The Success Phenomenon of “The White Lotus”

“The White Lotus” from director Mike White has become one of the latest aces up HBO Max's sleeve. In addition to the cultivation of franchises such as "Euphoria" or the new "House of the Dragon", the platform has supported this miniseries that has been known to defend itself in the best way in critics and at festivals. This last week the premiere of the first episode of the second season was made.

The first season drew widespread applause, with the plot taking place in a luxurious hotel in Hawaii. A murder, social, generational and racial tensions were the axis of the six episodes that lasted. That made it the most successful miniseries of the last Emmy's ceremony, with 10 awards .

Now the adventure of "The White Lotus" moves from Hawaii to an island of Sicily (Italy) with a mostly renewed cast. Already the first episode left expectations in the clouds and very surely this second season will have a similar or greater impact than the first installment.

What Makes “The White Lotus” Special?

One of the biggest successes in recent years in the film industry was seen with the multi-award winning Oscar “Parasite”. The Korean drama explored and portrayed two different social classes and the aspirational strategies of one family to access the privileges of another, the one in charge of maintaining them.

“The White Lotus” points to the same path. The miniseries is described as a satire on the upper class, but at the same time it shows us a faithful reflection of how society is constantly looking for ways to win and give up in the slightest to climb the social ladder. In another sense, the series could also have found another precedent in "The Grand Hotel Budapest" with the distance between the guests and the workers of the vacation complex.

This HBO Max miniseries includes a broader range of social issues regarding the films mentioned. The production also represents the irreparable short-circuit between how different generations give meaning to their lives. In addition to this, there is a series of dramas that include living for appearances, emptiness in love and lack of motivation for life, among others.

After the approach of the plot, getting the viewer to make fun of the privileged characters, but also to humanize them, generates an ideal cocktail for the success that "The White Lotus" is having. What is most hopeful is that the possibilities of the social gap between millionaires and the less privileged are endless.

Also read: November Premieres in 2022: The Most Anticipated Productions on Streaming Platforms

What Is the Second Season About?

With the first episode of the second season, several changes can be evidenced. The generational issue in the series continues with three male characters from the same lineage returning to their homeland for a break. Although the series continues to have classism as its axis, it can be seen that other themes attached to the struggle of genders and lust take on a more main focus.

This new installment of “The White Lotus” includes a structure similar to that of the first season, since from the outset the viewer is aware that the holidays (again) will end with a murder . On the other hand, the lineage of three generations is crossed by the same patriarchy in its different versions represented by the characters Bert, Dominic, and Albie.

Additionally, it seems that the employees of the company in this second season occupy less prominence with respect to the previous one. It is also more likely that there will be a greater empathy between the viewer and these millionaires with respect to those of the first season. It still remains to know the episodes that will come to conclude, if this second season does justice to the first.