this article does not contain spoilers!
Vacations and hotel stays should be fun—not deadly. And yet, they are always both on “The White Lotus.”
The first episode of season 3 premiered on Max in February, with the remaining seven episodes releasing weekly until April. As a new fan of the show, I completed the entire series this month. With the content still fresh in my mind, I believe season 3 is one of the best in the show’s history.
With season 3, writer and producer Mike White has nailed “The White Lotus” formula. Each season takes viewers to a different chain location at The White Lotus resort, where we spend a full season with a chaotic cast of hotel guests and employees. At least one of them is guaranteed to die before the week is over.
Season 3 is no exception, taking place at The White Lotus Thailand with four groups of characters—a family, a couple, a female group of friends and Belinda from season one. Within five minutes of the first episode, a shooting breaks out, and viewers are left once again with the familiar questions of who is alive, who is dead and who wishes they were?
“The White Lotus” season 3 is a season of elevation–from the character dynamics to the overall theme and, of course, the ending. Once again, the show finds another way to make its formula fresh and fantastic.
character dynamics
“The White Lotus” season 3 is full of both new and famous faces. But this season, it’s more than just interesting characters and faces that amplify it. The dynamics between the characters as they interact with each other brings the script to life, making them more than just simple conversational exchanges; they must navigate the intentions of the other characters they interact with. Those interactions and dynamics influence later decisions and conflicts, creating this underlying tension that just builds and builds until the season finale. At the end of every episode, I always thought I had an idea of who would be killed, but then I’d watch the next one and question my entire thought process.
overarching theme
Spirituality is the key theme of this season, according to Mike White. I was skeptical of this because I wasn’t sure how that theme would be translated on the screen. The first two seasons tackled class differences and lust, respectively, and I could find a clear take away from each.
Season 3’s themes of spirituality and death are more than just surface level. Set in Thailand, there is Buddhist influence, but spirituality is more than just organized religion here–it also includes purpose, morality, destiny and inner peace. Therefore, several character arcs are more internal, and we watch as those characters grapple, often unbeknownst to others, with setbacks and challenges in their lives. Spirituality, for some, becomes more than just an influence but a guidance to understanding others and justifying decisions; and, it’s not always the saving grace you might expect it to be.
ending
Season 3 packed a gut punch of an ending. Murder was always on the table, but I expected nothing of this nature. It was dramatic, chaotic and heartbreaking all the same because I knew these characters–had witnessed their complexities and vulnerabilities. I learned to understand, if not justify their actions.
This ending left the most impact on me because of how it impacted the rest of the storyline. It came crashing down for everyone, and no one is able to build up their lives to how they were prior to their arrival at “The White Lotus.”
conclusion
That’s the truth of “The White Lotus,” though—no one is ever the same after any stay (or watch). Season 3 of “The White Lotus” is a season of confidence rooted in improving the formula. The character dynamics, overarching theme and ending all prove there is always something new and original that can be found at a White Lotus hotel.