The White Lotus Season 3 Review: Bigger, but Not Better

Since its inception, The White Lotus has been a study of the human condition. Putting a wide array of wealthy individuals in an exclusive resort, the series has charted what makes them tick and their wide-ranging questions about their lives.

The first two seasons were a resounding success because they used a relatively small pool of characters to mine many storylines.

The White Lotus Season 3 aims to expand on that, with its most enormous cast yet, and it falls very short.

Since The White Lotus Season 2 was on par with Season 1, I figured the show would scale new heights with a brand-new cast and location for its latest chapter.

However, a large cast is only worthwhile if it is being utilized. Sadly, only a handful of the characters make an impact in the first six episodes screened for critics.

Natasha Rothwell’s return as Belinda sets up one of the season’s most intriguing storylines. Belinda arrives in Thailand at an impasse in life and makes her presence felt at the resort.

The good news is that Natasha has a meatier role to explore and is far more immersed in the plot, which is a breath of fresh air because she was criminally underused in The White Lotus Season 1.

Having Natasha on the show without Jennifer Coolidge’s Tanya by her side takes a bit of getting accustomed to. However, Tanya rarely let Belinda get a word in, so there was still much to establish with a fantastic character like Belinda.

Belinda’s exhilarating arc is drastically different from what I expected, but I’m invested enough in seeing where that goes in the final two episodes of the season.

Knowing that Jennifer would not be back as Tanya was always going to be tough going into The White Lotus Season 3. Truthfully, it doesn’t feel like The White Lotus without her.

Still, plenty of new faces in the mix try to take over the mantle left by Jennifer.

Parker Posey is refreshing as Victoria Ratliff, a Texas native who shows up at the sprawling resort with her husband, Timothy (Jason Isaacs), and their three children: Lochlan (Sam Nivola), Piper (Sarah Catherine Hook), and Saxon (Patrick Schwarzenegger).

Victoria is no-nonsense and has no compunction about telling someone she’s just met what she thinks of them. Her words cut like a knife, meaning she’s very well placed on a show like The White Lotus.

This is a departure for Parker, and it will earn her many fans.

Victoria and her family have a particular reason for the vacation, and not everyone agrees on the location of choice, which is a large part of the initial drama from this crop of characters.

The Ratliffs are the most dysfunctional family the series has showcased, which makes them some of the more interesting personalities this season.

Timothy is the polar opposite of his wife, and it’s apparent that they don’t agree on much, which could be why they’ve become complacent.

Timothy doesn’t crack jokes and has a short fuse with his family as the season progresses. This is mainly because he’s dealing with a matter unraveling back home that could upend his family’s lavish lifestyle.

Like Parker and Natasha, Jason gets some fantastic material to sink his teen into, but his storyline is far removed from the rest of the series. His plot could be on a different show entirely, and the same can be said for some other characters, too.

Kate (Leslie Bibb), Laurie (Carrie Coon), and Jaclyn (Michelle Monaghan) are a group of friends searching for meaning in life and navigating whether they’ve changed in the decades since they first crossed paths.

The trio is quick-witted but doesn’t have much substance to work with in the first six episodes.

While I’d like to think they would get more in the final two episodes of the season, it isn’t easy to be optimistic after watching six of the eight episodes.

Katie, Laurie, and Jaclyn make an initial impact, which is a shame because their storylines stall early into the season.

Midway through, they get a memorable comedic set piece. Beyond that, there’s not enough depth to explore their lives, or put much stock into caring.

Whenever it seems we’re digging beneath the surface with them, the narrative deviates from what could be an excellent study of female friendships.

This brings us to Walton Goggins (Rick) and Aimee Lou Wood (Chelsea), who play one of the most mismatched couples in TV history.

They have very little in common, and maybe that’s supposed to be a part of the fun, but I spent the first six episodes wondering why Chelsea felt the need to shape Rick into a better man.

Walton is coming off a widely praised role on Fallout, and Rick is quite the departure from The Ghoul.

Aimee is racking up credit after credit because she can effortlessly take on any role and make it her own.

The White Lotus Season 3’s decision to cast the net wider to focus on a bigger group of holidaymakers is its undoing, highlighting that the show works best on a smaller scale.

The series remains above average despite some convenient storytelling choices. The acting from the ensemble alone is worth tuning in for, but the writing falters during Season 3.

Like all good hotels, the series needs to up its game to maintain those stars. That said, the cinematography is much improved, so that’s something.

With The White Lotus Season 4 already confirmed, I hope Mike White and his talented team can get back to what the show was in future seasons.

The White Lotus Season 3 premieres on HBO on Sunday, February 17, at 9/8c.

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