Editor’s word: The beneath accommodates spoilers for Season 2 of The White Lotus.Mike White’s good social satire The White Lotus might have initially been meant to be a miniseries, however its second season proves that this premise can proceed to be a related exploration of financial and social disenfranchisement. Though White deconstructs the guise of wealth with a razor-sharp comedic edge, he explores intersectionality in an enchanting means. Season 2 takes an in depth have a look at gender roles, and provides every of its feminine characters an opportunity to reply to poisonous masculinity. “Bull Elephants” exhibits {that a} character like Daphne Sullivan (Meghann Fahy) isn’t value writing off as nothing however comedian aid.
Within the first two episodes of the season, Daphne is ignorant to a level that’s borderline unrealistic. Her husband, Cameron (Theo James), is aggressive of their interactions and regularly makes sexist remarks. Daphne does little past repeating her husband’s phrases; she has no pursuits past daytime tv, elevating their youngsters, and splendid expenditures. Harper (Aubrey Plaza) finds it tough to bond along with her. What have they got to speak about when the Sullivans don’t even learn the information?
Nonetheless, “Bull Elephants” explores the facade that Daphne is placing on. She’s conscious of her husband’s indiscretions and denies to each Harper and herself that she is a sufferer. Daphne makes an attempt to take possession of her life by being defiant of her husband, but it surely solely reveals how a lot of a prisoner she actually is. It’s a surprisingly nuanced path for White to take the character, contemplating how one-note she appeared initially.
Daphne Opens As much as Harper When Her Husband Is not Round
We see the primary signal of rigidity between Daphne and Cameron throughout an early dialog after they focus on their plans for the day. Daphne solely requested for one factor on their trip; she needs to tour and peruse a palazzo at Noto. A day of sightseeing doesn’t sound too fascinating to Cameron, who insists on going jet snowboarding with Harper’s husband, Ethan Spiller (Will Sharpe). Daphne doesn’t give any indication that she is aware of her husband has been sexually harassing Harper. May she actually not choose up on his less-than-subtle feedback towards Harper and his apparent attraction?
Initially, this can be a comedy of errors; Harper might have tried to create rigidity between Daphne and Cameron, however now she’s pressured to spend a whole day with somebody she will’t stand. Nonetheless, Daphne hints at how controlling Cameron actually is throughout a dialog with Harper in a pool. Daphne appears ecstatic about doing one thing which may barely irritate her husband. It casts their journey in a brand new gentle. The concept of merely spending time and bonding with one other lady is sort of international to Daphne.
This case permits Harper to indicate a extra empathetic facet. She realizes that Daphne can’t be blamed solely for her willful ignorance, as she wouldn’t have the chance to pursue any of her pursuits inside her present relationship. Cameron controls her total routine, and she or he’s been pressured into submission. Given Cameron’s feedback concerning the “bogus claims” of sexual harassment he’s been hit with and his aggression in direction of Harper, it’s potential (and sure) that he treats his spouse the identical means. It’s not clear if their sexual trade within the earlier episode was solely consensual.
Harper Is a Sufferer in Her Personal Marriage
These scenes are heartbreakingly mirrored by what the boys are as much as when left to their very own gadgets. Daphne explains to Harper that Cameron is nothing greater than a naughty little one performing out, however that his coworkers are far more aggressive and psychopathic. We see how a lot she’s denying this to herself as Cameron makes an attempt to “one-up” Ethan throughout their jet snowboarding. Harper begins to appreciate the privilege that she has; she might get irritated with Ethan at some factors, however she’s by no means needed to put up with conduct like Cameron’s.
As Cameron tries to steer Ethan to hook up with prostitutes, Daphne reveals to Harper how a lot she actually is aware of about her husband’s indiscretions. Harper claims that her husband would by no means cheat on her, which Daphne responds to with a snort. It’s the primary time that she actually exhibits an unstated information that Harper lacks. Whereas she claims that she doesn’t select to see herself as a sufferer, it’s clear that Daphne is in ache. Her skinny veils at being rebellious solely reveal how lonely she actually is.
It’s fascinating to see the parallels between their two misadventures when each pairs resolve to take medicine. Whereas Daphne brings up the concept as if it was a enjoyable sleepover prank, Cameron makes use of the substance as a way to attach with prostitutes. We get to see what their differing concepts of “hassle” are; Daphne’s obnoxious pales compared to what we see her husband doing. Whereas Cameron always tries to bully Ethan, Daphne is totally inviting and open to Harper.
Can We Blame Daphne for Discovering Happiness in an Unfair State of affairs?
The opposite feminine characters within the sequence don’t have Daphne’s bravery to confront their very own disappointment. Each minor inconvenience sends Tanya McQuoid-Hunt (Jennifer Coolidge) right into a match of tears, and Portia (Haley Lu Richardson) confesses her melancholy along with her present working scenario to her new buddy Albie Di Grasso (Adam DiMarco). Daphne has clearly been taking part in thoughts video games with Cameron for some time, and we’re solely seeing her as soon as she’s realized to deal with her trauma. Maybe her dialog with Harper is the primary therapeutic dialogue Daphne has had in ages.
What makes these scenes much more heartbreaking is that it looks like Daphne actually does love her husband. They’ve the identical materialistic need and appear to get pleasure from being round one another; maybe there’s a facet of Cameron that made Daphne really feel protected and safe. It makes it all of the extra infuriating that she appears to only be placing up with this “deal” that they’ve labored out as a result of it is what she signed up for. It asks an fascinating query; can we blame somebody for locating happiness in a scenario that’s unfair?
None of those revelations makes Daphne’s comical conduct any much less humorous. Whereas Fahy is ready to present on this episode that her character performs some issues near the chest, it doesn’t excuse any of the ridiculous feedback she made earlier. Daphne is the product of a bigger cultural mindset that she will’t solely be blamed for. On condition that we all know this season goes to finish with one other murderous conclusion, it’s potential that Daphne is likely to be confronted with the ramifications of her actions.
The White Lotus Season 2 premieres new episodes weekly each Sunday on HBO and HBO Max.
