I’ve been watching White Lotus on HBO the last two days. Honestly, I have only finished the first two episodes and need to catch up. So far the show is a hot sweaty mess and I, like Marie Condo, love a mess. The best part of the show is Jennifer Coolidge who plays an absolutely neurotic privileged white woman whose character is both entertaining and infuriating at the same time. My favorite scene is when Jennifer’s character get a much-needed chakra alignment but then becomes obsessed with the worker who gave it to her. HBO announced that The White Lotus is being renewed for season two. And according to director and creator Mike White, season two will have an entirely new cast in a different White Lotus property. Below are a few more deets from Variety:
In interviews, White — who wrote and directed every episode of the first season — has said he’d want to do more of the show, anthology-style, set at a different resort somewhere else in the world. And though that means saying goodbye to the cast of Season 1, White told IndieWire that perhaps “some of them would come back” to play the same characters.
In Caroline Framke’s review of “The White Lotus” for Variety, she called the show “a fascinating trick of light that bends its interlocking stories with the kind of impressive dexterity we’ve come to expect from White. By the time you get used to this show’s rhythms, it’s already shifted into something else entirely.”
The limited series’ six-episode first season concludes Sunday night, and according to HBO, “The White Lotus” is “currently ranking #1 among all series on HBO Max,” and “has achieved consistent week over week growth for both premiere and digital audience, leading into the finale episode.”
White has had better luck with “The White Lotus” than he did with his brilliant-but-canceled HBO series “Enlightened,” which he created with Laura Dern, and ran for two seasons on the network.
In praise for “The White Lotus,” Francesca Orsi, HBO’s executive vice president of programming, said: “Mike has once again delivered a quintessential HBO show, and it’s the talk of the town. We were thrilled to hear where he wanted to go next, after closing this epic chapter in Hawaii, and can’t wait to keep following him wherever he takes us.”
Celebitchy told me about this show on our weekly call and at first I was like, I don’t need another fakakta show to watch, but episode one had me hooked. I love neurotic and unpredictable characters. I know that’s an oxymoron but it’ll all make sense once you watch the show. Despite my disappointment with HBO not renewing Lovecraft Country HBO has a winner with White Lotus. Although Mike White did an excellent job writing and directing all six episodes of Season 1, I would like to see a bit of variety in the writer’s room. Like perhaps new writers or a new director just to spice it up a bit. I am looking forward to finishing White Lotus sometime next week. The last episode is airing this coming Sunday.
photos via Instagram and credit HBO
I am hooked on this show and have seen it twice already! All the characters are both hate-able and love-able. For Season 2, I want conniving sniveling Armand back!
OMG I love him, and I love how he tortures Shawn, who is such a D word! Those two actors crack me up. I think the whole cast is great actually.
I don’t know the name of the actor that plays Armand, but he is amazing. It’s like that character was meant for him and him only. Show is great !
This show is pure comedy gold, and yet still has a great deal of depth.
Its a great show! So well written!
It took me a few episodes to really get into it because so many of the characters are unlikable, but now I can’t wait for the final episode. I’m so interested to see what they do to wrap it up.
I love this show!
The scenes between Natasha Rothwell (the best) and Jennifer Coolidge (the other best) are so good
Yes.
I want them to do a buddy comedy. Or pretty much anything together again.
Anyone else think that the son is hysterical? For some reason I love his character so much.
Quinn is the only sympathetic and nice character in the lot. Protect him at all cost because his parents or sister sure as hell won’t.
Quinn and also Belinda! Those are the only two people who I want to live.
Hate those teenage girls, parents are clueless, like the manager and spa manager and I love the actress playing Shane’s mom. I can definitely see the Jennifer Coolidge character popping up at another fancy resort-the rest I can probably live without.
He’s probably the least hateable character, just a teenager trying to exist. In the middle of so much chaos, yeah he’s pretty funny
I loved his swim trunks! haha and I love the show but wow it takes some sharp dark turns…
He reminds me so much of Andy from The Office that I think it keeps me from judging him objectively. But he is hysterical, especially when interacting with his mom.
The show is bonkers and I am here for it. I just wish they could bring most of the cast back because they are all so great. But I get why they would mostly never all be in the same place again so a new cast makes sense.
I also wonder how anyone acting opposite Jennifer Coolidge can keep it together. She is beyond hysterical. I love her so much.
He was on the Office! He played Pete, Erin’s love interest toward the end.
Everything about this show is incredible – the cast, the subtle privileged awfulness oozing out of the guests, the credits, the music, everything. I wouldn’t be against handing some episodes off to other directors for season 2, but in terms of writing I really just want to see what elite mess Mike White creates, he’s just so good at it (unless the wrong person dies in the finale, then bring in the writers room lol).
I just had an “a-ha!” moment about who might be the dead body going on the plane. I had no idea before but now I think I might know.
Whoever dies, I want it to happen because Tanya takes the metal box of her mother’s ashes out onto her balcony, accidentally dropping it and having it smash into someone’s head.
The death is making me so anxious. Please don’t be Quinn or one of the staff.
It won’t be Quinn. He’s a child and some lines just aren’t crossed. I’m sorry we can’t even hope for it to be Shane, but Shane’s mom is still an option.
I do think it could be Quinn. He’s the only one who has really understood the real benefits of being in such a beautiful place; he’s become awakened to his surroundings and gained a true appreciate for the local culture. If this is social satire…he’s not long for this world.
@case okay now I’m joining @amanda in being anxious the rest of the week. Not Quin it’s too cruel! (Though thinking about it episode 5 dabled in a bit of cruelty towards the decent characters so I guess they can go there).
I think Tanya’s new “friend” is super sketchy, maybe I’m being mislead.
@SoF – I think ranger rick is a red herring, but who knows? All along I’ve thought Tanya was a likely contender for the box.
It really is. Some of the lines are just incredible, and delivered so perfectly. Some of the sly subtleness reminds me of Mad Men, not in terms of content but in the sheer talent and nuance.
I’m three episodes in and just don’t get it. I know all these rich people are supposed to be insufferable, but it works so well that I don’t care about any of them. I started this bc I love Jennifer Coolidge but even she’s not enough to get me to keep watching.
Episode 4 really picks up. Trust me. I was alternating between cackling and just staring, slack-jawed, the whole way through.
Yeah, I loved first episode, liked second and hated third. 4th was a lot better and watching fifth tonight. I’m not in love with the show, most of the people are just too awful but I love the premise and hoping episode 5 and 6 redeem it for me. I do love Succession which is full of awful people so there’s that.
The show is OK, it has its moments, but the music really bothers me. It’s too much.
I’m obsessed with the show but ITA about the music. I think that’s deliberate though.
I think they just have a really bad sound editor and I hope that person is fired
How awful if it’s really just a bad sound editor and we’re all enduring it because the show is so great. LOL! Just saw a review in the New Yorker, which thinks the soundtrack is an homage to Survivor, the reality show. I never watched so I can’t say.
I LOVE this show! I wish they’d keep the hotel cast the same and just rotate through the guests, though. More of a Fantasy Island style. Plus Murray Bartlett is a revelation! How are they going to get rid of him!?
That’s what I thought! I bummed to hear this part actually.
Me too! I only watched it because of the cast. I will watch anything with J Cool. ANYTHING. and Connie. And Regina King, who isn’t in this. Okay, maybe if they bring her in to season 2.
My hope is that they’ll keep him on the cast by any means necessary! General managers transfer to different properties all the time, so maybe Armond will transfer to another White Lotus property to get a fresh start. And then he’ll probably regret it…
I have 6pm Sunday blocked off on my calendar. I have several theories about whose not gonna make it.
Fun fact: Does anyone remember the story about the director who trashed an actor’s apartment during a Zoom audition? That’s Lukas Gage, who plays Dillon. I knew I recognized him and when it clicked I was so happy he got work and in such a successful show!
So cool. I didn’t realize that. His character doesn’t have many lines but definitely has potential with how well he carries off the lines he does have.
That’s why he looks so familiar ! Thanks for the fun fact !
Yes, he is also on Euphoria! I don’t know if his character is coming back though…
Oh you’re right! He was so cute in that video, good for him!
Oh, this is awesome news! I’ve been obsessed with this show. So well written; equal parts tense and hilarious. I think it’ll make a great anthology series (although I’ll miss my beloved Armond and Belinda).
I’m trying to stick with it but I can’t stand the entitled privileged bullying white teenagers. I have to fast-forward through those parts or my blood pressure goes up, whether the show is “supposed to be a parody” or not. I don’t want to be around that in real life, why would I spend time watching it. (And I don’t care about moments of “social justice” clarity because what happens later and how she treats her POC friend) Just like I can’t stand watching anything at all that depicts Black or BIPOC individuals being harmed, spoken down to, hurt or maligned in any way. Just can’t watch it as part of a tv show or movie. I will not give my precious time to watch more of what happens to us every day.
That said, there are some good parts to the show and I get what they’re trying to do with regard to the core themes. It’s just that my patience is limited for watching white people entitled behavior. I’m sure it’s super-entertaining for some folks, and I’ll keep watching as time permits, see if it improves…
Privileged bullying white teenagers? Are we watching the same show? Both of those girls are awful and only one is white.
I think she’s saying that the teenagers are bullies not that they are being bullied. True they aren’t both white, but they are both mean (haven’t watched episode 5 yet, kind of dreading it).
Enlightened was an excellent show – check it out if you haven’t (on HBO).
White Lotus picks up a bit around episode 3, I’m sorry to hear it ends Sunday!
I have been trying to watch Enlightened but a few episodes in I’m having a hard time. Sounds like it’s worth sticking with, though.
I just completed a full rewatch of Enlightened, and I loved it even more this time around—but I was also reminded of how anxious the first half of season 1 made me feel. I know that was a deliberate artistic decision, and it was necessary for the setup for what’s to come, but still! Anyway: It’s absolutely worth keeping going with it. It’s such a fantastic show, and I’m still bitter that it got canceled too soon.
Dad Mossbacher calling “discrimination” against white men “tribal” against the backdrop of the hotel staff performing a Native Hawaiian dance to entertain the rich white guests is one of the most perfectly timed comedic moments ever.
best show. also loved enlightened by same director
I find the writing on this show so clever. It speaks to the privilege some people have but also to people’s insecurities. Someone commented that they fast forward through some of the dialogue and that’s unfortunate because I think it explains so much about that family’s dynamic, and it also provides a catalyst for things to come in a later episode. This show shows human nature extremely well, just exaggerated. I absolutely love the performative “do gooder” crap of the mother in law. There are women like that in my city that drive me crazy and she nailed it so well. I love this show.
I read the poem “The Lotos Eaters” by Alfred, Lord Tennyson. Armand quotes from it in the show and the show’s title is a nod to it. The poem shows very clearly the unconscious white privilege Mike White skewers. Also, the Armand actor MUST stay for next season. He absolutely KILLED me with his wink and smirks at Mossbacher. KILLED ME. I still think of that scene when I need a pick-me-up.
For those of you who are debating on whether to continue watching because it’s boring or find the white people insufferable: episode 5 takes a huge turn as it centers more on Paula. That’s all I’m saying without spoiling any of it.
At first I was convinced that Rachel was going to die but now I’m not so sure, I have two other characters on mind…
Forever Plop!!!
I tried to watch one episode, and couldn’t sit through it. I guess after reading all of your comments, I should probably give it another try. Thanks!