When the first season debuted back in summer of 2021, the drama-filled television show left me with high hopes for the second season of The White Lotus. Taking place in the Italian region of Sicily, the various guests stay at a luxurious resort, where their lives will soon drastically change. The themes of torn relationships, masculinity, and sexism, all intertwine to create the great production that Season 2 was. 

The show follows the two relationships of Daphne and Cameron (the torn one) and Harper and Ethan (the seemingly loving couple until it’s revealed that they are frankly bored of each other and dull). As a result of their dull relationship, Harper and Ethan seek other forms of intimacy, Ethan with adult films and Harper with affairs. After Ethan’s drunken night with prostitutes and Harper’s affair with Ethan’s friend, Cameron, their relationship slowly crumbles into lies and deception, just like Daphne and Cameron. Foreshadowing this, Cameron pulls Harper’s leg from under the ocean just Hades dragging the Greek Goddess Persephone to the underworld.

On the flip side, Daphne encourages Harper to take more control in her relationship with Ethan, as she herself manipulates Cameron. Daphne knows that Cameron cheats on her so instead of being a victim in the relationship, she maintains power in ways even darker than Cameron does. Shockingly, this backfires as Harper has an affair with her husband. When Ethan tells her this, she thinks “there isn’t anything to worry about” – once again avoiding being a victim in her abusive relationship. 

Another theme, fragile masculinity, is shown through Ethan and Cameron’s friendship. Starting at Yale University, Cameron always one-upped Ethan, causing him to seek approval from Cameron, even after becoming more successful. Cameron’s belittling leads Ethan to indulge in a drunken night with two prostitutes, just to prove to Cameron that he isn’t the little boy that Cameron thinks he is. This night eventually left Ethan’s marriage in shambles as Harper found a condom wrapper on the couch and she suspects Ethan of cheating. 

My most anticipated character however, is Tonya. Starring in Season 1, Tonya is an unintentionally comedic character played by Jennifer Coolidge. Continuing her story in Season 2 confused me at first since she was the only character to appear in both seasons. To my surprise, her story took a more dramatic turn than anyone could have imagined. As she is having problems with her new husband Greg, she hears him on the phone saying that she is clueless about what he is really doing.

Alone in Sicily, Tonya and her assistant Portia join a group of wealthy gay men at parties, and Portia gets close with one of the man’s supposed nephews, Jack. After a few too many drinks, he reveals to Portia that his “uncle,” Quentin, is actually broke despite having very valuable assets. Tonya also reveals to Portia that she saw Jack in bed with Quentin, and that Tonya’s husband, Greg, was in a picture in Quentin’s villa. How Greg and Quentin know each other is yet to be seen. 

Tonya and Portia conclude that Greg and the rest of the wealthy gay men are a plotting to murder Tonya and use her inheritance to help Quentin’s financial situation. In a grand escape on Quentin’s yacht, Tonya shoots everyone in sight and tries to jump onto the safety boat. Unfortunately, she hits her head on the side of the boat and drowns. Portia confronts Jack about him and Quentin, and she miraculously makes it out alive after Jack left her stranded near an airport.

All in all, The White Lotus season 2 was nothing short of amazing. I would highly recommend it to anyone who likes drama-filled shows.