‘The White Lotus’ – ‘Hide or Seek’ – Review
Things are heating up in paradise, and The White Lotus Season Three continues its sun-drenched descent into madness with Episode Four, ‘Hide or Seek’. And let’s be honest, Mike White is fully unspooling the yarn now — scandal, seduction, and soul-shaking secrets are spilling out like spilled rosé on a teakwood deck. It’s wild, it’s weird, and it’s oh-so-watchable.
Looking for a change of scenery, Jaclyn drags the girls to a neighbouring resort. Piper asks for Lochlan’s support before sharing a life update with the family.
Right off the bat, this episode dives into murky waters, quite literally, as the Ratliff family is whisked away on a lavish (but soon-to-be disastrous) yacht excursion hosted by the ever-flirtatious Chloe (Charlotte Le Bon) and the cryptic and potentially dangerous Gary (Jon Gries). What begins as a luxe escape quickly devolves into an anxiety-laden spiral of pill-popping, passive-aggression, and pointed jabs that cut like a serrated knife through fresh mango.
Victoria Ratliff (Parker Posey) is absolutely unhinged in the best way possible, losing her grip as she discovers her beloved lorazepam is missing. Little does she know, husband Timothy (Jason Isaacs), perpetually on the brink, has been sneaking it to numb his gnawing existential dread. Watching him unravel on this trip, drugged up and too honest, is like witnessing a ship slowly split in half. Isaacs brings a bruised vulnerability to Timothy, and when he starts monologuing about his parental failures in front of strangers, it’s uncomfortable, raw, and frankly, Emmy-worthy.
Meanwhile, Saxon (Patrick Schwarzenneger) starts making eyes at Chloe, much to the chagrin of her partner-in-mystery Gary. What follows is a dance of jealousy, lust, and passive-aggressive power plays. There’s something thrilling and tragic about the intergenerational tension that bubbles under the surface — the young brushing up against the decaying sheen of wealth and privilege. And let’s be real: awkward doesn’t even begin to describe this boat trip. It’s a pressure cooker, and White turns up the heat masterfully.
Elsewhere, Rick (Walton Goggins) finally lays his cards on the table, and boy, what a reveal. Turns out, his Thai vacation is more vengeance mission than soul-searching sabbatical. He’s come to confront the man who murdered his father — none other than Jim Hollinger, the elusive and enigmatic owner of the White Lotus resort. This revelation shakes his bubbly companion Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood) to the core and pushes her closer into Chloe’s chaotic orbit. Goggins plays Rick with stoic, smoldering rage, and it’s clear he’s about to go full cowboy in this tropical setting.
Meanwhile, the trio of Jaclyn (Michelle Monaghan), Kate (Leslie Bibb), and Laurie (Carrie Coon) are over their mindfulness mantras and craving something a little spicier. What they find is a retirees’ resort, where they shake off their malaise in the chaos of Thailand’s Songkran festivities. White uses this detour to push these fraying friends toward a future implosion — and we can’t wait.
And let’s not forget the building stormclouds. Timothy’s desperation sends him down a dark path that ends with Gaitok (Tayme Thapthimthong) in serious trouble. And then there’s Belinda (Natasha Rothwell), back and glowing, only to find herself under the suspicious eye of Gary, or as we now know, Greg Hunt, Tanya McQuoid’s (Jennifer Coolidge) former partner, who’s still dodging justice following her mysterious demise. That final shot? Cold, quiet, and absolutely terrifying. Something wicked this way comes.
Episode Four, ‘Hide or Seek’, is The White Lotus at its most electric: a high-stakes cocktail of betrayal, heartbreak, and razor-sharp satire. Mike White’s pen is sharper than ever, and this episode crackles with mounting dread and vicious hilarity. If you thought paradise couldn’t get messier, think again. We’re deep in the jungle now, and there’s no turning back.
The White Lotus is currently streaming on NEON and SKY TV.
Image: SKY TV
