Sometimes, it’s hard to explain the appeal of The White Lotus. If you’ve never watched it, you might wonder why so many are obsessed with watching the decadent lives of the rich get exposed for the absurdities they are.
If you have watched it, you know the show is a concoction of bitter humour, sharp social commentary, and an uncomfortable sense of pleasure as the rich characters’ lives unravel in front of us.
It’s a mix of schadenfreude and suspense – the slow burn of watching privileged individuals deal with the consequences of their actions, all within the luxury of an exotic resort.
Now, in its third season, the show is back, this time whisking us away to a Thai wellness retreat, where the ever-present gunshots, stunning visuals, and neurotic characters return, promising an even deeper dive into the chaos and narcissism that runs rampant in the world of the ultra-wealthy.
The plot of The White Lotus Season 3 unfolds at a secluded resort in Thailand, setting the stage for another round of social observation, moral unravelling and of course, a deadly mystery.
As always, the season opens with a tense moment: a body floats through a water lily pond, a chilling sight that’s quickly followed by gunshots. The guests, blissfully unaware of the fate awaiting them, are caught in a web of drama, deceit and existential crises.
One of the show’s signature elements is its ability to draw you into a seemingly serene environment, only for it to gradually unravel into something darker, more sinister. The Thai setting, with its lush natural beauty and overwhelming tranquillity, creates a perfect backdrop for the chaos that brews among the resort’s guests.
This time, the guests are as varied as ever. The Ratcliff family, led by the financially shaky and emotionally distant patriarch Timothy (Jason Isaacs), is at the heart of the season’s drama.
Timothy’s wife, Victoria (Parker Posey), is a drug-addled, neurotic mess, while their two sons, Saxon (Patrick Schwarzenegger) and Lochlan (Sam Nivola), embody varying degrees of privilege and self-delusion. Their middle child, Piper (Sarah Catherine Hook), a budding academic, has come to Thailand to interview a monk for her college thesis on Buddhism.
But underneath their pretensions and privilege, the family is falling apart at the seams. Piper is hiding her own secrets, Saxon is a toxic, privileged brat and Victoria’s drug-induced haze brings constant tension. It’s this fractured family dynamic that propels the emotional turmoil of the season, with every decision and every word spoken carrying the weight of unresolved resentments and fears.
Then there’s the trio of lifelong friends reconnecting in Thailand: Kate (Leslie Bibb), Laurie (Carrie Coon), and Jaclyn (Michelle Monaghan). These three women share a toxic history of friendship, each one clinging to an idealised version of their past as they bicker and resent each other in passive-aggressive ways.
Their interactions are some of the most painfully relatable moments of the show, with White’s writing expertly capturing the subtle cruelty and undercurrents of competition that often define long-term friendships. Jaclyn is a famous TV actress, while Laurie and Kate, less glamorous, feel the weight of their own insecurities and envy.
Watching them try to reclaim some semblance of their old bond, while also trying to outdo one another, is nothing short of fascinating as the season slowly exposes their most vulnerable and often hypocritical selves.
The other key relationship this season is that of the older man, Rick (Walton Goggins), and his much younger girlfriend, Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood). Their relationship is awkward, to say the least, as Rick seems to be constantly irritated by Chelsea’s bubbly nature, and Chelsea, in turn, remains blissfully unaware of the tension she creates.
This age-gap romance feels almost more like a social experiment than a genuine connection, and while Goggins and Wood both deliver solid performances, their chemistry feels flat compared to the other, more compelling relationships in the show.
As always, the staff at the resort plays a key role in the drama. Belinda (Natasha Rothwell), who made her debut in the first season, returns to The White Lotus, this time working at the Thai location after her dreams were dashed in Season 1. Now, she’s participating in a sort of employee-exchange program, learning Thai massage techniques while trying to rebuild her life.
Her storyline, alongside her budding connection with the charming spa employee Pornchai (Dom Hetrakul), brings a much-needed grounding to the otherwise chaotic and self-absorbed world of the guests. The show’s social commentary continues to shine through as it examines the ways in which the wealthy interact with the people who serve them – often with cold detachment and condescension, but sometimes with genuine moments of connection.
The White Lotus continues its tradition of introducing new characters while keeping the audience invested in the ongoing saga of its returning favourites. The season thrives on its ensemble cast, with every character bringing their own layer of complexity to the table.
While many of the characters this season repeat the familiar tropes of previous seasons – the self-absorbed rich family, the toxic friendship dynamic and the unravelling romance – the show still manages to bring something fresh to the table. The beautiful, yet threatening, Thai backdrop provides an entirely new level of tension, as the once-calm waters of the resort’s luxurious spa now seem to be brimming with danger.
However, as much as this season delivers in terms of its visual beauty and acting performances, there’s a noticeable shift in the overall tone. The show, which once balanced sharp humour with dark drama, has moved more toward the latter, leaning heavily into existential themes of death, guilt and the emptiness that wealth often brings.
The humour, though still present, feels more subdued and while the drama is ever-present, it’s at times overwhelming, without the biting wit that characterised the show’s earlier seasons. Some of the characters’ arcs seem repetitive, and the storylines begin to feel overly familiar, especially with Piper’s journey mirroring that of Sydney Sweeney’s character in the first season.
The show’s pacing is another area where it falters slightly. The first few episodes set the stage beautifully, slowly revealing the layers of tension between the characters.
However, the story doesn’t truly begin to gain momentum until episodes five and six, and even then, there’s a sense of waiting – for the inevitable violence, for the cathartic release that has become a trademark of the series. By the time the season reaches its climax, you can’t help but wonder if the slow burn was worth the payoff.
Still, The White Lotus Season 3 is an engaging ride, mostly because of its exceptional performances and its sharp, if at times repetitive, commentary on the lives of the rich and disconnected. White has crafted a world where the tension is always palpable, even when the characters aren’t aware of it.
The Thai setting brings a new, exotic flavour to the mix, but it’s the same old formula at the core: wealth, privilege, and a deadly reckoning waiting in the wings. And while this season may not quite reach the highs of its predecessors, it remains a compelling, if occasionally meandering, exploration of human nature in all its ugly, fascinating glory.
