The White Lotus Season 3 Part 9 (Season Finale)

Thank you OP

Tonight's finale is 90 minutes.

After last week’s Scooby Doo-level writing (“see the stolen jewelry all laid out in his apartment”), expectations are low

I want Greg to survive. He’s the least boring character.

Ladies and Gentlemen, let's get ready to ruuuuuummble

Put me through some changes, Lord

Sort of like a waring blender

Poor, poor pitiful me

Poor, poor pitiful me

5 Million? Zion you fool.

Gaitok you should have told your boss immediately. Now you are putting yourself in danger because the Russians are desperate.

Finish using the other thread! Please.

I bet Lochie drinks the shake by mistake after the father decided to spare him.

Thanks hall monitor at R10

I bet the seeds aren’t really poisonous

Aw I am glad the 3 friends are happy together

Aww. I really liked that speech

Hopefully the seeds aren't strong enough to kill them.

There you go—Carrie Coon can really bring it.

Lochlan don't drink it!

Tim should have rinsed out the blender

God I hate Tim Ratliff.

Snitches get stiches Gaitok

I think Belinda got her $5 mil.

I did a little day drinking today and this isn't helping ny hangxiety

Belinda is so happy, I hope she gets out of there okay

Noooo Lochy!!!

Cool it Rick

Dear god in heaven.

I told you to rinse out the blender

I hate Zion

Scott Glen may be old but he can still play a believable badass.

I wish there was a Saxson, Zion and Lochlan threeway. Missed opportunity.

Damn. I saw it coming with Lachlan, but it's still shocking. And barfing in the pool

R31, he was terrific in that confrontation with Rick.

How bored must Jason Isaacs have been playing this zonked out dud?

A man in late middle age who doesn't need to piss when he gets up? i call no way.

Oh my God, Belinda has become to Pornchai what Tonya was to her during the first season.

R36 it’s a fucking tv show. Not a documentary

No pissing and benzos don't cause withdrawal

Belinda is exactly what she hated in season 1. Fat ass

Is that the same speech Belinda got from Jennifer Coolidge?

Seriously? Nitpicking to the point you’re bitching that the father didn’t piss right away? How fucking stupid

You’re surprised by that ironic trust?

Rick is pissing me off so much this episode.

twist *

Damn this is a shoot em up

Lachlan deserved that for not washing the blender out. Honestly, who wouldn’t rinse that before making his protein shake?

If Rick’s head isn’t blown off, I’ll be so upset.

Shot thro the heart

Lochy survives!

That is one wacky resort!

Go Gaitok!!!!!

Rick is a fucking idiot.

Moldavian Massacre!!!!

Those poor pool and pond cleaners

Thank God Walton can’t be brought back in future seasons. Energy black hole.

[quote]That is one wacky resort!

Feels like we wandered into Westworld territory.

The actor who plays Zion is beautiful.

Well, Karma really did come for them all.

I had a moment when Lochy opened his eyes.

Love that Billy Preston song!

So Mook's happy Gaitok is now a killer.

So does Belinda fall off a boat in Season 4?

Man, Mike White is hardcore killing off Chelsea. Fuck.

So Russians are with their girlfriends or a fresh crop of tourists?

You were warned by Le Bon.

Next season opener should be 90 minutes for character development.

[quote]Moldavian Massacre!!!!

Perfect

Crap. White is such a hack.

You couldn’t fix him, Chelsea. 😥

SPOILERS:

So Rick, Chelsea, Jim, and the two bodyguards bit the dust.

Belinda and Zion prospered by selling out for $5Million.

Gaitok got a raise and the girl by betraying his principles.

The Ratliffs will have to face the consequences of Timothy's deal, but they all survived.

The three Russian thieves all got away with it.

Did Fabian get shot or was he just dramatic falling into the water?

Was hoping Mook would show up wearing the stolen bracelet.

OOF!

Jim was or was not his father?

I guess the moral of the season is that even the most virtuous can be corrupted (Gaitok and Belinda). Good doesn’t win. Greg and the Russians continue to evade justice.

Jim was. "He's your father! He told me last night!"

I think Fabian fell or jumped into the water.

The Russians were petty grifters in the grand scheme of WL.

R75 He was.

I called that shit back in thread one or two. Rick’s mom Obi Wan Kenobi’d him. Darth Vader (Jim) killed your father. BS, Darth Vader (Jim) was his father

[quote]Was hoping Mook would show up wearing the stolen bracelet.

Or that Gaitok would!

Poor Gaitok. He should’ve quit. Now he’s gonna turn into a dickhead.

Fuck Mook. I hope he dumps her.

Yes you did r80

The cynicism of this season certainly is a sign of the times.

Many did…

When Belinda shafted Pornchai (in love and business with the same speech Tonya gave her) she insured she'll make it to Season 4 where she will die with Greg, in a lovers' embrace

Um, so like it wasn't shocking because like, every scenario on DL had been called...

Many called that he was actually Rick’s dad.

Rick pissed me off ALL EPISODE.

I had a don't drink that tea Lydia moment with Lochy.

R87 every scenario was guessed because we guessed every scenario that could be possible.

No R87. It was one of the most common thoughts on threads 1-7.

I’ve never had a near-death experience but I think if I did I wouldn’t tell someone “I think I just saw God!” with the casualness of a lunch order when I came to.

Maybe Greg can get his mommy/daddy threesome issues sorted with that new dude Chloe is talking to.

Poor Chelsea. She was the one I actually liked. But I knew she was a goner since she kept talking about how her and Rick’s fates were entwined.

Glad to see Frank getting back to the meditation and Rick didn’t ruin his life.

Good finale in my opinion.

Greg/Gary winking at the end. oh my

The only letdown was one of the producers said that the incest storyline had a great ending and built up to a moment….so I think it would have been better had Saxon saved/embraced Lochlan at the end when he came to.

That bracelet in the jewelry store was a red herring.

And I thought my guester on love Boat was fucked up.

I would’ve liked the Ratliff’s story to play out a bit longer

Great finale, great season, but Rick was such a fucking idiot - believably so, just infuriating, and I knew poor Chelsea was cursed for loving that POS moron

r94=Mike White.

[quote] —So like, is there anything you ppl can't guess?

There's plenty we guessed that also never happened: murderous monkeys, a 3-way among all three Ratliff children, Timothy being reprieved from his financial nightmare at the last minute, Timothy or Saxon joining the Buddhist monastery...

R92 people feeling they saw God in near death situations is common.

So y’all still complaining of the lack of plot development now, or not. Critic’s choice gold check mark or no?

It would have been more poignant if Lochlan died. It was cheesy that he came back to life.

The others were all predictable.

I guess Mike White is into massacre now.

C+

Plot development? Who complained about that? Whoever complained about that is an idiot. This is not a plot driven series.

LOCHLAN LIVES!

Rejoice!

The paternity results are in. Jim, you ARE Rick's father!

[quote]people feeling they saw God in near death situations is common

It wasn't clear in this situation if he did or didn't. It may have just been angels.

i thought it was fine but the actors transcended a pretty mediocre story. The Ratliffes were underused in the last half hour The women's story ended strong. B-

S2 still the strongest.

On to Hacks.

Plot timing —same difference

This episode should help Coon get jobs.

Damn what a cynical hour and a half.

Laurie’s speech was beautifull.

R109 but he THOUGHT he saw God. So he said it. The end.

Her scene was the best of the episode. She was great.

I picked Rick correctly. (I just didn't see the other four.)

I knew it would be a bloodbath and I felt Chelsea would be the sacrificial lamb, too pure to live.

Love the “Taxi Driver” irony that peace-loving Gaitok gets his girl by becoming a cold-blooded murderer.

Glad Lochy survived. So happy Belinda turned out to be as craven and selfish as Tanya. Funny how the prospect of getting suddenly rich and then getting a windfall changes one.

Thought the way the three girlfriends ended was great — they were the audience surrogates, the ‘normies’ taking strength from their long friendships, happy to return to their respective lives and happy for each other.

And yes, the cynical, practical, cold truth that life goes on — Greg lives to perv on new guys, the Russians are still petty thieves living off tourists andthe occasional thievery.

I enjoyed this season generally, though I thought ep 7 was somewhat disappointing. But the tension in this last episode was unrelenting, and White stuck the big, violent (yet spiritual) ending. This satisfying conclusion makes the whole season stronger in retrospect.

R111 huh????

Carrie Coon swooping in in the last hour showcasing why she was there, to fucking knock that speech outta the park

I want to see Emmy noms for Walton Goggins and Amy Lou Wood.

I’m still wondering what the purpose of the three cougars was…

Liked the finale, and loved hearing Lo How A Rose , though I don’t get the connection of that music to the storyline. And yes I know it was heard in a previous episode.

THE COCONUT MILK IS OFF!!

R118 what???

R121 purpose???

I wish Chelsea had not kept saying things all season like, "Gee, near death experiences always happen in threes, and I've just had two!" or "Now we';ll always be together, Rick!" etc.

It was like that "Simpsons" parody of the 80s movie where the police buddy proudly shows McBain the photo of his wife in front of his retirement yacht named "SS Live Forever" and then immediately gets killed by an assassin.

Porpoise?

Next Sunday night Pedro Pascal returns, I'm excited.

So did nobody in the Ratliff family even discuss Lochlans NDE?

Rick was a psycho and Chelsea an idiot for not seeing that. So I’m not sad they were the ones who got killed at the end.

R127 the majority of your comments expose how stupid you are

That drivel? No thanks. Zombies are so AMC.

R129 only Tim and him know about it. Maybe he rather not talk about it because it will expose Tim for having blended up the fruit to everyone else.

R122 That was the hymn Rick sang when he was a choirboy, no?

Lochie had a vision that he was trying to swim to the light and to the praying Buddhist monks. Funny that he thinks that is god. Not surprising that he didn’t die, the other four drank a portion before Rick stopped them, amd they were fine.

I thought Lochlan was seeing monks and a flash of Piper during his NDE.

On one hand, I think Lochy should have died. But that would have made it too hacky: The innocents get sacrificed (plus Rick).

Yet where we ended up shows the whole season was a calculation — click, click, click — more than an organic story about real-seeming characters, like season one (which also had some fresh things to say about society and culture, which this season totally lacked).

[quote]Was hoping Mook would show up wearing the stolen bracelet

I remember reading that there was a thing with their government that because of who Lisa is, they really didn't want the character she played to be portrayed in a negative light.

I called everything that happened, except Belinda full on turning into Tanya.

Jason Isaacs already accidentally spoiled that multiple people would die, and the actor that played Lachlan already slipped that he did in fact get to leave the island with his brother alive.

The Patrick Schwarznegger is a fine piece of ass.

I wish Zion and Timothy had gotten shot. They are literally the two worst people in the story, with Belinda coming in a close third. I hate Zion and Belinda for appearing nice but actually being terrible people. I would much rather someone be overtly and consistently terrible, than under-the-surface terrible.

New spinoff series has been announced: THE RATLIFFS MOVE TO SCHITT’S CREEK.

R138: Gross he looks like a Kennedy.

Mike White: You have two years to come up with eight hours of story. (HBO says season 4 will air in 2027.)

Get a writer's room this time.

R120, Walton fucking Goggins doesn’t deserve shit much less an Emmy nomination. He was ACTING every fucking second he was onscreen and the character, as a result, was rendered as an incoherent psycho. Fuck him and his bullshit.

What did Belinda and Zion do that was so terrible?

Rick was a good lesson in how seeking revenge hurts both yourself and others.

Will it stop me from seeking revenge? No, a leopard can't change its spots, but it reminds me that I will pay for it.

R134. Ah…..okay, thanks. Somehow I missed that connection.

R137 they also had to have her do limited time because she’s so famous there they feared they didn’t have enough security for her.

R139 —Are Belinda and Zion really terrible people, or merely human? I suspect a LOT of ‘good’ people would have made the same choices they made.

Under the surface __ is the the more realistic human condition.

An actor was acting in a scripted series? Did that poster think this was a documentary?

And Greg lives on.

R244 no. It was Tim. As an altar boy.

R144 it shows how money instantly changes someone. And that’s reality that has been proven many times. The minute someone has money they change

An Emmy nod should definitely be in store for Walton Goggins.

Maybe also for this episode Carrie Coon for the beautiful speech she delivered to the other two (I knew there had to be a bigger scene coming up for her before the very end--otherwise it was unlikely she would have done this show since she's already a TV star).

I'd love to see one go to Aimee Lou Wood because she was so consistently excellent.

Parker Posey may well get a nod if only because her accent was so endlessly imitable and caused a viral sensation.

Patrick Schwarzenegger was absolutely excellent in this episode in the wordless scene when he saw Chelsea embrace Rick and he realized he didn't stand a chance with her.

R134^^

Most of the main players will get nominated just like most of them did for seasons 1 and 2. Common sense.

The more I saw of Zion the more I disliked him - he was just a variation on Saxon, an overconfident douchebag finance bro

If Theo James and Jake Lacy can get nominated for playing one dimensional douche bros then Patrick can for playing one who showed signs of growth and maturity as the season played out.

The last thing I'd expect is to be praising Patrick Schwarzenegger's acting, but he nailed the role.

He was a lot more effective than season one's Jake Lacy as the entitled douchebro. And Lacy got an Emmy nom.

I was hoping for a Rick/Timothy confrontation. We got nothing good from them.

I think this has been my least favorite Walton Goggins role. Fuck Rick.

We need too see an actual three way scene with Chloe, Greg and that muscle bound long haired hottie Chloe was chatting up at the pool. I’m picturing Chloe sucking his shortish, but heavy and girthy brown cock whilst Mr.Greg gets it from behind, deftly lowering his swim trunks and spreading those big muscular cheeks

Lacy and Pat played similar but different characters.

All the actors were fine but nobody excelled except Carrie Coon. She was great.

I'm glad that the three women friends kissed and made up, so to speak. That was a nice moment.

Nah, Patrick won’t get an Emmy nomination, he was fine, not super.

He does have some nice thick thighs, though.

R160 why would they confront one another? They haven’t even looked at each other since like episode 1 or 2.

I’m sure Lochlan just thinks it was spoiled coconut milk. The father didn’t tell anyone. That storyline ended up the weakest. All the build up and then they read the news on their phones. Yawn.

R159 Yes, he was quite good.

R163 watched a different show. EVERYONE excelled at their characters. Everyone. The daughter’s breakdown during breakfast was amazing and Posey’s reactions were GOLD.

R154 , I think more than that was going on with Saxon: It pained him to see real love and devotion like Chelsea’s, it’s not something he ever felt himself or witnessed in his family. That and the fact that he was actually engrossed in one of Chelsea’s books (which no one in his family knows) suggest he may be on the road to regeneration as a mensch. Having no money should help with that.

I thought Piper's confession to her mother was one of the few honestly written and acted scenes in the entire season.

I really wish they'd shown Sam Rockwell praying in a chiffon teddy.

R167 THAT IS THE POINT. Tim was having all that anxiety throughout the entire vacation, couldn’t enjoy the vacation, was to the point of killing himself and his family, and in the end he realized none of it was that serious. They could work through it. That’s the point.

R166 because of their initial animosity. I was hoping for some fireworks between them. Both pushed to the limit, exchange some words, and then a confrontation.

I think they’re both good actors and wanted a meaty scene with them.

Sam Rockwell was outstanding.

R121, why does everything have to have a purpose? The world is a jungle! And if you want my advice, don’t expect happiness. You won’t get it. People let you down, and I’m not naming any names, but in the end you die in your own arms.

Yeah, r173, but that could have been accomplished in 4 episodes. I didn't need 8.

[quote]The last thing I'd expect is to be praising Patrick Schwarzenegger's acting, but he nailed the role.

His expression when he watched Chelsea run to Rick was top notch. Saxon realized that having a soul mate was better than his sexcapades.

The daughter realizing she was selfish and spoiled was a nice bit of self-reflection. Actually, Thailand did work a kind of spiritual magic on many of the characters, forcing them to face their own fears and shortcomings. Parker Posey was an exception. Her moment of reckoning will happen offstage.

I was not super-impressed with Sarah Catherine Hook as Piper until her breakdown monologue at breakfast.

She may have earned herself an Emmy nomination with that one, like the similarly placid brunette Alexandra D'Addario did with her monologue in season 1.

Still least believable thing this entire season is how quickly Parker’s character got over her lorazepam addiction

R176 that poster is a retard.

This is the third season of the series and they still expect purpose and reasoning behind everything. This series follows different groups during the same vacation. What we see is what’s going on with these groups in their dynamics during the vacation. There is no real purpose to any of it. It’s a bunch of rich, assholes, and Mike White writes them to fit the theme of the season. It’s a character driven series, not a plot driven series. And the person who keeps bringing up plot, doesn’t seem to understand that there is no specific plot to the show. Season one did not have a specific plot, season two did not have a specific plot, and season three doesn’t either. It’s a character driven series. The characters and their stories are what Drive the series, there is no overall plot.

Ok, ladies, can we chill with the hypothetical Emmy awards already?

[quote]I’m still wondering what the purpose of the three cougars was…

They were hundred times better and more enlightening than the three Italian men in the last season.

[quote]Parker Posey was an exception. Her moment of reckoning will happen offstage.

After her victory lap over the daughter's decision, she's not getting one. Nothing will awaken that woman.

R181 she didn’t get over it… she used alcohol as a substitute

I did like Parker Posey’s facial expressions when Piper was saying she didn’t like the food or sleeping on the stained mattress. Victoria knew all along Piper wouldn’t like it.

R185 and she doesn’t need one. The point is not everyone has that awakening. Some never have it.

R187 she was thankful her daughter didn’t like it. She prayed to God for Piper to not like it and she viewed it as God answering her prayers.

No, R183.

White Lotus is now in the Drama Series category, not Limited.

The Lead category is now up to six nominees, Supporting is up to eight.

I wonder if Posey and Isaacs will submit as Lead or battle it out with everyone else as Supporting.

I liked Lochy’s insight when he described himself as a born people pleaser in a family of narcissists. SO true.

Which also means he’s a born bottomboy about to set out on a life of pleasing men.

Victoria’s little speech to Piper was also a doozy.

White is great at scenes were very seemingly lightweight people eloquently lay out an unexpectedly well reasoned justification for living the way they do.

R190 like seasons 1 and 2, everyone gets submitted to supporting. It’s an ensemble. Everyone is lead or supporting

R182 an aside: the sarcastic comment re plotting that you seem to refer to was posted in light of the dozens of posts in prior threads that this season moved so slowly…as though nothing was happening. There was no statement that the series was actually intended to be plot -driven. Chill.

[quote]I’m still wondering what the purpose of the three cougars was…

Because they were locked in with each other. It didn't matter what they did to each other in the past. It didn't matter if they fought. Furthermore, it didn't matter if their conversations were stupid or silly. The length of their friendship over the years gave their lives more meaning.

It's no different from Chelsea being intertwined with Rick. They live or die together. She always believed it, and in the end he started to as well.

It's no different from Tim realizing that while things might be difficult, killing himself or his family wasn't the answer. Everything would work itself out, or Lachlan seeing "God" after not being able to see anything earlier in the season.

The whole season was about life and death. Sometimes eternal life comes from our existence in the lives of others.

As for Belinda, she came to Thailand to find meaning to her life after what Tanya did to her and when she finally had the opportunity to right what Tanya did by starting her own business she backed off. That's not what she really wanted. Now she's just gonna be rich for a while. She also may understand Tanya better than ever after what she did to Pornchai.

[quote]Actually, Thailand did work a kind of spiritual magic on many of the characters, forcing them to face their own fears and shortcomings. Parker Posey was an exception. Her moment of reckoning will happen offstage.

It's just the opposite. She and her point of view were completely vindicated. The season proved that she out of the three sets of guests was the one who had nothing new she needed to learn. She's the role model that people watching the show want to be.

I'm satisfied with Season Three, in fact, it's my favorite so far. Excellent casting.

[quote]hich also means he’s a born bottomboy about to set out on a life of pleasing men.

About to? That handy he gave his brother was his debut.

Lochlan should join the Navy. He’s broke, lost, and needs something to do.

[quote]Which also means he’s a born bottomboy about to set out on a life of pleasing men.

That makes me so happy. That alone makes it for me for this season.

The excessive lines on Sarah Catherine Hook’s forehead kept me from fully admiring her delivery of Piper’s monologue.

Fun watching it with y'all.

Did he choose Duke or UNC,

I can’t sleep tonight not knowing.

Noel Murray had a great line about the three blondes in the NYTimes this morning where he predicted their friendship would survive: "These three enjoy a bond only shared by people who, deep down, kind of hate each other."

Sarah C. Hook definitely looked 29, not 21-22. I noticed her Botox aversion in previous scenes.

Can someone give me their interpretation of the three children sitting in a row at the end, as they did in the first episode, only this time Lochlan is on the left and wearing sunglasses?

I'm glad that Belinda listened to her son. She has a hefty little nest egg now. Her lover seemed heartbroken, though.

Belinda better be wise. She isn’t Tanya. Tanya was worth $500 million and actually smart behind her demeanor. Belinda is a fatty who now has $5 million. Very easy to lose that

I bet Natasha Rothwell doesn’t think Belinda ended up being just as selfish and thoughtless as Tanya. She probably thinks it’s all “You go, girl!” Well, she’s in for a rude awakening,

Talk to continuity —that’s their job.

[quote]like seasons 1 and 2, everyone gets submitted to supporting. It’s an ensemble. Everyone is lead or supporting

This makes no sense if they actually want people to win.

It's considered a big-boy Drama Series now, so they should stratify.

Sam Rockwell could win as Guest Actor (he was in I think three episodes). Having him compete alongside Goggins and Isaacs would be dumb.

[quote]Can someone give me their interpretation of the three children sitting in a row at the end, as they did in the first episode, only this time Lochlan is on the left and wearing sunglasses?

They were supposed to be the "See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil" monkeys both at the beginning and at the end of the series.

[quote] Sam Rockwell could win as Guest Actor (he was in I think three episodes).

I'm pretty sure he could only go up for Supporting because he was in multiple episodes--Guest Actor is for appearing in only one episode.

I hope Belinda loses it in the next season, but probably not, since Natasha's been crowing that Mike White takes her notes and includes her ideas in the script. No doubt Natasha was behind Belinda and son blackmailing Tanya's husband.

I still wish we'd gotten to see more of Laurie's insecurities earlier on. Carrie Coon deserved better than that last monologue and a sexy topless nude scene with a naked Russian hunk.

R211 everyone is submitted on equal playing field for this show. Even Jennifer Coolidge was supporting for season 2. And won.

[quote]They were supposed to be the "See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil" monkeys both at the beginning and at the end of the series.

And...?

R213 is correct. It’s already been announced Rockwell is ineligible to be submitted as Guest.

R215 he insecurities were on full display since episode 1. What show were you watching?

Her*

With her 5 million I have no doubt Belinda will show up in a future season as a top-paying WL guest.

r122 Tim Ratliff sang that when he was an altar boy

I'm a little disappointed that dad didn't reveal that the family is broke now. No more Gucci bags for you, Victoria.

Somebody on this thread really hates Walton Goggins. I thought he did very well.

But Mike White doesn't write men as well as he does women, and he was very weak with men this season.

Every male character was clenched and limited, a melodramatic type.

No profundity. I'm thinking back to season one and Steve Zahn getting several good moments to unpack his character's psychology.

This season, the actors had to do a lot with very little.

If Amrita would have talked with Rick that carnage could have been stopped

Wasn’t it basically implied with his little speech at the end, r223?

R223 Watch Saxon’s face. He’s finding out in that very moment. Dad doesn’t need to say it.

R226 yup. It was. But people like r223 aren’t very bright. They need everything hammered over their head

Dirty blender. Dead boy resurrection. Four guns. Quick resolutions. NO ONE who bonded with the most moral, likable character mourning her. Everyone leaving without trauma or delay after a mass shooting. Plot contrivances & holes galore.

All of us with taste loathed Walton Goggins on this show. And we loathe him on everything else he “acts” in.

R182 I agree with this but with that said, I think R176 is mistaking the absence of plot for absence of character.

The characters were weak this season compared to the last 2 seasons and it felt like there was a “plot” missing because there was less of an investment in character arcs amongst some people who were hooked on the characters of the first 2 seasons.

So I think that’s why so many people are complaining about plots, which you’re right, never existed on the show.

Pam was my favorite minor character this season. I loved how devoted she was to her task of keeping electronics under lock and key.

What's interesting is that Belinda couldwell come back to stay at another White Lotus resort now that she's rich--but this time as a true and proper guest/.

R229 yes! Is it normal to not clean a fucking blender before using it?!

R233, I'd think she'd want to go to a different resort since people keep dying at them and twice while she was there.

[quote]Now she's just gonna be rich for a while.

Greg: I'm good, anyway, cuz, uh, my, so, I was just talkin' to my mom, and she said, apparently, he'll leave me five million anyway, so I'm golden, baby.

Connor: You can't do anything with five, Greg. Five's a nightmare.

Greg: Is it?

Connor: Oh, yeah. Can't retire. Not worth it to work. Oh, yes, five will drive you un poco loco, my fine feathered friend.

Tom: The poorest rich person in America. The world's tallest dwarf.

It's perfectly normal for a 17-year-old boy, r234. Especially one who was so disappointed he didn't get his own pina colada.

I don't understand why Carrie Coon isn't a major, major film actor with a string of awards.

It was interesting that Saxon was finally given a soul this episode after Chelsea said he didn't have one--she was actually responsible for it, but she didn't get to see it.

[quote]Is it normal to not clean a fucking blender before using it?!

Plausible. Do not underestimate the laziness of teenage boys and their distaste for cleaning dishes.

And to continue with R231, a part of me feels like the stakes had to get really fucking high with the shootouts and multiple deaths in the last episode based on the fact that the characters were so underwhelming.

Whereas aside from Tanya’s shootout on the boat, the other seasons didn’t need so much drama because there was such an emotional investment in the characters.

R196: But Victoria is about to get the shock of her life when she realizes she is poor and her husband is going to jail. Her three children have begun to change, suggesting to me that they will have the resilience to find a way to cope. Maybe she will too, but I don’t see how. Is your opinion that living in denial with blinders on and pills close to hand will be her way to cope? How is that good?

Jason Isaacs better not get an Emmy nomination for the yea feat that was Tim’s crisis.

R238, I think she's in her breakout phase. The next ten years will probably be really good for her. She's got star quality, and yet is also a talented actress. But she's really only started landing parts where she pops.

This was really some Moldavian Massacre fuckery. Can’t wait to see Joan Collin’s show up in Season 4.

I'm going to forgive the combined misspelling of the surname and improper use of the possessive because the prune juice joke was on point.

[quote]Jason Isaacs better not get an Emmy nomination for the yea feat that was Tim’s crisis.

He was intense and did a highly believable accent for a Brit but ultimately was very one-note.

Which was better than Parker Posey. She was half a note.

They will both be nominated.

This season was a slump, and everything about the Ratliffs could have been deeper and more interesting. White had years to prepare and six months of production for what turned out to be a popcorn story.

"Let the businessmen talk" - Zion, take your UoH diploma and fuck right off. Even if your thighs looked great in those white shorts. I prefer the guy Chloe was with at the end anyway.

Realistically, wouldn't a normal account suddenly receiving a $5 million deposit from a foreign bank account set off all kinds of warnings and issues?

R239, Yes, Chelsea was responsible for Saxon’s regeneration, for his growing a soul. But she’ll never know it. Very poignant.

There’s a nice symmetry in the Ratliffe’s arriving to the resort rich, leaving it poor, but with four of the five beginning on the road to self-knowledge. Belinda arrives poor, leaves rich but also heavily compromised and not as virtuous as she imagined she was.

The gods are capricious, they give and they take. And a by-product of wealth is soullessness.

R248 was thinking the same thing.

Jason Isaacs half the time just stared off into space but you felt the weight of what he was dealing with. Don't know if it was good acting or good writing.

R237 it’s been established that Lachlan is 18. And legal!

I still think the three cougars didn’t serve much of a purpose.

R239 we saw growth in Saxon starting episode 6

Finding himself in a pond with a dead body apparently didn't even impact Zion's good mood a tiny bit at the end.

Oh, for anyone curious, the fruit is real, but takes 3-6 hours after ingestion to kill

On the boat ride back vs going there the 3 children were representing what? For the monkey see, hear, say no evil? Lochlan had his hands in his pockets.

For R248

While it’s true that this season could have been shorter, it’s also true that Mike White delivered — he absolutely stuck the landing, and the way the stories and characters ended had impact precisely because we knew the characters and their relationships in such detail and so completely.

The uncle fucker of season 2 made this season seem very tame.

[quote] Jason Isaacs better not get an Emmy nomination for the yea feat that was Tim’s crisis.

What is a yea feat?

r258 So yeah, Belinda is fucked

[quote] The uncle fucker of season 2 made this season seem very tame.

And that itself paled before the unobstructed sight of Murray Bartlett shitting into a suitcase in Season 1.

R257 he was also wearing sunglasses. I guess he is see no evil, Piper is hear no evil, Saxon is speak no evil?

On the way over it was Saxon in sunglasses, Piper with headphones, and Lochlan drinking a soda.

If there’s a carryover character next year I hope it’s not Fabian. Or Zion. He was cute in the first episode, then annoyed me.

Honestly I feel like this season should have either been two episodes shorter OR two episodes longer. The first 3/4 was indulgently slow, more akin to what I’d expect from a 12-13 episode season. Then the last couple of episodes seemed too fast and convenient.

The “Belinda treats Pornchai just like Tanya treated her” finish was too contrived. There was no way she was going to move to Thailand. Indeed, the whole Belinda storyline was too contrived. I wish he hadn’t brought her back. And Zion turned out to be really unlikable. Feh!

Belinda became a hippocrite. Zion means holy land, highest point, refuge. He took her to the highest point.

She did the same thing to someone else that was done to her. Is Mike Nichols trying to say money corrupts good people?

People elsewhere predicting Victoria shows up next season with a new husband. In the inside the episode thing they do, Mike White says he's sure she'll find a solution and grins...

I do hope Belinda isn't in the next season, as 5m really isn't enough to fund that kind of trip - unless they do a storyline of her squandering the money. Mind you, it'd give a reason to bring Greg back too - she's goes after him for more money. Ugh, hope not, hope that entire storyline is done.

r268 Mike Nichols hasn't been saying anything for a while now

R264 so Piper did grow as much as she hoped. Saxon and Lochlan traded places, like the pants.

I didn’t recognize Scott Glen at all, even though I knew he was in the show. I thought he was one of Gary’s friends.

Lochy drinking the poison was the hackiest writing I’ve seen in recent memory. The premise was that the milk was off even when first poured. Who the fuck would not only still use it for a smoothie, but use it after it had been sitting out all night? That is just sloppy writing. Way too convenient because the writer couldn’t think of something more clever.

[quote] So Mook's happy Gaitok is now a killer.

She’s happy he was promoted to bodyguard.

Those dead bodyguards were incredibly inept to be so arrogant.

I was impressed Belinda had 12k in the bank.

R273 They could have made it more dramatic, hotel lady could have earned just a few drops of it concentrated. Then a shot of it under the blender at the bottom, where Lochlan can't see and he's an unclean teen boy.

Saxon could have said sure, yeah make your shake, help yourself. Lochlan could have said, yeah maybe later.

R47 he's a hot, dirty twink.

R268 Mike Nichols tried to say plastics corrupts good people!

Too many unmotivated last minute changes of heart.

Tim thinks of killing his family all week, plots it out, executes the plot and then chickens out at the last minute. Piper is deterred from living in a monastery by the shocking revelation that it is not going to be luxurious. Belinda is too moral for $100,000 bribe, but loses any hesitation with $5 million without any signs of remorse. Rick decides that vengeance isn’t worth it and then gets goaded into murder. Gaitok is too compassionate to turn in the Russians, but then shoots an unarmed man carrying a woman in the back.

None of this seemed organic.

I still can’t believe that the hotel would have poisonous fruits lying around guest villas.

I think pipers change of heart was less due to the humble furnishings of the temple and more more due to Lochlans ambition to join her. When she saw how silly it would be for him to do that, she realized how silly it was for her to be doing it as well.

That’s not true, r280. Not only did she say she was too spoiled, it played out just as her mother predicted and Victoria was pleased that she knew her daughter well enough to predict that one night in the monastery would send her running.

Yeah, R280.

The tell was when she said "Let me fuck up my own life." She basically admitted she was trying to shake things up in a superficial way — she wasn't driven by some spiritual calling, she was just trying to run away from home.

R280 That's an interesting take.

And she realized she can't run away; she's stuck.

The leopard can't change its spots, as they say.

The monastery idea was not presented as frivolous for Piper. She had studied religion and this particular Monk and manipulated her family into going to Thailand so she could check out the monastery. I don’t buy that her brother’s whim to join her made her suddenly realize the whole thing was “silly.”

Nearly died laughing at how fast Laurie got the fuck out of there

I would rank the seasons: Italy, Hawaii, Thailand.

R287 I agree 100%.

wow the haters can't find anything good to say? Yeah there were some dumb things like the fruit would not have been on the property with guests. But I loved this season so much and was riveted by the finale. Bravo. I loved all 3 seasons, really don't have a favorite.

The bitchy queens love to hate on the show, so they can point out stuff they didn't lik,e to make them seem smart. It's HILARIOUS. This was a great season.

Piper's comment about the food not being organic made me laugh. So much white rich girl....

I think this might be my favorite season of the three. I LOVED the Thailand vibe. Loved Rick and Chelsea's arc (I actually cried when she died, Mary!). I loved the three ladies and their escapades and friendship arc. I love Gaitok -- he is utterly adorable and sweet. Fabian and Pam were great little side characters. Didn't get to know Pornchai quite enough but I liked him and he made me feel a pang when Belinda turned cold to him.

Loved the truthfulness and realness of these characters. I feel like I have met so many of them in real life. Even Greg/Gary. The three Russian guys, I have met guys like that traveling abroad.

I thought Parker Posey was fantastic, sorry not sorry. I had no idea Jason Isaacs was a Brit, so knock me down with a feather! He was FANTASTIC as a yawwed out Carolinian family man on the verge of a breakdown. His accent was impeccable

I hung on every moment that Patrick Schwarzenegger was on the screen. Came to this season expecting not to like him, but I thought he embodied his character so intimately, it was just wonderful to watch his mannerisms and his expressions. God he was great.

Only character I didn't like was Mook. Fuck off, Mook!

I love that not everything gets tied up with a bow. Things happen at these resorts, That's the only part of a larger llife arc that we, the viewers, are privvy to. The stuff that happens at the resort. So no, it's not all going to be resolved. But the characters make us feel, make us think, make us laugh at the human condition, and make us reflect on our own strengths, weaknesses, morals and convictions.

I AM RIDE OR DIE FOR THIS SERIES. Sucks we have to wait two years now for the next season!

Belinda always wanted to have her own spa. Pornchai slept with her one time and wanted her to stay in Thailand and open a spa together. That wasn’t her dream.

I too thought this was very strange.

[quote]everyone from white lotus getting on the boat after a mass shooting and not even addressing it

[quote]I too thought this was very strange.

I mean, the three friends looked kinda shaken and were huddled together on the boat at the end. Most of the Ratliff family was at the beach, while Tim and Lochlan were at the house, presumably well away from the action. Belinda and Zion got that moolah, so they don't give a shit anymore. I don't see why anyone beyond the three female friends who were at the shooting should be shaken by it, it doesn't really concern them.

Laurie's final monologue was magnificent. I finally understood why Mike White chose Coon in particular, she does depression and catharsis really, really well. Go watch The Leftovers now, which btw HBO is removing from its platform in June.

[quote]I love Gaitok -- he is utterly adorable and sweet.

His running in the finale was one of the cutest things I've ever seen on screen.

This was a stupid season. The ONLY interesting acting from the lady with the gapped teeth and the nepo baby. The rest were stupid and dumb and I hated it.

THREAD CLOSED

R292 nice review, and I agree with you about all the actors and characters, and the series as a whole.

Oh the Schwarzenegger kid. Yeah I felt bad for him drinking that glass.

CAN’T WATCH IT UNTIL TONIGHT

Have a piña colada, R298.

Where were the monkeys with guns?! I was promised monkeys shooting people damn it!!!

I’ve loved both seasons one and two so I take no pride in saying how bad I thought the season was. Not the acting. I thought the actors were all either Good or fun (and sometimes both). To me, it was all the writing. So many plot holes. So many conveniences. It’s likely that Mike White has earned enough capital that he doesn’t really have anyone editing him at this point. A lot of the scripts felt like first drafts.

And I know it’s a joke that nothing happens on this show, and I am generally preferential to a slow paced, dialogue, driven character study. But this year the pacing was just way off. It was structured in a way that felt like they were cramming in way too much at the end.

[quote] Piper's comment about the food not being organic made me laugh. So much white rich girl....

Cheap laugh. You can’t taste “organic” and the monks or local farmers probably grow the food themselves, so what’s not organic about it?

I wasn't expecting a shoot 'em up at the end.

I enjoyed seeing the development of characters who seemed utterly empty. Victoria knew what needed to happen to Piper and her joy at seeing her plan fulfilled was beautiful. If there's a way out for the family, she'll find it. Her husband can have the drugs; let her take the wheel. Patrick Schwarzenegger's character started out as tiresome, but I believed in Chelsea, I believed that he would be puzzled about why she did not want him at all and that would lead him to think about his place in life.

Where's Portia's $5 mil ? She put up with way more shit from Tonya than Belinda ever did.

Concerned for Laurie’s spiritual health, Kate will get Laurie to come to Austin and meet her church friends and attend a service.

“Kate will get Laurie to come to Austin and meet her church friends and attend a service.”

I promise I won’t mention God or Jesus Christ in the sermon.

R269 $5 million isn’t enough to fund that kind of trip? How much do you think it costs???

[quote] It would have been more poignant if Lochlan died. It was cheesy that he came back to life.

I'm just happy the Twink didn't die.

Which means he can come back in future episodes!

[quote] Lachlan deserved that for not washing the blender out. Honestly, who wouldn’t rinse that before making his protein shake?

Let's hope his anal hygiene is better than his dish washing.

[quote] We need too see an actual three way scene with Chloe, Greg and that muscle bound long haired hottie Chloe was chatting up at the pool. I’m picturing Chloe sucking his shortish, but heavy and girthy brown cock whilst Mr.Greg gets it from behind, deftly lowering his swim trunks and spreading those big muscular cheeks

I actually thought Greg was going to proposition Zion, after Belinda left.

Who knows, maybe he did? And that's how Belinda got the money.

The show works as a character-driven slow burn with a bit of mystery provided by a dead body at the start and comic relief from characters. For this to work, the pacing is crucial and the pacing was thrown off by HBO’s desire to stretch it. That’s not a fatal problem, but it diminishes the artistry of the show and makes it more ordinary.

The plots in prior seasons were more real and character-driven. This season succumbed to melodrama and clunky plotting.

And where was the comedy?

R279 which is realistic. Many people think of jumping off a roof and when they get to the ledge they back out of it. Welcome to reality.

Not a perfect landing but generally a satisfying finale. I predicted at least 5 will bite the dust and I was right on the money - though the bodyguards were basically extras lol. Didn't fully expect Belinda to have a happy ending so that was a nice surprise. And I hope we've seen the last of Greg.

My rating: A-

R289 actually, yes, the fruit trees would. Maybe you should travel throughout Asia. It’s not the fucking USA.

I guess some will say Victoria provided the comedy. I didn’t find her all that funny, at least compared to Armand’s antics and Tanya.

R285 so you’re saying her stated reason “you could tell the food wasn’t organic” isnt frivolous?

[quote] Many people think of jumping off a roof and when they get to the ledge they back out of it.

Sure. But do they get to the point of preparing poison drinks for their wife and children and watching them drink them before suddenly snapping out of it? I don’t think so.

R296 you finally understood? Because Mike White needs YOU to understand why he casts who he feels fits the role? You’re so stupid my head hurts

R308 I didn’t know Portia was on this season….

[quote] 285] so you’re saying her stated reason “you could tell the food wasn’t organic” isnt frivolous?

Of course not. Her reasons for not staying WERE frivolous. That’s my objection because her wanting to go in the first place was not frivolous.

People bitching about Lachlan not washing the blender are stupid. He’s a teenage boy. A RICH teenage boy. He’s had everything done for him. This was the first time he attempted to do something himself. Usually someone else does it for him.

Plus teen boys tend to do shit like what he did.

R313 what plots?

What was the message of the Gaitok storyline? Don’t be true to yourself and get the girl? That was the worst storyline imo.

R317 neither of those characters were on season 3.

R325 if you need it explained to you at your age that is a sign you shouldn’t know.

R319 I do think so…. Watching them actually force down those drinks was too much for him. He stopped it and realized it wasn’t worth it.

R322 clearly doesn’t understand it. He did the same shit with season 2 btw. Go look up the threads. An embarrassment

[quote] R269] $5 million isn’t enough to fund that kind of trip? How much do you think it costs???

I think what the poster means is that if your net worth is $5 million and you don’t have a high income coming in you, are not going to make a habit out of renting villas at luxury resorts. Of course she can afford to do it once or twice.

I wonder if the people who are raving about this season saw the other seasons.

Belinda doesn’t need to be on a third season. Glad she got her money and it was good karma because of what Tanya did to her in season 1 but then she fucked over someone else. So now, bad karma.

It also seems that the people who enjoyed this season so much like calling people who disagree with them “stupid”. I think that tells you something about their level of sophistication.

R331 yes. We did. Not everyone likes the same shit.

Seasons 1 and 2 were great. This season was also. Each season is nothing like the next. The vibe is based off the location. Thailand isn’t high energy unless you go to random streets with street hustling.

R333 dude. You didn’t even go to college. You aren’t sophisticated nor intelligent

I feel like the finale was kind of ruined for me because so many people had been guessing that Rick was going to die.

It was almost a foregone conclusion.

Same for the old man being Rick's father. People had been saying that from episode two or three.

The only thing that DID surprise me was that Sritala didn't turn out to be a man.

I kind of wish Lochey had died. I was really moved by his death scene, only to be served a fake out. There's nothing sadder than a cute Twink dying by the side of the pool.

I agree with others that Patrick S. did a great job with his character. I wouldn't mind seeing him come back in a future season of WL. Although I do wonder if he was supposed to be playing someone right out of college? He's a full 10 years older than Sam Nivola, and at 32 years old, Patrick was definitely showing his age.

Carrie Coons did a fantastic job with her monologue, as many others here have pointed out. It was a nice ending to the Cougar story, but I think that overall it wasn't nearly as exciting as I had hoped it would be.

For those of you saying that Gaitok became a "bad guy," I totally disagree. Rick turned out to be the bad guy, killing his father, the two bodyguards, and also getting his girlfriend killed. Gaitok was actually the good guy, by taking down Rick. Totally in line with his Buddhist values. And in the end, he could have his cake and eat it too, by getting the girl AND the bodyguard job he wanted.

I'm surprised that the Russian storyline went nowhere. The part about them being killed if they went back to Russia, and how they couldn't get jobs in Thailand, was just so random. And the fact that they got away with it in the end, just seemed like lazy writing. Tying up everything with a neat little bow.

As for Belinda and Zion, I thought that Zion was the real standout in the finale. The actor NIcholas Duvernay has a ton of personality, to go along with his good looks. He played off of Natasha Rothwell very nicely. Their scenes together, were the only ones that actually made me laugh in this finale. Hopefully Zion will return in future seasons, WITHOUT his mother.

The only other thing that I wish had happened, was Sam Rockwell's character appearing as a woman, getting banged by some hot American guy. That storyline was such a tease. When Rick woke up and heard laughing and partying, I fully expected to see Frank getting banged! Damn. What a wasted opportunity.

It could have been season three's version of Murray Bartlett shitting in a suitcase!

Oh, well.

Overall, I'd give this season a C, ranking it 3rd out of 3. It definitely lacked the freshness and excitement of the previous two seasons.

r330 Exactly, thank you. That 5 million needs to support her and Zion for the rest of their lives, plus the start up costs if she does start her own business. Spending a couple of percent of it on a lavish holiday would be exceptionally bad judgement, and I don't think White has the balls to do that to Belinda.

Not to mention - if you worked for a company, would you really then want to use the company for a holiday?

r333 How is you questioning someone's "sophistication" in any way different from someone else calling people stupid?

I like that Piper was all serious about being Buddhist and shit, and one night in the school brought out the spoiled rich girl in her.

[quote] R313] what plots?

Are you serious?

R323 right but my opinion is that Piper wouldn’t have backed off of the monastery plan if Lochlan hadn’t come along and tried to hitch his wagon to hers.

The food and the mattress n their own werent really what turned her off of her own plan.

What happened is that she saw herself, her immaturity and her shallow rebelliousness reflected in Lochlan. And this triggered a bit of self awareness in her about who she was and what paths she could realistically follow in life

Lochlan showed both of his siblings a side of themselves that they realized they did not like and as a result, both grew.

[quote]Gaitok was actually the good guy, by taking down Rick

Oh yeah, shooting a guy carrying a body in the back on the orders of some rich bitch.

[quote] R333] How is you questioning someone's "sophistication" in any way different from someone else calling people stupid?

I’m reacting to what you are saying about other commenters. You’re reacting to what I’m saying about the show. If you can’t understand the difference, I’m not surprised.

Supporting Actress nominees should be Wood, Coon, Rothwell and Posey.

Coon is the only one who got a "big scene" in the finale, so I'm guessing she'll win. I kept waiting for Posey to have a DRAY-matic moment, but she was sort of a non-entity in the end. A big scene would have cemented her win.

As much as I like Rothwell, I think I would vote for Wood. Charming and funny....sweet without being cloying.

R318 that fucking line was the best

r343 No, you aren't, because I'm not that poster. And that poster was calling people stupid based on what they wrote, the same thing you're doing.

[quote] [R322] clearly doesn’t understand it. He did the same shit with season 2 btw. Go look up the threads. An embarrassment

I didn’t participate in threads about Season 2 because I was not at all invested in the show until I re-watched Season 1 recently and appreciated who good it was.

It’s important always to keep in mind that Mike White is a genius, so many aspects and nuances of the show are going to be above the understanding of average people and what they are able to appreciate.

R325 Mook was a pretty shallow person, so be careful what you wish for?

[quote] And that poster was calling people stupid based on what they wrote, the same thing you're doing.

[whoosh]

[quote] Coon is the only one who got a "big scene" in the finale, so I'm guessing she'll win. I kept waiting for Posey to have a DRAY-matic moment, but she was sort of a non-entity in the end. A big scene would have cemented her win.

Posey wins Fan Favorite award.

r348 Please tell me that's sarcasm

r350 Ah so now you're going to try and pretend that was your point all along? Weak.

MOOK in American slang:

[quote] In US slang, "mook" refers to a foolish, insignificant, or contemptible person, often used in a light-hearted or teasing way, but can also be considered derogatory.

This scene made me tear up a bit.

"I love my dead, gay son!"

White should do a spinoff with the Ratliff family. Now that Saxon is a poor, all he’ll be able to get is handies from Lachy. Victoria will only be able to afford polyester caftans from Temu. Piper might finally find her true self as a stripper.

R196 I’d say she still has the most to learn. Her “scents” aren’t going to get her through what that family is about to experience…..she left as clueless as she arrived.

[quote]White should do a spinoff with the Ratliff family

As a sitcom!

[quote] she left as clueless as she arrived

I wouldn't call Victoria clueless.

She knows exactly who she is, and she freely admits it.

She is a privileged woman who lives a privileged lifestyle, and is completely unapologetic about it.

Victoria also admits that she couldn't live without money, and said it straight to her husband's face.

In her mind, she justifies it by saying that there are billions of people who are unable to live her privileged life, and it would be insulting to them not to enjoy it and appreciate it. That was what she told Piper.

So how does that make her "clueless?"

If anything, she's the only honest one among her entire family, who is the most clued in to herself.

Vain, shallow and materialistic, yes. But not clueless.

Someone already suggested the Ratliffs in Schitt’s Creek

r358 None of what you said refutes the idea she's clueless, in fact it just reinforces it.

[quote] On the boat ride back vs going there the 3 children were representing what? For the monkey see, hear, say no evil? Lochlan had his hands in his pockets.

[quote] R257 he was also wearing sunglasses. I guess he is see no evil, Piper is hear no evil, Saxon is speak no evil? On the way over it was Saxon in sunglasses, Piper with headphones, and Lochlan drinking a soda.

Here's the photo, R264.

Saxon is definitely See No Evil, Piper is Hear No Evil, and Lochlan is Speak No Evil, at the beginning.

I guess that changed on the ride back (with Saxon and Lochlan trading places), but not sure exactly why.

[quote]I guess that changed on the ride back (with Saxon and Lochlan trading places), but not sure exactly why.

Saxon's mouth is what made him come off as a soulless person. The way he talked about people, women, etc. Thanks to Chelsea, he's at the beginning of changing. I'd wager Lochlan, after being rejected by both his siblings, doesn't know what he wants anymore. Neither is the path ahead, so he can't "see."

[quote] That 5 million needs to support her and Zion for the rest of their lives, plus the start up costs if she does start her own business.

I imagine with Zion's help she will invest it and live comfortably. I'd hope she'd be smart enough to never go to a White Lotus again.

R279, Tim isn't a murderer. It seems he was fairly normal before this, so I'm not surprised he snapped out of it. Piper just realized her mom was right, she is spoiled and wanted to get away from them, but she's just like them and finally accepts that. Belinda wasn't that moral at all, and I think that was part of the point. Rick is damaged, which is what Chelsea liked about him (and it got her killed), his best friend is some kind of assassin so who knows what his life was like before this? He was not a nice person or mentally stable. The Russians never killed anyone and just wanted some way to make money. Rick just killed multiple people so Gaitok could justify taking him out even without him holding a gun.

I agree about the poison fruit. You'd think the hotel would hire someone to make sure there are none near the villas if only to prevent someone from dying and them getting sued for not telling them to avoid eating it. Pam only told them because it was brought up.

R360 I don’t understand your understanding of cluelessness. Victoria prefers to live in a bubble. She’s fully aware that she’s in a bubble, fully aware what’s outside the bubble and fully aware that she wants no part of what’s outside the bubble. That’s very different from naivety or ignorance.

[quote] R360 I don’t understand your understanding of cluelessness

R356/R360 is just being obstinate, because they know they were wrong about using the word clueless.

They are obviously the kind of person who can never admit when they are wrong, and will keep doubling and tripling down on their wrongness.

She did think she was in Taiwan. That’s pretty clueless.

The Ratliff drama was overplayed. We know from housewives that rich people never lose all their money and are able to carry over debt for years. It would have been better if the father told them mid-trip that they were in trouble. That would have been fun to see them fall apart.

Also, more real.

r303 we might get an evil monkey The Righteous Gemstones, he was giving Judy a dirty look

Where's the Ruth Madoff DL poster? Parker Posey's character could end up like that, living on 2.5 million while her husband is in jail

Gaitok driving away with his promotion after being terrible at his job and threatening to quit all week

The DL love for this series boils down to all the caftans.

[quote] "The White Lotus" creator Mike White said he pulled a "stealth move" to get fans to fall for Chelsea and Rick.

Chelsea and Rick are among the fan-favorite characters of "The White Lotus" season three, and the show's creator Mike White said this was by design.

The couple, played by 31-year-old Aimee Lou Wood and 53-year-old Walton Goggins, seem like a poor match when they arrive at the White Lotus resort in Thailand together due to their big age gap, Chelsea's naive outlook on life, and Rick's dismissive attitude toward her.

On Sunday's episode of "The White Lotus Official Podcast," White said Chelsea and Rick were inspired by the age-gap couples he met in Thailand.

"I got on an elevator, and there was this older guy, and the young girl was very hot, and you know, boobs all pushed up. She was showing him some runway photos or something, and you could just tell he could not give a shit. She was just living in her reality," White said. "I was like, it'd be fun to have this kind of relationship where it feels like he's probably in it for the sex, but it's almost not worth it."

Age-gap relationships are having a moment in pop culture with films like "The Idea of You," "Babygirl," and "Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy" featuring romances between older women and younger men.

White said he wanted to surprise the audience by making them fall for Chelsea and Rick.

"I was just like, it'd be interesting to do kind of a stealth move where ultimately you suddenly find yourself really rooting for this couple, and you love them and have her be this kind of woo-woo and into astrology," White said.

As Rick slowly opens up to Chelsea, fans too warmed to the couple — which made the season three finale even more tragic.

Fans were split over the ending, with some blaming Rick for Chelsea's death, while others were sad the couple died after making a deeper connection.

Comforting myself with the theory that her spirit went into his body and she will live on as an impish twink

That’s all wrong if her spirit went anywhere it was into Saxon, to counteract his douche essence.

Was trying to remember if Belinda gave Pornchai the exact same speech, word for word, that Tanya had given to her in S1.

I guess I'm in the minority. I hated the Rick/Chelsea relationship. Rick was clearly deranged from day 1 (the actor playing him made that clear) and Chelsea while sweet was also a fool to stay with him. There's true love and then there's insanity. It made perfect sense that these two idiots would end up dead at the end.

Indeed.

Agree r376. I've been trying to give a shit about their deaths, but I just can't. Apparently we were supposed to all be rooting for them, but I lost all patience with Rick when he let the poisonous snakes out, like the useless fuckup he was. And his soulful waif girlfriend was just getting more annoying by the minute. No, I don't want to read your favorite dingbat astrologer or learn whatever new age horseshit they're preaching. We knew Rick's moronic half-assed revenge plan was going to get people killed, so it might as well be these two.

I really like how the three women's storyline ended - I was mostly bored to tears with it throughout the season.

I have four old friends. We meet between the ages of 10-13 and are still good friends 35ish years later. Essentially, we're family now.

When we get together a few times a year, we share laughter, sniping, eye rolling, gossiping, some flashes of resentment. But, at our core, we share an absolute love and appreciation for a lifetime of support we've given each other.

I think White captured that the love/hate/like/dislike "lifelong friend" dynamic very well... in the end. And it made it worth it for me.

Nobody is beating Noah for Best Actor in a dramatic series. Nobody.

R358 clueless about the trouble they are in, clueless about confusing real needs with what she is currently surrounded by, what R365 said. Much more, but I would essentially summarize with the thought that being shallow and vain are both forms of cluelessness.

You know who was really clued in about himself? Greg. Wanted to get rid of his silly wife and keep all her money. Dared and done. Then couldn't figure out what was with all the crazy jealousy until it finally hit him: he really wants to see his girlfriend get fucked by other younger guys, and then join in. Solved, and now he's ready for a full life of cucking or being cucked or however you put that properly.

Are all the Emmy speculation comments posted by the actors’ publicists?

Overall I enjoyed it because the acting was so good. but there were just too many plot-holes in the season for me to give it a high grade because so much of it (especially the last ten minutes) just didn't make sense.

The only cast members I would like to see again are Cameron and Ethan. They bond over their respective divorces and take a trip to celebrate a new business venture.

As much as I enjoyed elements throughout including CAFTANS I feel like Mike White is overrated. He needs a writers room or at least a plot hole/consistency monitor.

R325 Why would someone's story line have to have a positive message? This isn't a show for children.

Another aspect of this show that is so enjoyable for me is that it absolutely, positively has no appeal for MAGAts - like it was literally made for the rest of us. Such a line between the people who watch White Lotus and the people who don’t.

Called the blondes becoming good friends in the end, like nothing ever happened. It's the same story line from the two girls in the season one. Even the sleeping with a guy behind one's back and then lying about it.

We need a Fabian spinoff. Maybe he decides to become a professional singer.

[quote] Another aspect of this show that is so enjoyable for me is that it absolutely, positively has no appeal for MAGAts

The three oldest Ratliffs are presumably Republican, as well as Rick, and we know about Kate.

The season might have felt a bit hollow for some compared to S1 and S2 because there was no character that engenders so many feelings as Tanya. Whether you found her exasperating or endearing, you probably had strong feelings either way. S3 was a buffet of delicious character building but there was no centerpiece on the table as there was in previous seasons.

No one mentioning Frank's random tuck and roll in the hotel's hallway

R382, there's even the implication that Chelsea's insight was at work there, too. We know that she spent time with Chloe talking about Chloe's problems with Greg. Chloe complained about the lack of sex and how much she liked younger men. And now Chloe and Greg can both get what they want! It took Greg multiple marriages and at least a few deaths to get there, but whatever works.

Honestly, at the end I was kind of pondering how the family checked out of the WL if all his finances were likely frozen. Prepaid? Do the feds leave credit cards alone?

I also couldn't help but wonder where Rick and Chelsea were being shipped off to. He had no family to receive a body. Not sure about her. Would they be together?

r292 summed up my own thoughts pretty well. Great show. Emmy to the wardrobe department... the clothes look so good on everyone!!!

If anything I think its implied that Rick's spirit goes into Lachlan to experience a father figure in a new life. The serene expression on Rick's face in the water made me think that.

The finale was, like the rest of the season, good but not great. It wrapped up the storylines in a mostly satisfactory manner, but the last 30 minutes or so seemed rushed and kind of lazy. Once again, I called most of the twists about who would die and how it would play out. But if you had been paying attention to any of the discourse around the show, you likely would have figured it out, too.

This show is one of the best on TV. But this season was not as good as the first two. So much of the season felt like it was setting up major plot points, but when those plot points unfolded, they felt underwhelming (i.e., the incest). The writing just wasn't as tight and compelling. The individual character arcs felt thin, and it's a credit to the actors (i.e., Jason Isaacs and Carrie Coon) they were able to give depth to the material they were handed. Aimee Lou Wood was the breakout star of this season, and she'll likely get more roles from this. Patrick S. was good, too.

Thailand wasn't as visually interesting as Maui or Sicily. Most of the scenes felt dark and kind of claustrophobic.

Going forward, Mike White should really consider bringing in other writers and directors. Him being the writer, director and producer of a series like this is an amazing feat, but the cracks of this approach are starting to show. The composer leaving also feels like a major element of the show's success won't be there for season four. The ominous music and the overall soundscape of the series does a lot of heavy lifting.

What I didn’t get about Rick was what brought about this compelling need for revenge for a decades-old death? Had he been somehow unable to get to Thailand before this trip? Visa problems?

[quote] think White captured that the love/hate/like/dislike "lifelong friend" dynamic very well... in the end. And it made it worth it for me.

Agree. My only complaint is that the estrangement and reconciliation happened to quickly. When I get disillusioned with an old friend, especially if I feel I have been treated wrong, it takes me more than a day to recalibrate, but of course the trip compressed the time line and Laurie may be better adjusted than me.

According to the interwebs, HBO filed permits for filming next season in Chile

Chile is gorgeous

Pretty sure the dark, claustrophobic feel was intentional.

r363 Well that's where we disagree - I don't think she's even remotely "fully aware" of what's outside her bubble. Hell, she wasn't even fully aware of what was going on in her own bubble. Her husband was popping pills and had a total personality change and she didn't notice.

I also disagree with the idea that someone being aware they keep themselves in a bubble means they can't be clueless. The whole point of a bubble is to protect oneself from the stuff that will challenge their views.

The Ratliffe parents never once kissed or had an affectionate moment. I'll bet he had a mistress stashed back home.

In addition for delivering a great season ending episode, Mike White gave us a long look at Sam Rockwell in bikini briefs, no doubt once he spotted him lounging by the pool with Leslie Bibb. The only improvement would have been if it was a man slapping him on the ass in the hotel hallway.

I think that in the end, Mike White worked the theme of spiritual regeneration into the plotlines very well. Some took a step toward understanding, others regressed. Some got richer, some poorer, but their material wealth had little to do with their whether they took a step toward ‘enlightenment’ or not.

I think the criticism about Victoria/Posey here is about the fact that the story ends just before her smug complacency is about to be tested so we have no way to know how she reacts to the family’s reduced circumstances. Which would have been fun and interesting. It’s one thing to say she’s a steel magnolia who will find a way to survive. It would have been great to see Posey react to the news. THAT might have gotten her an Emmy. Nothing else she did here will.

Coon. Wood, Goggins and Rockwell take the acting honors this season.

I'd add Jon Gries to your list, r406. He gives a real slow-burn performance. Gary/Greg is a great example of Hannah Arendt's concept of the banality of evil. He's this kind of lackluster schlub, and yet you get these little hints that his wheels are always turning. His little wink at the end was a perfect little grace note -- I assume we have seen the last of that character.

I thought Posey was superb in the scene where Piper told her parents she wasn't willing to give up creature comforts and live in the monastery. Posey's face was registering such delight even though she dared not crack a smile--she had to convey it all through her eyes, and she did that beautifully, even though you could tell she desperately wanted to smile and gloat over being in the right.

What was interesting to me was that for the most part this season the best acting moments were silent and reactive: Walton Goggins's silent reaction to Sam Rockwell's monologue, this moment with Posey, Patrick Schwarzenegger watching Chelsea and Rick on the beach and feeling crushed, Jason isaacs' silent reactions to his wife and children telling him they could not live without money and success. There were exceptions to this (Rockwell's monologue and Coon's monologue), but for most of the season White was smart enough to realize the story was in people's reactions.

I still like season one best--tight plot, cutting social commentary, only Tanya was a bit too out there, but her interactions with Belinda and then hooking up with a random dude at the end saved that story line.

Never cared about Rick-Chelsea and upping the stakes with a shoot out didn't help. Glad that Belinda got to be a bit bad, but even in this episode her acting was like from another series (choking on her drink when her son suggests 5 million--director, why did you let her do that?) The three chicks had some good stuff going on, but the make-up part happened too fast. I don't know what sort of enlightenment the actress was supposed to have gotten from reading Sritala's bio.

For all that, it's still a great series, I'll watch anything Mike White does. It won't always be great, that's fine, his misses are better than most TV. And the final 90 minutes were good fun. Lochlan's near death scene was compelling.

R365 that wasn’t cluelessness. That was showing her ignorance.

A lot of white people think all Asians are Chinese. That’s the joke.

r410 I'm going to let Merriam-Webster handle that one

I was laughing at Pornchai’s pouting manbaby face as Belinda left.

Nice try, passport bro.

[quote] According to the interwebs, HBO filed permits for filming next season in Chile

maybe this means the next season finale will have an earthquake.

I like watching this as a binge into the late hours.

According to Variety: 'White Lotus' Finale Ratings: 6.2 Million Viewers Watch Season 3 Shootout, Smashing Series Record by 30%

I couldn't believe that Tim would choose to kill his family by the slow and torturous death of poisoning, and added to that, having to helplessly watch each other die that slow painful kind of death. Even poor Lachlan, who he was supposedly saving from that death would have suffered immeasurably, being the only survivor with no way of helping them.

Pushing them all off a high cliff or into a lagoon with crocodiles and jumping in after would have been a more humane and quicker way to end it all.

I'm frankly shocked that no one else has brought this up yet.

.[quote] I'm frankly shocked that no one else has brought this up yet.

Mary!

Timothy's judgment was enormously compromised because he was so out of it on Lorazepam

HE DESERVES THE EMMY

Pushing them all off a nearby cliff or into a croc-infested lagoon would have taken far less thought and organizational abilities than creating those poisonous pina colada shakes.

Seriously. Lachlyn is too stupid to live anyway if he can’t figure out to maybe rinse a dirty blender. Especially when your dad just claimed the coconut milk was spoiled. That whole set up was so contrived. The same with the shoot out. You own a swanky resort but are going to tell your bodyguards to shoot up the place to get to Rick at the expense of possibly killing other guests. If this was the US, Chelsea’s family would end up owning that resort.

R418 (Snort of derision) nice try. Just because he ended the season seeming like a slightly better actor than we assumed he was at the start, is no grounds for an award nomination. He’s still incredibly boring, a vacuum onscreen despite his good looks.

It wasn’t contrived at all. He wanted the leftover pina colada in his shake.

Zion has the same mouth as Janet Jackson.

R418 Nah, the actor who played his father should be a contender.

They’re ALL gonna be contenders.

It was contrived.

I wouldn't be disappointed if Rio was selected for the next season.

R416 Getting eaten alive by a crocodile would be quicker and more humane way to kill them?

r341 Lochlan also showed Tim the folly of killing his family for his problem, and his father grew too. Lochlan was the mirror.

And I thought 2nd unit cinematography made Thailand so gorgeous, moreso than Maui or Sicily.

It was Pornchai that brought up opening up a spa together, and Belinda gave him a non-committal answer, something like she would think about it- she never said yes. He brought it up again, and she actively avoided answering him.

Well Tanya died and took the comedy with her. The manager was sort of funny in the first one.

So happy the Russians got away with it. Love Valentin. I wouldn’t have snitched either

Belinda never said she would open a pornsho with porcnkop. She doesn't break up promise

Swati krap karp my tv cc always said KARP KRAP

Patrick sends a message to the fans.

Such a cutie and sweetie.

Patrick sounds like Ray Romano. That’s a boner killer.

We had to get to the end to have a good episode, finally. My expectatios were now low so I very much enjoyed it.

Carrie Coons finally got her moment, her garbled speech felt real and was greatly acted by her and the others.

Belind channeling Tanya was perfect.

The family story ended well, i was actually surprised.

The Walter Googins character is now one of the most despicable ones of TWL cannon.

Sam Rockwell being spanked in his undies.

The music did a lot of heavy lifting. Wonder how it will be next season (but looking forward to it).

A scene of Piper losing her virginity to Zion was cut from The finale

Was Sam Rockwell fluffed for that scene?

Fabian lolz

Reading about the poison fruit on wikipedia (thanks Rwhoever upthread). It has also been used for trial by ordeal. So, Lochy is officially innocent! :)

[quote] The pacing and the vibe… it definitely gets under their skin,” White said about his critics on the official “White Lotus” podcast. “There was complaining about how there’s no plot. That part I find weird. It never did… part of me is just like bro, this is the vibe. I’m world-building. If you don’t want to go to bed with me then get out of my bed. I’m edging you! Enjoy the edging. If you don’t want to be edged, then get out of my bed. Do you know what I mean? Don’t be a bossy bottom. Get the fuck out of my bed. Don’t come home with me. Don’t get naked in my bed. Get the fuck out of my bed. Obviously something is going to happen.”

More than a tad defensive, IMO.

“Not a perfect landing but generally a satisfying finale.”

WRONG - BORRRRRRRING

Welcome to planet datalounge where Timothy Chalamet, Paul Mascal, jacob Elordi and Glen Powell are hideous boner killers and Sam Rockwell is a sex god.

R441 but it’s the truth. The show has no plot, as stated upthread. People should stay in their lane.

[Quote] Welcome to planet datalounge where Timothy Chalamet, Paul Mascal, jacob Elordi and Glen Powell are hideous boner killers and Sam Rockwell is a sex god.

You should try TikTok R443, it sounds more your taste.

[quote]I’m edging you! Enjoy the edging. If you don’t want to be edged, then get out of my bed. Do you know what I mean? Don’t be a bossy bottom.

Oh Mike, no-one's buying the idea of you as a top. Also, I now totally believe he posts here.

Saying they had to cut a Zion/Piper sex scene because the finale would've been too long is ridiculous, given they could've easily moved some stuff from the finale to the other episodes. And I love the slow burn nature of TWL, so I'm not saying that in a 'more needs to happen' way. But the idea they couldn't fit something in is silly.

Also, for future seasons and the complainers - there you have it, straight from the horse's mouth. Don't expect future seasons to change. It's going to be the same slow burn, the same edging, the same everything kept back to the finale. So if you're here for season four and whining about the same stuff, you really only have yourselves to blame.

No seriously r445 I don’t get the gushing over Rockwell. Hes a great actor but profoundly average looking, what’s with the gushing? Is it that he feels obtainable and not out of your league? Except for the whole part where he’s straight?

Being that Mike was so against casting Patrick Schwarzenegger but did anyway, gave me faith he'd end up pulling off the role well. I was glad to see he did in the finale.

As for Mike's response about the season's pacing, sorry. If a bunch of people all have the same complaint, while you are the captain of that ship, maybe they did have some kind of a point.

[quote]Seriously. Lachlyn is too stupid to live anyway if he can’t figure out to maybe rinse a dirty blender. Especially when your dad just claimed the coconut milk was spoiled.

I think that's disgusting as well. I'm guessing he felt left out. The fact that the mixture was diluted, and he wasn't intending to commit suicide (hence he threw it up) is probably what saved him.

[quote]You own a swanky resort but are going to tell your bodyguards to shoot up the place to get to Rick at the expense of possibly killing other guests.

Because her husband was just brutally murdered by his son, she was hysterical. Then again, all of that could have been avoided in many ways, including the guy actually telling Rick he was his father instead of trying to remain mysterious. It's not like his wife didn't already know.

I'm trying to think of a "limited" series with an ending that I found satisfying. And yet, I continue to watch.

As someone admiring and ambivalent about the season I thought the finale was excellent.

It never occurred to me that the shootout at episode one would be between bodyguards and another character. Much more plausible than a crazed killer.

Chelsea was obviously intended to be loving and sympathetic but there was a stealth dark side to her. She believed she had it all figured out, enough so that she scolded people she thought unevolved. She thought love conquers all and ended up dead. Good thing that Saxon wasn't there meekly taking her spiritual advice.

I'm torn about Gaitok's arc. I get that Mike was trying to avoid the cliche of him being a hero by shooting an unarmed man in the back, but man I hated that last shot of him wearing sunglasses and smiling.

White lifted the scene of the potential blender poisoning from his movie "The Perfect Girl" where Jennifer Anniston gives her feckless lover poisoned blueberries then smacks them out of his hands as he is about to eat. Just a fun fact.

How does Belinda account to the Feds for the $5m wire transfer?

R451 I think you mean "The Good Girl"

R451. Do you want a tax treatise, or a good tv show? You can’t have both.

R451 "Yes, a $5 million wire transfer, especially from an international source like Thailand, would likely trigger reporting obligations and potentially lead to investigation by federal banking agencies like the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN)."

Masseuse, services rendered?

“ How does Belinda account to the Feds for the $5m wire transfer?

Her pussy?

[quote]If a bunch of people all have the same complaint, while you are the captain of that ship, maybe they did have some kind of a point.

And what of the millions more who had no such complaint? Insane how some people try to pretend that the ratings for this season were the best and increased throughout the season.

Some people get what the show is, some don't. The majority are the former.

[quote] Oh Mike, no-one's buying the idea of you as a top

well, maybe Sam.

r457 Given he has body odour issues from not showering enough, I wouldn't dare top him

The tears on Chelsea's face before she died was brutal.

Just because he's in Thailand doesn't mean his bank is in Thailand. He's an American citizen, so he probably has an American bank.

R452 Thanks for the gentle correction. I recently rewatched it a few months ago and I just knew Tim would knock the glasses out of their hands.

Also, Lochlan probably didn't wash out the blender because he wanted some residual Pina Colada.

The show definitely has a plot, as shows with a body count tend to do. It is true that the plot is not the focus of the show. But that doesn’t mean it is immune to criticism about pacing. Even in terms of character development, this season can be (and has been) criticized.

The idea that the person getting edged just has to take it as long as the “top” cares to drag it out is lazy and self-indulgent.

r463 If you go a hooker and say 'I want you to edge me for as long as you want, you're in control" you cannot then whine about being edged for as long as the hooker wanted.

Most people going into TWL knew what they were getting. It's a minority of people who didn't. And yet they kept coming back week after week.

But I didn’t say that. White said that. It’s not that the audience has no right to criticize a show. That’s ridiculous.

R462 as stated above… thanks for repeating

Based on these thread land critics reviews, you are delusional in insisting that it’s only a tiny minority that was disappointed.

R460 "Wire transfers exceeding $10,000, especially those involving international transactions, are scrutinized by federal agencies like the IRS and the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to prevent money laundering and terrorist financing. "

Not exclusive to international transfers, but the greater the amount, the greater the scrutiny.

Exact, r463, the major issue for me was the lack of character development. The finale made a redemption of sorts (loved the three female friends conclusion), but, for instance, a major character like Parker Posey remains a cypher of sorts. Jason Izaacs spare his family and made them brace for the future but we didn’t need to have him actiing like a zombie for all that time. In other seasons revelations of character came earlier on. If anything, this was the more plot driven season of all three. Some arches were nothing but plot.

[quote] Wire transfers exceeding $10,000, especially those involving international transactions, are scrutinized by federal agencies like the IRS and the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to prevent money laundering and terrorist financing. "

Not anymore.

R466, I know, but apparently it needed repeating because people are still questioning it.

R470 Unless your name is George Soros or Reid Hoffman.

I purposely avoided any of the other White Lotus threads so I wouldn’t spend the whole time being distracted by everyone’s theories and looking for clues instead of just immersing. Who cares if you “called it”? It’s not a competition.

Like others, I felt the pacing was off but still enjoyed it very much.

I was upset Chelsea died as she was such a bright light in contrast to Rick’s dark persona and she was a good egg. While it appears to me that Rick finally found peace in death and that scene was focused on his face to show it, it bothered me that Chelsea was face down in the dark water which was not befitting of her personality. But of course, that was probably intended.

How did Walt not blink when the water was a lapping at the corner of his eye?!

[quote]How did Walt not blink when the water was a lapping at the corner of his eye?!

I think there was some CGI for that shot, it got a little uncanny valley towards the end

If you have scleral lenses in your eyes (they cover the entire exposed surface of your eyeball), you don't have to blink for a while. Some people actually forget to stop blinking, although the eyes will dry out. Since there is water there, no drying out.

I guess I admire Goggins' commitment to a natural balding progression - although, frankly he is sometimes uncomfortable to look at in certain dispositions. Are there even any procedures that could address his multiple "problem areas" with good results?

The Emmy should go to the hapless resort concierge who kept popping up with the cell phone bags.

I did an entire underwater ballet with Tom & Jerry and never blinked my eyes, bitches!

Having watched this series now ALL i can say is:

When I get to a certain age, I want to walk around like Belinda in a caftan

[quote] “There was complaining about how there’s no plot. That part I find weird. It never did… part of me is just like bro, this is the vibe. I’m world-building. If you don’t want to go to bed with me then get out of my bed. I’m edging you! Enjoy the edging. If you don’t want to be edged, then get out of my bed. Do you know what I mean? Don’t be a bossy bottom. Get the fuck out of my bed. Don’t come home with me. Don’t get naked in my bed. Get the fuck out of my bed. Obviously something is going to happen.”

Does anyone come to his bed except for the money? He's not a very good-looking man to begin with, and he's in late middle-age.

it sounds like someone has

[bold]BIG ISSUES.[bold]

[quote] When I get to a certain age, I want to walk around like Belinda in a caftan

Basically, that's the Datalounge motto.

But we're all already of that "certain age" (don't pretend otherwise).

My issue with Rick is that he's now mid fifties and still whining about his absent father ruining his life, but we never see any confirmation of his ruined life. Notice his backstory was never revealed, was he poor? How was he catnip for a pretty hot sweetheart two decades younger? He wasn't living in a bachelor apartment driving Jimmy/Sal's Suzuki, he was spending a week at TWL Thailand so his purse had to be pretty stuffed. He was occasionally depicted as possibly a former punk of some sort. It's difficult to buy why he was so hell bent on revenge JUST BECAUSE HIS FATHER WAS ABSENT.

Did anyone notice that Belinda and Zion's boat speeded off in fast motion in the broad view at the end. It was like an old comedy!

I certainly may have missed it, but I'm surprised HBO didn't throw a big party for the finale with the stellar casts of all three seasons in attendance. What a photo op that would have been.

God knows, my social media is filled with all other kinds of events featuring this season's cast. Constant interviews and photo spreads with each and every one of them, esp. Patrick and Carrie.

R481 I just watched the first episode of Mid-Century Modern, and marveled at the flowing robes, does anyone actually dress that way?

Carrie coon describes in her epiphany the concept of a “jahti “. Sort of souls who travel together, lifetime through lifetime.

I can see Goggins and Isaacs being nominated for Emmys, but I think the kid from Adolescence would beat them both, and he would deserve it.

Someone upthread mentioned Lachlan as being a "mirror" and it does seem there's a Lachie in each season, the teenage sensitive loner who doesn't even fit within his own family. And, inevitably they do tend to act as mirrors for other members of the family.

r482, Sam's character had an old Navy Seal tattoo, and Rick had some sharp shooter skills, so maybe they became mercs? It would explain the money they had and Sam's character not being welcome in the U.S..

r 488, I think that Loch became the Buddha- he showed Piper (extreme asceticism), Saxon (sensual indulgence), and Tim (suffering) the middle path. He's willing to give up everything to stay on the middle path as a people pleaser.

Ah yes R489. And in Season 2 we had Albie, always trying to maintain the same role. In season 1 the lonely boy on the beach who finally gets adopted by the Hawaiian Outriggers was especially moving.

Ladies, remember your donuts!

[quote] Sam's character had an old Navy Seal tattoo

I missed seeing that on Lochlan.

Belinda is also repeating word for word the words that Tanya told her two seasons back. . . .

Fabian looks like the unaborted love child of Sally (Liza Minnelli ) and Brian (Michael York) in Cabaret. Those blubbery lips alone are a perfect match for mama’s.

R279 summed up it well. Upthread the “character-driven” troll tries to make us think that plot holes and silly plot twists can be explained away because of the strong character writing. And yet the characters either seem superficial or are revealed to be so. Take away the exotic setting and you don’t have much, although it would have been fun to see Rockwell in a tutu.

The blood on the dead girls shirt looked like fudge topping. Given the budget on this show, they could do better.

Higgins and the girl both were annoying. The only good thing you can say about White is that he eventually gets rid of annoying characters.

And good night

I think Parker Posey's breakfast scene was every bit as much a big scene as Carrie Coon's, just no tears, no insight, no 180, no "Finally!" Victoria was a masterful representation of the cold, conscious selfishness of wealthy Republicans. She embraced her life. She had no moral interest in anything beyond her life and personal comfort. She had no regrets that allowed for guilt. Her thumbs up as she embraced her daughter - also surrendering to the dark side, as her mother throughout the scene tightened the knots - was an indictment of the people who have money in America and their indolence so long as I got mine. It was a huge scene. It just wasn't what we're conditioned to think a big scene is.

[quote]Chelsea was obviously intended to be loving and sympathetic but there was a stealth dark side to her. She believed she had it all figured out, enough so that she scolded people she thought unevolved.

Chelsea's problem was liking broken people. Her having it all figured out, and I think she mostly did in the context of the show, led to her death. We know what she did for Rick, I don't think we know what Rick actually did for her. I'd say Chelsea didn't care that Rick may have eventually gotten her killed, she was his "ride or die" and she died.

[quote]And what of the millions more who had no such complaint? Insane how some people try to pretend that the ratings for this season were the best and increased throughout the season.

As soon as you put your art out there, people have the freedom to critique it. As for the ratings rising: as you may have noticed here, even if people have issues with a show they will keep watching it. Being part of the conversation is often more important than fully liking all aspects of the project. It was the project to watch right now. Saying that the show was slower than the past couple of seasons isn't an outright damnation of the entire series.

Personally, I enjoyed the show. Things people saw as plot holes, I'm okay with. I'll miss the characters. I did, however, feel that the show could have had a shorter episode order as in the previous two seasons.

A partially attended cast party yesterday.

Has Sam Nivola been growing since the shoot ended? He looks so much bigger/thicker than Patrick and Jason in those pics. And is his mother still dressing him?

Speaking of donuts, I was so sorry that Walton Goggins never got to eat the one he plucked off the Thai donut tree.

Chelsea did eat it on the run.

You all get so upset about this program, some of you. Don't yew have any Lorazepam, either?

I hope the rumor is true that S4 will be set in Chile only to hear Victoria whine “CHEE-lay? That’s how you say it? What about Guatemala and Nicaragua, do I have to learn how to say them correctly, too?”

[quote] Sam's character had an old Navy Seal tattoo

[quote]I missed seeing that on Lochlan.

I missed seeing that on Kate!

Walton Goggin’s face looks like a death’s head. It’s that high, wide forehead and the sunken eye sockets. His look has obviously determined the trajectory of his career playing assassins and sleazebags.

I’ll miss watching this show Sunday nights, and reading the recaps and comments on the recaps, etc. 2027 seems along way away. Will we still be a democracy? Will the Trump Dept. of Censorship have the series shelved for being decadent? At least until Max makes a hefty donation to one of Trump’s many offshore accounts?

The White Lotus Finale: Cast Reacts to Their Characters' Deaths!

Weakest story element for me - aside from blendergate - is the whole GregGary likes to watch thing. Maybe if we were meant to see through it as some kind of ploy that was never developed, but episode 8 clearly ruled that out. Unless Chloe & Gary go on to become a couple of honey-pot serial killers who prey on easy-mark single male tourists, I could see that.

Aimee Lou Wood has a great read on the Rick and Chelsea story line—

[quote]"People are so mean about Rick, and as they should be. It’s not nice watching someone be mean to a ray of sunshine, but she is nuts. She’s just as nuts as he is. His God is his own pain, and she’s made her God him. Both of them are crazy. I love them so much, but they are crazy, and they die because they’re crazy. They don’t die because it’s a love story. They die because they’re crazy."

^I agree completely. They were both completely nuts. .

Both also kind of stupid, in their own way.

If they put your life on the White Lotus, what would people say about you r512?

[quote] Honestly, at the end I was kind of pondering how the family checked out of the WL if all his finances were likely frozen. Prepaid? Do the feds leave credit cards alone?

I said this in the first thread!!

[quote] I also couldn't help but wonder where Rick and Chelsea were being shipped off to. He had no family to receive a body. Not sure about her. Would they be together?

Not only that, but they were being loaded on to an airplane in body bags.

Dead bodies are NEVER loaded on to an airplane in body bags. They are in sealed containers, clearly labeled "Human Remains."

[quote] Patrick sends a message to the fans.

[quote] Such a cutie and sweetie.

That was very gracious of him. It's nice to see an actor being so appreciative.

WL is definitely a huge phenomenon for any up-and-coming actor, and having it consume 16 months of your life, is huge.

I don't blame him for being sad.

It's back to the grind, auditioning for parts again.

R507 uh huh

This series is quite popular so that's good news, it should be around for quite a while. I just wish series had more episodes each season. Lordy, I remember when The West Wing had twenty plus in a season.

I think I'd rather stay at a Holiday Inn.

I hope the next season has a big grand eldergay queen to fill the Jennifer Coolidge/parker posey meme-able diva role . It’s a shame Leslie Jordan isn’t around. He’d be so good in this show. Maybe Drew Droege?

It was a good season.

I wouldn't mind an AbFab reunion if it fit the tone of the show.

Parker Posey would have made an OK Edina in a US version.

This series needs Sherry Stringfield (who was Parker Posey’s college roommate) in it. Talk about a comeback!

Jon Gries is an underrated actor. He can go from a harmless, average nice guy to completely menacing or sinister in seconds. Loved him when Tanya met him in season 1. I was afraid of him this season.

Jon's Instagram has the absolute BEST White Lotus cast photos.

Lots of hot guys!

I'm still wondering, who's his boyfriend?

I really enjoyed Christian Friedel's "Fabian" character.

The hotel managers always seem to be a little bit off, which is what made each of them so interesting.

Armond, Valentina, and Fabian. All weirdos.

That said, I wonder if Christian Friedel and Patrick Schwarzenegger spoke German with each other? Surely, Patrick learned a little bit of German from his father, right?

Many thanks for the Jon Gries Insta rec, R524. His photos are wonderful and the first ones I saw featured a lot of the young male cast’s bare feets-I guess my algorithm is doing its thing, haha. The White Lotus cast seem to genuinely adore Gries which is lovely to see.

BTW, Carrie Coon is a staunch and outspoken liberal who was beefing with My Fat Daughter herself on social media recently.

[quote] If they put your life on the White Lotus, what would people say about you [R512]?

Definitely not that I deceived the owner of a high-end resort to gain access to her home, where I pistol-whipped her elderly husband, and then return to the resort to relax and enjoy the amenities - all in a country that is known for not providing the same level of treatment for foreigners who have obviously broken the law.

People would not say that about me, because I wouldn't have been stupid enough to do that. ,

I just saw the finale and was beyond disappointed. The most interesting relationships weren't resolved -- the three women's reconciliation seemed totally false; we don't know what happens to the Ratcliffe's; Belinda's story line was like something out of Lifetime movie; and then poor Toothy has to die with her lover.

All in all, another 8 hours of interesting build up leading to a total let down.

Season 4: White Lotus- Cabot Cove

Is sort their shit out in one 45 minute episode.

Is = I’d

This season had more threads than Covid.

Laurie's speech has already been praised everywhere, but I'd just love to point out Victoria's turbocapitalist creed she recited at breakfast. It was so cold and to the point, Mike White really nailed that writing. The scariest thing is, she knows who she is and what she wants probably as much as those monks do. When she's not on Lorazepam, that is.

Speaking of, I found Lochlan's vision of the four monks looking down into the pool really profound for some reason. Unlike Piper, he might actually have been impacted by his one day at the temple.

And lastly, the Foley cheated a bit with that monkey's scream after Belinda sees the five mil on her bank account. That monkey was actually just silently displaying its chompers to assert dominance and show the 2nd unit filming crew who's the boss there. Alternatively, it could have just yawned. But it definitely didn't let out a horrifying scream. By the way, the Foley for this show did an AMA on the show's sub the other day, it was great!

Thanks to R510 for posting Tooth girl actresses quote about her character. Just because she was cute and sincere doesn't mean she had it all figured out (as someone upthread claimed). In fact, she was just as deluded as Piper and ended up dead because she got together with a man she thought she was destined to heal.

Maybe there's a thinkpiece to be had in the contrasting trajectories of Tooth girl and Quebec model/hooker.

[quote] Laurie's speech has already been praised everywhere

Proof that Mike White didn't need to include his little stunt about making Laurie's daughter "trans," which was originally intended for her speech, but he left it out due to the current political climate.

The speech didn't need any inclusion of a "trans child" because it was perfect as is. Emotional, moving, and heartfelt.

Including a "trans child" in that speech would have been gratuitous and phony.

The lesson? Writers need to stop with the p.c. bullshit, and just write from the heart.

Her trans child was going around starting fights and causing trouble, so I don’t know how “PC” the writing would have been.

R482 you need confirmation? You need to see clips of his past? I swear you dont realize how badly you expose your lack of education

R487 the kid from Adolescence is in the limited actor category. The White Lotus cast is in the supporting actor drama series category….

At least attempt to know what you speak of.

R495 first, stop replying to yourself. It’s getting old… and it’s glaringly obvious.

Second, the show isn’t a plot driven series. The fact you want us to believe you’re so highly educated when you can’t tell the difference between a plot driven series and a character driven series is laughable.

Sam Nivola said Lachlan didn’t clean the blender because he thought it was leftover protein shake that Saxon made beforehand. Saxon makes a protein shake first thing every morning so he assumed Saxon made one that morning already being that he was already up and ready to go to the beach.

That makes sense.

[quote]Including a "trans child" in that speech would have been gratuitous and phony.

All these characters and not one ladyboy except for Frank when he's high and getting railed, and we didn't even get to see that. Mike White doesn't seem the type to care about the political "climate."

Sritala is a Ladyboy.

R540 The actor provides the most sensible and believable explanation for his behavior. Yet no viewers seemed able to come up with that on their own. Maybe because the plot point was already pegged as such a given. As jaded audience members, we cheat ourselves out of what should be obvious.

R535 there’s no indication that Laurie was ever going to mention her trans child in that particular speech. It’s likely something that would have been brought imup in the first part of the season when the harpies are gossiping about each other.

Again it’s hilarious to me how many posters are horrified to associate with trans people but are cheerfully pro incest- as if THATS going to improve our reputation in polite society.

I want to see a show about the Ratliffe family.

Ratliff!

HOL:Y SHIT. I had NO idea that was Scott Glenn. Dear GOD, he looks 1000 years old.

Glen^^

He's 86, R547. I'd say he looks and moves pretty darn well for his age.

I probably need to rewatch the finale because I was busy doom-shopping my way through Apple’s website the entire time. Nothing says late-stage capitalism like panic-buying an iPhone and a bunch of shiny trinkets I don’t need before Drump’s tariffs jack the prices up.

R547/548, you got it right the first time. It is Glenn.

R341 I like your take on Piper changing her mind

Patrick is definitely a better actor than double nepo Sam Nivola.

[quote]the three women's reconciliation seemed totally false

I thought the story was as close to real life as anything this series. For me it perfectly captured how you can come together with your oldest, closest friends and there's this tension that's about expectations: you've idealized the relationship and the reunion that it cannot help but fail to live up. The sporadic low key irritability, the two against one of convenience, the watching and wondering... it was so real to me but in the end the bond reasserts. It wasn't particularly exciting television and might have been played in certain parts for a little more comedy (cougars) or a little more drama (the Monaghan character's infidelity or Coon voicing her shame and humiliation over the Russian asking for money).

a scene that has stayed with me and still freaks me out is after having sex with Aleksei, he asks Laurie for $10,000 to supposedly help his mother move to Thailand.

very well acted. reminded of years ago...... having tricked and then something unexpected and awful occurs.

R533 interesting about the Foley.

I loved the blonde trios final talk. I know there’s been a fair bit of discussion about it already, but I’ll add I appreciated how it “redeemed” their previous sniping and gossiping. Jacklyn appreciates being criticized for her deep flaws instead of her superficial flaws after complaining that they were treating her like the tabloids. Kate starts talking about her prosperity gospel religious beliefs. And then Laurie breaks down about her sadness; which I think if you go back to the first gossip scene is exactly what Jacklyn and Kate are saying about her. It makes it less vicious and more concerned in retrospect. So much of what makes a friendship enduring is truly being seen and still wanting to be with. It isn’t all rah-rah compliments.

As for Piper, so much of her desire to be a Buddhist seems rooted in a sense of being superior to her a family, which is ironically very much a family trait in that they all feel superior to other people. So when she starts with why she doesn’t want to go to the monastery she leads with their food not being organic; which, as others have pointed out, is something she wouldn’t know and is a ridiculous thing to say. But psychologically she needs to reject them from a position of superiority. (And I don’t think the lack of air conditioning is a superficial reason at ALL.)

Can't poll but aren't you all secretly hoping that whatever happens to the Ratliffs, Victoria [italic]doesn't[/italic] end up broke?

I can't recall what Ratliff (and what an unlikeable surname) was wrapped up in... did they say? I mean financial crimes but was it out and out embezzlement or money laundering or did they even say? I know Tim kept fearing total ruin but I never got the feeling it was Madoff level financial carnage that would lead to total loss of all their assets. Like somebody said upthread, even Ruth Madoff got to keep 2.5M. (I wonder if she's still got it, after the last three days in the markets.)

I know I'm in the minority but I'm glad this season is finally over. Sick of seeing the whole cast in all the press for the past several weeks.

Most of the issues people had with this season – repetitiveness and being boring – are a direct result of longer seasons. White's great with the economy of language, so when HBO tells him to pad it all out for another episode and an extra long finale, he goes into wheel-spinning and B-roll mode.

They should go back to six episodes, with maybe a longer finale. But given the numbers the show is getting, I doubt HBO would be on board with that, they want the show to be a part of the cultural conversation for as long as possible.

r558, Ruth Madoff resides in a multi-million dollar beachfront property in Old Greenwich, Connecticut, with her former daughter-in-law, Susan Elkin (Mark Madoff), since September 2020

[quote]Can't poll but aren't you all secretly hoping that whatever happens to the Ratliffs, Victoria doesn't end up broke?

I got the impression Victoria was independently loaded even before she met Tim, so maybe someone in her family could help her out. But it's not just the money, it's the loss of status and social standing that would kill her.

R562. and the Scandall!!!!! She would be a pariah in her own circle.

I felt there were little bread crumbs of where characters were headed in the closing montage. Just the look Saxon gave his father after reading his e-mails -- to me -- said he knew what was up and spoke volumes about the growth of the character. Also the way Gaitok's smile faded as he drove away from Mook; he recognizes he made a bad deal. Props to the editor.

[quote] I loved the blonde trios final talk.

I did too. Carrie Coon has a great speech. I like where it lands: that they all love each other and have this long standing bond. She's sort of owning her struggles as part of an apology? I thought it worked. What I really liked even more was the last bit of them on the boat where they're on either side of Jaclyn comforting her. They all just witnessed a shooting together but Jaclyn's the center of the group and a TV star.

I want to look at the earlier seasons because I'm wondering if the endings here are possibly a bit more cynical. Belinda is a good guy in season 1. I was naively thinking she could ask for 150K or 200K and not take it because she still cares about doing the right thing/Tanya! Sudden wealth came up in the movie Blink Twice(?), also in a way that's for escapism and audience satisfaction but not for realism.

[quote] Most of the issues people had with this season – repetitiveness and being boring – are a direct result of longer seasons.

If Melrose Place could be entertaining for 32 episodes a season, this show most definitely could for a measly 8.

It is funny each season is one episode longer.

It would be interesting to see how that all plays out r562 and r563. There was a time when this would be a huge and shameful thing, destroying the whole family, but I kind of wonder if we're just such a sleazy society these days, and especially the rich who are pretty much all doing shady financial shit, that I wonder if they'd really lose status, or even gain status. I suspect this ain't the first time Tim crossed the line, just the first time everybody got caught.

There'd be a lot of whispering at the country club, but the Ratliffs did just get a lot more interesting. And as somebody pointed out up thread, there are all kinds of ways the rich stave off legal and financial difficulties, tangling everything up in court and somehow maintaining appearances despite being technically too poor to live like that.

I suspect one of the Ratliffs will show up next season, although I'm not sure how they'll manage it.

[quote] That makes sense.

Except he smelled the contents. I doubt Saxon’s protein shakes smell like pina coladas

I don’t think the Ratliffs are going to be treated as social pariahs over a little money laundering for a friend. Also, in Trump’s America, the charges can be dropped in exchange for a quiet purchase of $Trump meme coins. If not, a MAGA social media campaign can get a pardon. White collar crime is not a priority any more.

[quote] There's plenty we guessed that also never happened: murderous monkeys, a 3-way among all three Ratliff children, Timothy being reprieved from his financial nightmare at the last minute, Timothy or Saxon joining the Buddhist monastery...

I, for one, am disappointed the monkeys didn't go rogue, but I guess there's always next season. But I did think that was where the Timothy story was going: he was going to hide out/fake his death & stay, while Saxon had to go back to the real world and face the music for what his father did.

I liked the Belinda story in that in really emphasizes that even noble/saintly types change when the get $$

The monkey theory was so fascinating. As if monkeys know how to disengage safeties before they pull a trigger and then can do it multiple times in a short amount of time.

[quote]I suspect one of the Ratliffs will show up next season, although I'm not sure how they'll manage it.

Maybe one of the kids—gasp—gets a job (!) at one of the WL resorts.

For R572

From the comments at r574's link:

[quote] Darn, I really hoped the claims this was staged by 20th Century Fox were bogus, but when you look again... there are no shell casings being ejected, no recoil of the rifle from the rounds discharging, no dirt being kicked up by the rounds, no shock reaction in the chimp from the tremendous report (explosive sounds) of the rifle in full-auto mode... . Oh well, still a darn entertaining video!

I have to admit that Patrick S. impressed me with his range. I was prepared not to like him. Did the show ever establish how Rick and Chelsea met?

Is it possible Piper gave that rationale as one she knew her mother would believe, but what she really wanted was not to be stuck with her brother for a year? Being Piper, she would be too kind/wimpy to say so outright.

She looked pretty miserable laying in the bed of sweat even before Lochy said he was planning on staying.

I doubt Piper thought the elder Ratliffs would ever have let Lochie live in Thailand for a year. It is true that he is over 18, but if they firmly said "no," Piper would know at age 18 he would have bucked their authority.

[quote] It is true that he is over 18, but if they firmly said "no," Piper would know at age 18 he would have bucked their authority.

Sorry: I meant that Piper would not at age 18 he would be extremely unlikely to buck their authority.

I think it would’ve been good if Saxon had come to Lochlan’s rescue with some mouth to mouth and as Lochlan comes to they start tonguing each other and when Lochie says, “I think I just saw God,” he starts grasping for Saxon’s dick.

That would’ve been good.

Also, everyone going on about how the blender wasn’t clean - read the Vitamix thread! How did ANYONE sleep through the sound of that blender?!! That’s what was so preposterous to me. Tim should’ve shot right out of bed to see what that was about.

Ultimately, Mike White pulls too many of his punches and that just cheapens the proceedings.

Chelsea might as well have walked around with a target on her back for how little effort she made to take cover. It wasn’t all that dramatic, it’s not like she threw herself in front of Rick or rushed over to him when he was shot or something. It was kind of cheap.

Also, for me, the Gaitok and Belinda reversals were just so cynical. Once Chelsea was shot, I don’t know why Rick didn’t just take his own life. (As soon as they said they’d be together forever, forever started to seem like a very short time.)

There’s a way that the character reversals just do not account for all of the behaviour that came before it. Like, even in using Tanya’s speech, it would’ve been interesting (and something to play) if Belinda had some self-awareness of it, whether that resulted in self-criticism or even just being like, “I get you now, Tanya.” Instead, White just opts for the “see how clever I am? Didn’t see that coming, didja?” moment of “I’m so deep and/or cynical” self-flattery.

I wanted to see Tim Ratliff arrested at the airport. At the very least, Victoria’s credit card should’ve been declined in the clothing boutique.

Carrie Coon makes a satisfying meal out of everything and I was glad to see her character get her moment but is saying to someone, “You have a beautiful face” really much of a compliment? And then what about the other woman sitting there? She doesn’t have a beautiful face? It sounded really shady to me.

Victoria Ratliff could return. Tim could either have killed himself or be in prison and she could’ve remarried. We’d see her with a new husband. The most interesting thing about Saxon was his bare thighs so probably not much of a return in store for him.

The supersized finale promised much but didn’t really deliver, at least not with that run time. It would’ve been funny if when Belinda and Zion were waving at the distant shore if the operator of the boat turned around and silenced shot them both, execution style. Give Greg the last laugh!

How much income tax would be taken out of a 5-million-dollar gift?

[quote]I got the impression Victoria was independently loaded even before she met Tim, so maybe someone in her family could help her out.

I was thinking this too. Tim's family probably had money of their own, and they would most likely want him to marry someone of the same pedigree. Her family and her own investments could keep their family going (ie. Lachlan still wouldn't have to pay for school), but as mentioned, she'd still be seen a pariah. She would hate to be looked down upon or pitied.

R577, I'd like to hear exactly what the actress felt was going on with Piper because until Piper started crying, I thought it was just about her brother/family and she was just faking the missing the luxuries part of things. He wasn't even with them at that point.

[quote]I suspect one of the Ratliffs will show up next season, although I'm not sure how they'll manage it.

I could see Belinda returning again in a few years. Maybe Zion helped her invest the money, and she bought into a White Lotus she's running now. I could also see Greg and Chloe returning too, but not next season. As for the Ratliffs, maybe Saxon marries someone with money. I don't think we'll have a returning character from this season for a while.

I could see someone coming back from Season 2, but I think Daphne or Valentina are the people most would want to see.

Not only that, but I couldn't imagine it's easy to get certain actors to carve out months of their life to only work on a show when the production is pushing 7 months long.

[quote] How much income tax would be taken out of a 5-million-dollar gift?

You don’t pay income taxes on a genuine gift, but she’d have a hard time convincing the IRS that Greg just gave her $5 million out of love. Not that Trump’s IRS is going to ask any questions.

Watched some of the after-episode interviews and have developed a hot throbbing crush on the actor that portrayed Gaitok.

What she needs to be worried about is moving that $5M out of a regular checking account and getting it into some high yield savings and MMAs at multiple banks to start. Maybe some treasury bills for temporary safe keeping. Then find a fiduciary, not someone selling shit, a good CPA and an attorney. Then figure out a tax efficient investment allocation strategy. Keep maybe 10-20% highly liquid for living, emergency fund, and flexibility. Then a core investment tier with munis, ETFs, balanced funds, etc. Then another tier with longer term investments on which she can reduce tax burden. If she does it right, that $5M will easily fund her past death.

For everyone complaining about how they left the property without paying, hotels and resorts always pre authorize the credit card upon checkin, and then just reconcile it upon checkout. It wouldn’t have been a new run of a credit card authorization.

Buying the expensive clothes though, that should have declined. Even if charged to the room account, it would probably exceed the additional daily incidentals amount that was pre authorized, triggering a new authorization.

[quote]Maybe Zion helped her invest the money, and she bought into a White Lotus she's running now

What kind of master investor do you think Zion is that he'd be able to turn 5 million into enough to buy even partial ownership of a hotel?

Her storyline should be done now, ditto for Greg.

R587 correct. You have to put a credit card on file when booking those types of resorts or 5 star hotels.

Mike White is letting us know THE TRUTH about why the composer is quitting

Uh, these days you have to put a credit card on file when booking at any hotel. Or motel. Or anywhere.

How often do you people travel??

I think Belinda will be back, maybe as soon as next season. I like the idea of her somehow ending up with Greg and pushing him off a yacht.

Did I miss something out of Jaclyn? It seems she went from lying about having fucked Valentin, to apologizing to Laurie, wanting to make nice. Never having confirmed the hook-up, and never admitting that she'd lied, which was her biggest offense as a friend. The lie is what she needed to cop to as being ridiculous.

R592 in what world would Greg end up with her? He would NEVER go for her.

Not sure why Belinda would push Greg off a yacht. I think she kind of joined Team Greg by taking that payoff and showed they're really kind of on the same page, really deep down. Money changes everything.

What I do want to know though is what is happening with those old dilapidated houses back in Palermo. Did any Tasteful Friends get to fix those up, or redecorate, or whatever? Life is short. Art is long.

I think she came to the conclusion that she could not stand the heat, food and room before Loch said anything. Then as they’re walking she realized she didn't want to have to watch out for her little brother too, and that cemented a big no in her mind.

Greg would never go for a fat obese beluga woman like Belinda. He was only with Tanya because she was worth $500 million. Belinda isn’t.

New thread.

I love R586's answer. I feel like Belinda's taking a big risk if Gary is caught another way. Because I'm not R586...couldn't the FBI or someone be able to find a 5M withdrawl and trace it to someone from Maui?

I have a theory on who's coming back but idk. I started with Tanya being on seasons 1 and 2 and Belinda being on seasons 1 and 3 and looked to season 2 Italy for an obvious possibility. Though White could pick a season 3 person(s).

I'll just finish off this thread.

I will right now.

Honestly, I will.

I promise.