The White Lotus - Season 1 & 2

The fact that money does not buy happiness is clearly evident during the holidays of wealthy guests in the White Lotus resorts. While the staff works hard, the holidaymakers all have their own problems.

The misfortunes of rich people during their holiday in a luxury hotel are central to the HBO series White Lotus. This successful series now has two seasons and a third has already been announced. Recently I decided to see if all the praise surrounding White Lotus is justified and I started binge-watching the series. I had already been warned that there would be some absurd situations and this was not a lie.

Drama and humor alternate as the hotel staff tries to meet the sometimes bizarre wishes of the guests.

White Lotus is a series that is divided into miniseries. Each season has its own story, each with a new theme, new cast, and new location. For example, season one is set in a resort in Hawaii with the main theme of money, while season two is set in a resort in Sicily with the theme of sex. Both seasons have the same atmosphere, humor, and drama, but are otherwise completely separate from each other. The common thread is actress Jennifer Coolidge (2 Broke Girls), who appears in both seasons as the hotel guest Tanya McQuoid.

In season one we are introduced to the Mossbacher family, consisting of mother, father, son and daughter. Mother Nicole (Connie Britton, Nashville) is quite a workaholic who finds it difficult to let go of her work even during her holidays. Meanwhile, daughter Olivia (Sydney Sweeney, Euphoria) is having her own 'party' together with her best friend Paula (Brittany O'Grady, The Consultant) and their supply of drugs. At the same time, newlyweds Rachel (Alexandra Daddario, Why Women Kill) and Shane Patton (Jake Lacy, Better with You) arrive at the resort for their honeymoon. However, it soon becomes clear that their early marriage is anything but perfect.

Both seasons start with the death of someone, although at that time it is still completely unclear who it concerns and whether this person died as a result of a crime or an accident. We then see the week leading up to the discovery of the body, and as a viewer, you discover little by little what exactly happened. It's a nice mystery aspect, although the series is certainly not a detective. Drama and humor alternate as the hotel staff tries to meet the sometimes bizarre wishes of the guests.



Tanya McQuoid enters the first season as an unstable woman dealing with the death of her mother. She befriends hotel employee Belinda Lindsey (Natasha Rothwell, Insecure) and tries to work on herself with her help. Hotel manager Armond (Murray Bartlett, Welcome to the Chippendales) is responsible for the well-being of the guests in Hawaii and therefore works overtime. Tanya is present again in season two and this time she travels with her assistant Portia (Haley Lu Richardson, Ravenswood), who follows behind her like a kind of dogsbody.

The White Lotus resort in Sicily attracts a different crowd than those in Hawaii, although here too, manager Valentina (Sabrina Impacciatore) is busy with the challenges that come with running such a luxury hotel. The second season follows the vacation of friends and colleagues Cameron (Theo James, The Time Traveler's Wife) and Ethan (Will Sharpe, Giri/Haji) and their wives who don't seem to have much in common but still try to make the best of it. to make. During their journey, grandfather, son and grandson Di Grasso search for their roots and at the same time attempt to improve their mutual relationships.

After watching both seasons, I can only conclude that I completely understand the compliments about the series.

None of the characters in White Lotus are truly likable. They all have their bad sides and that is exactly the strength of the series. Some characters are insufferable and this is partly due to the good acting and the good storylines. How could they think of it (?) was a thought that regularly crossed my mind while watching. Because the filming locations are hotels that are actually located in the countries where the series takes place, everything also seems very real.

After watching both seasons, I can only conclude that I completely understand the compliments about the series. White Lotus is strange, out of the box and explicit at times, but above all just a good and fun series. The first season has six episodes and the second season has seven. Season three will take place in Thailand and filming will start next year. Unfortunately, all plans have been delayed due to the strikes, so all fans, including myself, will probably have to wait until 2025 for the latest stories from the next White Lotus resort.