The White Lotus: A Hotel Suspense TV Show (My Review)

15 comments

duvinca5.2 K7 days ago5 min read

Hello friends!

There are TV shows that have something different about them despite having a similar plot. We've all heard of series about people in a hotel where things happen... but in this one, it's not so much about the things that happen, but rather how the characters act and react. They're the protagonists of the plots and of the underlying critique that the director Mike White shows us.

And what TV show am I talking about? This TV show is called The White Lotus and it's quite popular, and it's available on MAX. And it won some Emmy award!

Let's tell something about this:

What is this about?

It's a TV show currently divided into three seasons. In all three, more or less the same thing happens: guests arrive, usually mostly from the upper-middle or upper class, rich people, superficial people, people who want to pretend, people who go on vacation to exclusive hotels. Not everything is so idyllic there, because their personalities, problems, conflicts, desires, and frustrations come to light as events unfold...

Season 1: Hawai

In the first season, the characters (some actors are familiar from other series) go to a tropical-themed hotel in Hawaii, where their relationships with each other, their families, and the hotel staff become absurdly complicated. To the point of being ludicrous in some cases. It shows us just how unclassy some supposedly classy people are.
And the ending of this season, while not expected to be so crazy, is shocking.

Season 2: Italy

In the second season, too. Families arrive, capricious wealthy women, couples with problems they don't tell others, and there are also locals of dubious reputation who take advantage of the falsehood of many, the hypocrisy of believing they have a perfect life but in reality, they hide many flaws, vices, and disasters.
Also, one of the most famous characters who also appeared in the first season... [SPOILER? No]

Well, let's continue. This season is my favorite because the hotel this time is located in Italy, on the luxurious Amalfi Coast, and the landscapes, and some of the mansions shown, are also impressive. The glamour of the "dolce vita" is shown amidst the personal miseries of these guests who seem to have their lives sorted, but in reality, it's more just an appearance for others. Also here in this season, the end is crazy, unexpected and shocking.

Season 3: Thailand

And in the current season, new guests (new actors, although there are two who are repeats, I won't say which ones...) go on vacation to a luxurious and exotic hotel in Thailand. This exoticism is once again mixed with the clients' unrewarding performances, family arguments, distrust between couples, past traumas, and hidden personal insecurities, with parties with friends, alcohol, partying, and again, superficiality and a lot of lies between them. And then, although we can guess that something will happen... the ends are funny, shocking and crazy!

The characters

In the different seasons, we see actors we're familiar with, others not, perhaps the more local ones, but they all have something special about them. And some also appear in other seasons and hotels, those lives that unfold between luxury hotels and glamorous vacations...

Since there are many, I'm only going to mention the one I think was the best actress in the TV show: Jennifer Coolidge (played the role of Tanya McQuoid-Hunt).

Anything else to comment?

What I like about this TV show is that those situations where it's revealed that the characters aren't so fortunate, but rather hide many problems and miseries, end up being comical for those of us who watch them. We see right through them; they're fake, and by trying to keep up appearances, everything seems forced, and everything becomes more complicated.

This is the series' criticism: We may be in the most glamorous and luxurious places, surrounded by people who appear happy and confident in their successful lives. But the series shows us that this isn't true. If we really knew what they're saying to each other, what they think, and what they've done and are doing in these places, we would realize all the superficiality and falsehood that the series really wants to highlight and make us see. It even tells us that karma comes to everyone, no matter how hard you try to hide in a life that isn't really who you are...

And all of this with complex characters about whom we learn more, with plots from current social life, and in wonderful settings that we enjoy, with lush nature, glamorous heritage, exquisite massages, yacht trips, cocktails by the pool, exclusive parties, etc. A truly luxurious series.

I have been telling so much. There are now three seasons, and I've watched the new third one! Take a look at it!