The White Lotus: Unbridled chaos in lush paradise

When you think of Sicily, you think of rolling hills, sunkissed Mediterranean weather, and delicious pasta. Similarly, Maui brings idyllic, lush, tropical scenery and beaches to mind. Add a bunch of wealthy and out-of-their-minds American tourists into the mix, and you have two seasons of The White Lotus. The White Lotus is the juicy and unhinged escapist TV show the world desperately needs. With sardonic comedy, twisted plotlines, and five-star resorts in Hawaii and Italy, it's all you need to escape this freezing winter.

The first season of the show is set in Maui. It follows an ensemble cast of guests and hotel employees during their chaotic stay involving infidelity, robbery, and mothers crashing honeymoons, concluding with human remains being loaded onto a plane. The second season takes place in Sicily and follows another group of tourists on their Italian holiday, resulting in multiple corpses floating in the Mediterranean.

The White Lotus is an anthology series with two different ensemble casts in its two seasons. The series has a satirical take on modern society and the obsession with novelty, excess, and materialism, vividly displayed through its highbrow characters. Highlights from the first season's cast include Sydney Sweeny's Olivia, a sharp-tongued sophomore with nothing nice to say; Jennifer Coolidge's eccentric and otherworldly Tanya McQuoid, a role that has won her a Golden Globe; Shane, a newlywed more focused on getting the wrong room than his honeymoon, and Armond, the resort manager on a downward spiral from managing his new guests.

Highlights from the second season aside from Tanya McQuoid, one of two returning characters from season 1, include Aubrey Plaza's deadpan Harper Spiller, who despises her husband's college bro roommate and their wife and suspects their perfect marriage to be a front. Cameron Sullivan, played by Theo James, is the college bro turned seemingly perfect husband with some skeletons in his closet. Quentin, one of Tanya's "high-end gays," Lucia and Portia, two locals involved with some tourists staying at the hotel, and Valentina, the manager, are other standout characters in the second season.  

Both seasons have spectacular delivery from the cast, captivating plots with twists and turns, and fantastic slapstick dialogue. Additionally, both seasons have marvelous settings and luxe production, making you feel like you're relaxing on an exotic vacation.

Jennifer Coolidge's performance remains the highlight of both seasons, perfectly emulating a wealthy, out-of-touch middle-aged woman. Confusing the Bureau of Land Management with the BLM movement and delivering lines such as "These are some pretty high-end gays," she is undoubtedly the selling point for both seasons. Audrey Plaza also delivers an incredible performance with lines like "I feel like we're LARPing as rich people." "I Think We're Their Diverse Friends." Bringing the flak, saltiness, and sarcasm out of her character.

Despite concluding with an explosive finale and the revelation of who the floating dead body was, there are more questions raised than answers provided. All the more reason you need to binge-watch both seasons in a single setting and impatiently start to speculate and theorise about the already green-lit third season. 

Turns out Taaseen Mohammed Islam can write semi-decently at the expense of being able to do basic math. Send him pointers at taaseen.2001@gmail.com