by
CNN
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The acclaimed series “The White Lotus”, which explores the lives of wealthy guests on the playground of a majestic resort and the problems they face when interacting with locals and each other, was created by what might be considered a maestro Mike White. curry favor with.
If you’re in any doubt, just take a look at some of Laura Dern’s previous impressive work, like “Enlightened” a decade ago, in which she plays a bona fide corporate employee whose lack of self-awareness resembles a superpower. (“White Lotus” and “Enlightened” are from HBO, part of Warner Bros. Discovery, the same parent company as CNN.)
But with the multiple Emmy-winning “Lotus”, White aforementioned own “stiffness threshold too low” He’s more than made up for it, painting on paper withering portraits of wonderful hotel guests who turn (sometimes) into simple monsters as they try to escape their problems and relax during the holidays.
In honor of the upcoming antics at The White Lotus in Sicily for the second season finale this weekend (don’t worry, another season is on the way even though the show was originally meant to be a one-off limited series), here are some of the creepiest moments of Seasons 1 and 2. one look, sorted in levels of incompetence to get out of the skin.
While some viewers were angry that the pregnant Lani (Jolene Purdy of “Donnie Darko”) fame was never seen again in the show’s first season after giving birth at the resort in the first episode of the series, the move highlighted how temporary and changeable hotel staff and hospitality are. service providers can be detected, which further widened the gap between the White Lotus guests and the staff stubbornly trying to serve them. Still, watching manager Armond (Murray Bartlett) forget Lani’s name over and over—even after her water broke in front of the reception desk—is one of the first slaps on the forehead for many on the show. (‘Honourable’ mention: Emmy-winning Bartlett’s offbeat hotel manager also gets big marks in the season’s finale for a crazy obscene act that’s ultimately more disgusting than daring.)
Tanya McQuoid (Jennifer Coolidge) is a woman who absolutely knows no bounds, and it culminates when she embarks on a fantastically bizarre journey in Season 1 (one of two characters seen in both seasons). A small boat named Shane (Jake Lacy) and Rachel (Alexandra Daddario), who think they’re going to take the ship for themselves for a romantic dinner (in fact, it’s been the couple during the season, especially Shane’s mother, played by White regular Molly Shannon, who pays the honeymooners an odd visit. surprise). While the audience may enjoy Tanya’s frenzied display of emotion, the expression on Jake’s face is enough to make someone want to jump into the sea.
Season 2 of the show introduced a crew of mostly new characters, and arguably the weirdest was Albie (Adam DiMarco), a soft-spoken young man on a family trip with his father and grandfather. When he meets Portia (Haley Lu Richardson) – the personal assistant who has a pretty dire perspective on her condition – she feels she’s hit the jackpot and at one point informs her that she has an interest in “wounded birds”… which is to be expected. Effect. Yet the couple is trying to solidify their relationship, largely because no one else is better around…that is, until the flirty Brit Jack (Leo Woodal) arrives, who takes Portia to a party booth just next door to where Albie is dutifully waiting. with a salvaged chaise longue. Curry favor with.
It would be wrong to say that Tanya witnesses Jack and her “uncle” Quentin (Tom Hollander) towards the end of the Season, despite the fact that two women enter the male sex scene, one per season, on the show. 2 is audacious for partially getting caught. But the audacity is off the charts when paramedic Belinda (Natasha Rothwell) and hotel guest Shane open the door to Armond’s office in Season 1 and find him engaged in a very NSFW sex act with his hanged Dillon (Lukas Gage), as they’re on the job #1 and in recovery period 2. Armond is clearly spinning here.
Sometimes it’s the little scenes that are the loudest in terms of ‘eeek’ on the awkwardness scale. With Valentina (Sabrina Impacciatore) manager of White Lotus Sicily, White has beautifully built an ambitious and talented employer that still has a sizable blind spot. Throughout Season 2, Valentina barks harsh orders at her male staff (and men at a nearby cafe too), but when she sees the Isabella (Eleonora Romandini) she’s in love with, her voice softens and her solid bodyguard drops – too much so how inappropriate it is to gift her employee a jewel. doesn’t realize it is. The expression on Isabella’s face is all you need to turn off the TV and take a break.
Although she can be seen coming from a mile away, this is how things turned out for Kai (Kekoa Kekumano) after she was encouraged by Paula (Brittany O’Grady) to steal to get out of debt and not have to work. For a company that steals land from its ancestors in return – it’s equally terrifying and heartbreakingly realistic. Worse still, with Kai’s life seemingly ruined, Paula unwittingly leaves the mess she’s created behind.
One of the things that made “TWL” Season 1 so notable was how it commented on the different class levels and the innate and almost automatic racism and elitism that comes along when these mix. Add in Tanya’s distinctive “alcoholic mad” narcissism (her words, not mine) and it creates trainwreck-level confusion. The final exchange between Tanya and poor Belinda (again)—who sent her a well-intentioned job offer after she ditched the idea of helping Tanya start her own wellness company—is perhaps the show’s most devastating moment. Tanya’s ability to look up and outside herself, right now, enough to pitifully apologize, is disappointing to say the least, while Belinda collapses in tears I should know better. “The last thing I need in my life is another business relationship,” Tanya says, holding a thick envelope full of money she hands Belinda to avoid feeling too guilty before she walks out the door.
