"Let's fun!"
The Mike White creation is back for season two, which moves the action from Hawaii to Europe as our group of rich snobs head on a Sicilian adventure.
Even though the series was filmed during the winter, you can't help but be insanely jealous of everyone in 'The White Lotus' season two. Those who have been to Sicily will know just how picturesque the Meditteranean island can be, the decorations and artworks are stunning, and don't even get us started on watching the hotel guests eat freshly made cannolis every morning for breakfast. That is, of course, until the storylines begin to spiral out of control.
The series begins with hotel guest Daphne Babcock (Meghann Fahy) discovering a dead body while out for a swim in the sea during her final day in paradise. Hotel manager Valentina (Sabrina Impacciatore) is called to the scene to be told that there have been multiple deaths and that they were residents of The White Lotus resort. Then it's time to head back seven days earlier, as this fresh batch of Americans arrives onto the island, hoping for an unforgettable week in paradise.
The beauty of 'The White Lotus', which is why we fell in love with season one so much, is that in amongst the rich tomfoolery and narcissistic indulgences between most of the snobs that you can't help but hate, there still remains a couple of characters you can't help but root for. In saying that, season two might not be as orderless as our first time around, but it still remains as watchable as ever.
And this is where 'The White Lotus' MVP comes in - Jennifer Coolidge. Her character Tanya McQuoid is the only main cast member to return to the series after Hawaii (and her now husband, Greg, played by Jon Gries) and to be honest, season two would be nothing without her. We won't go into details, but the oblivious, naive and perpetually clingy nature of Tanya climbs to perilous new heights - which pisses off her unfortunate assistant Portia (Haley Lu Richardson) to no end. If Coolidge won a Emmy Award for season one, expect her to sweep the board across every awards ceremony for season two becuase the Queen of delusional comedy is right here.
As for the rest of the supporting cast, there's not a dead weight to be seen. The rigidness of married couple Harper and Ethan (played by Aubrey Plaza and Will Sharpe) is pitted against their happy-go-lucky friends for the holiday, Cameron and Daphne (played by Theo James and Meghann Fahy); while three generations of Di Grasso men (F. Murray Abraham, Michael Imperioli, Adam DiMarco) are in Sicily to discover their family heritage. Throw in two local women-for-hire Luci and Mia (Simona Tabasco and Beatrice Grannò), who cross paths with the overly-watchful hotel manager Valentina, and you've got a cast that are both fun and memorable and are able to deliver killer dialogue in incredibly awkward fashion.
'The White Lotus' season two isn't just a silly whodunnit shrouded in comedy and drama, there are some weighty topics that reared their head throughout the five episodes (of seven) too. Apart for the obvious "rich people suck" mentality that courses through the series, we also enconter other over-arching themes such "men are just horny pigs" and "women are drips", plus the series really hammers home the fact that "little Catholic Italy" of old is certainly dead and buried.
Sicily is steeped in history, and is also the home of some very famous Greek Gods and heroes - but it is also a place known to harbour dangerous monsters. The striking imagery used throughout the season - whether it be tapestries, iconic Italian marble, or simply just waves crashing along the shore - it's all teasing something big and horrible this way comes. Or maybe it's already arrived.
Finally, a quick note to say that yes, the intro for 'The White Lotus' season two SLAPS just as much, if not more so, than the first time around. Music composer Cristobal Tapia de Veer might have just created a new club banger.
All in all, 'The White Lotus' season two may tread familiar ground in Sicily, but the series is backed by a tight script delivered by strong performances across the board, and a setting so hypnotic that you can't help but feel compelled to know what happens next. Oh, and there's loads of bums on display too, in case you were wondering.
Episode one of 'The White Lotus' season two begins on Sky Atlantic and NOW on Monday, October 31.