And that’s a wrap! As the cherished Mike White television show, White Lotus, showcased the season 3 finale, viewers who were glued to their couches every Sunday night are left surprised, saddened, but overall mixed on their feelings about this season.
The pressure was on for the 8 episode season of the White Lotus for not only Mike White but all the cast including stars like Parker Posey, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Jason Isaacs, and Lisa Monobal. Acting wise everyone performed exceptionally well, expected considering White’s talent for scouting niche actors and using the show to bring their talents to light, but the common consensus was that this season lacked plot-wise compared to previous seasons.
Seasons 1 and 2 featured story lines that were consistently developed throughout the season with each episode building up towards a massive final resolution. Season 3, while doing technically the same thing, felt like some story lines were just being dragged out longer than needed and either had a meaningful or average resolution. For example, the storyline following the Ratliff family and their embezzlement fiasco plus the complicated and slightly perverted sibling relationship sort of resembled watching paint dry and realizing you don’t like the color anymore. Nothing was really changed except the family seemingly being brought closer together and ready to combat their issues they will face back home, but knowing the family it seems very unrealistic they would be able to survive without their wealth and status they rely on so much.
The same feeling could be said with other storylines including Gaitok and Mook’s relationship and Gaitok’s inner turmoil with his Bhuddist values and his responsibilities as a security guard, Chelsea and Rick’s relationship, although this one felt more exciting towards the end, and Belinda’s conflict with taking bribery money to support her dream of having a spa business.
A story line that I felt was most the most satisfying was the trio of women who rekindled their friendships on the trip. Although they started out as a classic and gossipy group of women who simply maintained their superficial relationships with each other, the final monologue from Laurie really solidified their storyline as one of the best. The monologue proved to be a resemblance of how many adult friendships feel as people naturally drift apart. As someone in their Senior year of college I can’t help resonate with Laurie and her feelings of love for her friends that she has known for so long despite the differences and trouble they may have had with each other. Their friendship is a testament to all the female friendships that have persisted despite troubles along the way.
While I felt the season wasn’t as strong as the previous two, I still found it very enjoyable to watch. Mike White creatively tried a different direction with the location and centering the season around themes of death, rebirth, and spirituality and analyzing these themes through looks at human behavior but failed to convey it in a meaningful way to the average viewer. But something done for mass appeal isn’t always the best piece of art either.
