There was every reason to expect another sharp season of White Lotus — this time set in Thailand’s sun-kissed paradise locations. But even if the cocktails are chilled and the camera glides elegantly around silhouettes and arguments, it all feels a little too polished. Like watching a storm from afar that never quite breaks.
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Disclaimer: Apropos Magazine received access or a review copy. As always, we share our own impressions — unfiltered.
Six stars
After two seasons of acid-tongued satire, luxurious settings and social games played by excellent actors, expectations for White Lotus’ third season were sky-high — this time set in the swaying paradise of Thailand. But where the series once felt like a swim in deep water with sharks lurking below the surface, this outing feels more like drifting around on an inflatable flamingo in the pool. Beautiful — but, unfortunately, far too still.
There’s no doubt that White Lotus can still deliver atmosphere. The camera circles sensually around temple smoke, sweaty cocktails and pastel sunsets, while Cristobal Tapia De Veer’s exotic soundtrack once again works its way under your skin. But none of that helps much when the characters’ inner dramas feel predictable, repetitive or simply too uninteresting.
The ensemble cast — otherwise the series’ greatest strength in previous seasons — struggles to generate any real spark in its dynamics. Friction does arise, but most conflicts bubble away without ever boiling over. Relationships are stretched out on long strings without any real release, and the whole thing ends up feeling a bit like waiting for an explosion that never comes.
It’s not that there aren’t good performances — special praise should go to Sam Rockwell, who delivers the series’ best monologue, and Victoria Ratfliff, played in gloriously exaggerated fashion by Parker Posey. At the other end of the spectrum, we meet characters like Gaitok, whose storyline is drawn-out and uninteresting.
In short: season 3 of White Lotus is beautiful, mildly biting and perfectly decent entertainment — but above all it feels like an expensive holiday with no real direction. Mike White can still write, but this time it feels as if he’s forgotten where he was going.
The question I’m left with after season 3, which has gradually gone downhill in terms of quality, is whether it can sustain a fourth season (which Mike White has already hinted at).
The final episode runs to about an hour and a half, and I watched it more out of duty than desire, just to bring the season to an end — a season that had far too little “wow.” I was mostly looking forward to the score, but as rumours have it, disagreements have arisen between White and De Tapia, so it seems unlikely we’ll be treated to another lush sonic wallpaper in season 4.
Watch it for the atmosphere, the handsome camera work and some respectable performances — but don’t expect the same depth and storytelling that the earlier seasons delivered.
