In Bangkok, Rick meets the man he thinks ruined his life. Meanwhile, a nervous Belinda brings Zion to Chloe’s expat party. Gaitok and Mook have their first date.

After weeks of cryptic glances, shattered relationships, and acid-tongued exchanges, ‘Killer Instincts’ puts the pedal to the floor. Leading the charge is Walton Goggins’ Rick Hatchett, the tortured and unpredictable enigma at the center of this season’s chaos. At long last, Rick confronts the ghost of his past, Scott Glenn’s chillingly serene Jim Hollinger, the man Rick blames for the life he’s lost. It’s a showdown brimming with barely-contained rage and simmering restraint. But instead of bloodshed, Rick chooses peace. Growth. Release. And that choice, so unexpected, so loaded, is one of the most powerful moments we’ve seen this season.

Of course, this is The White Lotus, so the high-minded zen doesn’t last long. Rick’s failed vengeance plan involves none other than Frank (a devilishly unhinged Sam Rockwell), who spirals into a frenzy of drug-fueled debauchery that feels like Hunter S. Thompson stumbled into a resort brochure. Rockwell is all coked-up charm and deranged swagger, and the impromptu celebratory rager that follows Rick’s revelation is a white-hot fever dream of sex, excess, and sweaty chaos. It’s classic White Lotus.

Meanwhile, back at Gary’s party, the Ratliff clan continues their deeply dysfunctional descent into enlightenment, or something like it. Patrick Schwarzenegger’s Saxon, once the poster child for vacuous frat boy nonsense, delivers a surprisingly grounded performance as he turns down the most messed-up sex proposition yet from Chloe (Charlotte Le Bon). A cuckold fantasy gone awry? Only in The White Lotus. But in that rejection, we see real growth. Saxon is finally trying, and his brief heart-to-heart with Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood), full of vulnerability and Buddhist wisdom, gives us a glimpse of a man clawing his way toward actual maturity. It’s… kinda beautiful. Parker Posey continues to steal scenes as the delightfully unfiltered Victoria, offering unsolicited life coaching to anyone within earshot. She’s outrageous, infuriating, and a total delight, never change, Victoria.

And then we’ve got the trio of Jaclyn (Michelle Monaghan), Kate (Leslie Bibb), and Laurie (Carrie Coon), whose “bestie vacation” has devolved into a smoldering pile of resentment and passive-aggressive snark. The tension finally snaps, and Laurie bolts, right into the arms (and bed) of Aleksei (Julian Kostov) after a sweat-soaked Muay Thai fight match. It’s steamy, it’s raw, and it gives Laurie the rare chance to reclaim her own agency and pleasure. But this spicy little escapade isn’t just titillation — it also drops a major breadcrumb regarding the still unsolved robbery plot that’s been threading its way through the season.

Through all of this, ‘Killer Instincts’ leans hard into the spiritual backbone of Season Three. Buddhism, karma, death, rebirth — it’s all here. White’s juxtaposition of serene teachings and violent impulses is masterful. The Muay Thai ring becomes a perfect visual metaphor for inner conflict, with fists flying as our characters confront their demons. Piper (Sarah Catherine Hook), especially, finds herself adrift when Lochlan (Sam Nivola) confesses his plan to stay at the retreat. Her reaction; haunted and unsure, suggests not all journeys toward the light are so easily made.

Mike White keeps the philosophical undercurrent flowing strong, and with the spectre of death still looming large over the resort, the notion of a “spiritual tsunami” gathers force. Choices are being made. Fates are being sealed. And not everyone is going to make it out unscathed.

‘Killer Instincts’ is a powder keg of drama, satire, and soul-searching chaos. With one episode left, it delivers enough revelations to satisfy, while still dangling just enough mystery to keep us perched on the edge of our sun-lounger, cocktail in hand, heart in throat. The end is nigh. And we’ll be there for every last spicy, twisted second.

The White Lotus is currently streaming on NEON and SKY TV.

Image: SKY TV

The post ‘The White Lotus’ – ‘Killer Instincts’ – Review appeared first on SpicyPulp.

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

The post ‘The White Lotus’ – ‘Denials’ – Review appeared first on SpicyPulp.

As things get wild during the Full Moon festivities, Rick visits an old friend in Bangkok, and Belinda shares her suspicions about a hotel guest.

There’s been a slow build this season, a simmering boil of sexual tension, frayed nerves, and burning desire. But ‘Full Moon Party’ lets it all loose. This isn’t just television. It’s a full-body, sensory overload – an erotic, chaotic, drug-fueled fever dream of an episode that reminds us exactly why The White Lotus is the most provocative show on TV right now.

Let’s start with the sex-fueled chaos that is Chloe (Charlotte Le Bon). The flirtatious goddess is in full femme fatale mode, and she’s got everyone under her spell. Saxon (Patrick Schwarzenegger), the testosterone-driven horndog, is all in. But it’s the introverted Lochlan (Sam Nivola) who becomes the centre of her devious designs. Chloe’s on a mission — to liberate Lochlan’s libido, and she’s bringing sweet, vulnerable Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood) along for the ride. Armed with a cocktail of heavy-duty party drugs, the foursome descend into the pulsing madness of the Full Moon Party… and it is wild.

What follows is a kaleidoscope of neon lights, bare skin, rhythmic dancing, and a reckless abandon that borders on the spiritual. It’s liberating, it’s dangerous, and it’s gloriously indulgent. And just when you think it can’t go any further, the foursome’s infamous “kissing game” moment lands like a bombshell, revealing a truth so shocking it’ll leave viewers gasping and possibly rewinding in disbelief. This is White Lotus in full scandalous bloom, and we are living for it.

Meanwhile, things get steamy (and a little sweaty) on the other side of the island with Jaclyn (Michelle Monaghan) and Laurie (Carrie Coon). After spending so much of the season tightly wound and emotionally reserved, these ladies are ready to let loose, and hunky Valentin (Arnas Fedaravicius) and his crew are more than happy to oblige. Cue the orgiastic vibes and total bodily expression. What unfolds is an intoxicating blend of passion, play, and unfiltered desire, with Jaclyn finally getting her metaphorical cake, and devouring it, quite literally, with wild delight. Leslie Bibb’s Kate, ever the composed observer, is utterly flustered… and honestly, so are we.

Once again things are desperately falling out of whack for The Ratliffs – and this falls on Piper (Sarah Catherine Hook) and her bombshell reveal: she wants to ditch it all — the wealth, the privilege, the White Lotus smoothies — and join a Buddhist monastery. The reaction from Victoria (Parker Posey) is one for the ages. Posey devours this scene, chewing through the dialogue with Southern-fried hysteria. Her disbelief is so thick you could spread it on toast, and her shrill, tear-drenched cry of “Who walks away from avocado toast and valet parking?!” is already living rent-free in our heads. It’s an instant-classic White Lotus moment — comedy born of crisis, with a sprinkle of satirical genius.

Piper’s moment is the forebear for further emotional heft, leading into the tension brewing between Timothy (Jason Issacs) and Victoria (Parker Posey). Still reeling from Piper’s devastating truth bomb, Timothy finds himself spiralling, gun in hand, desperation on his face. It’s a chilling moment that could have easily veered into chaos, but Mike White pulls back, gifting us something more delicate: a moment of raw vulnerability, spiritual reckoning, and human connection. The way this plays out is a masterclass in subverting expectations, and it’s one of the show’s most tender scenes to date.

And then there’s Rick (Walton Goggins), now in Bangkok, who stumbles into what may be The White Lotus’s most ‘WTF’ moment yet. Enter Sam Rockwell as Frank, a fellow lost soul with stories to burn. What begins as a casual reunion erupts into a blistering monologue of sex, sin, and soul-searching that will go down in White Lotus history. Rockwell’s performance is magnetic — a tragic, mesmerizing whirlwind of a man who has seen some shit, and is finally owning it. This soliloquy is pure TV gold, and will leave you with pure chills!

‘Full Moon Party’ is The White Lotus unchained. It’s raw, it’s raunchy, it’s radiant. Mike White crafts a sensory spectacle that pulses with the heat of lust and the sting of revelation. With jaw-dropping moments, deep character revelations, and an atmosphere so thick you can practically taste the sweat and salt in the air, this episode cements itself as an all-timer in the series’ run. And with three episodes left, who knows what wild, sexy chaos lies ahead?

The White Lotus is currently streaming on NEON and SKY TV.

Image: SKY TV

The post ‘The White Lotus’ – ‘Full-Moon Party’ – Review appeared first on SpicyPulp.

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

The post ‘The White Lotus’ – ‘Hide or Seek’ – Review appeared first on SpicyPulp.

Timothy decides the family should adhere to the resort’s no-phones policy. Jaclyn tries to convince Laurie to have a holiday fling. Gaitok worries about getting reprimanded by his bosses.

Episode Three of The White Lotus, ‘The Meaning of Dreams’, takes an interesting turn and leans more into the exploration of spirituality that creator Mike White was keen to examine with this new season, and it makes for an interesting watch. Whether it’s the symbolic power of dreams or the looming dread that something terrible is just around the corner, this episode is a full-on dive into the uncanny. And it totally works.

From the moment Victoria (Parker Posey) recounts her haunting vision of a tsunami swallowing the entire resort, the episode hums with ominous energy. That dread hangs heavy over every scene, like the calm before a tropical storm. Posey, as always, is magnetic, and her ethereal unease sets the tone. With its hypnotic quality and subversive surrealism, there’s a feeling that something bad is on the horizon, which is expressed by the omen of Victoria’s vision of a massive tsunami swallowing up all of them.

Meanwhile, Jason Isaacs turns in what might be his most unhinged performance yet as Timothy, a character unraveling faster than a frayed designer sarong. This is confounded by Timothy’s stressed financial and now legal problems as he’s been implicated in a massive criminal conspiracy, and the stress is starting to drive him wild. Isaacs chews the scenery in the best way possible. He really gets put through the ringer with Episode Three, and he has a way of showcasing this crazed and manic stress that will keep audiences on their toes as you don’t know what he’s about to do next.

But it’s not just the rich unraveling this week, we’re diving into snake pits (literally), and the bizarre dial gets cranked up to eleven. Things are certainly starting to get buzzy for the gruff Rick (Walton Goggins) and his bubbly girlfriend Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood). While Chelsea is desperate to get out and explore, and Rick is just looking to get high, things take an unexpected turn at a Snake show. Yep, a snake show. You know it’s White Lotus when the psychedelic takes a bite out of the satirical. It’s one of those total White Lotus moments when the most unexpected of things happen, and while Rick has a euphoric moment of wanting to ‘fight the power’, it’s Chelsea who pays for his ‘snake liberator’ action, and it was a moment that certainly made us jump. Classic Mike White — just when you think you’ve found the rhythm, he trips you up with venom.

Elsewhere, the claws come out as the so-called besties Jaclyn (Michelle Monaghan), Kate (Leslie Bibb), and Laurie (Carrie Coon) have a poolside fall-out that mixes wine, politics, and spiritual elitism in a cocktail that’s as toxic as it is hilarious. Their fragile friendship takes another turn as both religion and politics, the two no-no subjects, show up. Again, it’s White’s sharp dialogue and the fabulous performances of Monaghan, Bibb, and Coon that keep you on edge, as the fickleness and the cattiness of these three women suddenly takes a turn, and Bibb’s Kate finds herself as the outlier of the group, esp3eically withe the illusion that she might be a Trump voter.

And let’s not sleep on Belinda (Natasha Rothwell), whose reappearance this season is finally gaining traction. There’s also the first stages of a conspiracy growing with Belinda, as she starts to feel unsettled, especially with the appearance of Jon Gries’ Gary, a man who feels eerily familiar to her, and the tension starts to rise. A slow-burn subplot that might just explode later in the season? We’re here for it.

In ‘The Meaning of Dreams’, White flexes his creative muscles hard — bending genre, tone, and character dynamics into something weird, wild, and wonderful. This episode is both a slow, eerie unraveling and a punchy, character-driven spectacle. The tsunami might be metaphorical (for now), but the emotional impact? That’s hitting like a wave.

The White Lotus is currently streaming on NEON and SKY TV.

Image: SKY TV

The post ‘The White Lotus’ – ‘The Meaning of Dreams’ – Review appeared first on SpicyPulp.

As Kate and Jaclyn speculate about Laurie’s divorce, Timothy continues to get distressing updates from his business. Later, Rick reluctantly opens up about his family trauma.

While Season Three of The White Lotus started out with a literal BANG, we’ve still got a while to go until we can actually discover the revelation of the chaos that unfolds. But don’t worry because the dramatic fireworks are already starting to go off! And we get our taste of the simmering jealousies and picky cattiness prevalent in ‘Special Treatments’ with the backstabbing talk that’s carried out between ‘best friends’ Kate (Leslie Bibb), Laurie (Carrie Coon) and Jaclyn (Michelle Monaghan). While they might be on their ultimate ‘girls trip’, Jaclyn and Kate can’t help but talk behind Laurie’s back, about her life crash resulting from a bitter divorce and a seemingly stalled career. It also doesn’t help that both Laurie and Jaclyn are starting to receive the attention of hunky spa therapist Valentin (Arnas Fedaravicius). But just when you think that this cattiness is one-sided in favour of Laurie, she and Kate both seemingly turn on the glamorous Jaclyn, and her own mysterious, slightly torrid marriage and groundwork is definitely being laid for an explosive confrontation.

Also not faring any better is the rugged and mysterious Rick Hatchett (Walton Goggins), who despite the prompting of his clucky girlfriend Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood), is still struggling with an immense feeling of depression and stress, and audiences get their first peak into his character history, and the ghosts he’s been running from his whole life. Aimee Lou Wood continues to charm audiences with her bubbly and vivacious performance as Chelsea, and every time she’s on screen, you can’t help but be charmed by her. While she’s trying to work out Rick, a shopping spree quickly goes wrong when she and her new ‘bestie’ Chloe (Charlotte Le Bon) are wrapped up in a violent armed robbery, and it’s in this moment that she and Rick share their first moment of genuine closeness. While they are both wrapped up in a very uncomfortable dinner with Chloe and her boyfriend ‘Gary’ (Jon Gries), in what is a very memorable scene, we also get to see their own romance kindled in one of the episode’s sweeter moments.

The drama is also building for the Ratliff’s – and they are not at all a happy family. While Victoria (Parker Posey) is happy to self-medicate on a wide cocktail of anxiety medication and flaunt her own sense of superiority, Saxon (Patrick Schwarzenegger) continues to show off how he’s an A-grade douchebag. Middle child Piper (Sarah Catherine Hook) continues to get caught up in the general drama of her family and gets incredibly perturbed when her younger brother Lochlan (Sam) directs probing questions at her concerning her sex life and injects a whole heap of drama that is genuinely off-putting and makes you wonder how weird he actually is. Then there’s family patriarch Timothy (Jason Isaacs), whose growing anxiety turns atomic when the extent of his financial problems are made present as he’s suddenly caught up in severe criminal action following a botched financial deal in which he unknowingly helped participate in. This moment with Isaacs’ Timothy leaves the ‘Special Treatments’ on a shocking end moment, and it’s clear that this dream holiday is suddenly turning into something less than a dream.

This juxtaposition of a brewing drama of chaos while situated in a literal rainforest paradise only adds to the intrigue. It again displays the genius of show creator Mike White. White knows how to push his audience’s buttons with his characters and the sharp dialogue that he gives them, and he’s building in a desire for us to learn more with each passing moment. His use of pauses and uncomfortable silences in key conversation scenes helps to draw out the sizeable tension that lies at the heart of The White Lotus, and there’s plenty more mystery to come from here.

The White Lotus is currently streaming on NEON and SKY TV.

Image: SKY TV

The post ‘The White Lotus’ – ‘Special Treatments’ – Review appeared first on SpicyPulp.

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

The post ‘The White Lotus’ – ‘Same Spirits, New Forms’ – Review appeared first on SpicyPulp.