Episode 3 opens with the Ratliff household (minus their patriarch, Tim, performed by Jason Isaacs) on the shore, underneath foreboding gray-blue skies that saturate the encompassing space. The three siblings are sitting collectively — “This is what it looks like before a tsunami,” Lochlan (Sam Nivola) says — whereas matriarch Victoria (Parker Posey) is staring out to the ocean. Their North Carolina residence, lighted up inside with a fiery glow, stands behind her, signaling it’s all a dream. As Victoria wakes up, she overhears Tim taking one other worrying name in regards to the scandal he’s caught up in however that she is aware of nothing about. After sharing the contents of her dream together with her household over breakfast, Piper (Sarah Catherine Hook) suggests: “It could be some kind of warning … [dreams] are a window into something.” Dun, dun, DUNNN. Because the calls maintain coming in — and Saxon (Patrick Schwarzenegger), who works for his father, practically learns that one thing’s amiss — Tim challenges the household to eliminate all their gadgets all through the journey, letting Pam acquire them right into a jumbo bag. What may presumably go incorrect?
Elsewhere, Rick (Walton Goggins) sidles as much as lodge proprietor Sritala Hollinger (Lek Patravadi) at breakfast, claiming to be a producer who’s engaged on a secret challenge and asks the previous actor if she can be open to taking a gathering in Bangkok with a director he’s working with. She agrees. Earlier than all that, Rick has a hankering for some weed and takes a visit out of the lodge, with Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wooden) tagging alongside. The pair wind up at a snake present, the place vacationers marvel on the reptiles whereas munching on potato chips. Rick, excessive as a kite and feeling a kinship to the misunderstood animals, takes it upon himself to set among the snakes free. A cobra bites Chelsea and he or she’s whisked away to a hospital. Her resort pal Chloe (Charlotte Le Bon), who had invited them for a dinner date, makes the eager remark upon her return: “Chelsea, you’ve had two brushes with death in two days. Maybe you guys shouldn’t come on the boat tomorrow.”
The three musketeers, in the meantime, proceed their fascinating and painfully reasonable friendship dance. At dinner, Kate (Leslie Bibb) reveals that, since her transfer to Austin, she goes to church each Sunday, which surprises her coastal liberal mates who think about it is perhaps awkward to attach with individuals who don’t align with their political opinions. “Wait. Are you a Republican?” Laurie (Carrie Coon) asks, which elicits a glance of horror from Jaclyn (Michelle Monaghan). “Noooo!” Kate says. “I’m an independent. But Dave is.” When Laurie needs some assurance that Kate didn’t vote for Donald Trump, her bob-haired buddy provides a good smile and evades the questions. And sure, later that evening, Laurie and Jaclyn collect to trash speak about this growth, which Kate overhears.
However the larger OMG moments involved Tanya McQuoid (Jennifer Coolidge). First, Chloe mentions to Chelsea that Greg/Gary (Jon Gries) has an ex-wife whom he by no means talks about as a result of she was a troubled girl who killed herself. (One can solely assume it is a story that he’s given Chloe about Tanya; except he has one other ex-wife … ). Later, at dinner, it lastly clicks for Belinda (Natasha Rothwell) that she acknowledges Greg/Gary as Tanya’s beau; she approaches him at dinner and brings up Tanya (in entrance of Chloe, Chelsea and Rick). Greg/Gary tells her she’s mistaken. However Belinda can’t shake the sensation. She manages to overlook lengthy sufficient to share a stroll to her room with Pornchai (Dom Hetrakul).
Lastly, the opposite workers of the resort have their very own developments. He might have been friendzoned, however Gaitok (Tayme Thapthimthong) continues to be pining for Mook (Lisa Manobal); however no less than he’s nonetheless attempting to make profession strikes, letting Sritala know he’d be occupied with being her bodyguard if she wanted further safety on her journey to Bangkok.
Now it’s time for Meredith Blake, Greg Braxton and Yvonne Villarreal, platinum-status members of “The White Lotus” frequent visitor program, to interrupt all of it down.
Who do we predict is the corpse this week? Does the snake imagery from current episodes supply a clue?
Blake: I’m really extra intrigued by all of the water imagery on this episode and what it would point out. There’s Victoria’s elusive dream, the torrential downpour she wakes as much as, after which there’s Lochlan holding up his iPad to indicate Tim, who’s gripped with panic over no matter is occurring on the workplace, a video of a person standing on the seaside through the 2004 tsunami and calmly being overtaken by the waves. “He didn’t even run, he just stood there,” Lochlan observes. Tim appears like he understands this impulse. Possibly he’ll let the waves wash over him, too.
Braxton: I’m going to sideline my earlier prediction, no less than for the second, and contend that Victoria’s tsunami dream was a clue she is perhaps the one who’s the floating ghost.
Villarreal: Ooh, I’m intrigued by each readings. Victoria’s suspicions that one thing is amiss with Tim and her option to not press an excessive amount of for a solution she doesn’t actually need to know feels prefer it may set her as much as be collateral harm to Tim’s poor choices.
Will we consider what Rick says in these meditation classes? Or is it an act?
Braxton: Rick says he wants satisfaction as revenge for his father’s homicide. I predict he’ll someway be concerned within the finale mayhem, presumably with weapons ablazing.
Villarreal: Look, Walton Goggins’ supply is so highly effective in these meditation classes that I’m prepared to launch each caged snake on his behalf. You see the face of a misplaced boy whose self-worth, seemingly due to his daddy points, is strained — “I don’t need to detach, I’m already nothing…” This man is coming for his Emmy. However as a result of I belief nobody, I’m additionally side-eyeing these moments. Is all of it a part of some grand manipulation? I don’t know if that’s sufficient of a pink flag for me. I’m only a woman charmed by his curmudgeon demeanor and annoyance for all the things.
Chelsea and Rick go to the snake farm for a present.
(Fabio Lovino/HBO)
The episode provides us our first Tanya mentions. What did you assume?
Braxton: We’re going to seek out out quickly how evil Greg/Gary is. It’s one factor to plot the homicide of a rich partner. However there’s actually nothing that may join him to Tanya’s dying. If he actually fears that Belinda would possibly expose him as a suspect, he may determine that she has to go. We’ll learn the way darkish his soul actually is.
Villarreal: To your level, Meredith, the lack of information from Belinda about Tanya’s dying appears unusual, which is why I may perhaps see this season taking place concurrently the occasions of Season 2. Like, is he in hiding because the stuff in Sicily goes down, ready for ultimate phrase? And is the ex whom Chloe mentions another person fully or is it the story he provides her figuring out Tanya’s finish is close to? Or does this season really happen afterward and Greg/Gary is further mysterious and quietly vengeful as a result of his (perhaps?) lover Quentin (Tom Hollander) is useless? (He was one of many murderous homosexual males whom we study has a previous with Greg/Gary judging from the outdated image Tanya found of them.) Being in conspiracy concept mode is de facto making my head damage.
What did you make of the Trump dialog between the Actual Housewives of Koh Samui?
Blake: I admit I used to be a bit of thrown by the Trump reference. “The White Lotus” engages with real-world points however is just not normally so bluntly topical. It additionally made me surprise which election had been they speaking about. However it didn’t shock me to listen to that Kate is an “independent,” or that she in all probability leans conservative. You possibly can inform so much a few girl from the compelled smile she provides to everybody she encounters. What’s extra attention-grabbing is that Kate’s politics give Jaclyn and Laurie one thing to gossip about and depart her feeling just like the third wheel. I ponder when Jaclyn is lastly going to be the odd girl out?
Braxton: It was jarring to listen to Trump’s identify and a component that I don’t assume will essentially age effectively in a number of years. However when you’re going to go there, then actually go there. As a substitute of asking Kate whether or not she was a Republican, Jaclyn and Laurie ought to have requested her if she was MAGA.
Villarreal: I felt like I went by the Tanya McQuoid gamut of facial expressions whereas watching this scene.
Kate’s an unbiased, OK?
(Fabio Lovino/HBO)
Who has you most suspicious to this point — Chloe, Greg/Gary or Valentin (Arnas Fedaravičius)? Are they working collectively?
Blake: Everyone knows Greg/Gary is a villain. However now I discover myself questioning what precisely Chloe is aware of about Tanya and whether or not she’s working an extended con on Chelsea. The best way she sidled up proper subsequent to her on the bar within the premiere felt like somebody zeroing in on a mark. And absolutely Chloe isn’t any fool and is savvy sufficient to ask questions on the place all of GG’s cash comes from. I believe it’s protected to imagine she is aware of greater than she’s letting on.
Villarreal: Yeah, the snake imagery has me attempting to find out who’s slithering with deception — I’m beginning to suspect Mook isn’t as candy and good as we predict she is. Is she in cahoots with Valentin? Is Valentin working with Chloe to undermine Greg/Gary? Or is she working with Greg/Gary to con Chelsea and Rick? And why do I really feel like Piper has one thing up her sleeve? I solely belief the monkeys at this level.
Are Rick and Chelsea the most effective couple of the franchise?
Blake: Why sure, they’re. I’m stunned at how I’ve grown to care about this couple who appear mismatched in some ways — beginning with their age but in addition their total personalities. Chelsea is sunny and compassionate, whereas Rick looks as if the dictionary definition of a misanthrope. However he clearly cares about her, in his personal unusual, emotionally stunted method. And because of his stoned snake liberation, we all know that he’s able to feeling empathy (nevertheless misguided) for different residing creatures, which is greater than I can say of many individuals on this present. Particularly Saxon.
Braxton: Are we watching the identical present, Meredith? One of many issues that bothers me this season is Rick and Chelsea don’t make sense as a pair. I don’t see any connection that may assist outline why they’re collectively within the first place. And she or he retains calling him her “soulmate” though he appears completely aggravated and indifferent from her. He didn’t appear to essentially care about her doubtlessly deadly snake chunk. He cared extra for the snakes and dismissed the incident as “I was high.” I evaluate them to Harper (Aubrey Plaza) and Ethan (Will Sharpe) from Season 2. They clearly had points, however there nonetheless appears to be a connection. Their marriage had simply hit a tough patch. Rick and Chelsea are all tough patches.
Villarreal: Possibly Chelsea is aware of about Rick’s excessive arch (see photograph 8 of this unfold) and simply couldn’t resist him? I dunno. I discover them endearing as a pair. However I additionally know I shouldn’t as a result of they might positively profit from a “Couple’s Therapy” session.
Who’s Frank, the particular person whom Rick known as within the ultimate moments of the episode?
Blake: I’ve to consider Frank is a few type of shady underworld connection Rick met whereas doing “this and that.”
Villarreal: After Ke Huy Quan’s voice made a shock cameo as Kenny, one of many skilled contacts calling Ted amid the chaos, I hope we get a enjoyable shock with Frank.
Which group desk would you need to sit at for dinner?
Blake: I’d positively sit with Chelsea, as a result of she’s time. However I’d ask Laurie to affix with us, too. As a result of if there’s anybody I can relate to it’s a drained working mother.
Braxton: It would change. However for me to this point, it’s a “table for one.”
Villarreal: Meredith, please save me a seat at that desk. I would like in. However I’d add Rick to the combo after he’s gotten his fingers on some weed.
