It’s a standard entice for a well-liked collection: After a pair adored seasons, important acclaim and quite a few Emmy wins, the damage and tear settles in as a as soon as surefire situation that appeared vibrant and contemporary exhausts all artistic prospects.
Not so with “White Lotus,” creator Mike White’s wry, gutsy travelogue with quite a few advantages. It stays as depraved a delight as ever because it skewers the wealthy by dropping anchor at a complicated luxury-brand lodge the place a clutch of rich however extremely problematic vacationers unpack their neuroses whereas engaged on their tans. Some, although, wind up floating useless within the water.
White’s gulp-able HBO collection retains its Relais & Châteaux standing in Season 3, which kicks off Sunday night time, as attractive and humorous as ever. And if something, it’s much more cringeworthy this time round.
White shifts from the sensuality of Sicily to a calming (or so it will appear) wellness and religious retreat on a Thailand island. The surroundings change is as refreshing as a tropical breeze, with White introducing us to a brand new assortment of visitors able to disrupt the calming waves of paradise.
This new gaggle of principally privileged People stay as flawed and self-absorbed as ever, too. They embrace the obnoxious Ratliff brood — with a twitchy father (Jason Issacs) who’s dealing with authorized issues; a pill-popping mother (Parker Posey) who’s tone-deaf about nearly all the things; a Buddhist-leaning daughter (Sarah Catherine Hook); a cocksure, loutish pretty-boy son (Patrick Schwarzenegger); a quiet, acquiescing youthful son (Sam Nivola) who’s harboring a secret. The gang additionally contains three feminine besties who reunite for a lady’s journey and need to have some enjoyable — avery beneficiant, or so it appears, actress (Michelle Monaghan), a two-faced gossip (Leslie Bibb) and an emotionally brittle pal (Carrie Coon) who feels just like the imposter inside this coiffed group.
And the visitor record doesn’t finish there. The welcome mat is unfurled for an intense mess of a person (Walton Goggins) with a debt he desires to pay; he’s there along with his gregarious girlfriend (Aimee Lou Wooden); a customer from Maui (Natasha Rothwell) who works within the hospitality trade and; in fact, the lodge’s accommodating employees (Lalisa Manoban, Tayme Thapthimthong, Arnas Fedaravičius, Christian Friedel and extra) who work for its movie star proprietor (Lek Patravadi).
That’s loads of characters to get to know and preserve observe of. However per White’s norm, every is so clearly delineated and well-cast that the largesse by no means will get complicated or overwhelming because the tales intertwine and coil and slither round one another like a nest of snakes. Explicit kudos go to Schwarzenegger, Coon, Goggins, Isaacs, Nivola, Bibb, Posey, Monaghan and Lou Wooden.
Their shenanigans, motivations and needs make for an additional shock-filled escape. I devoured down six of the eight episodes obtainable for evaluate, and can say – with out even the slightest reservations– that “Lotus” regulars ought to verify in for this third season. You gained’t be disillusioned. Simply be ready to get your jaw dropped and your raised eyebrows torched proper off.
‘THE WHITE LOTUS’ — SEASON 3
8 episodes; 4 stars out of 4
Solid: Leslie Bibb, Carrie Coon, Walton Goggins, Sarah Catherine Hook, Jason Isaacs, Lalisa Manobal, Michelle Monaghan, Sam Nivola, Lek Patravadi, Parker Posey, Natasha Rothwell, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Tayme Thapthimthong, Aimee Lou Wooden
When & the place: Debuts Feb. 16 on HBO; obtainable to stream on Max; one episode can be launched per week in subsequent weeks
Initially Printed: February 11, 2025 at 2:54 PM PST
