show's not interested in exploring the staff's POV, or how they experience their respective fallouts, what satirical value are they adding really? Reproduction doesn't really amount to satire in my book.
The most successful of the season 1 threads IMO was Belinda and Tanya - both for having Jennifer Coolidge (who was wonderful) and for actually giving us some quality time with Belinda (and the brilliant way her aftermath intersected with Rachel's ending). I go back and forth on Armond as the main staff POV character - Murray Bartlett was great, but that particular story felt less like a setup to explore the working-class worries of a hotel manager (and are hotel managers actually working-class?), and more to function as receptacle for the overarching murder mystery and Shane's entitlement. I get that Covid restrictions also put constraints on the story, but it struck me as really egregious for example that Kai's life likely gets ruined yet we're made to sit with Paula's ultimately consequence-free guilt.
But what really threw me off and made me question how self-aware the writing was was Quinn's arc. Unless I seriously misread it, his whole 'leaving behind material trappings, appreciating nature, running off with the extremely welcoming locals' thing is played 100% straight, and not as a knock on privileged woo-woo gap year types.
To circle back to the review - it's a bit disappointing to hear that season 2 dials back the staff presence even more, and that the Tanya bits may be falling a bit flat. Despite my problems with season 1, it was a pretty great production, and was hoping that a season 2 freed from Covid shackles would give us more staff POVs, not less.
I will reserve judgment on Tanya. She obviously needs to dump Greg unless he cleans up his act. His comment on her losing weight was like, nope! They mention she is worth half a billion. Hope she has a prenup!
I agree on Meghann Fahy. She’s fantastic! I enjoyed watching her on The Bold Type but this role here is something. I already can’t stand her, so a job well done.
I just really am very happy this show is back. When the end credits started I was sad it was over. So that’s a good sign. I also love how beautifully it’s filmed. It made me realize how disappointing the fantasy shows that played this fall were. It’s like, oh now we’re watching a good show. Finally!
This review got me to upgrade to paid. Loved the way you broke it down - some reviews can feel like a drag, but the pace and length felt perfect and helped catch some details I missed. Looking forward to the rest of the season! 🍻
I actually binged the first season of TWL this weekend (I had a migraine and needed some pleasant but not too challenging viewing - this fit the bill perfectly) specifically because I had heard Meghann Fahy was in season 2. She is far and away my favorite from The Bold Type and I am delighted to see her getting a role in a high-profile project like this. She simply sparkles! I am so glad you noticed as well because I want her star to just keep rising. She played a deeply lovable and warm person in The Bold Type, so I am excited to see how she handles a surface-likable but (seemingly) vapid character.
This premiere did feel... tamer, and less focused, than the first season. There were so many over the top things right off the bat in season 1 - for one thing, I found the "hook" scene more engaging, and... someone had a baby in the office!! Holy moly! But I am looking forward to seeing how this one grows into itself. I can see the tension between the two young couples developing deliciously, and I hope Meghann gets a lot to play with there. I also hope that Daphne's claim that her holiday was perfect was just a perfectly executed lie, because I kind of want to see her and her awful husband completely melt down. She can't remember if she voted!! Incredible!! Exquisitely pointed way to make a character hateful to a certain demographic (myself included).
Overall though, I have to agree with Knick's comment above that it's disappointing for the focus to shift further away from class. The class commentary of S1 (which had its own limitations, which Knick also pointed out very well) was one of its best features. I particularly loved the tension within the family as they had intergenerational arguments about wealth and privilege, yet ultimately they were all still blind to some degree to their own privilege.
I hope this season grows into itself and gains a bit more depth than was apparent from this initial outing. Looking forward to reading your reviews!
Anyone else think that maybe Daphne knew she was going to ‘discover’ the body in the water? She seemed very eager to convey to the newcomers what a great time she had (even though based on what we’ve seen so far it’s shaping up to be anything but), and someone with her Dateline Murder Show experience would be savvy enough to establish corroborating evidence for plausible deniability. Way to early for theorizing, but it’s something that stuck out for me considering this season’s week later flash forward includes a main character discovering the body(s) as opposed to last season where it was only the audience in the dark.
Hi Ben, welcome to EM! So glad y’all are covering S2 of The White Lotus.
Completely agree with you assessment of this first episode, in particular the flatness of the return of Tanya and Greg and his blatant fat shaming of her. I loved the askew nature of their relationship in S1 and how it works because, not despite of that manic tilt. This is kind of crushing if it plays out as we are to assume (but I kind of fear most that he’s plotting her murder, not having an affair).
The actor playing Lucia (surname TABASCO, incredible) is so magnetic; she’s my favorite new character. I do hope we have some opportunity for the upstairs downstairs of it all this season. Aubrey Plaza is genius, she’s always so good and I anticipate this will be a showcase for her.
In contrast, the male characters are mostly forgettable, so far (yes, despite the CEO of Dicks and Butts being on the job) but I do think the quasi Sicilian trio have promise.
The writing is good, but I miss the lunatic edge of Season 1. I am also missing the original theme song, though I get why it was changed--the adaptation for this season feels like Weird Al doing a cover of a legit banger that’s impossible to improve upon.
Looking forward to these reviews! Haven't had a chance to catch the episode yet, but I missed the boat on live season 1 discussions so was hoping to get a bit of discussion here. I'll start: I thought season 1's value as satire was overrated. There's a line from an NPR early review of season 2 that captures the issue well: "...whether it was satirizing its rich and white characters' lack of interest in the people around them or just reproducing it". For me, it's the latter. If the show's not interested in exploring the staff's POV, or how they experience their respective fallouts, what satirical value are they adding really? Reproduction doesn't really amount to satire in my book.
The most successful of the season 1 threads IMO was Belinda and Tanya - both for having Jennifer Coolidge (who was wonderful) and for actually giving us some quality time with Belinda (and the brilliant way her aftermath intersected with Rachel's ending). I go back and forth on Armond as the main staff POV character - Murray Bartlett was great, but that particular story felt less like a setup to explore the working-class worries of a hotel manager (and are hotel managers actually working-class?), and more to function as receptacle for the overarching murder mystery and Shane's entitlement. I get that Covid restrictions also put constraints on the story, but it struck me as really egregious for example that Kai's life likely gets ruined yet we're made to sit with Paula's ultimately consequence-free guilt.
But what really threw me off and made me question how self-aware the writing was was Quinn's arc. Unless I seriously misread it, his whole 'leaving behind material trappings, appreciating nature, running off with the extremely welcoming locals' thing is played 100% straight, and not as a knock on privileged woo-woo gap year types.
To circle back to the review - it's a bit disappointing to hear that season 2 dials back the staff presence even more, and that the Tanya bits may be falling a bit flat. Despite my problems with season 1, it was a pretty great production, and was hoping that a season 2 freed from Covid shackles would give us more staff POVs, not less.
I will reserve judgment on Tanya. She obviously needs to dump Greg unless he cleans up his act. His comment on her losing weight was like, nope! They mention she is worth half a billion. Hope she has a prenup!
I agree on Meghann Fahy. She’s fantastic! I enjoyed watching her on The Bold Type but this role here is something. I already can’t stand her, so a job well done.
I just really am very happy this show is back. When the end credits started I was sad it was over. So that’s a good sign. I also love how beautifully it’s filmed. It made me realize how disappointing the fantasy shows that played this fall were. It’s like, oh now we’re watching a good show. Finally!
This review got me to upgrade to paid. Loved the way you broke it down - some reviews can feel like a drag, but the pace and length felt perfect and helped catch some details I missed. Looking forward to the rest of the season! 🍻
I actually binged the first season of TWL this weekend (I had a migraine and needed some pleasant but not too challenging viewing - this fit the bill perfectly) specifically because I had heard Meghann Fahy was in season 2. She is far and away my favorite from The Bold Type and I am delighted to see her getting a role in a high-profile project like this. She simply sparkles! I am so glad you noticed as well because I want her star to just keep rising. She played a deeply lovable and warm person in The Bold Type, so I am excited to see how she handles a surface-likable but (seemingly) vapid character.
This premiere did feel... tamer, and less focused, than the first season. There were so many over the top things right off the bat in season 1 - for one thing, I found the "hook" scene more engaging, and... someone had a baby in the office!! Holy moly! But I am looking forward to seeing how this one grows into itself. I can see the tension between the two young couples developing deliciously, and I hope Meghann gets a lot to play with there. I also hope that Daphne's claim that her holiday was perfect was just a perfectly executed lie, because I kind of want to see her and her awful husband completely melt down. She can't remember if she voted!! Incredible!! Exquisitely pointed way to make a character hateful to a certain demographic (myself included).
Overall though, I have to agree with Knick's comment above that it's disappointing for the focus to shift further away from class. The class commentary of S1 (which had its own limitations, which Knick also pointed out very well) was one of its best features. I particularly loved the tension within the family as they had intergenerational arguments about wealth and privilege, yet ultimately they were all still blind to some degree to their own privilege.
I hope this season grows into itself and gains a bit more depth than was apparent from this initial outing. Looking forward to reading your reviews!
I really miss Armond. His interactions with the awful rich people was the richest vein of humor last season.
Also, never wanted to see that much Theo James. Keep it in your pants, big guy.
Anyone else think that maybe Daphne knew she was going to ‘discover’ the body in the water? She seemed very eager to convey to the newcomers what a great time she had (even though based on what we’ve seen so far it’s shaping up to be anything but), and someone with her Dateline Murder Show experience would be savvy enough to establish corroborating evidence for plausible deniability. Way to early for theorizing, but it’s something that stuck out for me considering this season’s week later flash forward includes a main character discovering the body(s) as opposed to last season where it was only the audience in the dark.