Television has arguably never been better than it has been right now. Whether it's traditional cable and network TV or streaming service originals, the quality of television is just at an all-time high right now. And part of what's fantastic about this current era of television is that showrunners, writers, and creators, are really pushing the boundaries.
There are a lot of ways to push boundaries. Some television shows push boundaries in terms of their characters or who they cast, the subject matter and storylines, or the actual images shown on the TV. There's an element of shock value in those choices that garners attention and often can make a series really stand out. Another, slightly more subtle, way to push the boundary, revolves entirely around tone. Playing with tone takes a lot of technique and very talented writers and actors. The series that take this risk can sometimes completely flop, but it can also result in a beautiful and confusing piece of genre-bending art.
A recent series that did this with amazing success was the recent HBO limited series The White Lotus. Following different groups of people all staying at the same Hawaiian resort at the same time and the drama that ensues, the show is chaotic. It tackles some truly heavy subject matter but is primarily a comedy, with some very dark elements. While it did gain some buzz on social media, and it was renewed for a second season, The White Lotus largely flew under the radar. With the amount of technique poured into the series and the beautiful and unique product that was shown, it deserves so much more attention.
The White Lotus was created, written, and directed by Mike White. White is most well-known for writing the screenplay for the film School of Rock, as well as being a reality TV contestant. Despite everything that happens, it is primarily a comedy in the form of satire. Really, the show is making fun of rich people and the culture that comes with being wealthy. These characters will not be relatable to the average person, but their inner struggles will be. The show deals with themes of infidelity, unrequited love, regrets, and grief- just to mention a few things. These are very simple themes and subjects, but the way they play out is complicated and outrageous.
This series is deeply funny, in a very dry way. Full credit goes to the writers and actors because they did an impeccable job with this strange comedy style. It's seamlessly funny. Though the comedy is subtle and dry, there are some real laugh-out-loud moments and scenarios. Some episodes, like the first, are much funnier than others but every episode has several really humorous moments. And this is incorporated so well among some really horrible things that happen to the characters, and inner struggles that they go through which everyone can relate to.
The White Lotus also really seamlessly incorporates an element of mystery and almost horror. When the series starts, viewers know someone doesn't make it out alive. They also know that, most likely, this person was killed. It isn't revealed who this character or who is involved or what happens until close to the very final moments of the show. There's not even really a lead-up or a lot of hints as to what happens, but that element is always in the back of the viewer's mind. Throughout all of these outrageous, but deeply authentic feeling, moments it's easy to get invested in both the individual storylines as well as the overarching story of the resort in general. It's a very captivating and intriguing series, and a lot of that is due to the incorporation of both comedy and mystery.
This series is just weird. In the best way possible, it's strange. The tone makes it feel like it's almost in another world because these people and situations can't possibly exist in reality. However, it's also very deeply human. It's easy to root for even the most unrelatable characters because their reactions and thought processes are strikingly frank. In a world of outrageously goofy sitcom characters or overly smart detectives who don't sound like people, The White Lotus showcases a group of incredibly human people. This feels very refreshing to the audience and gives the show a unique quality that isn't easy to recreate.
Though it wasn't talked about as much as some other series, The White Lotus did gain some success and was renewed for a second season. This will be anthology style, with a whole new group of characters at a different White Lotus resort location. This is very exciting news because this show was done so well, but with its magic being so unique it's hard to see the writers hitting those highs again. Nonetheless, HBO has always been a boundary-pushing machine and this series is just another example of that.