After two amazing seasons set in Hawaii and Sicily, “The White Lotus” returns for a third season, this time in tropical Thailand. HBO’s critically acclaimed anthology series is known for its sharp social commentary and darkly comedic take on wealth and privilege.
“The White Lotus” offers a deliciously complex exploration of human nature, and creator Mike White has a knack for creating memorable characters who are full of surprises.
The series is also known for Mike White’s signature plot device that he uses to great effect. Each season opens with a flash-forward to a death, immediately establishing a sense of unease and mystery. We’re left guessing throughout the season about who died and what happened. The questions hang over the season, though we get so wrapped up in the intertwined stories that the questions often fade, until some of the events remind us of what might be coming.
Season 3 premiered last night on HBO, and we have another interesting set of guests arriving to the fictional resort. We won’t cover all of the characters here, so we’ll focus on some of our favorites.
Rich and Chelsea
The great Walton Goggins plays Rich Hatchett who comes across as a pretty grumpy dude who has some serious problems. He arrives with his gorgeous and cheerful companion Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood). Chelsea is trying to get Rich to enjoy himself, even offering tantric sex, but later in the evening she ends up by herself at the bar where she meets a beautiful model Chloe (Charlotte Le Bon) living near the resort.. And this is where we get one of the first surprises of the series, as Chloe tells Chelsea about her old, bald boyfriend. She explains how he’s one of what the local woman call LBHs (“Losers Back Home”). And this particular loser happens to be good old Greg (Jon Gries), who we all know had something to do with Tanya’s death from Season 2. We’re looking forward to seeing how this plays out with Greg, and naturally we’re hoping that lovely Chelsea and Chloe are spared the fate that awaits one of the characters.
Jaclyn, Kate and Laurie
We have three old girlfriends getting together as TV star Jaclyn (Michelle Monaghan) treats her childhood friends Kate (Leslie Bibb) and Laurie (Carrie Coon) to a spectacular vacation. They’re all lovely and seem successful on the surface, but it quickly becomes clear that we can expect some drama as the ladies settle in.
The Ratliff Family
And naturally we have that one dysfunctional family that always seems to be at the center of the drama. The dad, Timothy (Jason Isaacs), seems to be on a verge of a serious problem after taking a call from a Wall Street Journal reporter. He has what seems to be a loyal wife Victoria with an exaggerated southern drawl (Parker Posey), along with what appears to be three rather strange kids, Saxon (Patrick Schwarzenegger) Piper (Sarah Catherine Hook) and Lochlan (Sam Nivola). Patrick Schwarzenegger’s portrayal of Saxon stands out in this first episode. He has the vibe and charisma of a young Tom Cruise, and so far he’s hilarious as the cocky rich kid whose on the prowl for a hookup.
Mook
And finally, we have the beautiful Mook (Lalisa Manobal) who works at the resort. She’s friend with Gaitok, a security guard at the resort who clearly has a crush on her. We’ll see how that plays out, but we’re guessing that Mook will get plenty of attention from Saxon and other guests as well.
Podcasts
Podcasts are a great way to add to the enjoyment of your favorite shows, so we checked out The White Lotus Official Podcast. In the first episode, hosts Jia Tolentino and Josh Bearman are joined by Michelle Monaghan and executive producer David Bernad to break down the Season 3 premiere. It’s a solid episode that makes it a worthwhile listen.
Even better is The Prestige TV Podcast with Bill Simmons, Joanna Robinson, and Mallory Rubin. They have even more fun with this episode and predictions for the new season.
