The White Lotus: what is the reason for the success of this series?

If Agatha Christie were now a millennial addicted to series, she would have enjoyed HBO’s latest hit. The one in which some rich people spend their vacations in idyllic resorts. In this television production many of those touches that the famous writer gave us come together. It is a reflection of society itself and, of course, some unexpected tragic death always occurs.

It’s true, The white lotus It is very operatic, it is a production that many adore and that a few cannot stand due to its characters often pushed to the limit of superficiality. However, this is what satires consist of, being an often exaggerated and uncomfortable reflection of real tropes that we all know how to recognize.

Its screenwriter, Mark White, has immaculate writing and rarely misses a thread. He knows how to make us laugh and repulse, fascinate and even contempt. He can go from poetic to hilarious in just a couple of seconds. We are facing a series with numerous Emmy awards and that both the audience and the critics themselves have praised.

However… What is the reason for this fascination?

In The White Lotus there are no heroes or villains, they are characters that bring together lights and shadows, hence our interest.

The White Lotus: we all like to watch

The white lotus It has two seasons and the plot is almost always the same: the vacations of a group of millionaires. The first was developed in a resort from Hawaii. In it, we witnessed the imprint of that white high society dominated, unconsciously, by classism and even imperialism. All of this created a series of micro-stories that ended in drama.

In this second season we travel to exuberant Sicily, where the hotel chain also has another distinguished hotel. On this occasion, the plot focus is on the anatomy of sexuality and emotional relationships in all their forms. The way in which the chiaroscuros of human ties are approached is as revulsive as it is fun at the same time.. Although the discomfort is that eternal leivmotiv, that accompanies us in each character, in each story and situation.

Pampered lives that we observe with morbidity

The white lotus feeds one of the most powerful human drives: curiosity. Most people are fascinated by looking into the lock to see how the rich live. Money not only gives them power, but it allows them to occupy spaces that are inaccessible to most. As viewers, we suddenly become voyeurs of their intimacies and dramas.

The moment that curtain is drawn back for us, we witness the most crude situations and experiences. One of the most notable and paradoxical characters is Tanya McQuoid. She is a middle-aged woman who inherited her father’s fortune and who carries with her as many traumas as she has zeroes in her checking account.

Bizarre, clueless, spoiled, manipulable and tragic, she only seems to have one need in life: to be loved. Throughout the two seasons we see her commit despicable acts, make bad decisions and be the most vivid example of superficiality.. And despite this he becomes, by far, one of the public’s favorite characters.

The rich also cry and are unhappy

Mark White’s series satisfies one of those questions we always ask ourselves: what would our lives be like if money were no problem? The first thing we discovered with The White Lotus is that money does not bring happiness, but rather it leaves us with part of the usual problems.

An example of this is the field of love. If there’s one thing we know about the holidays, it’s that they’re a classic time for relationship problems to arise. In this second season we meet two young couples who have decided (reluctantly) to share those days together at the resort in Sicily.

With these four characters, the weight of unhappiness, sexuality, distrust and moral complexity is revealed, layer by layer.. It is important to note that in this series all the characters seem like heroes and villains at the same time. None of them is an example of virtue, but despite those dark recesses, it is easy to empathize (or at least understand) each of them.

Although all of the characters in The White Lotus are questionable, all of their stories resonate with us.

Characters who, despite everything, survive

In The White Lotus disaster and chaos are perceived at every moment. We often anticipate relationship breakdowns that, in the end, do not happen. We glimpse disasters and possible deaths that do not materialize. When most of the protagonists leave the resort they do it a little better than when they arrived. There are learnings and discoveries that you carry in your suitcase.

Likewise, beyond these super-rich characters, there are the less fortunate ones who try to obtain benefits from the former. In this second season we also meet two young people escorts, Lucía and Mia, who emerge victorious after carrying out a subtle but skillful deception. However, those who tried to fool Tanya McQuoid don’t come out so well.

Because, as we noted at the beginning, Agatha Christie would be fascinated by this series. Although most of the protagonists survive and return to their ostentatious but empty existences, there is always a death.

Drama is that stain that, as in life, clouds the beauty of every idyllic setting, reminding us not only how futile we people are.. Death itself is also the product of the most ironic of chances…

You might be interested…