Compared to the first two seasons of The White Lotus, the third season set in Thailand focuses more on nature. The show features lush green surroundings and peaceful lakes. This season includes strong natural symbolism, which becomes clear in Episode 3.
The episode begins after the eerie title sequence, showing Victoria (Parker Posey) standing in front of a beachfront house. She watches Lochlan (Sam Nivola) relaxing with some staff members. Suddenly, the dark sea forms into a giant tsunami. The wave towers over Victoria, but just as it is about to hit, she wakes up from her nightmare.
At breakfast, Piper (Sarah Catherine Hook) comments that dreams often represent thoughts from the unconscious mind. However, her family dismisses her spiritual beliefs. Victoria then scolds Lochlan for watching videos about tsunamis.
Fake Friendships Create Tension in The White Lotus Season 3
On the other side of the breakfast area, Jaclyn (Michelle Monaghan), Kate (Leslie Bibb), and Laurie (Carrie Coon) enjoy a presentation about energy healing from Valentin (Arnas Fedaravicius). When he leaves, the women admire his looks and encourage Laurie, who is single, to have a brief romance with him.
Later, they attend a yoga session where Jaclyn jokes around and makes inappropriate gestures, causing laughter. Laurie eventually participates in an energy healing session with Valentin. Nothing serious happens, but the moment feels personal and intense.
The relaxed atmosphere does not last long. Later in the episode, Kate finds herself on the receiving end of fake friendships. Earlier episodes showed Laurie and Jaclyn secretly gossiping about each other, but this time, they discuss Kate over drinks.
She watches them from a distance, upset but unsurprised. Their conversation during dinner exposed their differences in political views. Laurie and Jaclyn disapproved of Kate’s new interest in a Texas church and her recent voting choices.
Belinda Recognizes a Familiar Face
Belinda (Natasha Rothwell) continues to study wellness therapies while growing closer to Pornchai (Dom Hetrakul). During dinner, she recalls the events of Season 1, remembering how Armond’s (Murray Bartlett) death and Tanya’s (Jennifer Coolidge) broken promises led her into depression. Thinking about Tanya reminds her of something important—Tanya was taken away because of Greg (Jon Gries).
Determined, Belinda approaches Greg at dinner, but he denies knowing her. He insists his name is Gary and that she must be mistaken. She walks away but keeps watching him, unconvinced by his denial. Her worries grow when she later finds signs that someone has been inside her room.
Other hotel employees face challenges as well. Gaitok (Tayme Thapthimthong) is recovering from his head injury after the armed robbery. Sritala (Patravadi Mejudhon) praises him for his bravery, which gives him the confidence to ask for a job as her bodyguard.
‘She does not reject him and says she will consider it. Excited, he brags about it to Mook (Lalisa Manobal), his crush. However, Sritala’s current bodyguards do not take this well. They intimidate Gaitok and call him weak.
They even suggest that Fabian (Christian Friedel), the head staff member, wanted Gaitok fired for failing to stop the robbers. This situation worsens when Fabian calls Gaitok for a meeting at the end of the episode.
A Dangerous Snake Show Ends in Chaos
Rick (Walton Goggins) returns in this episode, showing his usual arrogant behavior. During breakfast, he tries to get closer to Sritala’s husband by pretending to be an interested producer. He secures a business card while also having a phone conversation about meeting someone named Frank in Bangkok.
His good mood does not last. Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood) wants to attend another meditation session with Amrita (Shalini Peiris), where Rick briefly talks about his father’s murder and his underlying pain.
Feeling overwhelmed, he leaves and interrupts Chelsea and Chloe’s (Charlotte Le Bon) gossip session. Instead of facing his emotions, he decides to buy weed. Chelsea follows him, but while she is distracted, Saxon Ratcliff (Peter Schwarzenegger) sits beside Chloe, eager to impress her.
Rick gets high and, in an attempt to prove he is still exciting, takes Chelsea to a snake show in a dark alley. He starts ranting about the snakes living in captivity. While the show continues, he stares at the audience in a dazed state. Things take a dangerous turn when he recklessly releases all the snakes, leading to Chelsea being bitten by a cobra.
After she recovers in the hospital, Chelsea accuses Rick of being out of control. That night, they put on fake smiles and have dinner with Chloe and Greg. During their tense conversation, Chelsea mentions they have been invited to Greg’s yacht.
Apparently, the Ratcliff family also received the same invitation. Rick complains, but Greg notices the subtle looks between Chloe and Saxon. However, he does not say anything.
The Ratcliff Family Faces New Problems
The Ratcliff family experiences unexpected events. Meanwhile, Piper finally builds the courage to visit a Buddhist temple. She tries to meet a monk but is told she must wait until Friday. Despite this, she feels satisfied with her progress on her thesis.
Lochlan, on the other hand, attends a posture correction session. His therapist comments that his defensive body language suggests he is trying to protect his “feminine” side. They have not yet fully shown this issue.
Timothy (Jason Isaacs), the head of the Ratcliff family, continues to receive bad news. A phone call informs him that the FBI has issued a warrant to raid his office. He does not want his family to know, so when Saxon keeps getting calls, Timothy insists on a “no electronics” rule.
His family finds this sudden decision strange, but they follow his request and hand over their devices. Piper seems secretly happy about this rule.
Despite this, Timothy remains overwhelmed with stress. Victoria offers him a pill to help him relax. He hesitates at first but eventually takes it. Later, he secretly takes another pill, hinting that he may develop a serious problem.
New episodes of The White Lotus Season 3 air Sundays on HBO and Max.
Also Read: ‘The White Lotus’ Season 3 Episode 1 Recap: Season 3 Begins with Mystery, Drama, and Familiar Faces
