The White Lotus season 2

[Anonymous]

Waiting for Dominic’s family to see the hookers names in their room guest list and all the bills they ran up. It’s clear they bought a new 20 piece wardrobe each.

What an idiot.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:So Daphne’s children are from personal trainer, correct?

That's my guess.

Why do you think so? I thought that whole exchange was so strange. Like there is no personal trainer?

She made a comment about the trainer's blue eyes and then the kid in the pic had blue eyes.

There’s no actual trainer. Her kids are the trainer. She was implying that at the end of the day she spends more time with her kids anyway, that’s what helps her rationalize the dysfunction in her marriage, and that maybe Harper should look for something else to take up her own mindshare instead of obsessing over Ethan.

I disagree with this as the clear interpretation because Daphne then says “I’ll find it later” about the pic of her trainer. I do agree with you that the conversation is clearly implying that Daphne understands that her kids are the main thing she gets out of her relationship, but I think if that was all she was saying, she would just say that. She’s been pretty blunt with Harper on this subject and there is no reason for her to be fishy about it now.

I think another thing that might be happening is that she showed Harper the pic of the kids to remind Harper that Daphne and Cameron have kids, so maybe don’t try to blow up their marriage (by sleeping with Cameron to make Ethan mad, as it seemed she wanted to) or by telling Ethan to reject Caneron’s investment idea, which maybe they need to remain financially solvent.

I also think she was literally talking about her trainer and telling Harper to deal with Ethan’s infidelity by doing it herself.

I think it's ambiguous. I read it as her telling Harper that her kids are actually the trainer's. That also makes sense as a throwback to the conversation in an early episode about how they had struggled with infertility - i.e., maybe Cameron is shooting blanks.

But it also seemed like she was trying to send Harper some kind of message that the kids are what matters. Maybe both are true?

Or it’s even simply, find a trainer and sleep with them if your husband is too busy, never hime, not interested.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the gays are an example of what Daphne and Cameron talked about in the first ep- European aristocrats who have beautiful chateau but are actually flat broke. They are killing Tanya for a share of her money (which they will get from her DH, who is the ranch hand)

But what about the pre nup?

Besides that, wtf knows what’s in Tanya’s will. Highly doubt it is her latest husband! That’s too foolish!

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:So Daphne’s children are from personal trainer, correct?

Either that, or she’s made the personal trainer up and she’s really staying for her children. They way she said “He’s such a cutie” sounded more like she was talking about a baby.

This. There could be a nice trainer, but she doesn't have it in her character to be a cheater. She is too honest and faithful. I don't doubt she wished she could just go bang others as revenge, but she can't because she needs love first and she values marriage and her own vows even if her husband doesn't. I think she is now seeing what a scumbag he is. They obviously have tons of chemistry and passion and he totally love bombed her at the start of their relationship. Even if she knew he was promiscuous, she likely thought he wouldn't be once married and I'm sure he said as much. She also thought a family would ground him.

She was trying to call the kids and obviously misses them, but she goes along with Cameron for fear of losing him because she wants an intact family.

Where...are you getting all this from?

Her expressions. Her statements. The scene of her so badly wanting to be with/call her kids. The way she talks about family/marriage. I think she is a fun person, but the 'cool girl thing' is an act. She visibly looked like she was going to throw up when Harper said to her 'something happened while we were gone'. She knew what that meant and she was gutted, but then tried to brush over it and suppress it and then made up the story about her trainer. Showing the photo of her kids was also telling.

Np. Also, why in the outtakes and Q&A would the Daphne actress purposely say her character is so in love and genuine. To throw everyone off? That’s dumb.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think what you are seeing with Daphne and Cameron is seeing what the old man had with his wife. When Dominic was pressing his Dad about his infidelities, the old man was emphatic that they loved one another.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the gays are an example of what Daphne and Cameron talked about in the first ep- European aristocrats who have beautiful chateau but are actually flat broke. They are killing Tanya for a share of her money (which they will get from her DH, who is the ranch hand)

But what about the pre nup?

Besides that, wtf knows what’s in Tanya’s will. Highly doubt it is her latest husband! That’s too foolish!

I mean, Tanya is not exactly savvy. We know they have a pre-nup but we don't know what's in the will. It's a different question.

However, I do think we're being set up to think her husband wants to kill her and there is probably a surprise twist. It just seems too obvious for this show given all the heavy hinting in the first episode.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:So Daphne’s children are from personal trainer, correct?

That's my guess.

Why do you think so? I thought that whole exchange was so strange. Like there is no personal trainer?

She made a comment about the trainer's blue eyes and then the kid in the pic had blue eyes.

I thought it meant she deals with the husband’s crap for her kids.

That's not how I took that at all. I took that exchange as communicating a few things - 1) Daphne is really hurt by Cameron's cheating but can't stop him and doesn't want a divorce; 2) she doesn't want to confront it or to discuss it with Harper; 3) a demonstration that she has her own secrets/own ways of getting even.

In the interview with the actors afterwards Theo and Megan both agreed that Cameron loves Daphne and is in fact protective of the relationship even is he is a cheating jerk.

Very much so. You see that when they are together the night she gets back in bed. I think his love for her is very genuine and, yet, he feels entitled to cheat. He thinks it has absolutely no bearing on his love for Daphne or their marriage because these girls mean absolutely nothing to him. He still enjoys sex with his wife, a lot on this vacation.

He is so dysfunctional, raised in a home and in a career with toxic masculinity that what he is doing is 'normal' to him. If you don't openly disparage your wife and only speak very highly of her and do nice things for her, then you aren't being disrespectful or a bad husband (no matter what extracurriculars he gets off on). He is openly disgusted and rude to the hooker after he got what he wanted and is protective of his wife.

And this very much parallels the conversation with Grandpa and Dom. Grandpa is deluded that his cheating didn't bother his wife and that they had a great love story and he was a good husband. But, his son says he heard his mom cry herself to sleep often and she grew very bitter over all of his infidelities. Grandpa had the entitlement and the separation/compartmentalization that what he was doing didn't effect anyone, i.e,. he wasn't hurting anyone.

Daphne does not condone the infidelity and she isn't okay with it. Not one bit. She is trying to block it out and live in denial so was upset when Harper brought up that the guys did something when they were gone. Now she is forced to face it again.

I do think Daphne is much stronger than anyone gives her credit for, and also smarter. I can definitely see her wanting to just be rid of him completely because she doesn't want to be divorced, family is everything...it's much easier if he just dies. Easier to be a widow than to deal with the aftermath of divorce and splitting time with her kids or they having a step-mom in the future.

Absolutely, sign me up too!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think Daphne showing the pictures of her kids to Harper only makes sense if it's a little bit of a threat, in a way. Daphne knows full well she isn't showing Harper a picture of her trainer. I think Daphne might reminding Harper what she lives for and has to lose. I think she is maybe warning Harper away from Cameron, warning her that she will do whatever she needs to do, because she has kids and will do whatever it takes to protect them. Like, for her own good? Because if she doesn't stay away, she will get tangled up in everything and it will be her own fault?

I think she has the inner reserve necessary to kill someone if she thinks she needs to. I don't see how killing Ethan or Harper would benefit her, so I guess I think she might kill her husband?

Hmm, maybe that’s why Harper was all teary eyed sitting there when the scene closed out. Her crying didn’t make sense to me.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:NP, but I think he's just dumb. I think a theme of this season is broke rich people keeping up appearances and what they do to get back to the lifestyle they can't afford anymore. The gay con artists trying to woo Tanya, Cam trying to woo Ethan (into investing). Contrast that with Ethan and Harper who are new to the lifestyle, the escorts that are on the periphery of that lifestyle (2k euro for a night is a lot of money!), the Gen Z kids who are along for the ride in their own ways, and of course Tanya who is the only one not trying to prove anything. I think we'll see the smoke and mirrors come crashing down and we'll see who snaps when it does - Daphne, Tanya, someone else?

Lucia told Albie 2k euro and later told Cameron he owes her 1300. I only noticed because I had on CC on.

Didn’t Dom pay her for the week, so the money from Cameron and Albie is really extra from what she expected to make?

She’s turned quite immoral and unethical in the last episode, with the lying, the sob stories, the “get the young boy to like me.” What a nightmare.
And she has leverage on Do’, the father. She’s out to make bank now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love how the writer so enjoys shining light on uncomfortable hypocrisy!

I mean, what's the difference between Rachel (season 1 - married to Cornell douche) and Daphne, and Lucia? They all take money in exchange for putting up with a man but I almost respect Lucia more!

Lucia was purely transactional with Dom - had sex, got money, respectfully went on their ways with no relationship.
Rachel semi-transactional with husband - got married, got money, forces self to have a relationship with unlikeable husband.
Daphne semi-transactional with husband - got married, got money, enjoys husband and children, forces self to not despise cheating husband.

100% I respect Lucia more -- her transactions are straightforward and she if she doesn't like a guy she can just not work with him again. And at the end of the day she takes her money with her and can do what she wants. I could never do what she does, but I could also never do what Rachel/Daphne do. I appreciate how little presence there is with Lucia and even when she worries that they are "going to hell" I think she's happier with her choices because it really feels like a choice. Rachel/Daphne both convince themselves they are doing one thing when they are actually doing another.

Unclear if you saw her change in episode 5 or not. She said she’s done being a hooker in episode 4, hangs out with Albie all day for meals and sightseeing, sleeps with him and then asks for E2000. And he’s shocked she’s a hooker and it wasn’t a date.
She dramatically walks it back, batting eyelashes, pretending she’s in trouble with a man (never mentioned that before or to Mia), and continues to bribe the whole family for stuff.

If the mom shows up she’ll see the bill, see the whore and kill Dom and Lucia. Crime of passion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love how the writer so enjoys shining light on uncomfortable hypocrisy!

I mean, what's the difference between Rachel (season 1 - married to Cornell douche) and Daphne, and Lucia? They all take money in exchange for putting up with a man but I almost respect Lucia more!

Lucia was purely transactional with Dom - had sex, got money, respectfully went on their ways with no relationship.
Rachel semi-transactional with husband - got married, got money, forces self to have a relationship with unlikeable husband.
Daphne semi-transactional with husband - got married, got money, enjoys husband and children, forces self to not despise cheating husband.

Lucia was not transactional with Albie, though. She didn’t share that she was a prostitute, asked for money after the fact. I also think the pimp wasn’t really one, and she’s tricking him into a relationship just to get more money.

Lucia and Albie are an interesting one. She had sex which she thought was purely transactional but he didn't; but when he learned it was transactional he was still game and so was she!

He’s a pretty naive yet nice 22 yo with no game, that’s what.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love how the writer so enjoys shining light on uncomfortable hypocrisy!

I mean, what's the difference between Rachel (season 1 - married to Cornell douche) and Daphne, and Lucia? They all take money in exchange for putting up with a man but I almost respect Lucia more!

Lucia was purely transactional with Dom - had sex, got money, respectfully went on their ways with no relationship.
Rachel semi-transactional with husband - got married, got money, forces self to have a relationship with unlikeable husband.
Daphne semi-transactional with husband - got married, got money, enjoys husband and children, forces self to not despise cheating husband.

Lucia was not transactional with Albie, though. She didn’t share that she was a prostitute, asked for money after the fact. I also think the pimp wasn’t really one, and she’s tricking him into a relationship just to get more money.

And I think she will use him to take her/move her to LA because that’s her goal, she said. Then dump that poor naive sad sack.

She’s dishonest and a liar.

She’s says whatever to whomever. That is clear.

She has no future, anywhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dom is going to kill Lucia. All those godfather references and Dom’s guilt about no wanting Albie to repeat his mistakes. Albie is trying to save Lucia by taking her back to LA and Dom isn’t going to have it.

omg, if he’s that idiotic he can have her.

I actually know someone from my investment banking class that returned from a long trip with a Russian lady. They had a kid, married, divorced and he’s been a single father since the kid was 3 yo. She left, the country.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love how the writer so enjoys shining light on uncomfortable hypocrisy!

I mean, what's the difference between Rachel (season 1 - married to Cornell douche) and Daphne, and Lucia? They all take money in exchange for putting up with a man but I almost respect Lucia more!

Lucia was purely transactional with Dom - had sex, got money, respectfully went on their ways with no relationship.
Rachel semi-transactional with husband - got married, got money, forces self to have a relationship with unlikeable husband.
Daphne semi-transactional with husband - got married, got money, enjoys husband and children, forces self to not despise cheating husband.

I really don’t see those three women as being in purely transactional relationships. Obviously Lucia is but Rachel genuinely seemed to have fallen in love with the man she was with only for that initial glow to wear off and decide she doesn’t like him and Daphne does seem to love Cameron, although she wrestles with his many flaws. I know both of the wives are wealthy due to their husband‘s success but I don’t get the impression that’s the only thing keeping them in the relationship or that’s what they married them for initially

Also, is there a reason you didn’t include Harper in the initial post? She seems pretty dissatisfied with her relationship but she is staying. Again, I don’t get the impression it’s purely because he’s wealthy but it seems like that could be the case for her or just as much as it could be the case for Daphne

Agreed! Plus Greg is in it for the money. Dom’s wife left him and perhaps HE stayed for the kids. Cameron is staying for reasons other than love. The “nephew” is in a transactional relationship. Why is it only the women who are using men in your narrative?

The list wasn’t exhaustive; it was just three examples.

It was lame. C+ material if submitted for AP English lit class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love how the writer so enjoys shining light on uncomfortable hypocrisy!

I mean, what's the difference between Rachel (season 1 - married to Cornell douche) and Daphne, and Lucia? They all take money in exchange for putting up with a man but I almost respect Lucia more!

Lucia was purely transactional with Dom - had sex, got money, respectfully went on their ways with no relationship.
Rachel semi-transactional with husband - got married, got money, forces self to have a relationship with unlikeable husband.
Daphne semi-transactional with husband - got married, got money, enjoys husband and children, forces self to not despise cheating husband.

I really don’t see those three women as being in purely transactional relationships. Obviously Lucia is but Rachel genuinely seemed to have fallen in love with the man she was with only for that initial glow to wear off and decide she doesn’t like him and Daphne does seem to love Cameron, although she wrestles with his many flaws. I know both of the wives are wealthy due to their husband‘s success but I don’t get the impression that’s the only thing keeping them in the relationship or that’s what they married them for initially

Rachel had a top-notch education and was a writer. It was only after she married and saw she was expected to live her life like his mom—a life of leisure and gossip and nothing of substance. She realized she was in over her head and completely unhappy. It’s like the girl that ends the marriage and has it annulled. There was no indication she was going to ride that marriage out. She was done.

It’s like we saw different show! Rachel went to SUNY Potsdam, was a sub-average gig writer, and returned to him in the airport after she left him!

There's a whole lot of weird fantasy happening in the last page or so of this thread.

I skipped a lot of that nonsense too. D- for the attempt to make formulaic parallels of characters from S1 to S2.
The theme for s2 is masculinity. The theme for s1 was social justice warriors.