S02.E06: Abductions

[Baltimore Betty]

47 minutes ago, Haleth said:

I'm guessing the body is Greg.  The irony is that he (apparently?) set up this scheme to get Tanya's money, putting her in a dangerous situation, then somehow he himself will end up dead.

Brilliant! I love that scenario!

[shapeshifter]

5 hours ago, Haleth said:

I'm guessing the body is Greg.  The irony is that he (apparently?) set up this scheme to get Tanya's money, putting her in a dangerous situation, then somehow he himself will end up dead.

Yes. But there were more bodies too. 🤔

[peachmangosteen]

Please take any speculation based on info about season 3 (i.e. casting details) to the media thread.

[heatherchandler]

On 12/5/2022 at 2:35 AM, LEILANI2 said:

The death last season was anticlimatic and next week might be too if this episode is anything to go by.

It really was.  
 

Yes @shapeshifter Didn’t Valentina say in the first ep that “bodies” had been washing up the last few days?  Am I misremembering?  I thought there would be multiple deaths.  Where are those bodies?  
 

On 12/5/2022 at 6:50 AM, BC4ME said:

And why in the hell was that picture left out for her to see? That doesn't track with the scam.

Mike White doesn’t trust his audience, he thinks he has to show every clue and every little thing.  But then.we are left without much of a whodunit, or twist because he has spoon fed every little detail.  The photo was too much, we already thought Quentin was in cahoots with Greg but the photo confirmed it… and then Tanya just puts it back and keeps partying?  I like the stories, but the storytelling is clumsy.  

Edited December 10, 2022 by heatherchandler

[shapeshifter]

1 hour ago, heatherchandler said:

Yes @shapeshifter Didn’t Valentina say in the first ep that “bodies” had been washing up the last few days?  Am I misremembering?  I thought there would be multiple deaths.  Where are those bodies?  

Not exactly. I think your memory conflated what we saw (a body in the water) with what was later said in Italian and captioned for us in English to read on the screen:

• [ROCCO] Valentina!
• [VALENTINA] Why is your face like that?
• [ROCCO] One of the guests has drowned.
• [VALENTINA] What? . . . It's fine, the ocean is not hotel property. We can't be liable for what happens in the Ionian sea!
• [ROCCO] No. You don't get it. Salvatore says other bodies have been found.
• [VALENTINA] What other bodies? What the fuck are you saying Rocco, what do you mean other bodies?
• [ROCCO] Other guests have been killed.
• [VALENTINA] Rocco, how many dead guests are there?
• [ROCCO] I don't know . . . a few?
• [VALENTINA] Fuck.

Edited December 10, 2022 by shapeshifter

[heatherchandler]

53 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

Not exactly. I think your memory conflated what we saw (a body in the water) with what was later said in Italian and captioned for us in English to read on the screen:

Oh yeah I forgot it was he who said it.  Well then what the hell is Rocco talking about? Maybe people died before the story started?  I’ve been expecting multiple bodies!

[shapeshifter]

18 minutes ago, heatherchandler said:

Oh yeah I forgot it was he who said it.  Well then what the hell is Rocco talking about? Maybe people died before the story started?  I’ve been expecting multiple bodies!

There are multiple bodies. We just don’t know yet whether they are all in the water. 😉. 
In less than 2 days, we will know. 🙃

[Eureka]

9 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

Not exactly. I think your memory conflated what we saw (a body in the water) with what was later said in Italian and captioned for us in English to read on the screen:

• [ROCCO] Valentina!
• [VALENTINA] Why is your face like that?
• [ROCCO] One of the guests has drowned.
• [VALENTINA] What? . . . It's fine, the ocean is not hotel property. We can't be liable for what happens in the Ionian sea!
• [ROCCO] No. You don't get it. Salvatore says other bodies have been found.
• [VALENTINA] What other bodies? What the fuck are you saying Rocco, what do you mean other bodies?
• [ROCCO] Other guests have been killed.
• [VALENTINA] Rocco, how many dead guests are there?
• [ROCCO] I don't know . . . a few?
• [VALENTINA] Fuck.

I didn’t remember it but seeing the transcript here, it’s highly disturbing and amusing (and right on point for Valentina) to say it’s “fine” for people to drown as long as it’s not on property. 😆

[shapeshifter]

1 hour ago, Eureka said:

I didn’t remember it but seeing the transcript here, it’s highly disturbing and amusing (and right on point for Valentina) to say it’s “fine” for people to drown as long as it’s not on property. 😆

I suspect a lot of viewers missed Valentina’s cold, business management-oriented remarks, because the actors were speaking Italian, so viewers had to quickly read the captions or else miss the dark humor.😉

[Joimiaroxeu]

Lol, those Sicilian women told the Di Grasso fellas to fuck off. If only the guys had bothered to learn some Italian instead of showing up like entitled Americans expecting everyone to understand English.

So Valentina was basically a virgin. Didn't see that coming. Looks like Mia sleeps her away into a gig after all.

Quote

He wasn't even that well hung either. Just average.

Yeah, I think it looked bigger because he's not all that tall.

Quote

But doesn't make for "authentic" culinary exploration.

But lowers your risk of contracting a gastrointestinal bug from the local cuisine. Probably not an issue in Hawaii though, and likely more of a potential problem for Americans.

[Joimiaroxeu]

My favorite White Lotus meme, courtesy of reddit:

[RedInk]

I binged this in two days, so I’ve had less time to process, but there are a couple of popular opinions that I can’t connect with. 

I don’t see that Ethan isn’t attracted to his wife. They seem like they’re having a rocky transition to selling the company/finding themselves rich, etc., and that’s taking its toll. Plus he’s now trapped with someone who ups his insecurities exponentially. Entirely possibly that I’m wrong and Ethan is in love with Cam or something, but the writing isn’t selling me that the marriage is totally dead. 

And I can’t see Albie’s misogyny at all. Seems like he’s just trying extra hard to be the opposite of his father. I can’t really find fault with him…which is why I’m convinced he’ll take a turn and go super dark in the next episode. Because White cannot write a decent person. I’m betting on him murdering either Portia or Lucia. 

[PurpleTentacle]

Obvious scam is obvious, like I said in last episodes thread. How do the Di Grassos not see that?

Was I supposed to recognise people on that cowboy-photo? I'm shit with faces.

Did Aubrey Plaza sleep with the douchenosel or not? Considering how instantly happy she was I'd say she did.

Jennifer Coolidge's guy was hung, but not mythically hung, like the stories would have made you believe and nothing compared to that prosthetic we saw on Theo James in episode one. I think that has permanently scewed my expectations for this show.

Question is if Jennifer Coolidge is just getting scammed or if she is the target of a murder plot.

[Sweet-tea]

On 12/5/2022 at 9:00 AM, RedDelicious said:

These stories are about manipulation, yes, but not necessarily gaslighting. Gaslighting is like “look what you made me do, it’s your fault for being upset about it, you did this” and taking no accountability for one’s own actions.

I see a lot of bullshit behavior and lies going on but it’s not gaslighting by definition. 

Gaslighting is a form of manipulation. It’s about questioning someone’s perception of events and accusing them of being irrational or crazy. 

Oxford: 

manipulate (someone) using psychological methods into questioning their own sanity or powers of reasoning.

Newport institute:

Gaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation in which the abuser attempts to sow self-doubt and confusion in their victim's mind. Typically, gaslighters are seeking to gain power and control over the other person, by distorting reality and forcing them to question their own judgment and intuition.

I do see gaslighting going on, especially with Cameron and Ethan. Cameron was clearly flirting with Harper, yet when Ethan called him on it, Cameron started making comments that he was nuts. The whole situation between the two of them is bizarre. 

I thought Will Sharpe did a good job of showing his character unraveling. Even when he was watching Harper eat the pineapple. It was tense. Ethan looked ready to snap at any moment. I don’t know what happened in the hotel room, but it certainly looked bad. Either explanation isn’t good. She either cheated or she’s screwing with Ethan’s head. 

I couldn’t believe Portia didn’t push to leave even when she and Jack were at their long lunch and he was getting plastered! I would’ve been out of there. Sheesh. She needs to be more cautious. 

I was nervous watching the coke-fest party. I was afraid Tanya was going to OD or something bad would happen. It looked like she did a lot of coke. I thought maybe they had laced it with something. Glad that wasn’t the case. 

There are multiple people being taken advantage of on this show. 

It is weird they don’t leave the hotel much. My husband and I went to Italy several years ago. We were rarely at the hotel. We went all over the various cities we visited. It was beautiful! 

Edited December 14, 2022 by Sweet-tea

[Ms Blue Jay]

2 hours ago, Sweet-tea said:

Gaslighting is a form of manipulation. It’s about questioning someone’s perception of events and accusing them of being irrational or crazy. 

Oxford: 

manipulate (someone) using psychological methods into questioning their own sanity or powers of reasoning.

Newport institute:

Gaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation in which the abuser attempts to sow self-doubt and confusion in their victim's mind. Typically, gaslighters are seeking to gain power and control over the other person, by distorting reality and forcing them to question their own judgment and intuition.

I do see gaslighting going on, especially with Cameron and Ethan. Cameron was clearly flirting with Harper, yet when Ethan called him on it, Cameron started making comments that he was nuts. The whole situation between the two of them is bizarre.  

Though I'm very defensive of Ethan, Ethan 100% gaslit Harper about the condom situation.  And I agree, Cameroon gaslights Ethan.  If Harper brought up him being sexually aggressive with her in mixed company, surely he'd gaslight her at that point too.

[shapeshifter]

2 hours ago, Sweet-tea said:

I was nervous watching the coke-fest party. I was afraid Tanya was going to OD or something bad would happen. It looked like she did a lot of coke.

Good point. 
I'm spoiler tagging the rest of this post because I'm not sure which parts are from this episode, and which are from the next:
 

Spoiler

Now I'm thinking that the scary amount of coke Tanya was ingesting was perhaps the first on a list of kill methods that The Gays™️ᵀᵃⁿʸᵃ of possible ways to kill Tanya, with a cocaine OD being the first and simplest. She was partying like she hadn't done in a long time (her words) and wasn't so young anymore.

The next simplest murder method was Tanya willingly hitching a ride on the small boat back to the hotel with her lover, Niccolò, and Tanya "falling" overboard. Perhaps the video of them making love would "prove" that she went willingly.

The duct tape and gun were probably methods of last resort.

[SlovakPrincess]

Tanya's "get your shit together" speech was actually quite touching and showed she does have some insight into her own issues.  Now if only she would take her own advice!!  How did she have no reaction to seeing the photo of Quentin and Greg??  I guess she was just too high on drugs ... "I love your giant pupils"  Hee!

Nice to see Portia starting to realize an exciting adventure with an unpredictable guy isn't all it's cracked up to be ... and that she can be smart and serious when she finally sees the red flags.  I mean, Jack was basically just telling her all the red flags while very drunk, but still.   

I felt badly for Bert.  I think he took it so hard about the Sicilian relatives because he's lost his wife, his son's family is falling apart, his health is failing, and this was something he was looking forward to.  The actor also does a great job.  

I feel like I missed a scene in the Lucia story somehow.  I really don't think she has a pimp, but her setting up and running this con on Albie also seems kind of out of character?  

I cannot with the Valentina subplot.  I'm happy that she had fun hooking up with Mia after a life time of (apparently) repressing her desires.  I do not buy that she would go so far out on a limb flirting with one of her employees and getting her hopes up when it was clear all along Isabella and Rocco were flirting with each other. 

The Ethan / Harper stuff has just gone off the rails for me.  Both characters are too underdeveloped for me to get invested in them obsessing over cheating that never happened.  It's just uninteresting at this point.  

[Anela]

I've ended up really liking Lucia, so I hope she isn't pulling a scam. 

So, that guy was talking about Greg. I thought so. They want her money. 

[eelpout]

On 12/5/2022 at 3:47 PM, DawnGame said:

Also, “you want the pretty money, shame on you?” thing - I’m not sure why the crone screamed that at them.

I'm sure that's not nothing (love double negatives!) and we will find out about it in the finale. yes, I'm very late to watching this season. :)

[KittyQ]

On 12/4/2022 at 9:50 PM, aghst said:

The Di Grasso family reunion, it doesn't seem like they were that serious about it.  They'd have gotten their own translator and would have something to say, maybe even have a picture of Bert's mother or grandmother who supposedly came from that town

Agree. This seemed more impromptu, like they were in the area and tried to look up some relatives. A serious effort would have included the translator, maybe pictures, maybe some genealogical information or papers. This just seemed too off the cuff. If I was that old lady, I would threaten them with my artichoke too!

[KittyQ]

On 12/5/2022 at 6:02 AM, Madding crowd said:

Valentina needs to find people outside of the resort. It is hard when you work long hours but she will get fired if she keeps flirting with employees.

I agree in principle, but a lot of people (including me) meet their mates at work. It is the place where you have the chance to observe people daily and see how they work, which gives you a lot of insight into their character and personality, plus there is the aspect of propinquity, which is much underrated as a facet of attraction. As a manager, however, Valentina is behaving poorly. She thinks she's being subtle, but she's doing everything to end up on an HR report and probably fired (at least in the U.S., I think that would be the case - can't speak for Italy). 

I hope that Mia isn't playing Valentina for the piano player gig and is genuinely empathizing with Valentina's (Valentine - representative of love!) lack of romantic connection. Hard to tell with Mia because she's so frankly commercial in her interactions. Hope for the best, I guess.

[KittyQ]

On 12/5/2022 at 6:27 AM, jeansheridan said:

Also it is kind of self preservation 101 not to let a stranger take you to a remote, unknown location if we are going with the abduction theme. She is WAY too passive with her own physical safety.

I'll say that as a very young woman, I took risks that seemed ok at the time, because I believed (or wanted to believe) in the good intentions of people. I wasn't jaded or cynical (or probably realistic) about their motives. Consequently, I found myself in questionable situations sometimes, although I ended up unscathed, which is no credit to me. I think Portia is starting to recognize that she's doing this, trusting people you don't know, going places you don't know, with the wrong belief that no one will hurt you, because you haven't done anything wrong. Fingers crossed that Portia emerges unharmed, as I was.

[KittyQ]

On 12/5/2022 at 10:30 AM, dmc said:

No not exactly heightened awareness just more energy and you feel more alive and just energized. Like the you are able to write an entire term paper in one night, you can dance all night and not notice

I tried it once, but didn't get any of the positive-ish results. Maybe it wasn't good coke; I had no experience to be able to tell. No matter how good it was, the overall experience was bad, as a woman thought I was flirting with her boyfriend (I wasn't) and tried to beat me up over it. Enough to turn me off of cocaine permanently.

[KittyQ]

On 12/5/2022 at 4:04 PM, slowpoked said:

And we all know rich people are suckers for free stuff, even if they can easily afford to buy it themselves.

Hah! Not just "rich" people! In general, it is very tempting to cut corners when eating out.

 

[Lamima]

Just watching this show now. Ethan is jealous, not of his wife cheating but, of Cameron sleeping around. He is gay. That stuff Cameron said in bed to Ethan was probably what Ethan said to Cam when they were in college. He is in love with Cam. He has no sexual desire for Harper. He felt 'nothing' when Mia kissed him. He sat there watching Cam have sex on the sofa...ignoring his phone call from Harper.

[Lamima]

@AstridM welp...hmmm(watched the last epi)