Wealth, Status, Sex and Power: Concluding One of the Year's Best in 'The White Lotus' Season 2

by Darian Scalamoni

    With the year 2020 came the introduction of The White Lotus to audiences far and wide. A series that encompassed status, wealth and debauchery throughout marking a unique viewing experience that engrossed viewers. It was led by terrific writing and direction from Mike White and has now spawned an unexpected canvas as a franchise for the premium cable channel, HBO. While Season 1 showcased a lavish and tropical Hawaii setting, this second season, which takes place in Sicily, makes for a tragic story of mistrust, infidelity, sex and murder. 

    I was skeptical at first for the direction of this season of The White Lotus. I felt like there were breadcrumbs set up along the way just for the audience to be misled by something we were seeing unfold; however, it was Mike White yet again pulling the rug out from underneath us to reveal some deep truths to society especially as a commentary for the influence of money and desire. In a season filled with tension, heartbreak and intrigue there are tons of character moments to break down. So, let's dive in, shall we? As always, SPOILERS AHEAD for the Finale of Season 2 of The White Lotus.

    First, let's start with the toxic relationships that are brought to the forefront in Ethan (Will Sharpe) and Harper (Aubrey Plaza) as well as Cameron (Theo James) and Daphne (Meaghann Fahy). All four performances within this storyline were fantastic. Whether it was Cameron's Silicon Valley tech bro douchebaggery, Ethan's prescient onlooker, Harper's condescending aura or Daphne's mysterious and in-denial charm, there is so much to take away from the interactions throughout the season for these four. We discover through a conversation between Ethan and Harper that she definitely kissed Cameron but was there more that happened? That's up for debate as Ethan still feels like his wife is lying to him leading to a physical confrontation at the beach with his college roommate. Upon telling Daphne about his suspicion, she asks Ethan to follow her to another section of the island where there are sexual undertones leaving it up to the viewers' imagination whether or not all four are cheating with one another throughout the trip. It's truly a chaotic mystery on how both couples stayed intact following the vacation from hell, however, it does spark a sexual desire from Ethan for his wife again, so, at least there's that, right?

    Then, we get to the generational spanning story of the Di Grasso men. Albie (Adam DiMarco), Dominic (Michael Imperioli) and Bert (F. Murray Abraham), though not having much interaction together throughout the sophomore season of The White Lotus, revealed aspects of familiarity for the Italian family. Albie fell for sex worker Lucia (more on her in a bit) requesting if his father could give him $50,000 to help her out and get out of trouble. Unfortunately, Albie left Italy in heartbreak as the wiring of the money led to Lucia leaving him in the morning without even saying goodbye. For Dominic, however, there is a glimmer of hope as his ex-wife finally picks up the phone after Albie "put in a good word" despite the sexual desire Dominic has for other women, it may have seemed like he's turned a corner but in true White Lotus fashion, there is no complete closure on his character arc. Though Bert was hilarious throughout the season, he acts more as a reflective figure on how Dominic and Albie followed in the footsteps of who came before them when it comes to their overt attraction to women and sex regardless of the infidelity that comes with it. Albie ends the season getting Portia's number and I'm speculating that we're going to see more of her character in future.

    Within our Italy-based characters, we saw hotel manager Valentina (Sabrina Impacciatore) finally get some much-needed relaxation and visibility through her sexual awakening with Mia (Beatrice Granno). Her whole demeanor and attitude changed through the experience which further led to Mia getting the pianist job in the White Lotus hotel, full-time leading to the firing of Giuseppe. For Lucia (Simona Tabasco), she got her money from Cameron whilst also fleeing Albie after receiving the wired money from him as well, with the season's end credits showcasing the two best friends, Lucia and Mia, relishing in their new financial fortitude and lavish lifestyle. 

    Finally, we arrive at the crux of the season where the beloved character Tanya (Jennifer Coolidge) finds herself within a potential homicide attempt. She pieces together that it was none other than her husband Greg's ploy to hire a group of gay men, led by Quentin (Tom Hollander) to take her out due to their prenuptial agreement. Tanya puts the pieces again when she's on a yacht joined by the "group of gays" and the mafia man she had hooked up with the night prior in Palermo. Additionally, Portia (Haley Lu Richardson) becomes more suspicious of the activity of the group when Quentin's "nephew" Jack (Leo Woodall) seemingly steals her cell phone and practically kidnaps her away from the White Lotus mainstay. Portia steals Jack's phone whilst in the bathroom calling Tanya before the suspicion finally clicks into a realization. All the dots begin connecting, and Tanya tries to find a way off the yacht but there's no luck. In a last-ditch effort, she steals the mafia man's bag discovering rope, duct tape and a gun amidst locking herself in a bedroom on the boat. As the men break down the door, Tanya begins firing killing all but one man on board. However, as she tries to get off the boat herself onto a smaller dinghy boat, she plummets smacking her head on the side and plunging into the water dying upon impact. 

    As an audience, we knew of multiple people dying from the opening moments of the premiere episode of Season 2 however, I'm not sure if anyone could've predicted that the beloved character Tanya, who carried over from Season 1 would ultimately be one of the characters meeting their demise. The latest season brought together theories, debate and discourse throughout the seven weeks but also brought huge viewership numbers to HBO and HBO Max with the demand increasing in successive weeks since the premiere. I cannot wait to see the acclaim that this second season brings to the show as it featured great turns from some well-known actors such as Aubrey Plaza and Jennifer Coolidge but also brought attention to some lesser-known talents such as Meaghan Fahy, Simona Tabasco and Will Sharpe.

    What are your overall thoughts on The White Lotus Season 2? Did you prefer this season to last? Let us know in the comments below.