Haven't you heard? The White Lotus, Mike White's HBO series about the perversions of the ultra-rich, is back for a second season — and somehow, it's even better than the first.
Less than two minutes in to the season premiere, social media (translation: Twitter) erupted with breathless commentary on the show's new theme song, set to similarly revamped opening credits. A series of frescoes depicting Italian nobility nod to the season's new setting, Sicily, while soaring operatic vocals are accompanied by the tranquil plucking of a harp.
But things quickly descend into chaos as the musical sequence morphs into the same frenetic, anxiety-inducing theme from season one ("Aloha!" by composer Cristobal Tapia de Veer), this time set to harp and piano. Suddenly, at the one minute and one second mark: the beat drops and the content of those quaint frescos takes a NSFW turn.
Depictions of the baroque aristocracy are replaced with paintings of sailors performing sexual acts, maids wielding bloody knives, and a rendering of Leda and the Swan, the violent Greek myth that has inspired countless works of art.
Keep in mind, this is all set to a very danceable beat, one poised to infiltrate TikTok.
The new soundtrack isn't the only thing viewers are freaking out about: there was also a very NSFW moment starring Theo James, cameo appearances from Survivor contestants Kara Kay and Angelina Keeley, and more Jennifer Coolidge.
Now if you need me, I'll be requesting the new White Lotus theme song at every Halloween party in New York City tonight.
