The White Lotus
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The rich, white hotel guests smiling, damaged are each presented a chance to show what theyre about.
One by one, they arrive at the same answer: themselves.
However frivolous the show believes its upstairs cohort to be, theyre what the show is made up of.
Its an open question, for now, if thats a commentary on reality or merely a tell.
Kai, the seriess first native Hawaiian character, has a complicated history with the White Lotus.
Its built on theloihis family used to farm, and his brothers are contesting their eviction.
Tricky is the word she chooses for Olivia, her borderline frenemy.
But what does it say about Paula that theyre still friends, that she said yes to this trip?
Overall, the Mossbacher suite is in disarray on the morning of Recentering.
Mark wakes up hurting from yesterdays bender, and Nicoles sympathy is nonexistent.
Are you going to participate today?
Participate here means play one happy family, but social mores have deteriorated past the point of pretending.
Even Paula is sassing Nicole.
Suddenly, that scuba school that takes place in the kiddie pool feels metaphorical.
It sends Quinn back to the ocean to befriend the watermen.
Real relationships have to grow organically in the real world.
(Sidenote: I felt oddly proud of Nicoles poor, alienated rich, white son for introducing himself.
Turns out hes not a misanthrope; he just hates everyone he knows.)
By comparison, the Pattons seem normal today.
Shane wears his Cornell hat to breakfast, which is perfect in a way I cant put into words.
(Just imagine Andy Bernard watchingThe White Lotuson his Roku and gleefully bounding from the sofa.)
Shes just looking for a soft landing.
He has an enemy to vanquish.
Armond didnt make it home last night.
He looks and feels terrible.
Belinda coaxes the truth from him with one long, empathic stare.
Fed up, Shane wants to talk to the Big Boss.
Tripping off their showdown, Armond gives Paula back her bag, minus the drugs.
Its stupid, but also kind of genius.
What are they going to say?Excuse me, sir, but our ket is missing?
Armie has one last surprise to distract Shane from contacting senior management: Molly Shannon.
A Mike White regular, Shannon barrels in as Shanes inappropriate mother, Kitty.
The circadian rhythm is a formula of sorts, but its a good one.
And tonights dinner is extra-special.
For those who are so inclined, there will also be hula.
In actuality, Gregs a cop.
To him, BLM is the Bureau of Land Management.
Id bet Tanya finds and discards a Belinda everywhere she goes.
(She never goes in February, anyway.)
Its a great way to give back, she tells Rachel, approvingly.
But when Rachel clarifies shed like to get a job, Mrs. Patton cant compute.
What nonprofits need is money, she explains.
Actually, they needmoneymoneymoneymoney.And Rachel and Shane aremoneymoneymoneymoney.
At one point, though, Rachel saw herself as more of a Nicole.
(What happened to your independence is your power?)
But tonight its Marks turn to face Livs political inquisition.
For years, I was the good guy, he says, longingly.
Now he suggests they center the narrative around Paula.
He doesnt mean it.
When pushed, he cant come up with a single question hed like to ask her.
When has Paula ever asked me a question?
he bites back, setting a record for the worlds briefest decentering.
What do you stand for?
she asks Mark, who doesnt answer, which is its own answer.
If we think the right things or the wrong things?
We all do the same shit.
His frustration is our frustration.
But tonight, Shanes too distracted.
He realizes Armond gave him a fake phone number and storms off to confront him (again).
The timing is … unfortunate.
Armond offered the waiter with the topknot his choice of shifts and some K to get naked together.
So when Shane makes it down to the office, high and naked is how he finds them.
Shane laughing in the orange glow of a thousand tiki torches throws off menacingApocalypseNowvibes.
Hes so stoked on destroying this hotel manager its revolting.
He wants it more than he ever wanted the Pineapple Suite.Thisis Shane Pattons opus.
Im your friend, Olivia tells Paula in bed, either deceitful or half-deranged.
Is she any different than Tanya, who is never in a million years going into business with Belinda?
(Ill eat a bikini if Im wrong.)
I finally understand why Mike White teased episode ones dead body in the exact way he did.
