“The White Lotus” S3: Welcome to Thailand [Episode 1 Review]

We’ve already been with Mike White on the exotic Hawaiian islands and the hot Sicily. From now on, every Monday we can mentally teleport ourselves to the paradise island of Koh Samui in Thailand and, in the face of the surprisingly cold winter, warm up a little. The safe distance of our home player allows us to distance ourselves from the group of privileged rich people from the new season of the cult series The White Lotus, with whom we definitely wouldn’t want to spend a holiday, but watching them on screen stirs up an exciting mix of contempt, disgust, and fascination.

As always, it starts with a dead body. Death is an inseparable part of The White Lotus. Zion (Nicholas Duvernay), who is currently meditating, suddenly hears gunshots. He came to the island to visit his mother, who is doing a three-month wellness training at a luxury hotel. Terrified that she might be in danger, he jumps into the water surrounding the wooden villa. In a moment, we spot a floating corpse in the pond.

Who died? It might be one of the three friends in their forties who went on a girls’ trip. Jaclyn (Michelle Monaghan) is a TV star who is well-known in her country. She treated her two childhood friends – Kate (Leslie Bibb) and Laurie (the wonderful Carrie Coon) – to this luxurious trip. However, beneath the overly sweet compliments lies hidden competition among the friends, particularly the slowly growing tension and feelings of rejection in Laurie.

Among the potential victims is also a young, easy-going, open, and sarcastic British woman, Chelsea (charming Aimee Lou Wood), who arrived on the island with her older, balding, and grumpy boyfriend, an American named Rick (Walton Goggins). “Take care of your face,” she says, encouraging him to get a spa treatment. “At the airport, they thought you were my father.” However, nothing Chelsea says seems to affect the angry Rick, just as the breathtaking views and luxuries of the Thai resort don’t move him. The only thing that interests him is the absence of Jim Hollinger, the husband of the owner, the elegant former Thai star Sritali (Patravadi Mejudhon).

The Ratliff family also comes into play, a 2+3 family embodying the stereotype of privileged, rich, white Americans from the South. The head of the family is Timothy (Jason Isaacs), a financier involved in shady deals, pursued by investigative journalists. His son Saxon (Patrick Schwarzenegger), embodying toxic masculinity, is preparing to take over the father’s empire. He’s a handsome frat boy who believes the world is at his feet. His pretentious name perfectly matches his arrogant character, focused solely on sex and making money.

Saxon, the oldest, is the apple of his parents’ eyes – not only Timothy’s but also his mother Victoria’s (Parker Posey), a jaded drug addict who can’t understand why they had to fly halfway across the world for a vacation. The reason is the college thesis of the family’s only daughter, Piper (Sarah Catherine Hook), who wants to interview a Buddhist monk living at the local temple. The girl’s interests alienate her from the self-centered, unspiritual family, and a battle between her and Saxon unfolds over the soul of the youngest brother, Lochy (Sam Nivola). The quiet, somewhat withdrawn boy is torn between his sister and brother – which side will he choose?

One of the key elements of the series that has contributed to its immense success has always been the excellent and unexpected casting choices. And here, it’s no different. In season three, Parker Posey, the queen of 90s and 00s American indie cinema, dominates with her exaggerated Southern accent and face numbed by too many sedatives. I can’t wait to see what Carrie Coon, who impressed me a few years ago in The Nest (2020), will show. Although we won’t see the hilariously wonderful Jennifer Coolidge in this season, since Mike White killed off her character in the second season, the character of Belinda (played by Natasha Rothwell, who was nominated for an Emmy for this role) returns from season one. Perhaps the most fascinating acting transformation is by Christian Friedel – from Rudolf Höß in The Zone of Interest to the charming, somewhat clumsy hotel manager.

After the first episode, I still approach the series cautiously. The third season, while visually stunning and excellently cast, doesn’t pull me in like the previous ones. The hour-long premiere episode dragged on a bit, and it should have been the other way around. However, the biggest disappointment is the change in the opening theme’s main motif – Cristobal Tapia de Veer’s composition had become a cult signature of the series and the subject of countless memes. I’m not giving up on the series yet, but I’ll be watching closely to see what the creators have in store for this season.