I've noticed that in this season White is kind of obsessed with shots in which people are under water or semi-underwater; the camera often moves between being above the water and under it. Including in the opening montage of the first episode when we are in the lily ponds of the resort hearing gun fire but have no knowledge of who is shooting at what. The uncertainty of that opening scene (who lives, who dies, who shoots) has been suspended across the whole season--to be revealed in the final episode presumably.
All of which chimes really well with your reading: what does it mean to be "under water"? If your head and your vocabulary reside in the world of money (Ratliffs) it's not a good thing. But if you are a Buddhist, maybe just a return to life, to being one with the ocean.
This is super interesting, Elizabeth. If you watch Seasons 1&2, those roiling water shots are a Mike White trademark in every season. I agree they take on added meaning here. I’m wondering if we get a tsunami in the finale for all these folks.
Interesting--I did not notice them as much in the first two seasons, though thinking about it now, the second season starts with a body floating in the water. The camera work does feel a little different to me this season though--more foregrounded, more lyrical--sometimes even annoyingly so.
I guess it is your world view that makes people interpret these characters and relationships so differently, but I also wonder about people’s critical thinking skills. Maybe that’s harsh. Specifically that Time Magazine piece, yikes! A healthy couple? Have we set the bar that low for men? Is it just because people like the actor already and that bleeds into your reaction to him? Maybe it’s just wanting to have someone to root for on the show?! Chelsea represents to me women I’ve known who go so far to excuse the behavior of men and want to save them from themselves. She seems simply impressed that he is expressing any type of emotional depth at all and decides that is only a good thing, despite how narcissistic and mean that expression is. She seems to be practicing a radical empathy that is a detriment to herself. Maybe he will redeem himself in the last episode but she really deserves a lot more than she’s getting. Maybe we just have a similar perspective but I agree with you and Mell on your interpretation of all these characters.
Yeah Chelsea could be a whole essay - the savior complex- the female urge to save/heal/fix the sad boy. her quote is so interesting that they are two sides of the ying yang- one healing and one pain and eventually one side will win. I think healing him gives her purpose. But it’s so crazy that she can see the entitlement so clearly in Saxon but not in Rick.
I have also been enjoying the buddhist message of this season, and also a bit turned off by Chelsea and Rick's relationship. It seemed a bit on the nose when Chelsea said her purpose was to fix Rick. It sounds like what you mentioned in previous posts about how the responsibility for men's personal growth often falls on the women in their lives. And I also don't think Rick's smile was earned fair and square.
Wow. This is the best analysis, or analysis of White Lotus analyses, I have read all season! How long did it take you to write this all out? Super impressed. Sharing with all of my White Lotus fan friends:) Thanks! Also, I live in North Carolina and the Ratliffs are so spot on to so many people I know, it's amazing.
Spot on. I have been reading online commentary with a v bad feeling everyone’s positive takes on Rick and Chelsea’s awful relationship. She seems to be a typical manic pixie dream girl who is situated in a story to heal a depressed and lost man, which is an awful trope. But as a writer of plays, who often tries to skewer/satirize rom-coms by showing typical rom com couples (who should never be together) not getting together at the end of the play, I’ve been shocked at the number of people who are disappointed with that outcome. It’s ingrained in the psyches of many.
So Shakespeare's plays and Mozart's operas (and probably lots of others) are comedies when everyone gets married at the end, and are tragedies when everyone dies at the end. Maybe we've got a very long trope of "lovers together equals happiness" and Americans do like happy endings. Just ask the French. (broad generalizations in use here, and therefore not nuanced)
"Men often react to women’s words—speaking and writing—as if they were acts of violence; sometimes men react to women’s words with violence. So we lower our voices. Women whisper. Women apologize. Women shut up. Women trivialize what we know. Women shrink. Women pull back. Most women have experienced enough dominance from men—control, violence, insult, contempt—that no threat seems empty." -Andrea Dworkin
"This is interesting because the stakes of the diabolical women’s actions are… hurt feelings. But the stakes of Timothy and Rick’s actions? Homicide, fraud, embezzlement, prison. Both have guns and are fantasizing murder.
Putting gossip on par with murder in terms of diabolical-ness is…. well…. interesting.
Men running from prison trying to kill people? Aw. Our internet boyfriend. #freehim.
Women gossiping? STRAIGHT TO JAIL!!!"
(Mea Culpa - if you hadn't pointed this out to me - I never would of noticed. So THANK YOU! So easy to be asleep in the Patriarchy)
White Lotus Season 4 at The Four Seasons, Palm Beach. Jennifer Coolidge (as Melania) is visiting the spa & meets a cardiologist in town for a medical conference. She seduces Dr. Hart (David Harbour of Stranger Things) & blackmails him into giving her enough succinylcholine to drop Alan Ritchson (Jack Reacher) like a bug on DDT. Later, at Mar-a-Lago, Melania dons an N95 mask to defuse the odor of fetid roast beast that is her husband. She wears sneakers appropriate for sneaking, or so her stylist assures. The syringe is easy, Melania’s a pro at sticking him while asleep. Ozempic. Botox. Ketamine (from you know who). Minutes later she is back in her suite, ordering champagne & blini. It’s all worth it, she thinks. Today I am free.
Those who classify some humans better than other, make decisions based on keeping and gaining power, yet find they are only fighting against themselves.
Those that believe equality will fight the systems rather than people.
What a fascinating read, Celeste! I've been obsessed with this show and the analysis on the WL podcast that does the character breakdowns. There is so much richness. The Mell video was the real gem for me - as a white woman I completely agree with her analysis, both around what's happening in the collective for white people, and how that manifests in love. "You can't love someone and have power over them at the same time."
We're not miserable and unhappy because we chase power or status, rather those who single-mindedly chase those things are people who already exist in a state of pervasive and perpetual emptiness and misery. Chasing after power and status is how they fill up the bottomless hole inside. Unfortunately, it's a Sisyphean task - the point is the grind.
Celeste, I loved this analysis and feel like you nailed it. I am curious about one thing - after watching the finale, does that change your thoughts on Belinda? She, like Chelsea, is an extremely pure and relatively healthy character, which you identified. But she's also human, and makes (in my opinion) an understandable choice at the end. I'm very happy with the way her story turned out.
I've noticed that in this season White is kind of obsessed with shots in which people are under water or semi-underwater; the camera often moves between being above the water and under it. Including in the opening montage of the first episode when we are in the lily ponds of the resort hearing gun fire but have no knowledge of who is shooting at what. The uncertainty of that opening scene (who lives, who dies, who shoots) has been suspended across the whole season--to be revealed in the final episode presumably.
All of which chimes really well with your reading: what does it mean to be "under water"? If your head and your vocabulary reside in the world of money (Ratliffs) it's not a good thing. But if you are a Buddhist, maybe just a return to life, to being one with the ocean.
Love your analysis--thanks for sharing this!
Ooh interesting! Great pull
This is super interesting, Elizabeth. If you watch Seasons 1&2, those roiling water shots are a Mike White trademark in every season. I agree they take on added meaning here. I’m wondering if we get a tsunami in the finale for all these folks.
Interesting--I did not notice them as much in the first two seasons, though thinking about it now, the second season starts with a body floating in the water. The camera work does feel a little different to me this season though--more foregrounded, more lyrical--sometimes even annoyingly so.
I guess it is your world view that makes people interpret these characters and relationships so differently, but I also wonder about people’s critical thinking skills. Maybe that’s harsh. Specifically that Time Magazine piece, yikes! A healthy couple? Have we set the bar that low for men? Is it just because people like the actor already and that bleeds into your reaction to him? Maybe it’s just wanting to have someone to root for on the show?! Chelsea represents to me women I’ve known who go so far to excuse the behavior of men and want to save them from themselves. She seems simply impressed that he is expressing any type of emotional depth at all and decides that is only a good thing, despite how narcissistic and mean that expression is. She seems to be practicing a radical empathy that is a detriment to herself. Maybe he will redeem himself in the last episode but she really deserves a lot more than she’s getting. Maybe we just have a similar perspective but I agree with you and Mell on your interpretation of all these characters.
Yeah Chelsea could be a whole essay - the savior complex- the female urge to save/heal/fix the sad boy. her quote is so interesting that they are two sides of the ying yang- one healing and one pain and eventually one side will win. I think healing him gives her purpose. But it’s so crazy that she can see the entitlement so clearly in Saxon but not in Rick.
I have also been enjoying the buddhist message of this season, and also a bit turned off by Chelsea and Rick's relationship. It seemed a bit on the nose when Chelsea said her purpose was to fix Rick. It sounds like what you mentioned in previous posts about how the responsibility for men's personal growth often falls on the women in their lives. And I also don't think Rick's smile was earned fair and square.
I know right? The commentary on the show is reeeally highlighting our culture’s patriarchal blind spots.
Wow. This is the best analysis, or analysis of White Lotus analyses, I have read all season! How long did it take you to write this all out? Super impressed. Sharing with all of my White Lotus fan friends:) Thanks! Also, I live in North Carolina and the Ratliffs are so spot on to so many people I know, it's amazing.
Spot on. I have been reading online commentary with a v bad feeling everyone’s positive takes on Rick and Chelsea’s awful relationship. She seems to be a typical manic pixie dream girl who is situated in a story to heal a depressed and lost man, which is an awful trope. But as a writer of plays, who often tries to skewer/satirize rom-coms by showing typical rom com couples (who should never be together) not getting together at the end of the play, I’ve been shocked at the number of people who are disappointed with that outcome. It’s ingrained in the psyches of many.
So Shakespeare's plays and Mozart's operas (and probably lots of others) are comedies when everyone gets married at the end, and are tragedies when everyone dies at the end. Maybe we've got a very long trope of "lovers together equals happiness" and Americans do like happy endings. Just ask the French. (broad generalizations in use here, and therefore not nuanced)
this was beautifully written, thank you!
"Men often react to women’s words—speaking and writing—as if they were acts of violence; sometimes men react to women’s words with violence. So we lower our voices. Women whisper. Women apologize. Women shut up. Women trivialize what we know. Women shrink. Women pull back. Most women have experienced enough dominance from men—control, violence, insult, contempt—that no threat seems empty." -Andrea Dworkin
Seems applicable to the Toxic Trio you mentioned.
I still haven't watched White Lotus but your brilliant analysis is making me WANT to watch it. Sounds like a lot of excellent #healthydeviant themes!
"This is interesting because the stakes of the diabolical women’s actions are… hurt feelings. But the stakes of Timothy and Rick’s actions? Homicide, fraud, embezzlement, prison. Both have guns and are fantasizing murder.
Putting gossip on par with murder in terms of diabolical-ness is…. well…. interesting.
Men running from prison trying to kill people? Aw. Our internet boyfriend. #freehim.
Women gossiping? STRAIGHT TO JAIL!!!"
(Mea Culpa - if you hadn't pointed this out to me - I never would of noticed. So THANK YOU! So easy to be asleep in the Patriarchy)
Now you've seen the finale, have any of your thoughts changed or deepened since??
White Lotus Season 4 at The Four Seasons, Palm Beach. Jennifer Coolidge (as Melania) is visiting the spa & meets a cardiologist in town for a medical conference. She seduces Dr. Hart (David Harbour of Stranger Things) & blackmails him into giving her enough succinylcholine to drop Alan Ritchson (Jack Reacher) like a bug on DDT. Later, at Mar-a-Lago, Melania dons an N95 mask to defuse the odor of fetid roast beast that is her husband. She wears sneakers appropriate for sneaking, or so her stylist assures. The syringe is easy, Melania’s a pro at sticking him while asleep. Ozempic. Botox. Ketamine (from you know who). Minutes later she is back in her suite, ordering champagne & blini. It’s all worth it, she thinks. Today I am free.
Those who classify some humans better than other, make decisions based on keeping and gaining power, yet find they are only fighting against themselves.
Those that believe equality will fight the systems rather than people.
This is an incredible, exhaustive interpretation indeed!
What a fascinating read, Celeste! I've been obsessed with this show and the analysis on the WL podcast that does the character breakdowns. There is so much richness. The Mell video was the real gem for me - as a white woman I completely agree with her analysis, both around what's happening in the collective for white people, and how that manifests in love. "You can't love someone and have power over them at the same time."
We're not miserable and unhappy because we chase power or status, rather those who single-mindedly chase those things are people who already exist in a state of pervasive and perpetual emptiness and misery. Chasing after power and status is how they fill up the bottomless hole inside. Unfortunately, it's a Sisyphean task - the point is the grind.
Celeste, I loved this analysis and feel like you nailed it. I am curious about one thing - after watching the finale, does that change your thoughts on Belinda? She, like Chelsea, is an extremely pure and relatively healthy character, which you identified. But she's also human, and makes (in my opinion) an understandable choice at the end. I'm very happy with the way her story turned out.