Spoilers ahead for The White Lotus Season 2 Finale.
HBO has always been a hub for quality TV, and Mike White's acclaimed comedy The White Lotus is no exception. The anthology series recently returned for Season 2 (with a killer new opening credits) for those with an HBO Max subscription. The show features mostly a new cast, but brought back the truly iconic Jennifer Coolidge as Tanya McQuoid. She won an Emmy for her role in Season 1, but there are a few more White Lotus characters I'd like to see return in a similar fashion. Yes, I'm basically hoping for a White Lotus cinematic universe, can you blame me?
Since the White Lotus hotels are a 5-star franchise that are seemingly all over the world, there's a seemingly endless pool of talent and locations for Mike White (who is a Survivor alum) to pull from for future installments. And while I wanted Jennifer Coolidge to continue starring as Tonya (possibly alongside Jon Gries' Greg Hunt) I wouldn't hate seeing some other familiar faces in future seasons. And now that the mystery of Season 2 has been solved, I'm especially curious to see if anyone else returns. Let's break it all down.
Lani (Jolene Purdy)
The very first episode of The White Lotus gave a ton of focus to Jolene Purdy's character Lani, who was a new employee working alongside Murray Barlett's Armond. Throughout that wild first adventure through the comedy series, we learn that Lani is hiding a pregnancy, taking the job at the hotel for the medical benefits. And the episode ends with her giving birth in Armond's office, in a truly iconic and bonkers set of events.
Unfortunately, we never got to find out what happened to Lani. The character never returned to The White Lotus during Season 1, which was a major bummer-- especially given the charming performance given by Jolene Purdy. But maybe we could see her return if Lani got transfered to another location?
Dominic Di Grasso (Michael Imperioli)
Part of what makes The White Lotus such a great show is the stellar ensemble cast that Mike White has managed to assemble for both of its seasons so far. Season 2 definitely didn't drop the ball in that regard. Case in point: The Sopranos and Goodfellas icon Michael Imperioli as Hollywood producer Dominic Di Grasso.
Throughout Season 2 of The White Lotus, it's clear that Imperioli is a truly unbelievable actor. The Sopranos alum provided an intriguing performance for a troubled, complex man. And I personally would love to see him return in a future installment of the burgeoning anthology franchise. Especially after totally being right about that 50k in the finale.
Kitty Patton (Molly Shannon)
It's well known that Molly Shannon is a bit of a muse for Mike White. The two have collaborated on a number of projects over the years, including his directorial debut Year of the Dog. So it was no surprise when she ended up appearing in the first season of The White Lotus as Kitty Patton.
Kitty wasn't in every episode of the first season, and we had to wait and earn the chance to meet her character. But the SNL icon arrived and lit up the screen, perfectly portraying the show's commentary on privilege in the process. And since we saw so little of her, and she was a fan of the White Lotus property, maybe Shannon's Kitty could return in a future season.
Valentina (Sabrina Impacciatore)
Another character from The White Lotus Season 2 who is really tickling me is Valentina, played by Italian actress/comedian Sabrina Impacciatore. She continues the trend of surly managers of the hotel, picking up where Murray Barlett's Amond left off in Season 1. Since the first episode we knew she wasn't a dead body on the beach, it seems like she could easily return in a future installment of the HBO comedy series.
Throughout the second season we've seen Valentina admonish her coworkers, feud with guests and locals alike, and unintentionally offend the folks staying in the five-star hotel. Plus she was able to find herself and discover her sexuality a queer woman. And I'd love to see her back in another location of the hotel franchise, which could allow her to logically return. It remains to be seen if any of the other actors will get the Jennifer Coolidge treatment, but one can dream. Considering Tanya's fate in the finale I'm very curious to see of Mike White will bring anyone back.
The White Lotus airs new episodes Sundays on HBO. Be sure to check out the TV premiere list to plan your next binge watch.
