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What started off as a fun, pleasant watch quickly became a highlight in a year of fantastic tv.

Dyer and Brammall have wonderful chemistry (which may or may not be obvious), perfect timing but also both deliver on the emotional heart of the show which elevates it to something great. The rest of the cast are all hilarious, delightful in their quirks and help balance things from ever getting too heavy. Notably, the relationship between mother and daughter is superbly cynical.

The writing is sharp and plays between clever, crude and painfully awkward humour. It never misses and is regularly laugh out loud funny. The story is refreshing and relatable.

Here's hoping this isn't the last of Colin.

If you are looking for historical accuracy you may want to look elsewhere but what Davis has delivered is a wry, intimate depiction of a royal family who, bored of their privilege, find purpose in tearing each other down. It doesn't quite match the production value of the Netflix & co behemoths but the costume and sets more than pull their weight.

Any shortcomings are elevated by a cast full of promise. Led by a fiery performance from Schüle full of charm and sincerity, well supported by her husband who gives a sensitive evolution to the Dauphin turned king. The machiavellian 'spare' and his wife Josephine are highly entertaining in their schemes yet still deliver a sense of pathos, and the Princess Lamballe provides a rare source of compassion in this cold and spiteful court. There are other gems in the ensemble although some characters can feel one-note at points; acceptable in a 2 hour satirical film but less forgivable in an 8-part series.

Cattiness and Gossip are the cornerstones of this Versailles, which whilst fun can become repetitive and feel trivial at points. Ultimately, the main throughline of this series is the romance (or lack of) between the young queen & king and so the potential of civil unrest disturbing these royals and their petty squabbles is an exciting prospect. Fortunately, knowing the fate of this family, the stakes can only be raised considerably in future seasons.

If you are to watch any series in 2022 (or 23 or 24...) watch this one. If season 1 delivered in its tight pace, dark humour and surprises, season 2 elevates this with nuanced characters making unexpected decisions that gradually leads us to a historic finale equal parts glee, terror and heartbreak (all at the same time).

The genius of this show is that it never confirms nor denies any character motivation or viewer speculation. We will forever be discussing 'that' scene between Harper and Daphne. This ambiguity to characters and events makes the world of The White Lotus rich and engaging every episode. Speaking of Harper and Daphne, the storyline involving the two couples manages to tread all the well worn beats and deliver something entirely fresh. A perfect marriage of top tier writing and performances.

Actually, every character in the series is brilliantly observed, weaving around each other in a delightful manner. White pushes the boundaries of every trope and stereotype to reach maximum entertainment yet never goes so far as to lose our empathy for, and belief in, these characters. Even. F. Murray who arguably gets the least material to work with elevates these small moments to create a fully satisfying arc.

I was concerned at first that in moving from its claustrophobic island roots to a busier hotel resort on the much larger Sicily coast the show would lose what made it great. A needless concern because Season 2 is extraordinary.

TLDR: Thank god Jennifer Coolidge agreed to reprise her role.