*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“Have a nice vacation…”

The White Lotus premiered on HBO Max on July 11th 2021. All six episodes are available to stream now. The limited series stars Alexandra Daddario, Jennifer Coolidge, Steve Zahn, Jake Lacy, Murray Bartlett, Sydney Sweeney, Brittany O’Grady, and Connie Britton. Each episode runs for approximately 60 minutes.

Written and directed by Mike White, the satire-dramedy follows several people on vacation in Hawaii as they attempt to deal with their issues while interacting with the staff at the White Lotus Resort and Spa.

Here is the trailer:

The White Lotus has a fantastic cast and a good balance of dark humor and drama to make a statement, but does it do enough to earn a watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Exceptional characters.

I wasn’t really sure what I was going to get when I started watching this show, but I found myself really connecting to a lot of the characters. Some of them were outrageous and extreme while others were just trying to form a true sense of self-realization. None of the characters were perfect. In fact, they were all far from it and constantly making mistakes, but I thought this made this show that much more real and interesting.

Standout character for me: Paula (O’Grady).

A reveal worth waiting for.

The beginning of the series introduces a mystery, but it fades into the background for the majority of the show. However, once you get to the last two episodes, you start to piece things together as you discover everything with your own eyes, which I thought was extremely satisfying and I’m still in shock.

Addicting with heart and humor.

There wasn’t really a lot going on in this show, but there was also SO MUCH going on when it came to the characters. When I got to the end of the first episode, I was intrigued but I didn’t really know what I was watching.

There were some moments that were really dark and dramatic and others that actually really had me laughing out loud, which created a necessary balance to keep me coming back for more. This show was more about the characters, but it also cleverly used satire to make a point about social class and how difficult it can be to accept any kind of change.

The Cons:

Extreme at times.

I know it’s HBO, but some scenes just seemed way over-the-top and slightly unnecessary. I also think that some episodes could have been a little bit shorter to keep the pacing going.

Supporting characters needed to have more development.

I really liked so many of the characters, but I thought we spent quite a bit of time on some without really developing others that were so interesting. I realize that’s sort of the point in some ways, but I really would have liked to focus more time on them because they were a lot more interesting than some of the other plot points going on.

So am I in or out?

I’m in!

This show was really unique and I think it successfully created a dialogue worth having. The characters were great and there was a steady balance of dark humor and drama going on to keep you coming back for more.

While there was a mystery lingering in the air, it took a backseat to the characters and I think that was a smart decision after watching the entire show in one day. The show was really more about the people and the decisions they made. I was left with chills at the end of the season and that ending really did shock me.

The White Lotus will be returning for season 2 but with a different cast and setting.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The White Lotus in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

THIS COMPETITION IS KILLER…

When former friends, Shay and Adriana team up to participate in a Halloween scavenger hunt with a cash prize, they temporarily put their differences aside to outsmart their opponents. However, they soon start to realize that a dangerous threat is playing their own version of the game, stalking them during each hunt.

Winning is now a necessity as their lives are at stake. As old wounds and memories re-surface, Shay and Adriana attempt to unmask the threat before the night is over, but soon learn that Scream Hunt is not done with them just yet…

My new young adult horror thriller comes out October 7th 2021! I hope you enjoy!

Scream Hunt is available here!

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