The White Lotus - series three - starts February 17th

[curiositykilledthiscat]

The Emmy-award winning HBO original series, which offers an inside look at the powerful and wealthy as they navigate complex personal dynamics and face potentially dangerous experiences while on vacation, returns for its third season this month.

"Seeking peace can be a trip," reads the tagline for this season, which was created, written and directed by former "Survivor" contestant Mike White.
This time around, viewers will be whisked away to an "exclusive" resort in Thailand, where an eclectic group of guests and resort employees will play, and likely misbehave, over the span of a week. "The White Lotus" Season 3 guests include a wealthy businessman and his family, three longtime friends who haven't seen each other in a while on a girls' trip and "rugged man with a chip on his shoulder" and his girlfriend, among others.

Anyone else looking forward to this? Starts on Monday and will be shown on Now and Sky. No watching on demand as all episodes will be dropped weekly.

How rich was she - I do remember insanely rich wasn’t she

I didn't take it that Piper was annoyed about her brother muscling on her thing or wanting to be away from her entire family. I got that she was concerned he would not be starting Uni and she was thinking more as an older sibling about why he would take (waste) a year to be there, maybe empathising more with her mother's feelings. I think she's quite maternal to him, in the first episode she suggested he sleep in her villa as though he were much younger rather than an 18/9yo.

I don't think she was that concerned- he expressed something about dark thoughts/dark side (can't remember exactly) and she asked precisely zero follow up questions then fucked off to bed! I agree with PP she's miffed that he's stepping on 'her thing'- also I think she's regretting her decision anyway, as evidenced by her looking at the dripping ceiling etc in bed. I reckon she'll go home with her family (assuming they go home).

Chelsea is very much a fan favourite this year. Are you sure you're talking about the right person since you didn't realise who Laurie was shagging 😉

I'm absolutely loving the themes running through this season to the backdrop of Buddhism. So well written, all the symbolism and foreshadowing. For me, it's the best season out of the three so far. I think one of the Ratliffs will stay at the buddhist centre but it won't be Piper. Maybe Lachlan. There's so much going on that needs to be resolved. I'm wondering if Chelsea will end up with Saxon. They've already had a bit of a moment in her room, she loves a lost soul and he's showing signs of wanting to change. If Gaitok hadn't taken the gun back Tim would have blasted Victoria, Saxon and then himself so we know he's at the end of his rope. Will he try and poison some of the family with the fruit in their garden? Now Gaitok and Laurie know who committed the robbery how will that play out? Is Jim Rick's real father? There was a real look of recognition when he said his mother's name. Is Mook as innocent as she seems? Is it relevant that Kate knew Victoria? Will she see a story on her phone about the Ratliffs and put two and two together and blow up Tim' s story. Then there's the whole Gary story. AAAAAAGHHH so many questions. The last episode is 90 minutes long, seems too much to tie up! I've no idea who will end up dead but I don't think the floating body is from the shooting. I don't have much confidence Gaitok will survive though.

I’m loving this season. Granted it’s not as good as season 2, but that was perfection, to be fair.

I think Chelsea is cool, I’m glad the actress didn’t ‘get her teeth fixed’. She wouldn’t stand out among the hundreds of young, pretty actresses out there!

I find the portrayal of cougars letting loose on holiday, getting drunk, skinny dipping, shagging bad men and cheating on their husbands as a generally positive / empowering thing, to be so interesting. Especially in contrast to the portrayal of the old men with much younger girlfriends as sleazy, grumpy and deeply troubled. Great time to be a cougar in society, it seems. 🙌

Yep, definitely the bland Chelsea who’s the girlfriend of Rick is who I mean. Or maybe it’s the actress who plays her who bores me.

That reminds me not to watch the last episode on my phone - that’s why I got confused about Valentin, plus ageing eye sight.

Sigh me up to the ‘I’d shag Gary’ club. I remember the actor from the Taken films.

The foreshadowing is something I only notice on the second watch but you definitely are on to something with the garden fruit.

Maybe no one dies if the floating body isn’t dead

yes we hear shots but doesn’t mean someone will get shot and die

The preview for the last episode shows someone in a zipped up body bag so I think there will be a death

I don’t think the 3 friends are being portrayed as being empowered at all. Valantine has been shown to hold them contempt twice over (sending them to the pensioners’ resort, then abruptly leaving them in the market knowing that they were about to get drenched), the men are all shown to have Russian girlfriends (whom Jacky immediately provokes), and when Laurie finally shags one he immediately hits her up for money. Oh, and then she immediately gets chased out the window.

They look a bit desperate to not notice how they’re actually regarded by the Russians. Not very empowering or glamorous!

Ah. I never watch the previews of next Episode as find it ruins it

I agree, in one of the first episodes when they had their body reports done and realised he was feeding two of them the same spiel, they didn't laugh together at what a sleezeball he is, they continued to jockey for position with him. I think they're cringe rather than empowered.

@InvisablepanicYes, I’d forgotten the “markers for a woman half your age” thing - good point!

They are paralleling the easily flattered “losers back home” men with their very young, in-it-for-the-money girlfriends, but they’re completely oblivious to it.

Does anyone think that Laurie has taken the jewellery? She looked at it then looked at her bag then the camera panned back to Alexei. Next thing she is out of the window and smirking to herself as she walks down the street

Oh I hope not. But that is one plot device to get the Russians back into the hotel with a vendetta.

She definitely did. When she let go of the window sill, fell to the ground and her bag rolled away, a necklace fell out and she grabbed it and stuffed it back in before she ran and found the taxi.

I was assuming she’d dob them in at the hotel, but who knows…?

Oh my! I wasn’t sure if she’d taken it (watched episode on phone) but of course - it will be all about the conversation with her pals, where they said she always makes the choice that leaves her feeling like a victim. She has determined to break out and do the thing.

So yes - that will send the Russians, with their gun, back to the hotel!

Fabulous!!

The final episode is longer than usual;

https://deadline.com/2025/04/the-white-lotus-season-3-finale-runtime-90-minutes-1236356205/

Oh this is good news, the episodes fly by too fast for me and there's a lot to tie up.

On that note, do we think Chelsea ACTUALLY thinks Rick is her soulmate or is it all just an act?

I've love The white lotus. Season 3 so far has been my favourite. 💓💓

this was a fun read

https://consequence.net/2025/03/white-lotus-season-3-characters-die-finale/2/?utm_source=ActiveCampaign&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Consequence%20Daily:%20White%20Lotus%20Characters%20Ranked%20By%20How%20Much%20I%20Hope%20They%20Die%20in%20the%20Season%203%20Finale&utm_campaign=Consequence%20Daily%20-%204/2&vgo_ee=fNQjkx+bs3qhAL4M/9Yd9YQIlzFVJlqHeS9a0lkDkTlNAWylGVxhlWaRdQ==:VuIqKLYuSWo/IYYTpSZWysxb+WUl5Pwd

You are observant. I missed that

Thanks @cordelia16. A good read

@drspouse I do think she genuinely thinks that - both slightly eccentric characters.