It really, really missed the depth of humanity that De Armas and Plummer conveyed. With this one, I just didn’t care as much, and the humor felt much more surface level than any real commentary or character-based writing.

That’s how they live their lives.

I don’t know if we can trust Jack’s insistence that it’s really his uncle. 

I don’t think Valentina got played. Mia is a transactionalist, purely so. She never promised Valentina a rose garden, just a night of self-discovery. Mia kiboshed the idea of a future relationship and Valentina rewarded her honesty. Theirs may be my favorite relationship of the show.

I don't believe Tonya was even smart enough to take the safety off the gun, let alone hit and kill everyone. 

I mean... out here beyond the 4th wall, that photo was 100% a young Jon Gries. Not even debatable.

Not an “A” IMO. The acting and directing, maybe. They’re pretty great. It’s generally entertaining. But the writing? The plots are too thin (and probably just too many) and reliant on this tropey “don’t tell them an obvious thing so illogical chaos can happen”. I get that it is some kind of Italianate narrative…

The exchange where Harper asks if Ethan wants her, he says “I love you,” and her subsequent expression was incredible writing and acting. I’m surprised the review didn’t mention it—it really struck a chord with me.

“On The White Lotus, Aubrey Plaza steals the show”

Aubrey Plaza is... fine? But we’re getting excellent performances by pretty much the entire cast here, so fawning over Aubrey for doing her resting-bitch-face-to-mask-her-crippling-insecurity thing is a disservice to some truly surprising and nuanced moments. 

Aubrey Plaza IS great in this - but A LOT more happened in this episode.

Going to criticize this review a bit. This show has four distinct plot points at this point; the four “friends” on vacation together, Tanya and Portia hanging out with the “rich” men they’ve run into, the DiGrassos and Lucia, and Valentina’s foibles as a boss. This review mostly only covers one of those plots.

Wait are we not mentioning the photo? If that is Tanya’s Greg in the brown hat on the right and Quentin on the left, is this show gunning for the ultimate sting by getting to Tanya’s fortune to save a palazzo? A long con in play based on seduction and murder?

I think fantasy was the theme of this episode. when fantasy is used as pure escape it can be dangerous (Tanya, Portia and the “nephew”) and other times it truly is the realest part of you (Valentina, who is sadly stuck in a homophobic part of the world).

Chekhov’s photo frame! That was a younger Greg (in a cowboy hat, no less!) in the photo with a younger Quentin, right?? 

An entitled, semi-oblivious person of great wealth and privilege? 

Lucia having a pimp just came out of nowhere -- so far, she has been defined as someone who is independent, in control, with a plan. 

Agree with some of the other commentors here, Daphne is very clearly implying that she is having an affair with her trainer and at least two of her kids are genetically related to him, not Cameron (I think they have three - right?). Fahy is great BTW - she was great on The Bold Type too, by far the most talented actor…

“And if anything ever did happen, just do what you have to do to make yourself feel better about it.”

That’s not amore...