Jeri Jacquin
Now on DVD from creator Mike White is the HBO Original THE WHITE LOTUS: The Complete Third Season.
Zion (Nicholas Duvernay) is attempting to try meditation with Amrita (Shalini Peiris) when gunfire breaks out leaving him wondering where mom Belinda (Natasha Rothwell) is. A week prior, a boat comes to port with Rick (Walton Goggins), girlfriend Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood), Timothy (Jason Isaacs), wife Victoria (Parker Posey) and their kids Saxon (Patrick Schwarzenegger), Piper (Sarah Hook) and Lochlan (Sam Nivola). Also, actress Jaclyn (Michelle Monaghan) and friends Kate (Leslie Bibb) and Laurie (Carrie Coon). Already on shore is Chloe (Charlotte Le Bonn) and Greg (Jon Gries). Fabian (Christian Friedel) meets the guests along with hotel owner Sritala (Lek Patravadi).
The resort is already a buzz with Rick being upset that the person he came to see isn’t there, Kate and Jaclyn talk divorce, Gaitok (Tayme Thapthimthong) finally talks with health mentor Mook (Lalisa Manobal) about his feelings. Belinda and Pomchai (Dom Hetrakul) have something going, Saxon can’t stop himself from being inappropriate, and Timothy tries hard to avoid the calls that are plaguing him. Victoria is dealing with a big of worry about a tsunami which sets Piper off believing it is a foreboding. Piper finally gets to do what she came for and visits a monastery for her thesis. Belinda might know someone and does what anyone would do.
Fabian might have made a mistake by giving Gaitok a gun but Mook sees it as promotion potential. Ricks detachment from Chelsea has her wondering what is happening and gets an unexpected answer. Lochlan also gets an unexpected discussion with Piper about her monastery visit. Timothy can’t get away from his problems and finds a questionable way to deal with it and Gaitok confronts him. Chloe takes the younger crowd to a Full Moon party and supplies the ‘party favors. Jaclyn, Kate and Laurie go clubbing and meets up with guys and makes a night of it, literally.
Belinda is surprised by her son Zion catching her in an awkward situation. Greg is suspicious of the happenings around Saxon and Lochlan. Timothy’s situation has caused him to think about doing the worst things possible. Rick is not done trying to meet Jim Hollinger (Scott Glen) and involves Sritala in his scheming. It doesn’t take but a moment for Rick to make it clear why he is in Thailand and it isn’t for his mental health. Mook decides to go out on a date with Gaitok and she learns his security guard secret. Chelsea tries to help Saxon with his wileyness, but some guys you can’t help.
Piper finally tells her parents the truth of her visit to Thailand, after a girlfriend disagreement, Laurie remembers why she is friends with Jaclyn and Kate and Timothy turns everything upside down in a blender of pina coladas. Jim and Rick finally have their moment and it is after that Sritala changes everything and it seems the only one walking away from this in a positive way is Gaitok!
Goggins as Rick doesn’t have the same thrill as his girlfriend about being in Thailand. That could be because he is there with a mission in mind and it has nothing to do with a vacation. Watching him unpack with health mentor Amrita, he blurts out a past that might explain the present. I have to say that honestly, I love everything Goggins does so when I heard he was on this season, I tuned in for it. I love when he takes on a character that is spicey or standoffish and the character of Rick gives me both. Wood as Chelsea is a young woman who can’t understand why Rick is behaving a bit mean with her. This is a rather cheerful and outgoing young lady and her man is starting to take the joy out of her.
Isaacs as Timothy is a man with a problem, and that problem is the law. Trying to stay out of it is proving to be a challenge no matter how many phone calls he takes. It is his thoughts about how to get out of it that are disturbing. Posey as wife Victoria seems disjointed on this trip but things begin to happen around her that make it impossible to not have an all-out reaction. Hook as Piper has brought her family to Thailand for one reason but it is clear she has another reason. Out of all the people at the hotel, I think she is the sanest one of all.
Schwarzenegger as Saxon is a sex starved degenerate of a son who doesn’t hesitate to see that he has a problem – but that’s what narcissism does. He is absolutely the peacock of the hotel and doesn’t mind what anyone thinks of what he says or does. Nivola as brother Lochlan admits that he is a people pleaser but finds himself going way to far. Caught between what sister Piper is doing and how brother Saxon behaves may be the thing that pushes him over the edge.
Monaghan as Jaclyn is an actress taking time away to rekindle her friendships. Getting the gossip in person feels so much better than their yearly telephone calls. Bibb as Kate doesn’t mind filling Jaclyn in on what has been happening as their first dinner. The scene between Monaghan and Bibb is girl talk but also feels like a chipping away at a friend yet I loved it. Coon as Laurie is going through problems of her own and trying to hide it from the others. I just love Coon and especially her latest role as Bertha Russell in the wildly successful hit THE GILDED AGE also on HBO.
Rothwell as Belinda is such a charming character. She is at the hotel on her own but it is clear that she feels like she is missing something in her life. Finding it in Hetrakul as Pomchai, it makes her wonder whether staying is something she really wants but at the same time so cute! Manobal as Mook gets the joy (and I laugh when I say that) to deal with the guests and their idiosyncrasies. So charming and lovely, I don’t think I’d be as gracious as Mook and well done Manobal. Thapthimthong as Gaitok is not only a little love sick, but will do anything to move up the ladder and impress Mook. He is equally as charming as Manobal and if I were a big roller I’d tip both of them beyond belief.
Shout out to Patravadi as Sritala, the colorful and outspoken hotel owner who comes in and out at will. She is also a wonderful singer. Also, Friedel as Fabian who tries to keep things running smoothly but his facial expressions say it all.
Other cast include Ke Huy Quan as Kenneth, Scott Galloway as Chuck, Rob Carlton as Rupert, Yothin Udomsanti as Pee Lek, Suthichai Yoon as Luang Poor Teera, Yuri Kolokolnikov as Vlad, Julian Kostov as Aleksei, Morgana O’Reilly as Pam, and Arnas Fedaravicius as Valentin.
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The episodes include Same Spirits New Forms, Special Treatments, The Meaning of Dreams, Hide or Seek, Full-Moon Party, Denials, Killer Instincts, and Amor Fati.
The Special Features include Invitation to Set: Welcome to Thailand, Thai Tea, Closet Tour, Unpacking Each Episode, and Get to Know the Characters.
THE WHITE LOTUS: The Complete Third Season gives so much complexity, twists and turns, and getting to learn about each guest is so intriguing. Taking on some dark topics, they are wrapped in the kind of humor that I like. Like a warmed towel, the story slowly unwraps and keeps us comfortable so that we have no issues waiting for it all to explode. Carbon based units are difficult enough, those at THE WHITE LOTUS are ripe with their insecurities and fears but have no problem having a few drinks under the sun.
Watching all these problems under the stunning setting of Thailand, it would normally make one wonder how it’s possible to have any problems at all. Of course, the monkeys probably knew these were human train wrecks before their feet could make an impression in the sand upon arrival. Goggins is sublime, Isaacs has me as nervous as a turkey at Thanksgiving, Posey had me laughing, Schwarzenegger was good at being ridiculous, the trio of Monaghan, Bibb and Coon reminded me of groups of girlfriends I know, and Manobal and Rothwell are so endearing and charming.
This series definitely deserves to be binge-watched because one at a time is just torture. I intentionally left off details because I hate when someone gives everything away. It is much more fun to have a clue about the characters but get the deep dive while watching on one’s own. Also, this is a perfect series to have friends over to share and with the DVD you can do just that. No commercials only a fun get together with strangers in Thailand!
In the end – same luxury new reservations!
