'The White Lotus' season 3 premiere sets the stage for new drama

HBO’s The White Lotus returns with intrigue, satire, and a mysterious death in Thailand.

Lalisa Manobal and Tayme Thapthimthong in "The White Lotus." © HBO

By Sarah Oktaviany and Adila Ghina

The White Lotus is back, and with it comes a fresh set of wealthy vacationers, a new tropical resort, and the familiar sense that something ominous is brewing beneath the surface. The HBO series, created by Mike White, continues its tradition of blending sharp social satire with a whodunit mystery, and season 3 kicks off with a signature opening: a dead body.

Titled “Same Spirits, New Forms,” the premiere transports viewers to a luxurious wellness retreat in Thailand, where a meditation session is interrupted by an unsettling sound—gunshots. Moments later, a body floats by, setting the stage for a new season of intrigue. As with past installments, the show then rewinds to the arrival of its latest batch of privileged guests, each bringing their own baggage to paradise.

A stellar new cast navigating paradise and privilege

Season 3 introduces four primary groups of guests, all destined to cross paths as their secrets unravel.

The largest of these groups is the Ratliff family, led by Timothy (Jason Isaacs), a powerful businessman uninterested in the resort’s spiritual offerings. His wife, Victoria (Parker Posey), revels in the antics of their children: Saxon (Patrick Schwarzenegger), an aggressive finance bro on the prowl; Piper (Sarah Catherine Hook), a college student studying Eastern religions; and Lochlan (Sam Nivola), a high school senior uncertain about following in the family’s footsteps.

Next are three longtime friends—Laurie (Carrie Coon), Kate (Leslie Bibb), and Jaclyn (Michelle Monaghan)—on a trip to reconnect. While Laurie struggles with an undisclosed burden, Kate and Jaclyn present the façade of contentment, though subtle jabs hint at unresolved tensions.

Then there’s the mismatched couple: Rick Hatchett (Walton Goggins), an irritable and secretive man, and Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood), his much younger, free-spirited girlfriend. Chelsea is eager to indulge in the resort’s luxuries, while Rick seems more preoccupied with something—or someone—else.

Rounding out the newcomers are the resort’s employees, including personal “health mentors” assigned to each group. Valentin (Arnas Fedaravicius) assists the three friends, Pam (Morgana O’Reilly) struggles to get the Ratliffs’ attention, and Mook (Lalisa Manobal, best known as Lisa from Blackpink) looks after Rick and Chelsea. Mook has a flirtation with security guard Gaitok (Tayme Thapthimthong), hinting at an undercurrent of staff drama beneath the surface.

A familiar face returns to The White Lotus

One staff member stands apart: Belinda Lindsey (Natasha Rothwell), a masseuse from season 1. Unlike her past experience at the Maui resort, Belinda is in Thailand to recharge and learn new techniques. Yet, she struggles with the role reversal, caught between the desire to enjoy the luxury of being a guest and the weight of knowing what it takes to keep such a place running.

One of the episode’s most striking moments involves Belinda watching a woman who looks like her, enjoying an indulgent dinner with a companion. The scene underscores one of The White Lotus’ recurring themes—what it means to be stationed in paradise but never truly belong.

Secrets, satire, and a sense of foreboding

The premiere carefully lays the groundwork for each character’s arc while teasing deeper mysteries. Rick’s apparent fixation on the resort’s co-owner, who is recovering from an illness in Bangkok, raises questions about his true motives. Meanwhile, Timothy Ratliff is distracted by a troubling phone call from The Wall Street Journal, hinting at a scandal involving one of his associates in Brunei.

Saxon, Timothy’s eldest son, embodies the show’s signature blend of egotism and cluelessness. His offhanded remarks about arousal and fixation on his siblings’ lives make him both unsettling and oddly compelling. “It’s good to want things, if you can get them. That’s happiness, bro,” he declares—a mantra that encapsulates The White Lotus’ critique of privilege and self-absorption.

While the episode doesn’t rush to introduce every plotline, it does immerse viewers in the setting. The lush Thai landscape, filled with rustling trees and exotic wildlife, enhances the show’s hypnotic atmosphere. Yet, even as The White Lotus lulls viewers into its idyllic surroundings, it never lets them forget the lurking dangers—whether in the form of a literal snake in the trees or the metaphorical ones waiting to strike.

A promising start to season 3

Mike White’s ability to balance sharp satire with deep character study remains a defining strength of The White Lotus. In this premiere, he once again crafts a world where desire, entitlement, and self-deception collide. While the mystery of the floating corpse looms over the season, the show’s true intrigue lies in watching these guests—and their carefully curated facades—begin to unravel.

As always, The White Lotus invites viewers to enjoy the view, soak in the luxury, and wait for the inevitable chaos to unfold.