‘The White Lotus’ Is ‘Fantasy Island’ Plus ‘The Love Boat’—On Acid

“If everything’s so perfect, why are we so miserable?” That’s a line that could come straight out of any number of characters on The White Lotus, the second season of which deepens its examination of how real happiness eludes the well-heeled. Instead, it’s a line spoken by the ship purser Gopher (Fred Grandy) on the luxury ocean liner Pacific Princess, in the 1977 pilot of The Love Boat. That’s notable, as The White Lotus creator Mike White recently revealed that his own prestigious hit series, whose second-season finale lands Sunday on HBO, is heavily influenced by his steady diet of… Read Full Article