Blog Post | February 26th, 2025
The White Lotus: Third Time's the Charm, or Last Call?
By Nicholas O'Connor
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PHOTO: SS HBO
Take enough vacations, and eventually, travel begins to lose its luster. That has been the specter hanging over The White Lotus, the breakout HBO anthology series about wealthy people indulging their worst instincts in the midst of Instagram-perfect scenery. Season one offered a whodunit, biting social commentary, and a certain unforgettable rimming scene that immediately sent Lukas Gage and Murray Bartlett into viral sensation status. Season two kept us on the edge of our seats with its stunning Sicilian landscapes, Jennifer Coolidge's melodramatic antics, and one of the most surprising plot twists in recent history—Jack (Leo Woodall) being Quentin's (Tom Hollander) more than "nephew." For season three, The White Lotus is planning a visit to Thailand, complete with new guests, new scandals, and more of the darkly comedic chaos that's made the initial two seasons so binge-worthy.
PHOTO: SS HBO
But does it live up to expectations? That's what everyone wants to know. As the early reviews roll in, there's already a suggestion of doubt as to whether the show's successful formula is beginning to feel a bit too predictable. The third-season opener, which debuts on Feb. 16, presents a new group of upscale travelers: an ill-matched couple (Walton Goggins and Aimee Lou Wood), an affluent family trying to keep up with their quirky children (Jason Isaacs, Parker Posey, Sarah Catherine Hook, Patrick Schwarzenegger, and Sam Nivola), and three glamorous best friends on a high-end vacation (Leslie Bibb, Carrie Coon, and Michelle Monaghan). And, in a nice return, Natasha Rothwell is back as a spa manager, this time on a work exchange in Thailand. If her previous storyline is anything to go by, she'll be getting mixed up in the lives of her wealthy guests again in no time.
PHOTO: SS HBO
Season three is starting off strong, leaning into the show's signature mix of absurdity and class critique. With a new location ripe with cultural meaning, The White Lotus has the opportunity to dig into new themes—maybe exploring the impact of Western tourism on Southeast Asia or delving deeper into the intersection of privilege and spirituality. And then, naturally, there's the ever-present whodunit: Somebody's gonna die, but who? And how?
PHOTO: SS HBO
The real question is whether The White Lotus is still capable of surprising us. Part of the show's magic has always been the way that it makes us think we know what is going to happen, only to upend us at the very end. If season three can still pull off those jaw-dropping shocks, then Mike White might have another winner on his hands. Otherwise, well… even the most luxurious vacations can start to feel like routine after a while.
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