'The White Lotus' Season 3, Episode 4 recap: Pick up the phone, some answers are calling

“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, Episode 2 and Episode 3.)

From the opening moments of Episode 4, the characters telegraphed duress done immoderate telephone calls. Whatever Jaclyn (Michelle Monaghan) is feeling astir her bestie Kate (Leslie Bibb), who mightiness beryllium a Trump supporter, takes a backseat erstwhile a telephone (and text) to her younger hubby goes unanswered. Meanwhile, Belinda (Natasha Rothwell) connects with her son, Zion, arsenic helium prepares to committee his formation to conscionable up with her: “Please beryllium safe,” she tells him.

But it’s erstwhile genial edifice defender Gaitok (Tayme Thapthimthong) is fixed entree to a weapon and encouraged to familiarize himself with it aft a robbery (and a lecture from his bosses) that the puzzle pieces look to commencement locking into place.

This occurrence moves galore of the characters extracurricular the White Lotus resort. In an effort to support from spiraling astir her husband, Jaclyn rallies the ladies for a displacement successful scenery. But erstwhile different resort’s excavation turns out, to Jaclyn’s utmost dismay, to beryllium an oasis for older normies, she insists Valentin (Arnas Fedaravičius) instrumentality them connected a amended excursion. He obliges, starring them into the metropolis halfway arsenic Songkran, a solemnisation of the Thai New Year that involves h2o fights, is underway. In a infinitesimal crafted to supply america with endless GIFs, the friends are chased by kids equipped with ace soaker guns who hose the women successful water, but you can’t lavation distant entitlement. They yet conscionable up with Valentin and immoderate of his friends astatine a enactment — what happens adjacent remains to beryllium seen.

However, the main lawsuit is simply a vessel bash hosted by Greg/Gary (Jon Gries) and Chloe (Charlotte Le Bon), teased successful past week’s episode. Despite Chelsea’s (Aimee Lou Wood) archetypal misgivings that thing atrocious could await her determination — “Things hap successful threes. The robbery. The snake show. This could beryllium immoderate ‘Final Destination’ s—. Death is coming for me.” — she decides to be aft guilt-tripping Rick (Walton Goggins) into making an quality earlier his formation to Bangkok. At the vessel party, Chelsea manages to get Rick to stock wherefore he’s Bangkok-bound: “The dude who murdered my begetter owns this hotel,” helium says.

Elsewhere, the Ratliff household continues to triumph the grounds for the astir insane stories to stock successful therapy. Timothy (Jason Isaacs), who’s been self-medicating with Victoria’s Lorazepam, unintentionally flashes Piper (Sarah Catherine Hook) and Lochy (Sam Nivola) earlier meal — fto this beryllium a acquisition to double-knot your robe belts, people. But the gaffe of tegument didn’t derail the maritime festivities. At the vessel party, Saxon (Patrick Schwarzenegger) continues to beryllium an ick monster and Tim winds up swiping Victoria’s full vessel of pills. We besides larn that Tim’s gramps was the politician of North Carolina, his begetter was a palmy businessman, and some his parents are dead.

The Ratliff household heads to Greg/Gary and Chloe’s vessel party.

(Stefano Delia / HBO)

Back connected adust land, aft Victoria (Parker Posey) stresses to Piper however fortunate she is that, dissimilar the men connected the boat, her begetter is simply a respectable man, Tim’s blameworthy conscience leads him to retrieve his telephone from Pam. Messages travel flooding in. And different telephone telephone signaling doom takes place: Tim calls his lawyer and learns that Kenny Nguyen, his subordinate successful the ungraded helium is caught up in, is cooperating with the feds. Tim is advised to plead blameworthy to embezzlement and fraud truthful that helium tin chopped a woody where, if he’s lucky, he’d lone service a fewer months successful prison. “I would alternatively die. I would alternatively f—ing die. What americium I expected to archer my family?” helium says. That’s erstwhile helium spots the weapon Gaitok near unattended successful the adjacent information shed.

Then there’s Belinda, who can’t shingle the feeling she has astir the ubiquitous affluent bald guy. She does an net hunt connected Tanya McQuoid, which brings up quality articles astir her decease and however authorities privation to question Greg/Gary. In the episode’s closing moments, we spot Greg/Gary scrolling done Belinda’s Instagram grid, stopping astatine a photograph of her with her son. To punctuation Saxon, “S—’s astir to get crazy!”

Before we statesman this week’s analysis, we’re saying bon voyage to Meredith Blake, who has departed The Times aft much than 12 years. Much similar Tanya McQuoid, we won’t hide her. Now it’s clip for Maira Garcia, this week’s sub-in, 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 weapon that’s loaned to Gaitok springiness america a clue?

Garcia: As overmuch is astatine it would marque consciousness to enactment my wealth down connected idiosyncratic from the Ratliff family, knowing however this amusement has played things successful erstwhile seasons, I’m not definite it’s 1 of them conscionable yet. Tim is evidently experiencing a crisis, but Chelsea’s code to Rick is awfully ominous. But that whitethorn besides beryllium excessively connected the nose. Chelsea is precise saccharine and she appears to beryllium benign compared to everyone else, but sadly, atrocious things hap to bully people.

Braxton: I’m sticking with my erstwhile prime of Victoria having a premonition. Although Chelsea’s notation of her imaginable “Final Destination” fearfulness whitethorn ringing true. It would beryllium a cruel outcome. But those movies person nary mercy.

Villarreal: I’m going to support shifting my reply conscionable truthful I tin person a amended changeable of claiming that I guessed correctly. With that said, fixed each of mediocre Gaitok’s atrocious luck and this added item astir the gun, I thought possibly the dormant assemblage could beryllium Mook successful 1 of his blundered attempts to prevention the day. But with Tim taking possession of it, I don’t deliberation that’s it. I besides americium skeptical the corpse was a unfortunate of a gunshot. Maybe idiosyncratic ate the effect from the pong-pong tree, oregon suffered a snake bite, oregon a decease glare from 1 of the monkeys was other beardown that morning.

It’s made wide again successful this occurrence that Tim and Rick bash not similar each other. Is it conscionable vibes oregon bash you deliberation there’s much to it?

Garcia: You know, I hadn’t fixed this overmuch thought until you raised it, Yvonne. I deliberation I’ve been much focused connected the vibes betwixt Rick and Greg/Gary, but I request to cognize what you think.

Braxton: Look astatine however Rick treats his girlfriend. Rick doesn’t similar anybody unless they’re providing him with weed. He’s miserable, and sometimes misery does not emotion company.

Villarreal: Rick is precise overmuch the Hugh Grant of this travel — annoyed by everything astir him successful a mode we can’t assistance but subordinate to — truthful I tin spot this hostility stemming from thing arsenic flimsy arsenic Tim breathing excessively large oregon talking by speakerphone connected his compartment during that archetypal vessel travel to the resort. But it’s evident we’re expected to consciousness it, and I privation to cognize why!

Sweet Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood) learns wherefore Rick (Walton Goggins) is truthful intent connected escaping to Bangkok.

(Stefano Delia / HBO)

Speaking of Rick, what bash you marque of the communicative helium tells Chelsea astir his dad?

Garcia: It’s heartbreaking due to the fact that I deliberation he’s being truthful. As grouchy arsenic Rick tin be, helium doesn’t look similar the benignant to lie, particularly not to Chelsea. But you person to wonderment whether his parent told him a gangly communicative arsenic a kid to comfortableness him. Trauma tin beryllium unusual similar that.

Braxton: That’s a hellhole of a load to transportation astir each your life. I fishy the communicative is true, but I besides fishy it goes deeper than that. That could decidedly beryllium revealed earlier we scope the end.

Villarreal: Not to propulsion his dormant parent nether the bus, but due to the fact that this amusement makes maine question everything it presents to me, I consciousness similar possibly his ma told him that communicative connected her deathbed to marque him consciousness amended astir wherefore his dada wasn’t successful his life. Am I being excessively cynical?

Garcia: No, I’m with you connected this.

Do you find it unusual that Belinda hadn’t known astir Tanya’s passing until now?

Garcia: Incredibly. Meredith raised this constituent successful past week’s recap. Wouldn’t this person been quality astir enactment astatine least? I’d similar to accidental astir radical scroll the news, but we cognize that’s not existent [cries successful falling subscription revenue]. That’s the lone logical reasoning I tin travel up with.

Braxton: What’s bothering maine adjacent much is that Belinda recognizes Gary/Greg from 2 years ago. I can’t callback immoderate important enactment betwixt then. One constituent of Jon Gries, which makes his acting and his character, is his carnal ordinariness. Gary/Greg is simply a feline who could easy slice into the inheritance successful a crowded situation — there’s thing distinctive astir his look that would person acceptable him isolated from the hundreds of different ubiquitous bald guys who passed done the White Lotus wherever Belinda works. Walk into immoderate supermarket and you’ll spot astatine slightest 5 guys who look similar Gary/Greg. Belinda’s nagging suspicion that she recognizes him is simply a agelong for me.

Villarreal: I don’t cognize that I hold with you connected that, Greg. Women retrieve weird dudes. And Greg/Gary is simply a weird dude. I bash find it unusual that Belinda would not person heard astir Tanya’s decease done the enactment grapevine. I besides decidedly paused the screen. And the headlines astir the decease were from 2022, but determination was 1 header from CNN successful the premix that was from 2024, which is intelligibly person to erstwhile these events instrumentality place. So astir 2 years person passed. And that CNN header was astir a Hollywood accumulation institution landing the rights to Tanya’s communicative — truthful I consciousness similar that says this got capable nationalist attraction for that to happen? Maybe Belinda is conscionable not doomscrolling similar the remainder of us. And if that’s the case, I request her maestro people connected that present much than ever.

Belinda (Natasha Rothwell) learns to doomscroll — she’s conscionable similar america now!

(Fabio Lovino / HBO)

Jaclyn and her pals bash not person a bully acquisition erstwhile they yet task extracurricular the White Lotus. What is Mike White saying astir civilization clash and class?

Braxton: Although the women the trio conscionable astatine the different edifice they sojourn are polite, they and the different guests are depicted arsenic unattractive, astir grotesque. “Something is off,” Jacklyn whispers to her friends. They are mode “above” these folks and can’t hold to get distant from them. To me, it speaks to the elitism and shallowness of the trio that they are repelled by folks who are not arsenic upscale arsenic they are — they are repelled by “the large unwashed.” Their discomfort increases erstwhile they task into municipality for Thai New Year. The autochthonal children consciousness their discomfort and escalate the watery attack, sending the women moving for cover. Their fearfulness indicates to maine a rejection of the civilization they person thousands of dollars to question to. They are much comfy being astir the affluent achromatic tourists astatine the resort.

Garcia: And that country astatine the different edifice besides reflects their ageism, a taxable that came up successful Episode 2 erstwhile Laurie and Kate talked astir Jaclyn’s “waxy” face. We besides cognize Jaclyn joined a younger man, and she seemed aghast astatine being among older communal folk. There are a fewer layers astatine enactment here, of course. These scenes were a vivid reflection of the show’s introspection of race, civilization and class.

Villarreal: Considering however overmuch clip White spent studying Thai civilization and observing the kinds of tourists that visit, it’s precisely the depiction I’d expect of privileged travelers who privation the photograph op much than they privation to research the land and acquisition its offerings. They don’t attraction to really recognize different civilization oregon genuinely bask successful its surroundings, they conscionable privation to consciousness capable civilization to station Instagram stories that volition marque you envious portion you’re stuck astatine home.

Kate (Leslie Bibb), Jaclyn (Michelle Monaghan) and Laurie (Carrie Coon) drenched successful privilege.

(Fabio Lovino / HBO)

Kate’s choky grin portion being questioned astir authorities successful past week’s occurrence was a masterclass successful facial acting. But Chelsea’s bittersweet look enactment with Rick implicit meal was conscionable arsenic inspiring. Do we request to commencement handing retired Best Facial Expression awards?

Garcia: Only if I tin springiness 1 to Mook for erstwhile she politely friend-zoned Gaitok.

Braxton: My campaigner would beryllium Amrita (Shalini Peiris), the spiritual counsellor who ever looks astatine Rick with involvement and interest adjacent arsenic helium is horribly rude to her. And erstwhile she tells him her communicative has touched his heart, it’s astir similar she is smitten. If I were Chelsea, I’d support a precise adjacent oculus connected her.

Villarreal: Chelsea’s pout to Rick was top-tier. But the 1 that had maine cackling was Victoria’s absorption successful taking banal of the unusual couplings connected the vessel — the raised eyebrows, the sucking of her teeth and the suspiration was an exquisite show of subtle judgment.

Greg/Gary someway manages to consciousness adjacent much acheronian and menacing. Why bash you deliberation helium was looking astatine Belinda’s Instagram?

Garcia: OK, this gave maine the heebie-jeebies. There was besides that ominous changeable of him connected the vessel looking down astatine the party. Dude’s nefarious and slimy and thing shady seems to person to bash with him. With that said, Jon Gries’ endowment is connected afloat show successful this role.

Braxton: Evil radical often bash probe connected their victims earlier laying the trap.

Villarreal: He’s decidedly up to nary good, trying to find her anemic spot to support her from gabbing to authorities. To punctuation Belinda, motherf—!

Who volition enactment harder: our ladies Kate, Jaclyn and Laurie, oregon Saxon and Lochy?

Garcia: Nothing gives maine much joyousness than seeing middle-aged women person fun, truthful I can’t hold to spot however they enactment with Valentin and his crew.

Braxton: Girls conscionable wanna person fun. They conscionable wanna, they conscionable wanna ...

Villarreal: Let’s instrumentality notes for our adjacent enactment lunch. Also, speaking of Saxon, however has Erewhon not announced a ridiculously priced smoothie successful his grant by now?

Garcia: I anticipation you get a committee for this million-dollar idea.

Whose storyline bash you find astir compelling 4 episodes in?

Garcia: I’m going with Rick. He remains an enigma, though his revelation to Chelsea gives america much to look guardant to. I privation to cognize what helium does, who helium knows and whether helium meets Sritala’s husband, who we’re being led to judge killed his father.

Braxton: I ballot for Gaitok. He’s specified a bully guy, but a acheronian unreality is pursuing him. The theft of the weapon portion helium was retired of the guardhouse volition beryllium different achromatic mark. Things volition not extremity good for him.

Villarreal: I’m with you, Greg. I privation to support Gaitok astatine each costs. But Rick’s troubled aura has maine truthful intrigued. I privation him to get the answers helium needs to determination connected successful life, but I interest he’ll get answers that volition lone bash much to harden him.