It’s White Lotus season again, besties! If you’re looking for a sign to watch the show or finally cross it off your watchlist, this is it.
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Ever since it first aired in 2021, The White Lotus has become one of HBO’s most popular shows of the 2020s. Even if you haven’t seen or even heard of The White Lotus, chances are you’ve seen one, or a few, clips of the show’s viral scenes or have bopped to its banging theme song (at least the season two version). Initially intended to be a limited series before becoming an anthology, the dark comedy created by Mike White follows a group of American tourists during their week’s stay at the aforementioned White Lotus chain of hotels and resorts.
As the story progresses, we get a deeper and deeper look into just how messed up these people are, culminating in a crashout of epic proportions that has become a favorite for viewers. With season 3 of The White Lotus recently premiering and the show once again finding itself in the pop culture conversation, we lay down a few reasons why now is the great time to give this sensational series a try. Who knows, you just might find your next must-binge series.
THE STORY IS A TENSION-FILLED EXERCISE IN PROBLEMATIC BEHAVIOR
The way the show works, each season of The White Lotus centers on a new group of individuals staying at a White Lotus. Season 1 was in Hawaii, season 2 was set in Sicily, while season 3 is based in Thailand. But while each season is a new setting and group of characters, what ties this show together is the shared themes of classism, abuse of power, and a look into rich white people’s privilege.
These characters we meet are either broken, problematic, have a major flaw, or a mix of all three and then some. And it’s not just the resort guests who get the spotlight on the show, the staff also play a key role in the story, who also have secrets of their own.
As the season goes by, those layers get peeled back in a darkly comedic way as we find out just how rotten these wealthy vacationers can be, which adds to the spicy drama and tension of it all before it eventually comes to a head. For those of you who love intense dramas whose conflicts are rooted in human cynicism, this mature show is for you because things will go down at the White Lotus.
THE ACTING IS IMPECCABLE
When it comes to the acting in The White Lotus, no flops are allowed. From the main characters to the supporting players, every actor featured in the series gives 110% with sharp performances, witty writing, and killer motivations. It all brings the characters to life. With the series, expect a masterclass in acting ensembles as you’ll be hard-pressed to find a weak link. And it’s a level of quality that you can find throughout each season with characters that are distinct from one another as you want to love and love to hate them.
There’s a reason why the show frequently collects the acting nominations at the Emmys. The beauty of The White Lotus is that you get to know these characters in just a few lines. There’s no need for heavy exposition to build the drama and anticipation, which is helped by the excellent performances. It is these performances that play a big part in what makes The White Lotus such an addictive watch.
THE CASTING IS *CHEF’S KISS*
The show’s casting department may just be one of the best in Hollywood. Since the series is an anthology, every season brings a new set of characters, which means a new set of actors playing them. And over the years, The White Lotus has bagged big names. Most famously, Jennifer Coolidge experienced a career renaissance when she played the iconic Tanya McQuoid in the first two seasons. Other A-list actors who booked a stay at the White Lotus include Sydney Sweeney, Alexandra Daddario, Aubrey Plaza, and Theo James.
Season 3 is also no slouch either when it comes to the cast, which includes the much-talked-about inclusion of LISA, who plays White Lotus Thailand employee and health mentor Mook. The show brings in the stars as well as new faces that might become your new favorites you’ll go on Google to search more about once the season is done.
THE DESTINATIONS GIVE THE SERIES MORE PERSONALITY
Beyond the plots and characters, what drives The White Lotus is its setting. The new setting each season isn’t just for show, it serves as a backdrop and even its own character that bears witness to these rich people’s worst vacations ever. The contrast between the stunning resorts and locations (which is made even better by the show’s gorgeous cinematography) with how messed up these arcs can get just makes it all the better.
Also, an interesting quirk about the series is that an episode equates to one day in the show, so each season is literally a week into their lives as their secrets bubble to the surface.
IT’S EASY TO GET INTO
While certain plotlines and characters carry over from season to season, for the most part, each season of The White Lotus is its own thing, which makes for an accesible watch. We recommend you start in chronological order with season one for the story to have the most impact, but it is possible to watch any season as your starting point (our favorite is season two). The show may be a bit of a slow burn for some, but the narrative is straightforward and doesn’t burden the viewer with heavy lore, with the payoff worth it by each season’s second half. And if you’re wondering, no, The White Lotus is not scary or a horror series.
If you want to begin your The White Lotus journey, you can stream the series on Max.
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