*Review is based on the first five of seven episodes made available
BEAUTIFUL people in beautiful places, what could go wrong?
Well, according to HBO’s The White Lotus, a lot can go wrong. Vacations are supposed to be escapes from the routines of our lives, but this series shows that we either bring our problems with us or we create more wherever we go.
This second season exchanges sun-soaked Hawaii for picturesque Sicily (filming this show sure sounds like a tough gig). There are a lot of similarities in the locations with both being luxury five-star hotels by the sea, with plenty of scenes at the beach.
The first scene also features a mysterious death, before the show jumps back in time a week. In hindsight, the murder element of the last season was kind of an afterthought, to the point that it lacked dramatic punch.
That said, the setting stands apart with the trips to the nearby city and countryside having a distinctly Italian flavour. It does lose a bit of the neo-colonial commentary the first season had by having out-of-touch (mostly) white people blissfully taking advantage of locals and minorities.
Here, the weight of history, embodied by centuries-old statues and paintings looking down on everyone adds to the eeriness.
Once again White Lotus features a cast of fabulously wealthy American holidaymakers, to tell this droll satire about the damage the elite among us leave behind, whether they mean to or not.
There is a carelessness with how the rich act that this show gets at – that when you have all the money in the world, everything becomes disposable – people and things are interchangeable.
Set over the course of seven days this season focuses on a mostly new set of characters, with only boozy neurotic ‘blonde’ Wanda (Jennifer Coolidge) returning with new husband Greg (Jon Gries) – though their marriage isn’t exactly going smoothly.
She’s also dragged her assistant Portia (Haley Lu Richardson) along, for seemingly no other reason but to treat her like crap.
The grandfather-father-son trio of Bert (F. Murray Abraham), Dominic (Michael Imperioli), and Albie (Adam DiMarco) have come all the way to Sicily to get in touch with their Sicilian ancestry, though Dom is also trying to get away from his disintegrating marriage.
He’s a chronic philanderer, a trait that will bring his family trouble on their trip.
The final set of jet setters are two couples, one has been rich for a while, while the other pair is almost reluctantly enjoying their newfound wealth.
Cameron (Theo James) and Daphne (Meghann Fahy) are seemingly the perfect couple, while Ethan (Will Sharpe) and Harper (Aubrey Plaza) bring a different energy, with Harper especially resistant to the other couple’s charms. Where Cameron and Daphne are laid back, Harper is serious and stern.
In terms of locals, we meet Valentina (Sabrina Impacciatore), the strict hotel manager, who has some secrets of her own. Two young prostitutes, Lucia (Simona Tabasco) and Mia (Beatrice Grannò), hang out at the hotel, seeking out rich tourists in need of their brand of companionship for a couple of thousand euros a night.
All the actors do a good job with their characters, though Wanda is really the only outright comedic character. A lot of the humour is mined from awkward interactions and the cutting dialogue. Also, everyone’s good looking and there’s a lot of sex.
In terms of style and tone, this season is very much a continuation of the one that came before, so anyone hoping for a deviation from that formula will probably be disappointed. The charm and fun of the show are seeing how things play out among the characters as secrets are revealed and tensions emerge.
Writer-director Mike White has a lot of fun with the setting, frequently cutting to ominous shots of waves crashing against the rocks during particularly dramatic scenes, adding a bit of foreshadowing perhaps?
The contrast between beautiful locations and human pettiness is very on the nose, but other than that, things are underplayed.
For those looking for a big and dramatic show, White Lotus isn’t really it, as it’s more of a character-focused slow burn. The story takes its time to unveil itself in a pretty understated way.
As an advertisement for Sicily, the show is exceptionally successful, and the wealth porn is off the charts. If you’re just into the surface level, there’s plenty to appreciate. – The Vibes, October 30, 2022
*The White Lotus Season 2 premieres on Monday, 9am on HBO Go, with new episodes every week.
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