At the core of this show, there is a fire that longs to just explode. The show is clearly not setting itself into one specific point of view, and there's a lot of characters to keep a hold of, and when there are so many characters, there's sure to be disaster right around the corner. This episode didn't give us a reveal in the mystery that was originally set up in the premiere episode, but it started to put some other bricks into place, showing that all is not well in paradise. And I have to credit Mike White for playing the long game and knowing that the entertainment that comes from watching these characters being who they are is enough to keep us going until he's ready to give us some of those other answers that we are dying to know. But what this show is doing is something that goes beyond a big reveal. It's actually trying to show the divide through a funny lense, but also to show that a lot of these people are completely gone and will never have a real foot in society; however, also to show that they are still able to be human, and that is why this episode felt like a real winner for the show. A lot of things happened here that revealed the humanity of its characters, and despite how much wealth or success you want to hide behind, there will always be a little piece of you that can't escape those pesky emotions.
A lot of these characters are lacking any good bones in their body. They only do something if they know that it will somehow enrich their own lives, and even the people who pretend to be friends with the lower class have some ulterior motive. Many storylines hit the point of reveal in this where they showed their true colors, while also going in directions that were more emotional than I would have imagined. It goes to show that even if people aren't good people, there's still more than one color to them, even if every single one is unlikable.
It seems like White is still setting up the mystery but attempting to give the characters a bit of humanity and force the audience into gaining some sort of sympathy towards them. It's not necessarily working, but it's helping to heighten the dread of the eventual murder that we know is going to happen. His writing is very crisp in regards to moving the plot forward one step at a time. He's good at playing the long game, and as long as he delivers entertaining dialogue like this, I could easily watch six more episodes of pure setup and fun.
The satirical elements are always on fire, but the idea that everything sort of works itself out for the rich is a classic story device, and it happens here. The central robbery in this episode is meant to help the robber gain a bit of power over the place that he feels has taken up his land, but it actually mends a lot of wounds between the Mossbacher family. Tanya shows her more emotional side, but it might have actually helped her score a guy. It's a satire to the bone, and White is great at just going all out.
It's also a testament to the great cast that they can sell the entertainment factor with these characters, because they are obviously making a bit of fun of them in their delivery. Connie Britton is proving to be a standout for me because of that incredible balance she walks between empathizing with her character and making fun of her. And Jennifer Coolidge is just a revelation on this show, proving that she can do much more than the simple comedies she is known for and giving a perfectly dramatic portrayal with a very comedic touch, especially in her perfect delivery.
"The Lotus-Eaters" is a great penultimate episode that brings a bit of humanity forth in these less-than-imperfect people, trying to force just a little sympathy. Mike White plays with the tone of the episode beautifully, teasing his audience with the finale while using all his writing abilities to also provide a biting and riveting satire.
A lot of these characters are lacking any good bones in their body. They only do something if they know that it will somehow enrich their own lives, and even the people who pretend to be friends with the lower class have some ulterior motive. Many storylines hit the point of reveal in this where they showed their true colors, while also going in directions that were more emotional than I would have imagined. It goes to show that even if people aren't good people, there's still more than one color to them, even if every single one is unlikable.
It seems like White is still setting up the mystery but attempting to give the characters a bit of humanity and force the audience into gaining some sort of sympathy towards them. It's not necessarily working, but it's helping to heighten the dread of the eventual murder that we know is going to happen. His writing is very crisp in regards to moving the plot forward one step at a time. He's good at playing the long game, and as long as he delivers entertaining dialogue like this, I could easily watch six more episodes of pure setup and fun.
The satirical elements are always on fire, but the idea that everything sort of works itself out for the rich is a classic story device, and it happens here. The central robbery in this episode is meant to help the robber gain a bit of power over the place that he feels has taken up his land, but it actually mends a lot of wounds between the Mossbacher family. Tanya shows her more emotional side, but it might have actually helped her score a guy. It's a satire to the bone, and White is great at just going all out.
It's also a testament to the great cast that they can sell the entertainment factor with these characters, because they are obviously making a bit of fun of them in their delivery. Connie Britton is proving to be a standout for me because of that incredible balance she walks between empathizing with her character and making fun of her. And Jennifer Coolidge is just a revelation on this show, proving that she can do much more than the simple comedies she is known for and giving a perfectly dramatic portrayal with a very comedic touch, especially in her perfect delivery.
"The Lotus-Eaters" is a great penultimate episode that brings a bit of humanity forth in these less-than-imperfect people, trying to force just a little sympathy. Mike White plays with the tone of the episode beautifully, teasing his audience with the finale while using all his writing abilities to also provide a biting and riveting satire.