Satire

‘The White Lotus’ is a biting — but toothless — satire

‘The White Lotus’ is a biting — but toothless — satire

“The White Lotus,” one of the most talked-about television shows of summer 2021, is deceptive from the onset. The series begins with a mystery, but as it unfolds it becomes clear that hot-button issues such as class struggle and race are at the center of the narrative. Although I first became interested in the HBO six-episode limited series upon viewing the opening shots, which display a dead body being loaded onto a plane, I noticed the show ends up leaning more toward satire than a sincere whodunit.

Hasan Minhaj’s “Patriot Act” stretches confines of genre

Hasan Minhaj’s “Patriot Act” stretches confines of genre

BY SAVANNAH HARRIMAN-POTE ’20

“Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj” hit Netflix on Oct. 28. The weekly web television series is the latest contribution to the ever-growing news-satire genre, and yet another win for 33-year-old comedian extraordinaire Hasan Minhaj.

“Thoroughbreds” is a chilly, sophisticated thriller

 “Thoroughbreds” is a chilly, sophisticated thriller

BY EMMA MARTIN ’20

“Do you ever think about just killing him?” Amanda (Olivia Cooke, “Me, Earl and the Dying Girl”) asks her kind-of new friend Lily (Anya Taylor-Joy, “The Witch”) in a memorable scene from psychological thriller “Thoroughbreds,” the feature debut of writer-director Corey Finley. As Amanda casually uncorks a bottle of wine, the two teens first discuss the main subject of the movie — their plan to kill Lily’s stepfather Mark (Paul Sparks, “The Greatest Showman”).