Review: 'The White Lotus' Season 3 Pushes the Limits of Chaos
It’s an undeniable thrill, albeit not a soothing one, to revisit “The White Lotus.”
Airing on HBO, this anthology series set in lavish hotels serves up a deliciously intricate satire on wealth, laced with sharp wit and profound themes. Yet, it also induces a fair amount of anxiety, even for those embarking on this vacation for the third time. With its latest humid offering, “Lotus” ventures to Thailand, once again boasting a cast brimming with stars and a stress-inducing ambiance. The show consistently operates on the principle that the more opulent the hotel, the more unsettling the viewer’s experience.
Though the cast remains engaging and the disdain for the obscenely rich is as biting as ever, the current “Lotus” installment lacks the razor-sharp edge of its predecessors. It takes its time to gather momentum, and the satire doesn’t cut quite as deeply. Yet, this critique is akin to scrutinizing a masterpiece. The expectations for “Lotus” and its creator, Mike White, soar into the stratosphere, built upon the previous two extraordinary seasons. An “only-good” season of “Lotus” still surpasses most television offerings today.
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Echoing the formula of past seasons, this year’s story kicks off with a puzzling death, rewinding a week to unveil the events leading up to it. This time, the stakes escalate with a shooting that appears to have claimed multiple victims. However, this grisly opening quickly transitions to the familiar welcoming smiles of the Thailand White Lotus staff, greeting three central groups of guests.
First, there’s the Ratliff clan from North Carolina — Timothy (Jason Isaacs), Victoria (Parker Posey), Saxon (Patrick Schwarzenegger), Piper (Sarah Catherine Hook), and Lachlan (Sam Nivola) — who are indulging their daughter’s newfound interest in Buddhism.
Also seeking “wellness” and reconnection are lifelong friends Jaclyn (Michelle Monaghan), Kate (Leslie Bibb), and Laurie (Carrie Coon), now navigating their 40s with distinct differences.
Lastly, Rick (Walton Goggins) and his noticeably younger girlfriend Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood) stand out as a somewhat uncouth couple amid the posh elegance around them.
The hotel staff, occupying the “downstairs” roles, includes Belinda (Natasha Rothwell), returning from Season 1, engaged in a work exchange at the Thailand branch. Additionally, there’s Gaitok (Tayme Thapthimthong), a sincere security guard infatuated with breezy “health mentor” Mook (Lalisa Manobal, of K-pop fame Blackpink). True to “Lotus” form, the employees merely aim to perform their duties as the guests’ escapades unfold around them.
While Season 3 of “Lotus” might lack in certain areas, White’s genius for crafting tension is unmatched. Scenes set in luxurious yachts and exquisite hotel pools evoke the same nail-biting anticipation as a confrontation scene elsewhere. Every character exchange in “Lotus” feels significant, tinged with the possibility of erupting into chaos.
Each “Lotus” season offers fewer laughs and more cringe-worthy moments that make you want to cover your eyes. This might be a reflection of the increasingly somber world each season emerges into, marked by ever-darker headlines. If “Lotus” teeters constantly on the brink of disorder and strife, it mirrors the tumult of the broader world. Indeed, we’re all just one drink away from our worst selves.