Buongiorno, film lovers! Recently, HBO Max premiered the second season of “The White Lotus”, one of the platform’s most-streamed shows in the past year. Mike White’s satirical sensation moves to Sicily this season, with humor and drama to linger with the audience much longer than a summer vacation. With a new location, hilarious cast members, and the usual White Lotus Hotel antics, this set of episodes makes for much more amusement than the already tremendous debut season. 

After sticking in the states for season one, the show glides on over to Sicily, Italy, at one of the international branches of the White Lotus Hotel. The new location makes the show much more fun, starting with two Italian characters, Lucia and Mia. The duo immediately stirs chaos around the hotel, interacting with many of the new main cast members. Along with this, the scenery is so beautiful that it almost distracts from what is happening in the show. Although last season’s Hawaii was beautiful, the stretching Italian coasts and clear blue waters give this season a level up.

Another wonderful new addition to the new season was Aubrey Plaza. She’s known for her somewhat awkward presence in the acting world, but she truly delivered as smoothly as she could in this role. Her monotonous approach to the character of Harper really adds to the structure of the show. Although a lot is happening with the other characters and their drama, Plaza manages to add both a contradicting calmness and a distracting humor that is sure to entice the audience. Viewers of all ages would enjoy her performance. Its simplicity only adds to the depth of Aubrey’s devotion to the character. 

Even though there is a lot that’s new about this season, one thing, or person rather, that has stayed the same is the incredible performance from Jennifer Coolidge. She joined last season as the unconventional and odd, albeit hilarious, Tanya McQuoid. Tanya’s character in its own right is written very humorously. The true star of the show, however, is Jennifer’s acting style. Using her already-established title as one of “Hollywood’s National Treasures”, she takes Tanya’s character from fan-favorite to universally iconic. When the drama of the show gets to be too much, Coolidge’s easy humor saves the day — and the internet. After the show’s premiere, many of Tanya’s quotes have become viral TikTok sounds. 

With beautiful beaches, dynamic characters, and Jennifer Coolidge’s return, the new season of “The White Lotus” is even more impressive than its predecessor. The show explores some of the most realistic criticisms of the human race, and it has fun while doing it. The setting is stunning and the characters draw the viewer in, no matter how crazy they may be. Drama meets satire meets important critiques of the wealthy — and the combination makes for some super entertaining TV.