We're all just trying to win the game of life
So I'm doing The Guardian's Top 50 Movies of 2021 but I'm also feeling the need to show TV some love as well and we've (obviously) got this - Top 50 TV Shows of 2021. However, a TV series is (potentially) a bit more of a time investment than a film, so obviously we need some new rules (which will undoubtedly change as we go along). So firstly, I'm going to do the list in reverse order - there's no danger of me ever making it all the way through. Secondly, I'm allowed to give up on things after two episodes - I should give things a chance, but life's too short to stick with something I'm really not enjoying.
And also, somewhat strangely, I'm starting at #2 - I'll get into trouble with Mrs Reed if I watch #1 without her. But I will come back to it later...
#2 : The White Lotus
Was it a murder mystery? A tragicomedy? A social satire on the way America contorts itself around the requirements of late western capitalism? Mike White’s immaculate six-part creation was all of these and more, serving up a hilarious drama, brought joyously to life by a brilliant ensemble cast and hooky story, kept from slipping into soapiness by delicate dialogue and a firm hand on the narrative reins. At times, it was so good, it felt rather like you’d been treated to a luxury holiday yourself.
I had heard of this, but there would have been no danger of me watching this without meeting it on this list - and I'm not entirely sure why. I suspect a lot of that is to do with the "description" above - if a list which declares it to be the second best thing on telly last year is unable to describe what it is, then what chance do the rest of us stand?
And I gave it two episodes to see if I could work out what it is and then I'm afraid to say I gave up on it. I can see it's "impressive" work - well acted, well filmed (in gorgeous locations) and there are several plot strands which I was vaguely intrigued by and they may (or may not) come together later in the season. But most of the characters were just unpleasant, so I didn't really care about them and we seem to be told very early on that the one character that does appear to possess redeeming features dies at some point. And I get that they're written that way in order to make a point (in answer to The Guardian, I think it's supposed to be a social satire) but I'm not entirely sure what the point is.
Responding to the other questions from The Guardian - I can't say if it's a murder mystery because no-one had been murdered before I gave up on it. And I'm not sure whether it counts as a tragicomedy - it has comedic characters (and there are certainly elements of tragedy to some of them as well) but they rarely do stuff that I considered funny.
Something else that I feel the need to comment on because it just seemed odd - there was some full-frontal male nudity in the first episode and some breast exposure in the second episode. The first was just bizarre because it came out of nowhere (as the saying goes) and the second was entirely gratuitous - so both felt very jarring, to say the least.
To sum up, this just didn't click with me and I'm not entirely sure who it would click with. I read the synopsis of the remaining episodes on Wikipedia and whilst it went some places I wasn't expecting, I can't say it made me regret giving up on it. I feel that making some of the characters more likeable wouldn't have hurt, but I'm guessing this wasn't the point to it (although I struggle to see exactly what the point to it is). All in all, an odd one - I'd be interested to be told what I'm missing. It does look gorgeous though!
At the time of writing, the series is available to watch on Sky Atlantic - I've heard of plenty of people that have liked it, so you might!
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