The White Lotus Review

The White Lotus, the new limited series from Mike White (Enlightened), is definitely a “your mileage may vary” kind of series. That isn’t to say that it’s not good – that there isn’t a lot to enjoy about it – or that I’m not about to write a positive review (I am), but I am fully cognizant that this is not a show for everyone. Now, how should you determine if this six-episode series is one you should watch? Well, if you are a fan of shows that have rich white people behaving badly – and in the case of The White Lotus, some of these characters are pretty odious and not in a snarky and fun Succession way – while still presenting them as complete and compelling characters, this is the show for you. Because, despite not really rooting for anyone on the show to succeed – or even live happily ever after – the characters are fascinating to watch – and you can’t help but laugh in disgust at some of their antics.

The White Lotus focuses on the goings on at an exclusive Hawaiian resort following three sets of guests – the Mossbacher family, the newly wed Pattons, and the singular Tanya McQuoid (Jennifer Coolidge) – as they interact with each other and the staff (led by Murray Bartlett’s Armond), making demands, being dicks, all while slowly coming to key realizations about themselves and those in their orbit. The most normal of these high strung guests is Tanya, who has come to the island in the hopes of spreading her late mother’s ashes into the ocean. With Coolidge inhabiting the character, one might expect her to be overly sexual or exceptionally dim. Tanya, however, is neither of those – allowing Coolidge the chance to craft a character whose sense of self – and understanding of her relationship to those around her – is informed by her status and wealth. Tanya isn’t intentionally cruel (like a character we’ll discuss shortly) and she doesn’t throw her wealth around like it grants her a key to a specialized world where she’s the queen and the “help” are below her (like a member of the Patton duo). Instead, she’s blissfully oblivious to how her actions impact those around her. She lives in her own, insulated world, where her needs are paramount, and while she’s gracious for people stepping in to help her, she also expects that interaction. Never stuffy or pushy, but kind while still failing to recognize that her position and power allows her to do what she wants, when she wants.

As for the rest of the White Lotus guests, well, they’re a hell of a bunch. Shane Patton (Jake Lacy, playing an asshole bro with aplomb) comes from a world where his parents’ money can and does buy him everything he wants – and he’s not afraid to make demands for what he believes he is entitled to. His new bride, Rachel (Alexandra Dadarrio, doing great work with perhaps the show’s most complex character), decidedly does not – but for all her clear distaste for Shane’s over the top complaining (and his other less than lovely personal traits), Rachel rarely speaks up to stop her husband from demanding what he wants when he wants it. It’s also interesting that Rachel is, however, the only guest we see actually thank the hotel staff when they serve the couple, signaling that perhaps Rachel’s inner sense of privilege is slowly eroding, but there’s still some innate sense of manners there.

Then there’s the Mossbachers. The show’s most horrific character – who, three episodes into the series, seems far more concerned with controlling and flinging stinging barbs at all those around her, is Olivia (Sydney Sweeney, who finds ways to inject elements of humanity into what could be a wholly soulless character), the Mossbachers college-aged daughter. She’s a monster and she rules the roost in the family – a clear indictment on her vapid and self-absorbed parents, Nicole and Mark (Connie Britton and Steve Zahn, both great), who never disciplined her and have now lost complete control over her, allowing her to treat everyone she comes into contact with – including her depressed and put-upon younger brother Quinn (Fred Hechinger, who has an enigma of a character to play) – with open contempt. The one person who appears to be immune from her attacks? Her best friend, Paula (Brittany O’Grady, doing strong work), who was clearly brought along to try and keep Olivia in line. It’s not working, and while Olivia seems close to a normal college kid when she’s around Paula one-on-one, that influence seems to be fading as Olivia begins to lose control over her friend – something that is clearly a mortal sin in her world.

So, if everyone is so awful, why bother watching the show at all? Well, because these aren’t just one-dimensional characters. I have no illusions that they will, on the whole, finish the series better than when they began it (this isn’t a series about redemption). But it’s fascinating to watch each character bounce of the others (the characters tend to stay in their defined lanes, but there is overlap and when characters interact with those outside of their small circle, there are some incredible interactions). There is also some interesting interplay between the role of race and wealth within the series (outside of Paula, the only other characters of color are among the staff of the hotel, driving home the point that these white, privileged few see both their financial status and their racial privilege as just normal elements of their day-to-day lives). The lack of awareness of the show’s richest characters can be shocking – and you will certainly want to ring some of their necks as they go off on tirades and treat those around them with a shocking lack of respect – but you also won’t be able to look away.

The White Lotus’s first three episodes are currently streaming on HBO Max. New episodes drop Sunday night. The limited series will consist of six episodes.