Biały Lotos - Série 2

If viewers were to vote on the attractiveness of both previous seasons, the second season would easily win. Not for the quality of the scriptwriting, which is noticeably weaker, prone to issues, didacticism, and schematics, but for the attractiveness of the subject matter, which this time revolves around human sexuality and romantic relationships. The series plays with stereotypes prevalent in society regarding relationships between both genders, breaking some, accommodating others, flirting, maneuvering among actors often involved in cynical and cruel relationship games, which have little to do with the romantic ideal of love. Everything is set in the attractive environment of a luxurious resort in Sicily, surrounded by the scenery of wild cliffs and a town with a thousand-year history. In terms of acting, as expected, top-tier talent is involved in the project. Aubrey Plaza surprised me; I had her fixed as a typical actress with a specific sense of humor - yet she is capable, given the opportunity, of shining in a character role. Out of the five storylines, two suffer from scriptwriting mishaps, especially the one with the self-centered Tanya is pure bullshit, where Mike White, in pursuit of the goal, resigns on the logic in the characters' actions. But the production quality is undeniable. Overall impression: 85%. (06.06.2024)

The first season had the more attractive setting of Hawaii, not that Sicily isn't beautiful, but the Hawaiian exoticism had its charm. Yet I have to say that the second season has more interesting characters, better plot twists and overall I enjoyed it a lot more. Of the familiar faces, I liked Theo James, Aubrey Plaza and the return of Jennifer Coolidge. Simona Tabasco as the hooker was an instant crush, and for the biggest likable character there's Will Sharpe,  I felt quite sorry for him, that relationship was pretty toxic. You really care about the characters, their development and their relationships are very well written, you hate the opening theme song of the first season and then love it and the final twist is really very good. Very entertaining, gripping and addictive, I'm glad I gave it a chance. 8/10. (29.04.2024)

Much like the first season, this one maintains the same vibe but elevates the finale to an emotional high, earning it a slightly better rating from me. It's fascinating how the creators dive into the social issues of the upper-middle class again. Everyone behaves like total jerks, making it almost repulsive to watch, yet you can't look away because it's so captivating. Jennifer Coolidge and F. Murray Abraham steal the show with their performances. (07.09.2023)

Mike White the screenwriter once again plays the role of a malicious host. He punishes not just the unappealing culprits but also appealing victims and even just individuals floating through life. Their merits don't matter, nor do their offenses or karma; everyone gets a bitter pill and it's merely a question of whether one at a time or by the handful. Then Mike White the director surpasses the first season, the sea waves enveloping them in an even more irresistible guise and pulling out ever more surprising aces from his sleeve. Even this time I won't give in to the highest rating, even though for the second time only just barely. The reason is that painful conclusions sometimes have such staying power that I feel a palpable grief for up to several weeks after the vacation is over. (23.01.2023)

So simple, yet so f*cking amazing!!! The second season of White Lotus is the definition of the word perfection and is in the same spirit as the first. The characters are some of the most entertaining on screen, their development and acting is unrivalled and it's Oscar-worthy, and perhaps that goes straight to all the main characters, because acting like that and having the audience literally devour every episode is a once-in-a-lifetime thing. The build-up to the whole thing is creeping and cleverly navigated through the excellent interaction of the characters in the hotel, slowly but nerve-wrackingly building up to the finale, where everything cracks and it's (again!) incredible mental carnage. Add to that clever screenwriting, the disturbing ubiquitous music suggesting that "there's something in the air" and you've got a winner. Undoubtedly the show of the year, and Mike White has done it again. I could watch this every day. I WANT MORE! (08.01.2023)