‘The White Lotus’ – ‘Denials’ – Review
Just when you thought The White Lotus couldn’t get any more depraved, any more unhinged, or any more deliciously scandalous, Mike White drops Episode Six, ‘Denials’ like a nuclear bomb of psychological chaos, and it’s a fucking masterpiece of twisted, transgressive television.
In the wake of the Full Moon festivities, Laurie feels deceived by Jaclyn, while a hungover Saxon tries to bury what happened the night before. Belinda’s son arrives at an inopportune moment.
Coming off the hallucinogenic, neon-soaked hedonism of ‘Full Moon Party’, where sweat, sex, and shrooms took centre stage, ‘Denials’ hits like the brutal comedown, and it hurts. This is the morning after in all its raw, soul-scorching agony. And while the drugs may have worn off, the emotional consequences are only just beginning to kick in.
At the centre of the episode’s storm is Saxon (Patrick Schwarzenegger), reeling from a night he can barely remember, but one that will haunt him for a lifetime. What began as a drug-fueled flirtation exploded into a full-blown orgiastic spiral between Saxon, his brother Lochlan (Sam Nivola), and the ever-alluring chaos catalyst Chloe (Charlotte Le Bon). What should’ve been another notch on Saxon’s self-assured belt becomes a psychological gut punch, as the truth of what really happened crawls back to him in bits and pieces, raw, intimate, and oh-so-traumatizing. Schwarzenegger is an absolute revelation here, playing Saxon’s downward spiral with eerie vulnerability. The swagger is gone, replaced by broken-eyed disbelief and disgust. He might’ve enjoyed it — but that’s exactly what rattles him most.
The Ratliffs are circling the emotional drain, and Jason Isaacs’ Timothy is barely holding on. Still reeling from his failed suicide attempt, he’s grasping for meaning – any meaning. But all he gets from wife Victoria (Parker Posey) is another shovel of soul-poison, declaring she’d “rather be dead than poor.” Yeah. That’s the kind of toxic gold we’ve come to expect from The White Lotus, and it’s vintage Mike White.
The family’s visit to a Buddhist temple offers a brief, poignant reprieve. Piper (Sarah Catherine Hook) seeks serenity in the teachings of Luang Por Teera, and their conversation is a rare, grounded moment of spiritual honesty in the series’ storm of chaos. But leave it to Timothy to ruin a good thing, his desperate plea for peace takes a sharp, tragic turn, offering up one of the most unsettling moments of the season. This is The White Lotus, though. You don’t get clarity without catastrophe.
Meanwhile, the claws are coming out between the “besties” – Jaclyn (Michelle Monaghan), Kate (Leslie Bibb), and Laurie (Carrie Coon). And with the truth of Jaclyn’s steamy rendezvous with Valentin finally on the table, the faux-smiles and barely-concealed jabs are reaching boiling point. Their friendship is imploding, and we’re just here for the fireworks. You can feel the tension building, and it’s going to explode in spectacular fashion.
But let’s get back to Saxon, because this is his episode, and it’s an absolute car crash in slow motion. A brutal poolside conversation with Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood) delivers a truth-bomb that shatters his ego: she sees him as soulless, empty, and utterly unloveable. But that’s nothing compared to the final nail in the coffin, when Chloe, the ultimate vixen, and reveling in cat-like delight, reveals the unfiltered, sordid truth of that night, and the full scope of his involvement with Lochlan becomes clear. The phrase “jerked off by your own brother” isn’t something you can un-hear. And Mike White knows that. He shoves it in your face, dares you to flinch, and then keeps pushing.
‘Denials’ is one of the most shocking, transgressive, and downright unrelenting pieces of television this series—or any series—has ever delivered. It’s raw, unfiltered, and morally radioactive. And yet, it’s so damn good.
The White Lotus is currently streaming on NEON and SKY TV.
Image: SKY TV
