1. The frenetic, borderline-deranged energy of Armond, the hotel manager played by the brilliant Murray Bartlett.
One look at Armond’s eyes after he’s done a hit of stolen ketamine and you know this man was born to play this role. The way in which he switches from convivial manager to vengeful maniac is a joy to behold, and that accent is *chef’s kiss*.
2. That title track, and the general background score is magnificently uneasy.
The music perfectly complements the increasingly disturbing events taking place at the seemingly idyllic hotel. There’s a constant dissonance that composer Cristobal Tapia de Veer has weaved into every scene, and if you think the music sounds familiar, it’s because he also did the score for another brilliant show – the original Utopia.
3. The visceral portrayal of most humans as brutally selfish, either due to class differences or because of circumstance.
As the episodes progress, you see just how hideous the guests at this hotel truly are. Armond captures it perfectly – they’re ‘lotus-eaters’, moneyed leaches living in dreamy idleness, unaware of the world around them or the harm they’re causing. Everyone’s an asshole, and even those who aren’t inherently bad, such as Belinda, lose their spark due to the actions of the guests.
4. Jennifer Coolidge as the alcohol-addled Tanya McQuoid, grieving her dead mother and freaking everyone out in the process.
Jennifer Coolidge’s character in this series is a far-cry from her claim to fame as Stifler’s mom in American Pie. Her incessant breakdowns, alcohol-induced rants, and general craziness could not have been portrayed by anyone else.
5. The dynamics of Paula and Sydney’s friendship, two sardonic individuals with a toxic connect that feels so stifling, you can sense it through the screen.
With their sense of arrogance and entitlement, these two BFFs are made out to be hateful from the get-go. But finding out how twisted the dynamics of their friendship really are makes the show that much more interesting. You just know these two are going to implode at some point – season 2, maybe?
6. It’s shocking and hilarious in equal measure.
The White Lotus explores the depths of human depravity juxtaposed with a paradisiacal landscape constructed to escape your problems. The whole setup ensures a relentless duality of shock and hilarity, and certain scenes will make you go WTF out loud.
Just go watch the damn show, it’s so good!