'The White Lotus' season 3 finale — deaths, recap, predicting season 4, cast reactions and more for the epic 90-minute conclusion on HBO and Max

Welcome to ‘The White Lotus’ season 3 finale — let’s get you checked in

Welcome to our “The White Lotus” season 3 finale live blog. I’m Malcolm McMillan, a Streaming Editor here at Tom’s Guide and I’ll be your concierge this evening.

Let’s do a quick recap of the season so far before diving into each of our key character groups staying at the White Lotus in Thailand.

Our season kicks off with three main groups of vacationers. There’s the Ratliff family from North Carolina: Timothy (Jason Isaacs), Victoria (Parker Posey), Saxon (Patrick Schwarzenegger), Piper (Sarah Catherine Hook) and Lochlan (Sam Nivola). Then there’s brooding Rick (Walton Goggins) and his free-spirited, much younger girlfriend Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood). Finally, there’s the trio of television star Jaclyn Lemon (Michelle Monaghan) and her friends Kate (Leslie Bibb) and Laurie (Carrie Coon) on a much needed girls trip.

Now, they haven’t interacted much with each other, except for Chelsea and the two Ratliff boys, Saxon and Lochlan. But they have had some scandalous interactions with the hotel staff.

Timothy Ratliff is totally spiraling with his impending incarceration for some fun, white collar crimes, looming over him. He even stole a gun from the security guard Gaitok (Tayme Thapthimthong), who luckily managed to steal it back from the Ratliff’s suite.

Then there’s Rick, who’s here to kill Jim Hollinger (Scott Glen), an American married to the White Lotus owner Sritala (Lek Patravadi). Jim maybe killed Rick’s dad or maybe is Rick’s dad, we’re not sure. But we’re sure it’ll be an issue that Rick went to Jim and Sritala’s house and ran off after knocking Jim to the ground.

Let’s not forget the girls' trip, though. Jaclyn has slept with Valentin (Arnas Fedaravicius), one of the hotel staff, and Laurie has slept with his friend Aleksei (Julian Kostov). But it turns out that Kate is maybe a closeted Republican, and that may be the biggest surprise of all to this group of supposedly close friends.

Of course, these are all new names and faces. But there are a pair of familiar faces worth keeping an eye on in the season 3 finale. Natasha Rothwell is reprising her season 1 role as Belinda. She is on an exchange program visit from the White Lotus in Hawaii to learn from the health and wellness experts at the Thailand White Lotus.

She gets more than she bargained for, though, when she runs into Gary/Greg (Jon Gries), whom she met in season 1 and is on the run after the death of his wife Tanya (Jennifer Coolidge) in season 2. He made an offer at the end of last week’s episode to buy her silence, and this week we might find out if it’s an offer she cannot refuse.

Will the Ratliffs’ vacation from Hell finally end?

The Ratliff family has had a tough time in Thailand. Things started out great but then family patriarch Timothy discovered he might be going to jail and losing everything.

Since then, he’s entered a drug-fueled downward spiral thanks to his wife Victoria’s stash of Lorazepam. While he’s getting high, though, she’s having to constantly drink or risk sobering up, and she doesn’t want to sober up.

Especially now that her daughter Piper has revealed she’s planning to stay in Thailand at a nearby Buddhist meditation center. While Victoria is adamantly against the idea, Timothy seems to be convinced the monk who runs the center is right about things… well, at least when he’s remotely lucid. The rest of the time, he’s imagining killing his family and himself.

But all this drama may pale in comparison to Saxon and Lochlan’s drug-fueled threesome with Gary/Greg’s girlfriend Chloe (Charlotte Le Bon), which crossed almost every line imaginable.

So now, the Ratliffs just need to make it out of this episode alive. But will they? Or will Timothy enact his plan for a murder-suicide to end his family’s suffering?

Even if he doesn’t, it remains to be seen if Piper stays at the meditation center or if she decides to return to North Carolina. Whether she does or not, Lochlan might decide to spend a year at the center so he doesn’t have to look his brother in the eye anytime soon.

Forget the Ratliffs — Kate might be the most shocking casualty

I can’t shake the feeling that Kate might be the one to bite the bullet. While it’s Laurie and Jaclyn who finally go at each other in episode 7 after so much unspoken tension, Kate plays a key role in enabling their worst tendencies, making her just as culpable in their downward spiral.

There’s been so much insane drama with the Ratliff family that killing off one of them almost feels too predictable. I wouldn’t be surprised if Rick and Chelsea end up starting fresh by the season’s end. And while Chelsea’s death would be shocking (especially with the whole “bad things come in threes” idea), I have a hard time seeing it happen.

So, I think it will be someone from the trio of girls, because it would be the least expected. And my gut is telling me Kate won’t make it out. Maybe I’m just saying that because I find her character annoying, to say the least. - Alix Blackburn

Could this episode’s violence be limited to the hotel staff?

While the Ratliff family seems like a time bomb waiting to explode and my colleague Alix thinks it could be curtains for Kate, I think that our death comes from the hotel staff.

Or at least, I think it comes from a friend of one of our hotel staff, because I think it’s Vlad that gets killed. We’re all but certain that he and Aleksei were the ones to rob the hotel, with Valentin acting as the inside man. Vlad is the only one of the trio not attached to a main cast member, making him expendable in my eyes.

Plus, we know Gaitok, the security guard, has spotted these three potential suspects at the fights during last week’s episode.

It was also revealed last week that Gaitok is someone who holds to the Buddhist belief in non-violence (why is he a security guard?), which is why I think, no matter who dies, he’s the one who has to pull the trigger. It’d spiritually break him.

‘The White Lotus’ cast weighs in on the season 3 finale — ‘People are going to hate Mike White’

There’s an argument to be made that Gaitok pulling the trigger would be an obvious choice, and in a recent interview, the cast of “The White Lotus” indicated the season 3 finale will be a shocking one.

“I love the way it always repeats a format, but what’s occurring within it is so different and I think that this particular death is very different from the other deaths,” season 3 cast member Aimee Lou Wood told The Hollywood Reporter.

Her castmate Charlotte Le Bon was more blunt. “People are going to hate Mike White,” she told the industry press outlet. “Sorry, but that’s his signature!”

Jon Gries, aka “Gary”/Greg, agrees. “It is shocking — absolutely, mouth-agape shocking.” In an oral history feature, he added, “Whatever you think you know, you’re going to get it wrong.”

White, for his part, hopes people won’t hate him. “I can’t believe I did that,” he said in the uncensored oral history. “My hope is that it’ll feel like a cathartic sad or a satisfying sad and not a “What the fuck?” sad.”

Belinda will almost certainly turn down “Gary” — at first

Poor Belinda. She's gone through so much.

A single mother, we met her in season 1 trying to get her own business off the ground with the help of her new friend, Tanya McQuoid (Jennifer Coolidge).

But then Belinda's new friend left her for an even newer one, leaving Belinda back at square one.

Fast forward two seasons and Belinda still hasn't gotten her own spa off the ground. She arrives in Thailand on an exchange program to learn more about her craft, only to find Tanya's husband, Greg, there, except he's now "Gary" and he maybe killed Tanya.

So Gary/Greg makes Belinda an offer she can't refuse — $100k to start her spa, as long as she stays silent about him.

She hasn't taken the offer yet, but I think she will counter for more money and eventually take the money from Gary/Greg. She needs to finally catch a break and this gives her the money Tanya originally promised her. Tanya betrayed Belinda after all; she doesn't owe Tanya's memory anything.

Plus, Belinda's one-night stand, Pornchai, offered to go into business with her, which is either a massive red flag or a sign he wants to get serious in more ways than one. By taking the money, she'll have the freedom to choose to stay with him or leave, without his money being a factor.

This season might boil down to eight episodes of monkey business

The monkey dunnit!

That was one of the prevailing theories on fan forums this season and it makes a lot of sense.

The first episode highlighted the presence of monkeys in the resort — one of the first things you see after the opening credits is a monkey. And as shots ring out, there are several shots of monkeys reacting to the noise.

After the trio of women checks in, Laurie goes to her room and is astonished to see monkeys right outside her door. Later, Belinda has a jump scare due to something rustling in the trees, and while she mutters “no snake falling on my head,” it’s more likely a monkey.

So all these monkey references cannot be for nothing! Call it "Chekhov’s monkey" holding Chekhov’s gun.

The “monkey dunnit” theory also makes sense when you think about the deaths in seasons 1 and 2: both were not pre-planned murders. They were actually accidental. In season 1, Shane inadvertently stabs Armando, believing him to be an intruder (which he was). In season 2, Tanya escaped gunfire by the gays, only to slip, fall, hit her head and drown.

So, another accidental death would align with the previous ones. A monkey, instead of a human, being the culprit would fit nicely.

Unfortunately, Michelle Monaghan seemingly debunked this theory on “Jimmy Kimmel Live.” “Monkeys did not do it,” she declared to the talk show host.

I’m not sure I believe Monaghan, though. It seems odd for a cast member to definitively say whether a theory is true or false. Generally, the M.O. for cast and crew is to play coy and dance around that kind of stuff.

Maybe a monkey didn’t pull the trigger, but I still firmly believe one or more are involved ... somehow. - Kelly Woo

Regardless of who dies tonight, the most polarizing thing this season might be the new theme song

“The White Lotus” used to be one of the few shows where I’d watch the theme song every single episode (others include “Game of Thrones,” “Succession” and “Severance”).

But this season’s theme song let me down, and I’m not the only one:

@tag.williams

♬ original sound - Tag Williams

The eerie, haunting “ooh-loo-loo-loo” vocals of seasons 1 and 2 were glaringly missing from the season 3 theme. While I’ve grown to like it more as the weeks passed by, the new opening still lacks real urgency.

But apparently, the “ooh-loo-loo-loos” were supposed to be there all along! And the tea is spilling about a beef between series creator Mike White and composer Cristóbal Tapia de Veer, who’s behind all three themes.

Tapia de Veer recently told The New York Times that he is not returning for season 4 after feuding with White and the rest of the creative team, who wanted music that was “more upbeat and less experimental.”

As for the furor over the season 3 theme, he said, “I don’t think everybody was really aware of how attached people were to the ooh-loo-loo-loos.”

Tapia de Veer wanted to give fans a longer version with the “ooh-loo-loo-loos” but that White nixed it. He dropped it on YouTube anyway:

The White Lotus Season 3 Soundtrack | Enlightenment UNCUT ENDING (Main Title Theme) - YouTube

Watch On

Tapia de Veer clarified in a YouTube comment that HBO has a limit of 1:45 for opening credits music: “The short theme for S3 was intended the way it is from the start, there was never concern from anybody about bringing back the previous vocals and nobody censored a longer version.”

With the composer departing the series, I hope this doesn’t mean the “ooh-loo-loo-loos” are also gone forever. - Kelly Woo

We’re just 20 minutes away from the season 3 finale — grab your whisky now

“The White Lotus” season 3 finale is just mere minutes away. In under 20 minutes, you’ll be able to watch on HBO or Max (pull from intro).

But it’s a 90-minute finale, so now’s the time to go to the bathroom, make sure the TV is set up and you’re logged into Max and may grab a glass of whisky. It’s been the drink of choice for Timothy Ratliff, as well as Rick and Frank, making it the most popular social lubricant of the season … besides Victoria Ratliff’s Lorazepam.

When you get back, we’ll be reacting live to everything from this (probably) epic finale. We haven’t seen screeners (nobody has), so we’ll be reacting in real-time just like you!

We're live! 'The White Lotus' season 3 finale has officially begun!

Place your bets now on who you think dies.

New to Max preview

Coming Soon To Max - YouTube

Watch On

Unsurprisingly, HBO and Max have taken this major moment to show off what's coming to the streaming service. Check out the video above.

Did the 'Previously on ... ' confirm any theories?

I think Lochlan definitely stays in Thailand and I'm more convinced than ever that Gaitok kills someone. Beyond that, I'm not sure of anything.

Frank is off the wagon and I am officially praying for him

We begun the episode with the monk Luang Por Teera (Suthichai Yoon) giving a monologue that I'm sure we'll look back on and find much foreshadowing and deep meaning.

But for now, all I can mentally process is Sam Rockwell running through the halls of a Bangkok hotel barely dressed and about to continue what must already be an epic bender.

Lochlan seems committed to staying in Thailand — Piper seems less sure

"Just let me fuck up my own life." Words that I'll one day put on a poster from Piper Ratliff. She definitely seems unsettled by her night at the meditation center, while Lochlan, a bit hurt by her rebuke, seems genuinely ready to take a year to figure things out.

Then again, maybe he's also unsure, given that "I [Lochlan] don't fucking know anything."

First monkey sighting of the episode!

We officially have a monkey sighting, and "monkey dunnit" truthers must be going apesh*t.

We also get our first Belinda scene of the episode. She seems to still be plenty into Pornchai, but still isn't sold on taking "Gary"/Greg's money. Her son Zion, on the other hand, is ready to help her get what she deserves.

Piper's year abroad on hold

Piper officially admits to her parents that she couldn't cut it at the meditation center for even one night. Mother Victoria responds that "it's offensive" if they don't enjoy the incredibly charmed life they have ... which causes father Timothy to panic.

You know, because of the whole him going to prison and losing all his money thing.

Apparently, Lochlan's a people pleaser ... so he decided to please his brother

In a twist that only a Targaryen would love, it turns out that Lochlan was very aware of his moment of brotherly love with Saxon and Chloe. Officially, our first shocking moment of the episode.

Gaitok and Valentin begin a possibly deadly dance

We're quickly shifting between storylines. Gaitok and Valentin have their first altercation (only verbal this time) about his question friends, Jaclyn is brooding about her relationship with Laurie and which side Kate would pick in the divorce and Saxon goes to talk to Chelsea only to be interrupted by the return of Rick, who reveals he didn't kill anyone.

Saxon then turns to Chelsea, saying that he's sorry he kink shamed her and Gary/Greg. She basically brushes it off, at which point the score takes a sinister turn.

So basically, nobody is happy. Well, apart from Chelsea and Rick.

So many theories are still alive and well

So far, we've gotten a monkey sighting, talk of a smoothie and a suicide fruit sighting. Timothy is proud of Lochlan thinking he can live without his father's money, but it still seems likely that father dearest could end up killing any number of his family members, including maybe himself. Especially since he's now opened up one of the fruits.

We also have had multiple interactions between Gaitok and Valentin, the latter of which confessed to robbing the hotel, and is begging Gaitok not to turn them in so he doesn't have to return to Russia.

He seems desperate, but is he perhaps too desperate? I'm starting to doubt my Gaitok kills a Russian theory, because it now feels too obvious.

Belinda turns down Gary/Greg's offer, but did Zion overplay his hand?

I think we were all Belinda choking and needing a drink when her son, Zion, told Gary/Greg that he and his mother needed five million dollars to keep their silence.

We were probably all a bit disappointed when her son tried to mansplain negotiations to his mother, too, though it turned out she might just be the smartest in that room. She sends Zion back in to keep pushing for the money, and to paint her as a loose cannon ... who might just do anything if she doesn't get that money.

That smoothie is going to give Timothy more than food poisoning

At least he's not wearing his Duke shirt, or the poor little university might get upset.

Dinnertime drama

Apparently, Timothy now wants to make piña coladas for the family, and asks for the ingredients to be sent to the room. Only, we know that he's adding a secret ingredient.

Interestingly, he's not letting Lochlan drink. It seems he's confident that his youngest son can handle life after his family and his family's money is gone, so he's letting the boy live.

Meanwhile, at the girls' table, things start a bit cold, but they quickly open up to each other. Laurie, in particular, lets all her emotions out to her best friends in a wonderful moment of self-realization.

Then there's Belinda and Zion, who are nervously awaiting Gary/Greg's money. I don't see them getting that particular course for dessert, but who knows!

In a touching moment, though, Rick admits that he plans to be with Chelsea forever, meaning I'm now convinced their relationship won't survive the trip, even if they both make it out alive.

There's no way they actually drink it ...

... right??

Crisis averted — for now

Timothy drinks his deadly cocktail. Saxon senses something is off, but still takes a sip and Victoria and Piper both enjoy their (last?) drink.

But Tim can't go through with the murder-suicide, and takes the glasses out of their hands before dumping them down the sink.

I'm with Victoria. "Have you ever heard of wine?"

It's the final day, but probably not the final monkey sighting

We know someone is dying now that everyone is up. But who?

I know I've been such a staunch supporter of Gaitok kills a Russian, but I'm starting to think that maybe Rick kills his dad's alleged killer, who is almost certainly Rick's real dad. I just don't see a happy ending for Rick.

But the wild card is officially Gary/Greg, who just gave Belinda a ton of money. Is he going to let her leave Thailand with the funds? I lean yes, or at least, I'm still convinced Belinda and Zion survive.

Lochy, no!

Lochy goes to make a pre-workout shake ... which still has a deadly ingredient inside. Will he accidentally drink it? Or will his brother take it for himself, thinking Lochlan can just make another.

If Lochlan drinks it, I will be devastated.

A new player has entered the arena

Some of us have been expecting Rick to be a possible killer this episode, and others have thought that he's going to be the one floating face-down in the water.

Well, now it seems that it could definitely be the latter. Jim Hollinger has returned to his hotel and is packing heat. He's also insulted Rick's mother to his face and sent armed guards after him to get him out of the hotel. Rick is headed to see Amrita, but we know that she's occupied in an appointment with Zion when everything goes down.

UPDATE: We have a guest down

Lochy drank the shake and has been abandoned by his family to either puke his guts out by the pool or to die there.

I'm still holding out hope that Tim, who is still asleep in the room, spots his son in danger and manages to save him somehow.

C'mon Tim ...

I'm still holding out hope that Tim is about to save Lochlan, but it's looking more and more like we have our first character death of the episode ...

Could there be two deaths this season?

Everything we've seen so far has lead us to believe there would only be one death in this 90-minute finale, but we know there is still a gunfight to come and a body that needs to be dead so it can float in a river.

Still, at present it really seems like Lochlan is dead. I'm still, somehow, holding out hope, but things do not look good for the youngest Ratliff.

RICK PULLS THE TRIGGER

Rick takes Jim's gun and shoots him dead in front of Sritala, the girls and Fabian, who goes into the water. He's now being chased by security ... and Gaitok is about to get his gun.

Body Count: 5 and climbing

Rick has killed Jim, who (of course) was his father. He's killed two security guards and in the crossfire, Chelsea is also mortally wounded. As he carries her body, Gaitok shoots him, giving us our body in the river.

Lochlan is also still possibly dead from the suicide fruit. I am indeed shocked.

Lucky Lochy lives!

It seemed that, surely, Lochlan would pull through. Especially after the shootout pilled up such a high body count. But it's a relief to see at least one of the people that the show arguably wants us to root for, survive the events of the season.

No prison for Timothy Ratliff?

With the speech Tim is giving on the boat, it seems almost certain that Tim is about to find out that he got away with his white collar crime. This has been a popular fan theory, and it'll be interesting to see if it comes to fruition.

Our guests have left the hotel

The Ratliffs have left, as have the girls. The Russians are fine, as are Gary/Greg and Chloe, who seem to have found a willing third in their complicated lives.

Meanwhile, Gaitok is now Sritala's bodyguard and seems to still be in a budding relationship with Mook. Unfortunately for Pornchai and Belinda, their budding relaitonship has come to an end.

In the most interesting twist, this season's bender appears to have been Frank's last, as he has joined a monastery. Good for him.

Winners of 'The White Lotus' season 3

The losers of "The White Lotus" season 3 are obvious. It's the people who are dead, especially Rick and Chelsea. Frankly, Jim had it coming and his bodyguards were doing their job, but Rick (who also probably had it coming) suffered the most tragic ending of the season, with the love of his life dying in his arms.

As for the winners? I'm going with an Olympic podium for this one: Gaitok gets bronze, Belinda gets silver and Gary/Greg takes home the gold.

Gaitok gets the dream job and dream girl, but did have to kill to do it, compromising his beliefs. Belinda also is on her way to her dream job, but she had to sacrifice the dream guy and her principles to get it.

Gary/Greg though? He started the season as a bad guy with a weird kink and a ton of money, and he ends the season getting to fulfill that kink and only losing a bit of money. Tough to call that anything but a win.

Will anyone from season 3 return for ‘The White Lotus’ season 4?

At the end of the episode, there's no clear candidate to appear in season 4 after their time in season 3.

However, there's been a lot of buzz lately about a possible "all-star" season, including from members of the cast and crew of season 3.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, show star Patrick Schwarzenegger offered his pitch on an all-star season. "They could get all the douche guys in one hotel together, " he told the Los Angeles-based outlet. "Mike said that one day when we were on set, he was like, 'Oh my God, it’d be so good to get you, Jake Lacy and Theo James in the same room.'”

One can only dream about the season 4 cast…

This is a tough one, because there are so many actors who would bring something truly special to the show. But for my dream casting, I don’t care about being realistic (so please don’t judge).

For the guests, I’d love to see Willem Dafoe, Sadie Sink, Mia Goth, Oscar Isaac, Toni Collette, Daniel Kaluuya, Amber Midthunder, Giancarlo Esposito, Drew Starkey, and David Jonsson. I have no idea what their roles or relationships would be, but honestly, just having any of them in the show would be cool.

As for the resort staff, how about Ayo Edebiri as the no-nonsense manager who’s completely over the guests’ antics? It’d also be interesting to see a younger, more ambitious staff trying to navigate the resort’s dark secrets and its wildly complicated visitors. Some of the staff could be Daisy Edgar-Jones, Harris Dickinson, Will Poulter, and Ambika Mod. - Alix Blackburn

Could we be heading to the land of ice and snow next season? Don’t pack your parka just yet

There’s been a long-standing fan theory that “The White Lotus” season 4 would be heading to Norway. This was based on reports of a project titled “Secret Garden” reportedly getting money from the Norwegian Film Institute.

However, while that’d be an interesting change of pace, there’s a lot of evidence against the theory, not least of which is that there’s no Four Seasons (the real-life hotel chain that officially stands in for the fictional White Lotus resorts) in Norway and that Mike White hates the cold (h/t Redditor thefranchise305). The rumor appears to be officially put on ice, with Norwegian outlet Kampanje reporting that “Secret Garden” is no more.

So, where will season 4 take place? Well, if we assume it has to be at a Four Seasons resort (and an elite one at that), that narrows things down significantly. Anecdotally, it’s been rumored that the goal is a new continent each season — further evidence against Norway — then our options are Africa, Australia and South America.

Australia feels least likely to me, as putting the show in Sydney (the only Four Seasons location on the continent) doesn’t fit the vibe of “The White Lotus.” That leaves the Buenos Aires location as the best bet for South America and Marrakech or one of two resorts in the Seychelles are my top picks for Africa.

My educated guess? The Four Seasons Resort Seychelles at Desroches Island. This simply comes down to I think Mike White wants to keep the beachy vibes going, and Buenos Aires and Marrakech don’t have readily accessible beaches. Plus, Desroches Island is made from of nice, jagged coral. Perfect for accidentally — or intentionally — killing someone.

Mike White hints at where 'The White Lotus' will go next — and I've got a new theory

While we’re talking rumors about the next location, we’ve gotten a new hint that could help steer us towards where the show might go next.

In the latest “Unpacking the Episode” on Max (h/t Rolling Stone), “White Lotus” creator Mike White let slip that our next set of guests might well be checking in somewhere a little different.

“For the fourth season, I want to get a little bit out of the ‘crashing waves against rocks’ vernacular”, White said. “But there’s always room for more murders at the White Lotus hotels.”

This does somewhat line up with what HBO EVP Francesca Orsi told Deadline about our next vacation. Back in February, Orsi let slip that the “White Lotus” team were looking for their next stop soon.

Asked where the show might go next by the publication, she said location scouting was coming up in a couple of weeks, adding: "I can’t really say where we’re going to land but chances are somewhere in Europe.”

We’ve already spoken about the possibility of the show wanting to hit every continent (see the previous post, but a quick look at the Four Seasons website has got my brain racing: what about the UK?

Four Seasons has 19 properties in Europe, but if getting away from the waterfront is the goal, that would seemingly remove locations like those in Athens, Mallorca and the French Riviera from the equation.

However, the chain does have three properties in the U.K. — two in London and one in the county of Hampshire — maybe our next guests will be checking into one of these next time around. - Martin Shore

What to watch to fill 'The White Lotus' void

Now that “The White Lotus” season 3 is over and the wait is on for the next watch, I’m sure plenty of viewers face the same dilemma: What on earth do you watch next?!

Sure, HBO has “The Last Of Us” season 2 starting this Sunday, but even though I’m sure it’ll be appointment viewing (based on how good that first season was), I wouldn’t necessarily say the post-apocalyptic video game adaptation has the same kind of vibe.

With that in mind, we’ve already got a list of the best shows to stream after “The White Lotus” season 3 online, which should scratch that same itch for sharp storytelling.

My personal top pick from that list would be Apple TV Plus' "Bad Sisters", but if you don't currently have access to the Apple streamer, we've still got more streaming recommendations across some of the top services, including Netflix, Max and more. - Martin Shore

'The White Lotus' Official Podcast drops S3 finale deep dive with Mike White

If you're not quite ready to say goodbye to "The White Lotus" just yet and want to learn a little bit more about the new season, I'd suggest checking out "The White Lotus" Official Podcast.

The companion pod has uploaded a bonus episode that sees hosts Jia Tolentino and Josh Bearman quizzing Mike White on the season as a whole.

White spills the beans on a variety of things about the third season, including his reflections on the overall themes and the individual stories that we've seen play out.

If you want to know Mike's verdict on what Belinda might do after leaving the resort, or his approach to storytelling, you can tune into this bonus "The White Lotus" Official Podcast episode on a variety of podcast platforms right now. - Martin Shore

REACTION: 'White Lotus' fans argue they were "robbed" of this one scene

Picking through reactions to the season finale, I noticed a number of "White Lotus" viewers all saying the same thing about the Ratliffs' exit from the show.

Timothy Ratliff spent his whole stay at the White Lotus keeping a lid on whatever white collar crimes he’d committed, which, as we learned, would see them stripped of their wealth.

The family finally got their phones and devices back on the boat away from the hotel, and after a muted speech from Tim wherein he said they'd weather the oncoming storm together, the Ratliffs sailed off for home.

The family shared a couple of looks after getting their devices back, but that was it. Clearly, for some viewers, that wasn't enough... specifically because they wanted Victoria (Parker Posey) to explode in some way.

Reddit user optimusgrime23 wrote “Not seeing Victoria find out she is poor is an absolutely astonishing omission”.

It’s an opinion shared by several users in that “White Lotus” thread. One said that Victoria’s potential reaction was ‘what I was most excited for”, while another said not seeing the fallout from the news was “the biggest letdown”.

Viewers reacting on X felt the same way, too: “We were robbed of Victoria being told she was poor”, one fan wrote, with another chiming in with: “the way I’d kill to see Victoria’s reaction to her new life”.

At least we got that hilarious thumbs-up during Piper’s big confession? That's Emmy-winning comedic timing right there.

Plot hole? Or character trait? Fans are divided over this choice by Mike White

If you're still processing Rick's shocking death, I get it. While it seemed this character could be doomed to tragedy all season long, that specific ending to his story was probably one that most didn't see coming.

Not everyone loved how we got there, though, and Rick made one particular choice that has fans screaming "massive plot hole."

I think Rick's choice simply comes down to his character defects, but our global editor in chief, Mark Spoonauer, says it "nearly ruins the show."

When might 'The White Lotus' season 4 start streaming?

Okay, this is entirely speculation, but as we're now into the waiting period for "The White Lotus" season 4, I figured now's as good a time as any to speculate at when the next season might arrive.

The simple answer is that we probably have quite a wait on our hands. When we first learned the show had been renewed, Variety reported that HBO was eyeing production in 2026.

With that in mind, we likely won't be watching "The White Lotus" season 4 until late 2026 at the absolute earliest.

Admittedly, that's not a huge surprise; we had to wait two years and four months between the October 2022 release of "The White Lotus" season 2 and the show's return in February this year. - Martin Shore

Power ranking the 3 seasons of 'The White Lotus'

Which season of 'The White Lotus' is the best? That's a contentious debate, as there are arguments to be made for multiple seasons taking the top spot.

At this point, I feel confident saying that, whether you liked it or not, season 3 is at the bottom of the power ranking for this show. But for my money, I have the seasons ranked as follows:

1. Season 1
2. Season 2
3. Season 3

Season 2 has some great performances, but it relies heavily on a few characters to knock it out of the park. The first season is no filler all killer, and proves to me that six episodes is the perfect length for "The White Lotus."

'The White Lotus' season 3 finale was mostly worth the wait — but the show still had one big problem

Well, this brings our coverage of 'The White Lotus' season 3 to a close. In the end, most (myself included) will likely be satisfied with the end product, even if it failed to live up to the show's lofty standards.

But if this season leaves any sort of lasting impression, I hope it's that we now know that eight episodes are too many episodes for a season of "The White Lotus."

Six episodes is the perfect amount (the length of season 1) and I truly hope that the show goes back to keeping things a bit tighter in season 4.