HBO’s The White Lotus finished its third season, but did it offer anything new or exciting? Some thoughts…
Warning! The following article includes MAJOR spoilers for all seasons of The White Lotus.
“Rich people are horrible.”
This is the basic premise of Mike White’s HBO juggernaut The White Lotus. Each season takes place at a different luxury resort where various, obscenely rich people moan about their lives while sipping cocktails by the pool. It’s equally addictive and frustrating to watch.
It’s always been the appeal of the show: we can make fun and scoff at these off-putting people and laugh at their predicaments. But there’s also a reward of sorts for us peasants if we can sustain to watch these self-centred characters all the way to the end.
Each season usually starts with a body being found. We don’t know the whos, the hows or the whys, but as the action rewinds back seven days, we’re promised that at least one person will get what’s coming to them. Or do they?
The White Lotus season 3 took us to the White Lotus in Thailand, beginning with someone opening fire on the guests. The storytellers then spend the next nine episodes building up intrigue over who’s demented or desperate enough to go on such a rampage. Multiple people are given motives; Jason Isaac’s family man Timothy is about to get in trouble for his part in a money laundering scheme, which could cost him everything, and Rick (Walton Goggins) is in Thailand to avenge his father’s murder, despite his young girlfriend’s (Aimee Lou Wood) protests. Young security guard Gaitok (Tayme Thapthimthong) is trying to woo his crush, but finds himself stuck, professionally and romantically, and three middle-aged friends reconnect away from their personal lives.
The series, which has 15 Emmys under its belt, has always somewhat relied on shock value, mostly involving sex. Season 1 had Murray Bartlett’s Armand get caught with his face between his employee’s bare butt cheeks while season 2 involved a father and a son having sex with the same sex worker.
Season 3 takes the shock value even further by introducing an incestous – we’ll come back to this word in a bit – storyline involving two brothers. Timothy’s son Lochlan (Sam Nivola) is the awkward younger sibling to Saxon (Patrick Schwarzenegger), the family’s golden boy and, as one of the other guests notes, a douche bag. Lochlan’s admiration of his brother starts getting more and more intense as he stares at him naked.
Saxon is completely oblivious to his brother’s affection, but things come to an awkward end as a drunken, drug-fuelled night ends with Lochlan having getting physical with a sex worker while also reaching over to his brother and giving him a happy ending. Saxon is horrified and disgusted as his hazy memory of the night returns.
The storyline has gathered plenty of press attention and headlines have screamed about The White Lotus involving an “incest” relationship. Here’s that shock factor again. But Saxon and Lochlan’s tryst wasn’t just a tryst; it was sexual assault. Saxon was under the influence, unable to make clear decisions and he didn’t consent. Yet, The White Lotus never treats it as such, instead focusing on Saxon’s embarrassment over it and even plays it for laughs at times.
This is exactly what encapsulates the biggest issue with The White Lotus. Aside from trying to upset viewers, there’s little meat on its bones. Every season seems to be in competition with the previous one, trying to up the ante, be as shocking as possible, but there’s little reward in it anymore.
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The whole of season 3 in particular failed to bring back that rush of season 1’s ending or the sheer comedic mastery of season 2 as Jennifer Coolidge screamed “These gays are out to murder me!” on a boat in Italy.
This season, the two most likable characters met their maker as Rick opened fire on the man he thought killed his father – only to find out he is his father – in one of the most predictable twists in the show’s history. Rick then ended up becoming the victim himself, alongside his girlfriend Chelsea.
Not only was the finale lacklustre in its resolution, but it seems to have completely forgotten what The White Lotus is supposed to be about. Season 3 has constantly asked for our empathy when it comes to its characters, which is in direct contrast to what the series started out as. Of course, rich people can face troubles, be abused and unhappy in general, but The White Lotus has become repetitive, dull and can’t find anything to say about its characters or how different their lives are from our own.
The one stroke of brilliance this season was the inclusion of Belinda from season 1. She arrived in Thailand with plans of opening her own wellness centre, something she planned with Coolidge’s Tanya before the latter left without fulfilling her promise of investing in Belinda’s dream. In Thailand, Belinda encounters Tanya’s ex Greg, who got her murdered in order to get all of her money. In order to keep Belinda quiet, Greg pays her $5m.
It’s great for Belinda, but she had made plans with a local massage therapist to collaborate on the wellness centre. Now, with her newfound wealth, Belinda does exactly what Tanya did to her, and keeps the money. Wealth really does corrupt you, and it’s a tragic, yet poetic ending to Belinda’s arc. If only other characters had as rich and interesting conclusions.
The series has already been renewed for another run. But after such a disappointing season, we can only hope Mike White manages to find something more substantial to say.
All episodes of The White Lotus are now streaming on Sky and NOW
