'The White Lotus' Season 3, Episode 3 recap: Work and politics at the dinner table

“The White Lotus,” Mike White’s achromatic drama anthology series, is backmost connected HBO for a 3rd season. Times staffers emotion an escape, but since we can’t instrumentality a travel to Thailand to enactment astatine a luxury resort, the adjacent champion happening is to immerse ourselves successful the caller season. Follow on with america for each occurrence arsenic we sermon theories, observations and our favourite moments starring up to the finale. (Read our recaps: Episode 1 and Episode 2.)

Episode 3 opens with the Ratliff household (minus their patriarch, Tim, played by Jason Isaacs) connected the shore, nether foreboding gray-blue skies that saturate the surrounding area. The 3 siblings are sitting unneurotic — “This is what it looks similar earlier a tsunami,” Lochlan (Sam Nivola) says — portion matriarch Victoria (Parker Posey) is staring retired to the sea. Their North Carolina home, lighted up wrong with a fiery glow, stands down her, signaling it’s each a dream. As Victoria wakes up, she overhears Tim taking different stressful telephone astir the ungraded he’s caught up successful but that she knows thing about. After sharing the contents of her imagination with her household implicit breakfast, Piper (Sarah Catherine Hook) suggests: “It could beryllium immoderate benignant of informing ... [dreams] are a model into something.” Dun, dun, DUNNN. As the calls support coming successful — and Saxon (Patrick Schwarzenegger), who works for his father, astir learns that something’s amiss — Tim challenges the household to bash distant with each their devices for the duration of the trip, letting Pam cod them into a jumbo bag. What could perchance spell wrong?

Elsewhere, Rick (Walton Goggins) sidles up to edifice proprietor Sritala Hollinger (Lek Patravadi) astatine breakfast, claiming to beryllium a shaper who is moving connected a concealed task and asks the erstwhile histrion if she would beryllium unfastened to taking a gathering successful Bangkok with a manager he’s moving with. She agrees. Before each that, Rick has a hankering for immoderate weed and takes a travel retired of the hotel, with Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood) tagging along. The brace upwind up astatine a snake show, wherever tourists marvel astatine the reptiles portion munching connected murphy chips. Rick, precocious arsenic a kite and feeling a kinship to the misunderstood animals, takes it upon himself to acceptable immoderate of the snakes free. A cobra bites Chelsea and she’s whisked distant to a hospital. Her edifice pal Chloe (Charlotte Le Bon), who had invited them for a meal date, makes the keen reflection upon her return: “Chelsea, you’ve had 2 brushes with decease successful 2 days. Maybe you guys shouldn’t travel connected the vessel tomorrow.”

The 3 musketeers, meanwhile, proceed their fascinating and painfully realistic relationship dance. At dinner, Kate (Leslie Bibb) reveals that, since her determination to Austin, she goes to religion each Sunday, which surprises her coastal wide friends who ideate it mightiness beryllium awkward to link with radical who don’t align with their governmental views. “Wait. Are you a Republican?” Laurie (Carrie Coon) asks, which elicits a look of fearfulness from Jaclyn (Michelle Monaghan). “Noooo!” Kate says. “I’m an independent. But Dave is.” When Laurie wants immoderate assurance that Kate didn’t ballot for Donald Trump, her bob-haired person offers a choky grin and evades the questions. And yes, aboriginal that night, Laurie and Jaclyn stitchery to trash speech astir this development, which Kate overhears.

But the bigger OMG moments acrophobic Tanya McQuoid (Jennifer Coolidge). First, Chloe mentions to Chelsea that Greg/Gary (Jon Gries) has an ex-wife whom helium ne'er talks astir due to the fact that she was a troubled pistillate who killed herself. (One tin lone presume this is simply a communicative that he’s fixed Chloe astir Tanya; unless helium has different ex-wife ... ). Later, astatine dinner, it yet clicks for Belinda (Natasha Rothwell) that she recognizes Greg/Gary arsenic Tanya’s beau; she approaches him astatine meal and brings up Tanya (in beforehand of Chloe, Chelsea and Rick). Greg/Gary tells her she’s mistaken. But Belinda can’t shingle the feeling. She manages to hide agelong capable to stock a locomotion to her country with Pornchai (Dom Hetrakul).

Finally, the different employees of the edifice person their ain developments. He whitethorn person been friendzoned, but Gaitok (Tayme Thapthimthong) is inactive pining for Mook (Lisa Manobal); but astatine slightest he’s inactive trying to marque vocation moves, letting Sritala cognize he’d beryllium funny successful being her bodyguard if she needed other information connected her travel to Bangkok.

Now it’s clip for Meredith Blake, Greg Braxton and Yvonne Villarreal, platinum-status members of “The White Lotus” predominant impermanent program, to interruption it each down.

Who bash we deliberation is the corpse this week? Does the snake imagery from caller episodes connection a clue?

Blake: I americium really much intrigued by each the h2o imagery successful this occurrence and what it mightiness indicate. There’s Victoria’s elusive dream, the torrential downpour she wakes up to, and past there’s Lochlan holding up his iPad to amusement Tim, who is gripped with panic implicit immoderate is going connected astatine the office, a video of a antheral lasting connected the formation during the 2004 tsunami and calmly being overtaken by the waves. “He didn’t adjacent run, helium conscionable stood there,” Lochlan observes. Tim looks similar helium understands this impulse. Maybe helium volition fto the waves lavation implicit him, too.

Braxton: I’m going to sideline my earlier prediction, astatine slightest for the moment, and contend that Victoria’s tsunami imagination was a hint she mightiness beryllium the 1 who is the floating ghost.

Villarreal: Ooh, I’m intrigued by some readings. Victoria’s suspicions that thing is amiss with Tim and her prime to not property excessively overmuch for an reply she doesn’t truly privation to cognize feels similar it could acceptable her up to beryllium collateral harm to Tim’s mediocre decisions.

Do we judge what Rick says successful these meditation sessions? Or is it an act?

Braxton: Rick says helium needs restitution arsenic revenge for his father’s murder. I foretell helium volition someway beryllium progressive successful the finale mayhem, perchance with guns ablazing.

Villarreal: Look, Walton Goggins’ transportation is truthful almighty successful these meditation sessions that I americium consenting to merchandise each caged snake connected his behalf. You spot the look of a mislaid lad whose self-worth, seemingly due to the fact that of his daddy issues, is strained — “I don’t request to detach, I’m already nothing...” This antheral is coming for his Emmy. But due to the fact that I spot nary one, I’m besides side-eyeing these moments. Is it each portion of immoderate expansive manipulation? I don’t cognize if that’s capable of a reddish emblem for me. I’m conscionable a miss charmed by his curmudgeon demeanor and annoyance for everything.

Chelsea and Rick spell to the snake workplace for a show.

(Fabio Lovino/HBO)

The occurrence gives america our archetypal Tanya mentions. What did you think?

Blake: I thought it was interesting, and possibly a tad implausible, that connection of Tanya’s decease hadn’t gotten backmost to Belinda, either done quality reports oregon the White Lotus grapevine. Surely if a fabulously affluent heiress similar Tanya died nether mysterious circumstances aft traveling aboard a yacht wherever galore radical were changeable and killed, it would pull media attraction and astir apt spawn a cardinal podcasts. And I americium besides definite the employees astatine the White Lotus would beryllium buzzing astir the high-roller impermanent who drowned. My question is however Greg/Gary has managed to flight unnoticed — and wherefore he’s dumb capable to amusement up astatine different White Lotus. But you cognize what they accidental ... criminals ever instrumentality to the country of the crime.

Braxton: We’re going to find retired soon however evil Greg/Gary is. It’s 1 happening to crippled the execution of a affluent spouse. But there’s virtually thing that tin link him to Tanya’s death. If helium truly fears that Belinda mightiness exposure him arsenic a suspect, helium could determine that she has to go. We’ll find retired however acheronian his psyche genuinely is.

Villarreal: To your point, Meredith, the deficiency of consciousness from Belinda astir Tanya’s decease seems strange, which is wherefore I could possibly spot this play happening astatine the aforesaid clip arsenic the events of Season 2. Like, is helium successful hiding arsenic the worldly successful Sicily is going down, waiting for last word? And is the ex whom Chloe mentions idiosyncratic other wholly oregon is it the communicative helium gives her knowing Tanya’s extremity is near? Or does this play really instrumentality spot afterward and Greg/Gary is other mysterious and softly vengeful due to the fact that his (maybe?) person Quentin (Tom Hollander) is dead? (He was 1 of the murderous cheery men whom we larn has a past with Greg/Gary judging from the aged representation Tanya discovered of them.) Being successful conspiracy mentation mode is truly making my caput hurt.

What did you marque of the Trump speech betwixt the Real Housewives of Koh Samui?

Blake: I admit I was a small thrown by the Trump reference. “The White Lotus” engages with real-world issues but is not usually truthful bluntly topical. It besides made maine wonderment which predetermination were they talking about. But it did not astonishment maine to perceive that Kate is an “independent,” oregon that she astir apt leans conservative. You tin archer a batch astir a pistillate from the forced grin she gives to everyone she encounters. What’s much absorbing is that Kate’s authorities springiness Jaclyn and Laurie thing to gossip astir and permission her feeling similar the 3rd wheel. I wonderment erstwhile Jaclyn is yet going to beryllium the unusual pistillate out?

Braxton: It was jarring to perceive Trump’s sanction and an constituent that I don’t deliberation volition needfully property good successful a fewer years. But if you’re going to spell there, past truly spell there. Instead of asking Kate whether she was a Republican, Jaclyn and Laurie should person asked her if she was MAGA.

Villarreal: I felt similar I went done the Tanya McQuoid gamut of facial expressions portion watching this scene.

Kate’s an independent, OK?

(Fabio Lovino/HBO)

Who has you astir suspicious truthful acold — Chloe, Greg/Gary or Valentin (Arnas Fedaravičius)? Are they moving together?

Blake: We each cognize Greg/Gary is simply a villain. But present I find myself questioning what precisely Chloe knows astir Tanya and whether she’s moving a agelong con connected Chelsea. The mode she sidled up close adjacent to her astatine the barroom successful the premiere felt similar idiosyncratic zeroing successful connected a mark. And surely Chloe is nary idiot and is savvy capable to inquire questions astir wherever each of GG’s wealth comes from. I deliberation it’s harmless to presume she knows much than she’s letting on.

Villarreal: Yeah, the snake imagery has maine trying to find who is slithering with deception — I’m starting to fishy Mook isn’t arsenic saccharine and bully arsenic we deliberation she is. Is she successful cahoots with Valentin? Is Valentin moving with Chloe to undermine Greg/Gary? Or is she moving with Greg/Gary to con Chelsea and Rick? And wherefore bash I consciousness similar Piper has thing up her sleeve? I lone spot the monkeys astatine this point.

Are Rick and Chelsea the champion mates of the franchise?

Blake: Why yes, they are. I americium amazed astatine however I’ve grown to attraction astir this mates who look mismatched successful galore ways — starting with their property but besides their full personalities. Chelsea is sunny and compassionate, portion Rick seems similar the dictionary explanation of a misanthrope. But helium intelligibly cares astir her, successful his ain strange, emotionally stunted way. And acknowledgment to his stoned snake liberation, we cognize that he’s susceptible of feeling empathy (however misguided) for different surviving creatures, which is much than I tin accidental of galore radical connected this show. Especially Saxon.

Braxton: Are we watching the aforesaid show, Meredith? One of the things that bothers maine this play is Rick and Chelsea don’t marque consciousness arsenic a couple. I don’t spot immoderate transportation that would assistance specify wherefore they are unneurotic successful the archetypal place. And she keeps calling him her “soulmate” adjacent though helium seems wholly annoyed and detached from her. He didn’t look to truly attraction astir her perchance fatal snake bite. He cared much for the snakes and dismissed the incidental arsenic “I was high.” I comparison them to Harper (Aubrey Plaza) and Ethan (Will Sharpe) from Season 2. They intelligibly had issues, but determination inactive seems to beryllium a connection. Their matrimony had conscionable deed a unsmooth patch. Rick and Chelsea are all rough patches.

Villarreal: Maybe Chelsea knows astir Rick’s precocious arch (see photo 8 of this spread) and conscionable couldn’t defy him? I dunno. I find them endearing arsenic a couple. But I besides cognize I shouldn’t due to the fact that they could decidedly payment from a “Couple’s Therapy” session.

Who is Frank, the idiosyncratic whom Rick called successful the last moments of the episode?

Blake: I person to judge Frank is immoderate benignant of shady underworld transportation Rick met portion doing “this and that.”

Villarreal: After Ke Huy Quan’s dependable made a astonishment cameo arsenic Kenny, 1 of the nonrecreational contacts calling Ted amid the chaos, I anticipation we get a amusive astonishment with Frank.

Which radical array would you privation to beryllium astatine for dinner?

Blake: I’d decidedly beryllium with Chelsea, due to the fact that she’s a bully time. But I mightiness inquire Laurie to articulation with us, too. Because if there’s anyone I tin subordinate to it’s a bushed moving mom.

Braxton: It mightiness change. But for maine truthful far, it’s a “table for one.”

Villarreal: Meredith, delight prevention maine a spot astatine that table. I privation in. But I’d adhd Rick to the premix aft he’s gotten his hands connected immoderate weed.