The White Lotus’ Anthology Structure Made It A ‘Win-Win’ For Michael Imperioli – /Film

The profit is not simply that Michael Imperioli knew from the second he was solid that the present would not be a complete flop; it was additionally that he would not need to cope with all that awkwardness that often comes with being the brand new man on an ongoing present with a well-established solid.

“You may be a part of a success present within the third season or one thing as a brand new solid member,” Imperioli continued. It’s a much more troublesome scenario to be in as a result of all the main focus goes to be on you. Sometimes this seems for the perfect — I do not assume anybody’s ever complained about Leon (J.B. Smoove) displaying up six seasons into “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” as an example — however a number of instances the actor/character will get an unfair quantity of blame for issues already inherent within the present. Most of the criticisms of the ultimate season of “That ’70s Show,” as an example, fell squarely on the top of poor newcomer Randy (Josh Meyers), though the present was on a downward spiral lengthy earlier than he got here aboard.

But for season 2 of “The White Lotus,” expectations had been unfold out among the many entire solid. There was no query of how Imperioli would match into the present’s present dynamic as a result of the prevailing dynamic had already been utterly shaken up. “The problem is simply dwelling as much as what they did within the first season,” Imperioli defined, and the problem wasn’t simply his to bear.