The Whe Lot: Valenta actor talks gay 'epiphany'

Contents:

• FROM THE 'EVIL QUEEN' TO THE 'SAD LBIAN,' 'WHE LOT' ED MANY GAY TROP. WHY DIDN'T RAISE ANY RED FLAGS FOR SOME FANS?
• ‘THE WHE LOT’ SEASON FALE: ‘THE GAYS, THEY’RE TRYG TO MURR ME!’
• VALENTA WAS THE BT CHARACTER ‘THE WHE LOT’BRAVA! VALENTA (SABRA IMPACCIATORE) RAN AWAY WH THE SEND SEASON OF THE HBO H DRAMEDY, OM THE MOMENT SHE UTTERED THE WORDS “PEPPA PIG.”BARRY LEVTFREELANCE WRERPUBLISHED DEC. 12, 2022 2:07PM EST PHOTO ILLTRATN BY ELIZABETH BROCKWAY/THE DAILY BEAST/GETTY/HBOTHE WHE LOT THREW EVERYTHG IMAGABLE AT S SENSATNAL SEND SEASON. THERE WAS SPENSE, CLASS CRIQUE, SEX, MURR, SEX, STUNNG LOTNS, SEX, HUMOR, AND DID I MENTN SEX? WHAT’S HELPED ENSHRE THE SEASON AS UNFETTABLE PEAK TV IS S CREDIBLE ST OF CHARACTERS. UNRSTANDABLY, INS LIKE HARPER (AUBREY PLAZA), CAMERON (THEO JAM), PORTIA (HAYLEY LU RICHARDSON), AND THE NOW-LEGENDARY TANYA (JENNIFER COOLIDGE) RECEIVED A LOT OF ATTENTN OM FANS. BUT ’S ANOTHER CHARACTER THAT STOLE THE SHOW AT EVERY OPPORTUNY: THE HOTEL MANAGER VALENTA (SABRA IMPACCIATORE), AND SHE IS THE UNSUNG HERO OF THE WHE LOT SEASON 2. HBO THAT MAY E AS A SURPRISE TO THOSE OF WHO HAVE SPENT THE SEASON FOCED ON THE GUTS STEAD. BUT CREATOR MIKE WHE HAS PREPARED FOR THIS. SOME OF THE BT CHARACTERS THE FIRST SEASON OF THE WHE LOT WERE THE HOTEL STAFF, PECIALLY SPA MANAGER BELDA (NATASHA RICHARDSON) AND ARMOND (MURRAY BARTLETT), THE HOTEL MANAGER, WHO END UP DYG BY SEASON 1’S END. THANKFULLY, WE’VE KNOWN ALL ALONG THAT THE SAME FATE WOULD NOT BEFALL THE WONDRO VALENTA; WE SAW HER SEASON 2’S FIRST SCENE, A FLASH-FORWARD, OF HER ARRIVG AT THE HOTEL HORRIFIED TO DISVER NOT JT ONE ATH, BUT MULTIPLE. VALENTA PROVED RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE THAT SHE’S A VERY DIFFERENT KD OF MANAGER THAN ARMOND. THERE’S NO DOUBT SHE TAK HER JOB VERY SERLY, BUT SHE LACKS THAT AMERINIZED VERSN OF HOSPALY, WHICH VOLV BENDG TO THE WILL OF ANY GUT REQUT. VALENTA IS FAR BLUNTER AND MORE RISTANT—THOUGH SHE WILL GET THE JOB DONE, TO NOT RISK HER HOTEL’S STERLG REPUTATN. WHEN SHE GREETS THE NEW BATCH OF GUTS, SHE TELLS BERT (F. MURRAY ABRAHAM) THAT SHE’S SURPRISED HE’S MA , AS “IT’S A LONG TRIP OM LOS ANGEL, AND YOU’RE QUE OLD, NO?” BCHY, BUT WH A WARM, DISARMG SE. PERFECTN. MOMENTS LATER, SHE PULLS A SIAR THG WH CAMERON, WHOSE BAG DIDN’T ARRIVE TO THE AIRPORT. SHE TELLS HIM THAT HE SHOULD HAVE FLOWN VIA MUNICH STEAD, AND HER TONE SUGGTS THAT SHE THKS CAMERON IS A EAKG MORON WHO SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER, WHICH CERTALY TAK HIM BACK A B. IT’S CLEAR THAT VALENTA IS HERE TO ENSURE THE HOTEL’S GUTS HAVE A LIFE-CHANGG EXPERIENCE, BUT SHE’S NOT GOG TO BEND OVER BACKWARD FOR THEM. SHE’S GOG TO BEND THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH!THE SEND EPISO IS WHERE VALENTA TRANSCENDS OM A GENERALLY BADASS PERSON YOU LONG TO BE TO A BONAFI IN THAT N NEVER BE MATCHED. TANYA AND HER HBAND GREG (JON GRI) ARE STANDG OUTSI THE HOTEL TAKG PICTUR, AND TANYA LLS OVER VALENTA TO TAKE THEIR PHOTO. BUT BEFORE THAT, TANYA ASKS VALENTA TO GUS WHO SHE LOOKS LIKE—HOPG FOR THE ANSWER OF MONI VTI, A FAMED ITALIAN ACTRS. WHAT SHE GETS IS A THOUGHTFUL PSE OM VALENTA, WHO ANSWERS WH TWO AMAZG WORDS: “PEPPA PIG.”SOMETIM ALL TAK IS A SEND TO ENSHRE AN IN. OF URSE, TANYA THKS NOTHG OF , SUALLY RRECTG VALENTA THAT SHE’S ACTUALLY SUPPOSED TO BE MONI VTI. IN FAIRNS, ’S ENTIRELY PLSIBLE THAT TANYA BELIEV PEPPA TO BE ANOTHER EQUALLY BETIFUL AND FASHNABLE STAR. AND HEY, PEPPA’S RED DRS IS FLOWY AND MAJTIC. BUT WHAT REALLY SELLS IMPACCAORE’S (IMPROVISED!) LE LIVERY IS THAT SHE SAYS STRAIGHT-FACED, CLEARLY WHOUT ONE TA OF REGRET OR SURPRISE THAT SHE LET SLIP OM HER MOUTH. TANYA LOOKS LIKE PEPPA, AND SHE STANDS BY . IT’S SOMETHG THAT ULD GET HER SOME SER TROUBLE—TANYA HAS A LOT OF MONEY—BUT THAT’S NOT GOG TO STOP VALENTA OM SPEAKG HER MD. HBO IF ALL THAT WASN’T ENOUGH, VALENTA WAS OFFICIALLY ENSHRED AS WOMAN OF THE PEOPLE WHEN SHE’S SEEN FEEDG STRAY TS. IT’S A SMALL, TENR MOMENT, THAT SHOWS VALENTA DO HAVE SOME TERTS OUTSI OF WORK, AND LETS ON WHO THIS CHARACTER IS.WHILE THE GUTS OF THE WHE LOT REGULARLY LAY THEIR FEELGS BARE FOR ALL TO WNS (THEY’RE RICH, AFTER ALL, SO YOU BETTER NOTICE THEM), VALENTA REMAS MUCH MORE GUARD, REFG TO LET (OR ANYBODY) . HER SENSE OF PRIVACY MAK HER MASSIVELY PELLG: WHILE EVERYONE ELSE IS AN OPEN BOOK, VALENTA IS A PUZZLE I FOUND MYSELF SPERATE TO SOLVE. IT WAS THROUGH HER RELATNSHIP WH HER WORK SUBORDATE AND IEND ISABELLA THAT WE STARTED TO GET A SENSE OF VALENTA’S TE NATURE. SHE WORKS A FEW FEET AWAY OM ISABELLA AT THE RECEPTN AREA, WHICH ALLOWS VALENTA TO WATCH ALL OF ISABELLA’S ACTNS THROUGHOUT THE DAY. VALENTA SEEMS NCERNED WH ISABELLA’S RELATNSHIP WH ROC (FERI FERRANTE), WHOM SHE BELIEV IS HARASSG ISABELLA. AND ISABELLA WAS CLEARLY THE APPLE OF VALENTA’S EYE, EVINCED BY A SURPRISG MOMENT WHICH VALENTA GIV ISABELLA A BETIFUL PENDANT AS A RANDOM GIFT. IT WAS CLEAR VALENTA WAS HARBORG SOME HEAVY ROMANTIC FEELGS FOR ISABELLA, PECIALLY WHEN SHE MOV ROC OUT OF RECEPTN SO SHE N KEEP A CLOSER EYE ON THE SUBJECT OF HER FATUATN.WATCHG THIS, I WAS CREDIBLY UNFORTABLE. THE AGE-OLD ADAGE “DON’T MEET YOUR HERO” WAS BOUNCG AROUND MY HEAD. COULD THIS SASSY, SCENE-STEALG ANGEL SENT OM THE SCRIPTWRER’S HEAVEN ACTUALLY BE A MONSTER? VALENTA’S FLIRTATN WH ISABELLA WAS POSSIBLY THE MOST SUBVERSIVE MOMENT OF THE ENTIRE SEASON, REVEALG THAT POWER AT ALL LEVELS N BE RPTED BY SEXUAL SIRE. OF ALL THE TOPICS I EXPECTED THE WHE LOT TO VER, WORKPLACE HARASSMENT WASN’T ONE OF THEM. STILL, THE SHOW MAK A BOLD AND EXCG (IF VASTATG) CHOICE TO HAVE VALENTA, OF ALL PEOPLE, FALL PREY TO LT WHEN TO HER WORKG RELATNSHIP WH ISABELLA—OR, MORE ACCURATELY, SHE BEME THE PREDATOR. HBO BUT THANKFULLY—MERCIFULLY—VALENTA IS TOO GOOD OF A PERSON TO FULLY BEE A VILLA, AND EVEN HER POSN OF POWER ISN’T ENOUGH TO SWAY HER TO TAKG ADVANTAGE OF HER WORKG RELATNSHIP WH ISABELLA. ISABELLA’S REVEAL THAT SHE’S ENGAGED TO ROC AND WANTS HIM TO RETURN TO RECEPTN AS A VASTATG BLOW TO VALENTA, JT MOMENTS BEFORE THE TWO ARE SET TO GO CELEBRATE VALENTA’S BIRTHDAY. IMPACCATORE LIVERS THE SCENE PERFECTLY: WE WATCH HER BEE CRTFALLEN, AS WELL AS HAVE THE STRIKG REALIZATN THAT SHE’S PURSUG SOMETHG THAT IS DANGERO MORE WAYS THAN ONE. SHE KNOWS THIS NEEDS TO END IMMEDIATELY, AND DO.A SURPRISE GUARDIAN ANGEL ALLOWS VALENTA TO LET LOOSE ON HER BIRTHDAY, AND ’S MIA (BEATRICE GRANNò). MIA LIKELY SPIRED BY HER SIRE FOR A PERMANENT JOB AND SIRG VALENTA (HOW ULD YOU NOT?) MAK A MOVE ON VALENTA AND THE TWO PE TO A VANT HOTEL ROOM. IT TOOK NEARLY THE ENTIRE SEASON, BUT VALENTA FALLY LET HER GUARD DOWN THE SEND-TO-LAST EPISO. IT WAS AMAZG TO SEE VALENTA FALLY GET WHAT SHE’S QUIETLY BEEN AFTER THIS WHOLE TIME—JT LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, SHE WANTS SOME HOT SEX THAT SHE’S NEVER BEEN ABLE TO EXPERIENCE BEFORE.EVEN A CHAOTIC, ATH-FILLED FALE, VALENTA STILL GOT OPPORTUNI TO REMD WHAT A SENSATNAL CHARACTER SHE IS. SHE’S UGHT WH MIA BED AFTER THEIR GLOR ROMP AT THE END OF THE SIXTH EPISO, IMMEDIATELY SNAPPG BACK TO MANAGER MO WHILE HALF-NAKED BED. SHE DRS DOWN THE MAID THAT OPENS THE DOOR WH THE APPROPRIATE FEROCY REQUIRED OF A MANAGER OF A HOTEL WHERE ONLY THE RICHT, MOST UNHGED PEOPLE HAB. IT’S A BRILLIANT MOMENT, WH VALENTA RECKONG WH BOTH HER PERSONAL AND PROFSNAL LIFE AT ONCE. SHE HANDL LIKE THE NSUMMATE PROFSNAL WE KNOW HER TO BE, WH A B OF HER SPECTACULAR TRAMARK SASS.VALENTA AGRE TO BRG ROC BACK, MAKG UP FOR HER ERRORS AND RIGHTG WHAT’S WRONG, SOMETHG THAT EVERYONE STAYG AT WHE LOT SEEMS PLETELY PABLE OF. SHE SEEMS GENUELY REMORSEFUL FOR THE WAY SHE TREATED ISABELLA, SLIGHTLY BLD BY HER LT FOR HER. CCIALLY, VALENTA NEVER LET HER POWERFUL POSN TAKE OVER HER MORALS, EVEN IF GOT DANGEROLY CLOSE. VALENTA IS PRACTILLY OUR GUIDG MORAL PASS—I’D LIKE TO SEE SOMEONE LIKE TANYA FEED STRAY KTENS!—EVEN IF SHE HERSELF IS FAR OM PERFECT. FLAWS ARE SOMETHG THE WHE LOT KNOWS ALL TOO WELL. THE STORYLE’S FAL BEAT WAS PLETELY SOLD BY IMPACCIATORE’S BRILLIANT PERFORMANCE. YOU N FEEL HER DISAPPOTMENT A SLIGHT LIP QUIVER WHEN MIA TELLS HER THAT SHE NEEDS A “REAL” LBIAN LOVER AND THAT THE NIGHT THEY SPENT TOGETHER, WHILE ELECTRIC, WAS LTLE MORE THAN A FANTASY PLAYED OUT. BUT THEIR TRYST HAS GIVEN VALENTA NEWFOUND NFINCE WHO SHE IS, ALLOWG HER TO BE MORE OPEN WH HER NEEDS AND SIR OUTSI OF THE WORK SHE VOT HERSELF PLETELY. IT SEEMS LIKE A BETTER WORK-LIFE BALANCE AND A CHANCE TO BE HER THENTIC SELF ARE BOTH ON THE WAY FOR VALENTA.THIS ENDG IS EXACTLY WHAT VALENTA SERVED. SHE ABSOLUTELY STOLE THE SEASON, CEMENTG S THEM WH DARK HUMOR AND WARM HEART. AND FOR A SHOW THAT REGULARLY DOL OUT CELTY TO S WHOLE ST, WAS A REAL TREAT TO SEE ONE OF THE WORKERS HAVE A WONRFUL CHARACTER ARC AND NOT WD UP HEARTBROKEN OR AD. EVERY MOMENT SHE WAS ON SCREEN SEASON 2, IMPACCIATORE CREATED SOMETHG MAGIL, SEEMGLY OUT OF TH AIR. ONE DAY, MAY WE ALL HAVE THE STRENGTH TO TELL THE PEOPLE SOCIETY SAYS WE NEED TO PLEASE THAT THEY LOOK LIKE PEPPA PIG. BARRY LEVT

FROM THE 'EVIL QUEEN' TO THE 'SAD LBIAN,' 'WHE LOT' ED MANY GAY TROP. WHY DIDN'T RAISE ANY RED FLAGS FOR SOME FANS?

“You’re gay, right? I’m a ltle b gay too, ” she says wh a sualns that shocks eply closeted Valenta. The Whe Lot actor Sabra Impacciatore has spoken about her character Valenta’s gay awakeng and the fight for LGBTQ+ rights Italy.

As for why Valenta’s journey is “so meangful” for Impacciatore, she said: “In Italy, to be gay is a big issue, still. The creator, Mike Whe, jtified the scene sayg he wanted to make “gay sex transgrsive aga”, although as many have poted out this is possible whout ct.

‘THE WHE LOT’ SEASON FALE: ‘THE GAYS, THEY’RE TRYG TO MURR ME!’

I’m a ltle b gay too, ” she tells her. In Italy, to be gay is still a big issue.

In Italy, to be gay is a big issue, still.

(Photo: Courty HBO/Warner Media)Warng: This story ntas the wake of the shockg, juicy Whe Lot fale on Sunday, social media has been flood wh great mem, mostly featurg the inic Jennifer social media has not been flood wh, however, is outcry about the show’s e of a variety of age-old gay trop — om the evil queen and the sad/psycho lbian to the “bury your gays” trope, aka the offg of gay characters, the end. They’ve also mourned Tanya and have excedly looked forward to another season, hopefully wh more Portia outfs to lgh though such well-worn LGBTQ plot pots have riled crics the very recent past — cludg wh Killg Eve and Hoe of the Dragon, both lled out for the “bury your gays” trope — barely anyone seemed triggered by Whe Lot. Perhaps ’s bee they were prepped by Season 1’s fale, which saw Armond (Murray Bartlett), as the “praved gay, ” also killed off, promptg jt the slightt b of outcry on the Redd thread lled “a cliché trope that needs to die.

VALENTA WAS THE BT CHARACTER ‘THE WHE LOT’BRAVA! VALENTA (SABRA IMPACCIATORE) RAN AWAY WH THE SEND SEASON OF THE HBO H DRAMEDY, OM THE MOMENT SHE UTTERED THE WORDS “PEPPA PIG.”BARRY LEVTFREELANCE WRERPUBLISHED DEC. 12, 2022 2:07PM EST PHOTO ILLTRATN BY ELIZABETH BROCKWAY/THE DAILY BEAST/GETTY/HBOTHE WHE LOT THREW EVERYTHG IMAGABLE AT S SENSATNAL SEND SEASON. THERE WAS SPENSE, CLASS CRIQUE, SEX, MURR, SEX, STUNNG LOTNS, SEX, HUMOR, AND DID I MENTN SEX? WHAT’S HELPED ENSHRE THE SEASON AS UNFETTABLE PEAK TV IS S CREDIBLE ST OF CHARACTERS. UNRSTANDABLY, INS LIKE HARPER (AUBREY PLAZA), CAMERON (THEO JAM), PORTIA (HAYLEY LU RICHARDSON), AND THE NOW-LEGENDARY TANYA (JENNIFER COOLIDGE) RECEIVED A LOT OF ATTENTN OM FANS. BUT ’S ANOTHER CHARACTER THAT STOLE THE SHOW AT EVERY OPPORTUNY: THE HOTEL MANAGER VALENTA (SABRA IMPACCIATORE), AND SHE IS THE UNSUNG HERO OF THE WHE LOT SEASON 2. HBO THAT MAY E AS A SURPRISE TO THOSE OF WHO HAVE SPENT THE SEASON FOCED ON THE GUTS STEAD. BUT CREATOR MIKE WHE HAS PREPARED FOR THIS. SOME OF THE BT CHARACTERS THE FIRST SEASON OF THE WHE LOT WERE THE HOTEL STAFF, PECIALLY SPA MANAGER BELDA (NATASHA RICHARDSON) AND ARMOND (MURRAY BARTLETT), THE HOTEL MANAGER, WHO END UP DYG BY SEASON 1’S END. THANKFULLY, WE’VE KNOWN ALL ALONG THAT THE SAME FATE WOULD NOT BEFALL THE WONDRO VALENTA; WE SAW HER SEASON 2’S FIRST SCENE, A FLASH-FORWARD, OF HER ARRIVG AT THE HOTEL HORRIFIED TO DISVER NOT JT ONE ATH, BUT MULTIPLE. VALENTA PROVED RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE THAT SHE’S A VERY DIFFERENT KD OF MANAGER THAN ARMOND. THERE’S NO DOUBT SHE TAK HER JOB VERY SERLY, BUT SHE LACKS THAT AMERINIZED VERSN OF HOSPALY, WHICH VOLV BENDG TO THE WILL OF ANY GUT REQUT. VALENTA IS FAR BLUNTER AND MORE RISTANT—THOUGH SHE WILL GET THE JOB DONE, TO NOT RISK HER HOTEL’S STERLG REPUTATN. WHEN SHE GREETS THE NEW BATCH OF GUTS, SHE TELLS BERT (F. MURRAY ABRAHAM) THAT SHE’S SURPRISED HE’S MA , AS “IT’S A LONG TRIP OM LOS ANGEL, AND YOU’RE QUE OLD, NO?” BCHY, BUT WH A WARM, DISARMG SE. PERFECTN. MOMENTS LATER, SHE PULLS A SIAR THG WH CAMERON, WHOSE BAG DIDN’T ARRIVE TO THE AIRPORT. SHE TELLS HIM THAT HE SHOULD HAVE FLOWN VIA MUNICH STEAD, AND HER TONE SUGGTS THAT SHE THKS CAMERON IS A EAKG MORON WHO SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER, WHICH CERTALY TAK HIM BACK A B. IT’S CLEAR THAT VALENTA IS HERE TO ENSURE THE HOTEL’S GUTS HAVE A LIFE-CHANGG EXPERIENCE, BUT SHE’S NOT GOG TO BEND OVER BACKWARD FOR THEM. SHE’S GOG TO BEND THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH!THE SEND EPISO IS WHERE VALENTA TRANSCENDS OM A GENERALLY BADASS PERSON YOU LONG TO BE TO A BONAFI IN THAT N NEVER BE MATCHED. TANYA AND HER HBAND GREG (JON GRI) ARE STANDG OUTSI THE HOTEL TAKG PICTUR, AND TANYA LLS OVER VALENTA TO TAKE THEIR PHOTO. BUT BEFORE THAT, TANYA ASKS VALENTA TO GUS WHO SHE LOOKS LIKE—HOPG FOR THE ANSWER OF MONI VTI, A FAMED ITALIAN ACTRS. WHAT SHE GETS IS A THOUGHTFUL PSE OM VALENTA, WHO ANSWERS WH TWO AMAZG WORDS: “PEPPA PIG.”SOMETIM ALL TAK IS A SEND TO ENSHRE AN IN. OF URSE, TANYA THKS NOTHG OF , SUALLY RRECTG VALENTA THAT SHE’S ACTUALLY SUPPOSED TO BE MONI VTI. IN FAIRNS, ’S ENTIRELY PLSIBLE THAT TANYA BELIEV PEPPA TO BE ANOTHER EQUALLY BETIFUL AND FASHNABLE STAR. AND HEY, PEPPA’S RED DRS IS FLOWY AND MAJTIC. BUT WHAT REALLY SELLS IMPACCAORE’S (IMPROVISED!) LE LIVERY IS THAT SHE SAYS STRAIGHT-FACED, CLEARLY WHOUT ONE TA OF REGRET OR SURPRISE THAT SHE LET SLIP OM HER MOUTH. TANYA LOOKS LIKE PEPPA, AND SHE STANDS BY . IT’S SOMETHG THAT ULD GET HER SOME SER TROUBLE—TANYA HAS A LOT OF MONEY—BUT THAT’S NOT GOG TO STOP VALENTA OM SPEAKG HER MD. HBO IF ALL THAT WASN’T ENOUGH, VALENTA WAS OFFICIALLY ENSHRED AS WOMAN OF THE PEOPLE WHEN SHE’S SEEN FEEDG STRAY TS. IT’S A SMALL, TENR MOMENT, THAT SHOWS VALENTA DO HAVE SOME TERTS OUTSI OF WORK, AND LETS ON WHO THIS CHARACTER IS.WHILE THE GUTS OF THE WHE LOT REGULARLY LAY THEIR FEELGS BARE FOR ALL TO WNS (THEY’RE RICH, AFTER ALL, SO YOU BETTER NOTICE THEM), VALENTA REMAS MUCH MORE GUARD, REFG TO LET (OR ANYBODY) . HER SENSE OF PRIVACY MAK HER MASSIVELY PELLG: WHILE EVERYONE ELSE IS AN OPEN BOOK, VALENTA IS A PUZZLE I FOUND MYSELF SPERATE TO SOLVE. IT WAS THROUGH HER RELATNSHIP WH HER WORK SUBORDATE AND IEND ISABELLA THAT WE STARTED TO GET A SENSE OF VALENTA’S TE NATURE. SHE WORKS A FEW FEET AWAY OM ISABELLA AT THE RECEPTN AREA, WHICH ALLOWS VALENTA TO WATCH ALL OF ISABELLA’S ACTNS THROUGHOUT THE DAY. VALENTA SEEMS NCERNED WH ISABELLA’S RELATNSHIP WH ROC (FERI FERRANTE), WHOM SHE BELIEV IS HARASSG ISABELLA. AND ISABELLA WAS CLEARLY THE APPLE OF VALENTA’S EYE, EVINCED BY A SURPRISG MOMENT WHICH VALENTA GIV ISABELLA A BETIFUL PENDANT AS A RANDOM GIFT. IT WAS CLEAR VALENTA WAS HARBORG SOME HEAVY ROMANTIC FEELGS FOR ISABELLA, PECIALLY WHEN SHE MOV ROC OUT OF RECEPTN SO SHE N KEEP A CLOSER EYE ON THE SUBJECT OF HER FATUATN.WATCHG THIS, I WAS CREDIBLY UNFORTABLE. THE AGE-OLD ADAGE “DON’T MEET YOUR HERO” WAS BOUNCG AROUND MY HEAD. COULD THIS SASSY, SCENE-STEALG ANGEL SENT OM THE SCRIPTWRER’S HEAVEN ACTUALLY BE A MONSTER? VALENTA’S FLIRTATN WH ISABELLA WAS POSSIBLY THE MOST SUBVERSIVE MOMENT OF THE ENTIRE SEASON, REVEALG THAT POWER AT ALL LEVELS N BE RPTED BY SEXUAL SIRE. OF ALL THE TOPICS I EXPECTED THE WHE LOT TO VER, WORKPLACE HARASSMENT WASN’T ONE OF THEM. STILL, THE SHOW MAK A BOLD AND EXCG (IF VASTATG) CHOICE TO HAVE VALENTA, OF ALL PEOPLE, FALL PREY TO LT WHEN TO HER WORKG RELATNSHIP WH ISABELLA—OR, MORE ACCURATELY, SHE BEME THE PREDATOR. HBO BUT THANKFULLY—MERCIFULLY—VALENTA IS TOO GOOD OF A PERSON TO FULLY BEE A VILLA, AND EVEN HER POSN OF POWER ISN’T ENOUGH TO SWAY HER TO TAKG ADVANTAGE OF HER WORKG RELATNSHIP WH ISABELLA. ISABELLA’S REVEAL THAT SHE’S ENGAGED TO ROC AND WANTS HIM TO RETURN TO RECEPTN AS A VASTATG BLOW TO VALENTA, JT MOMENTS BEFORE THE TWO ARE SET TO GO CELEBRATE VALENTA’S BIRTHDAY. IMPACCATORE LIVERS THE SCENE PERFECTLY: WE WATCH HER BEE CRTFALLEN, AS WELL AS HAVE THE STRIKG REALIZATN THAT SHE’S PURSUG SOMETHG THAT IS DANGERO MORE WAYS THAN ONE. SHE KNOWS THIS NEEDS TO END IMMEDIATELY, AND DO.A SURPRISE GUARDIAN ANGEL ALLOWS VALENTA TO LET LOOSE ON HER BIRTHDAY, AND ’S MIA (BEATRICE GRANNò). MIA LIKELY SPIRED BY HER SIRE FOR A PERMANENT JOB AND SIRG VALENTA (HOW ULD YOU NOT?) MAK A MOVE ON VALENTA AND THE TWO PE TO A VANT HOTEL ROOM. IT TOOK NEARLY THE ENTIRE SEASON, BUT VALENTA FALLY LET HER GUARD DOWN THE SEND-TO-LAST EPISO. IT WAS AMAZG TO SEE VALENTA FALLY GET WHAT SHE’S QUIETLY BEEN AFTER THIS WHOLE TIME—JT LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, SHE WANTS SOME HOT SEX THAT SHE’S NEVER BEEN ABLE TO EXPERIENCE BEFORE.EVEN A CHAOTIC, ATH-FILLED FALE, VALENTA STILL GOT OPPORTUNI TO REMD WHAT A SENSATNAL CHARACTER SHE IS. SHE’S UGHT WH MIA BED AFTER THEIR GLOR ROMP AT THE END OF THE SIXTH EPISO, IMMEDIATELY SNAPPG BACK TO MANAGER MO WHILE HALF-NAKED BED. SHE DRS DOWN THE MAID THAT OPENS THE DOOR WH THE APPROPRIATE FEROCY REQUIRED OF A MANAGER OF A HOTEL WHERE ONLY THE RICHT, MOST UNHGED PEOPLE HAB. IT’S A BRILLIANT MOMENT, WH VALENTA RECKONG WH BOTH HER PERSONAL AND PROFSNAL LIFE AT ONCE. SHE HANDL LIKE THE NSUMMATE PROFSNAL WE KNOW HER TO BE, WH A B OF HER SPECTACULAR TRAMARK SASS.VALENTA AGRE TO BRG ROC BACK, MAKG UP FOR HER ERRORS AND RIGHTG WHAT’S WRONG, SOMETHG THAT EVERYONE STAYG AT WHE LOT SEEMS PLETELY PABLE OF. SHE SEEMS GENUELY REMORSEFUL FOR THE WAY SHE TREATED ISABELLA, SLIGHTLY BLD BY HER LT FOR HER. CCIALLY, VALENTA NEVER LET HER POWERFUL POSN TAKE OVER HER MORALS, EVEN IF GOT DANGEROLY CLOSE. VALENTA IS PRACTILLY OUR GUIDG MORAL PASS—I’D LIKE TO SEE SOMEONE LIKE TANYA FEED STRAY KTENS!—EVEN IF SHE HERSELF IS FAR OM PERFECT. FLAWS ARE SOMETHG THE WHE LOT KNOWS ALL TOO WELL. THE STORYLE’S FAL BEAT WAS PLETELY SOLD BY IMPACCIATORE’S BRILLIANT PERFORMANCE. YOU N FEEL HER DISAPPOTMENT A SLIGHT LIP QUIVER WHEN MIA TELLS HER THAT SHE NEEDS A “REAL” LBIAN LOVER AND THAT THE NIGHT THEY SPENT TOGETHER, WHILE ELECTRIC, WAS LTLE MORE THAN A FANTASY PLAYED OUT. BUT THEIR TRYST HAS GIVEN VALENTA NEWFOUND NFINCE WHO SHE IS, ALLOWG HER TO BE MORE OPEN WH HER NEEDS AND SIR OUTSI OF THE WORK SHE VOT HERSELF PLETELY. IT SEEMS LIKE A BETTER WORK-LIFE BALANCE AND A CHANCE TO BE HER THENTIC SELF ARE BOTH ON THE WAY FOR VALENTA.THIS ENDG IS EXACTLY WHAT VALENTA SERVED. SHE ABSOLUTELY STOLE THE SEASON, CEMENTG S THEM WH DARK HUMOR AND WARM HEART. AND FOR A SHOW THAT REGULARLY DOL OUT CELTY TO S WHOLE ST, WAS A REAL TREAT TO SEE ONE OF THE WORKERS HAVE A WONRFUL CHARACTER ARC AND NOT WD UP HEARTBROKEN OR AD. EVERY MOMENT SHE WAS ON SCREEN SEASON 2, IMPACCIATORE CREATED SOMETHG MAGIL, SEEMGLY OUT OF TH AIR. ONE DAY, MAY WE ALL HAVE THE STRENGTH TO TELL THE PEOPLE SOCIETY SAYS WE NEED TO PLEASE THAT THEY LOOK LIKE PEPPA PIG. BARRY LEVT

Over on Twter, “brown queer artist/activist” and filmmaker Leo Herrera ved his bed 35, 000-pl followers to “talk about the e of gay trop” on the seri recently, gettg not much tractn. ”Further, he says, “I don’t want to be the ‘angry brown guy’ … but somethg we need to be aware of is that some of the gay whe show-nners may believe we are past certa stereotyp or trop — which brgs up issu of race and privilege.

(Photo: Courty HBO/Warner Media)On Facebook, a few of this wrer’s acquatanc sound off, wh one llg Whe a “lazy wrer, ” addg, “’s gross to portray gay men as predators, addicts, transgrsive and dirty before killg them. It’s typil old textbook Hollywood to kill off the morally rpt gay characters, if you know your cema history … yet BOTH SEASONS of Whe Lot rely on the tired old trope. ”Over on a Whe Lot Redd thread, meanwhile, one viewer wonred, “What gay men f***ed wh Mike Whe for him to always make them tragic, vic, and stereotypil?

” That prompted a few to agree, cludg one who noted, “The thg is gay villas is actually a thg … We still want reprentatn so of urse ’s a double-edged sword and impossible to please the entire dience. First, some background on gay tropGLAAD lls gay trop “harmful and tired, ” and the recent exampl have helped refuel old anger about how LGBTQ characters are so often killed off TV dramas — a tradn actually stemmg om the 1934-1968 Motn Picture Productn Co, aka the Hays Co, a set of self-imposed dtry guil that banned (along wh nudy, ltful kissg and more) onscreen homosexual pictns.