‘The White Lotus’ – ‘Same Spirits, New Forms’ – Review
HBO’s The White Lotus has become that exceptionally clever television series that continually draws audiences in with its sharp storytelling, offbeat and sometimes deranged characters, and a general sense of burning mystery and desire, and now this dramatic juggernaut of narrative excellence returns for its ambitious third season. And it does not disappoint!
The next chapter of this critically acclaimed dark comedy follows a different group of people as they spend their holiday at The White Lotus resort in Thailand.
All is well now that HBO’s The White Lotus has returned for its ambitious third season, and showrunner Mike White once again revs up the drama with an intriguing new setting and a narrative that grips you right from the start with Episode One, ‘Same Spirts, New Forms’. Opening with the crackle of gunfire and a sudden explosion of chaos amidst the tranquil peace and serenity of a Thailand rainforest resort, you’re left holding your breath as Season Three begins, and mysteries and surprises abound in this new series. Having travelled to the Pacific and the Mediterranean, White and his team now take us to the exotic bliss of Thailand as a new group of tourists arrive at the signature White Lotus for a week of relaxation and healing. But this being The White Lotus, all is not as it first seems on the surface, and our guests and their secrets are certain to promise all kinds of intrigue as we move forward into the season. Having examined ideas of money and sex in the previous seasons, White’s focus for Season Three is on a satirical look at death and religion, and it’s an intriguing place to start.
Once again, a stacked cast has been assembled for this series, and three core narratives are set up in this first episode, ‘Same Spirits, New Forms’. We’re first introduced to the Ratliff Family, who include patriarch and dodgy financier Timothy (Jason Isaacs), and his wife, the perpetually blasé Victoria (Parker Posey), along with their three children, overgrown fratboy Saxon (Patrick Schwarzenegger), independent Piper (Sarah Catherine Hook) and shy Lochlan (Sam Nivola); the rugged and mysterious Rick Hatchett (Walton Goggins), and his spacy younger girlfriend Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood); and a trio of besties including ageing television star Jaclyn Lemon (Michelle Monaghan), country club wife Kate (Leslie Bibb) and corporate lawyer and recent divorcee Laurie (Carrie Coon). All arrive at Thailand’s White Lotus resort seeking bliss and escapism, but all have their own secrets and their bickering personalities and closely held dramas begin to become apparent in this first episode.
Standout performances in ‘Same Spirits, New Forms’ include Parker Posey as Victoria Ratliff, a wealthy housewife who has grown terribly bored of her family and who is desperately hiding her foreboding sense of anxiety with a heavy course of Lexapro and from the start, Posey steals every scene she’s in. The always talented Jason Issacs complement her as her dodgy husband Timothy, who is way over his head and facing serious financial repercussions for a deal gone sour, and he makes an issue to get into a spat with the mysterious and possibly dangerous Rick Hatchett, who is played to brooding excellence by the always talented Walton Goggins. Patrick Schwarzenneger is a complete horn dog as the cocky and flashy Saxon, while Sarah Catherine Hook’s Piper appears to have the most depth of any of the characters. Aimee Lou Wood is utterly hilarious as the chatty, chirpy Chelsea, while also providing plenty of scene-stealing antics is Carrie Coon’s Laurie, who is none too pleased with her ‘girls trip’ and having to be compared to Michelle Monaghan’s special and glamourous Jaclyn!
‘Same Spirits, New Forms’ is an episode where the framework and narrative is first established. It offers audiences an insight into this new set of characters and the simmering secrets, jealousies, passions and resentments that are grasping to find release in the chill paradise of Thailand. It all adds to the dramatic tension that Mike Whiate has control over. All of our characters have arrived looking for a journey of change and transformation, and with its narrative focus on themes of Eastern spirituality and discovery, we’re already beginning to see these thematic qualities applied to our characters, and it beckons the audience to want more. Season Three’s exotic picture of a lush and vibrant Thai rainforest and the glamour and decadence of this secluded resort also makes for a beautiful picture to look upon, and its inviting visuals and spirited colours add to the enticement of Season Three.
Episode One, ‘Same Spirits, New Forms’, ends on a notion of intrigue, and the audience will feel that they’re at the start of something exciting and fresh with this third season of The White Lotus. Mysteries and secrets lie beneath the surface, but their escalating dramas will rise to the surface in time, and with a hell of a bang!
The White Lotus is currently streaming on NEON and SKY TV.
Image: SKY TV
