Anonymous
Post 08/16/2021 18:11     Subject: Re:White Lotus
Paula messed up Kai to no ill effect to her and in so doing became a Mossbacher.
Anonymous
Post 08/16/2021 17:50     Subject: White Lotus
Anonymous wrote:Why was Paula throwing up? Because of stress? For a moment I was thinking she might be pregnant.


Motion/seasickness - it was one of many ailments that she had or that Olivia said she had.
Anonymous
Post 08/16/2021 17:01     Subject: White Lotus
Why was Paula throwing up? Because of stress? For a moment I was thinking she might be pregnant.
Anonymous
Post 08/16/2021 15:10     Subject: White Lotus
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:So, why do you think Rachel kept trying to make connections and get advice but kept failing? She tried to befriend Paula and Olivia and Olivia’s mom, and Brenda, and nobody would help her.


She was pretty much flailing from the beginning - latched on to a rich douche because she didn't have any concrete plans of her own, tried to hang out with the teenagers when she's not a teen, thought she saw an opportunity to network with a bigwig when she's not a bigwig and didn't even realize how her article about her could be received by the subject, and then the "woe is me, I'm not super successful and afraid I will come second to my husband's obscene wealth" talk with a woman who works at the hotel. She contrasted well against her (terrible) husband, but she's narcissistic herself and it takes until the interaction with Belinda to really drive that home.



Exactly. Also a narcissist, even if less extreme, her interactions were all one way. Me, me, me.
Anonymous
Post 08/16/2021 15:03     Subject: White Lotus
Anonymous wrote:So, why do you think Rachel kept trying to make connections and get advice but kept failing? She tried to befriend Paula and Olivia and Olivia’s mom, and Brenda, and nobody would help her.


Because they’re all wrapped up in their own first world drama, and nobody feels bad for her. Nobody feels bad for each other, except the kind employees like Belinda. Rachel, as an unsuccessful, non wealthy outsider who married in, shows some empathy towards Shanes treatment of Armand, but in the end, she uses Belinda the same way Paula did. Self absorbed privileged people and their drama of their own making. That’s the satire (and I enjoyed every episode of it!)
Anonymous
Post 08/16/2021 14:59     Subject: White Lotus
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:So, why do you think Rachel kept trying to make connections and get advice but kept failing? She tried to befriend Paula and Olivia and Olivia’s mom, and Brenda, and nobody would help her.


This is a good point. I think it leads up to why she went back to Shane.


I think so, too. She didn't really have anyone to talk to. Even her mom blew her off. We don't know if it's because she's bad at connecting, or everyone else is awful and it leaves her hanging, or what - but I don't blame her for thinking that nothing will be better than this, given that she doesn't seem to have a lot of experience with good, supportive relationships/
Anonymous
Post 08/16/2021 13:52     Subject: White Lotus
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:How big was that tip Belinda received?
That's another thing, I was hoping we'd see Belinda off somewhere doing something great, living her best life. But instead you see her (along with the pregnant woman from the first episode, btw) waving from the shore greeting the new set of guests. There were all these small and intersting nuances that went nowhere.


But isn’t that the point of the show? The cycle of exploitation continues. The rich people just continue on their merry ways. Shane leaves the resort with a handshake after stabbing the manager. Paula leaves Kai to face whatever his fate is. Jennifer Coolidge leaves Belinda after getting her hopes up. Etc etc.


This.

Are our main characters changed? Sure, a little.
Anonymous
Post 08/16/2021 13:23     Subject: White Lotus
Anonymous wrote:So, why do you think Rachel kept trying to make connections and get advice but kept failing? She tried to befriend Paula and Olivia and Olivia’s mom, and Brenda, and nobody would help her.


She was pretty much flailing from the beginning - latched on to a rich douche because she didn't have any concrete plans of her own, tried to hang out with the teenagers when she's not a teen, thought she saw an opportunity to network with a bigwig when she's not a bigwig and didn't even realize how her article about her could be received by the subject, and then the "woe is me, I'm not super successful and afraid I will come second to my husband's obscene wealth" talk with a woman who works at the hotel. She contrasted well against her (terrible) husband, but she's narcissistic herself and it takes until the interaction with Belinda to really drive that home.
Anonymous
Post 08/16/2021 13:10     Subject: White Lotus
Yes, the Gatsby quote is perfect.
Anonymous
Post 08/16/2021 13:00     Subject: White Lotus
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:How big was that tip Belinda received?
That's another thing, I was hoping we'd see Belinda off somewhere doing something great, living her best life. But instead you see her (along with the pregnant woman from the first episode, btw) waving from the shore greeting the new set of guests. There were all these small and intersting nuances that went nowhere.


But isn’t that the point of the show? The cycle of exploitation continues. The rich people just continue on their merry ways. Shane leaves the resort with a handshake after stabbing the manager. Paula leaves Kai to face whatever his fate is. Jennifer Coolidge leaves Belinda after getting her hopes up. Etc etc.


Yes, it reminds me of the Gatsby quote:

“They were careless people. They smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made.”
Anonymous
Post 08/16/2021 12:33     Subject: White Lotus
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:How big was that tip Belinda received?


It looked like at least a few hundred dollars, so not nothing. Just a shame she got her hopes up.


I think it was a lot fatter than that.
Agree, it was definitely fat. I'd say a lot of thousands.


Yup, it was thousands. I definitely wanted a scene of her opening it. But maybe her being crushed was the right choice.
Anonymous
Post 08/16/2021 12:28     Subject: White Lotus
Anonymous wrote:So, why do you think Rachel kept trying to make connections and get advice but kept failing? She tried to befriend Paula and Olivia and Olivia’s mom, and Brenda, and nobody would help her.


This is a good point. I think it leads up to why she went back to Shane.
Anonymous
Post 08/16/2021 12:26     Subject: Re:White Lotus
Quick recommendation if you liked this series overall - Mike White did a movie calledBeatriz at Dinner. It explores all of these themes and also hasVonnie Britton plus Salma Hayek.
Anonymous
Post 08/16/2021 12:09     Subject: White Lotus
So, why do you think Rachel kept trying to make connections and get advice but kept failing? She tried to befriend Paula and Olivia and Olivia’s mom, and Brenda, and nobody would help her.
Anonymous
Post 08/16/2021 12:00     Subject: White Lotus
Anonymous wrote:Whose ending made you happy/ambivalent/sad?

They basically all made me ambivalent except for Armand.

I think Tanya was a little better than she came, and I hope BLM guy survives long enough to enjoy Aspen.

At least Belinda got that envelope of cash and stood up for herself

The son certainly found himself but is he going to sleep on that beach from now on? What about hurricane season? I feel like he's going to be ok, anyway

I thought the Mossbachers all came out a little better than they'd gone in, and Olivia was actually pretty good to Paula, who certainly came out worse than she'd gone in

Rachel ended up exactly where she'd end up



All good points.