But having grown up here, hearing those songs in this context embodied a different sort of tension for me: how Hawaii is often both revered and erased when interpreted through a foreign lens. (He’s described his whirring instrumental compositions as “ Hawaiian Hitchcock.”) By contrast, soothing Hawaiian folk songs are employed intermittently as release valves, a way of conjuring the notion of an idyllic Hawaii.

These songs were employed as counterpoints to composer Cristobal Tapia de Veer’s percussive theme song and score, which brilliantly illuminates the social tensions simmering throughout the show. It was an unsettling feeling that followed me throughout the series, whenever I heard “Aloha ‘Oe,” or Kapono Beamer’s “Hukia Mai A,” or “‘Ohi’a Hua Palaku” by The Sunday Manoa. E Hawaiʻi e kuʻu one hānau e, the song starts, or “O Hawaiʻi, O sands of my birth.” My reaction was visceral: a gut punch of nostalgia, followed by excitement that a show set in Hawaii was showcasing Hawaiian music.īut by the second verse, I started to squirm. So when “Hawai’i Aloha” is used to score a poignant montage right before the credits, it felt like the show’s rare attempt at sincerity: The resort manager, a recovering addict played by Murray Bartlett, has a relapse, while a hapless teen (Fred Hechinger) vacationing at the resort witnesses a whale breaching the water, and something in him blooms. The limited six-episode series has been critically acclaimed for poking fun at the excesses of the ultrawealthy, its humor gorging on sarcasm and wit. ʻOli ē! ʻOli ē! A declaration of what it means to be local.Īn a cappella version sung by The Rose Ensemble closes the second episode of The White Lotus, HBO’s dark ensemble comedy about rich American tourists vacationing at a luxury resort in Hawaii. Or waiting backstage to dance at keiki hula competitions, the air humming with tuberose and hibiscus.Ĭhief among those songs is “Hawai’i Aloha.” Familiar to anyone who’s grown up in Hawaii, the revered Native Hawaiian anthem is sung en masse, our hands interlaced, at the end of concerts and formal gatherings. Vivid melodies that transport me to my father’s white truck as he drives me home from volleyball practice, sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic, his jeans streaked with dry cement. But does it realize it succumbs to the same point of view?Īs someone born and raised in Hawaii, there are certain Native Hawaiian folk songs that feel capable of time travel.

The HBO series is a scathing roast of white privilege. This article was originally published by Vox on AMC.The White Lotus is as clueless about Native Hawaiians as its characters. The Robot Chicken Walking Dead special, “Look Who’s Walking,” airs October 8 at midnight on Adult Swim, and The Walking Dead Season 8 premieres October 22 at 9 p.m. Hilarity ensues, as shown by the first clip released on The Walking Dead’s Instagram: The tour guide begins telling the history of The Walking Dead until an old man with an eyepatch, Old Man Carl, pulls aside Robot Chicken character the Nerd to give his version of the apocalypse. The special’s story begins with a group of fans visiting a Walking Dead museum full of artifacts like Daryl’s crossbow. The episode will include performances from Andrew Lincoln, Chandler Riggs, Norman Reedus, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Sarah Wayne Callies, Jon Bernthal, Lennie James, Steven Yeun, Scott Wilson, Danai Gurira, Melissa McBride, Michael Rooker, and Josh McDermitt. West, several of The Walking Dead’s cast members will play their original roles. So Seth put a call into Daniel Radcliffe…and basically we had Daniel Radcliffe singing the Terminus song. The agent for the actor who played Gareth from Terminus said he doesn’t sing. Writer Tom Sheppard says it was actually a coincidence that brought Daniel to the role: One of them is the Boy Who Lived himself, Daniel Radcliffe!ĭaniel voices Terminus member Gareth, and for a surprising reason. Robot Chicken, the hilarious stop-motion comedy show, is beloved for its wacky concept and parodies of huge franchises like Star Wars. The next episode is a Walking Dead-inspired special, in which several guest stars make an appearance.

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