Family Annihilator Syndrome
The White Lotus - thoughts on the first half of season 3
I recently spoke with Richard Hanania about the first 4 episodes of The White Lotus.
The show thrives on getting the audience to read way too much into ambiguous scenes. One of my favorite shows on the air.
We wonder if Season 3 might be paying homage to The Shield, a show that you can watch me, Richard, and Marc Andreessen talk about here.
Some topics covered in this conversation:
Incest, or just hormones and awkward vibes? – Breaking down the speculation around the Ratliff siblings and whether the show is misleading the audience.
Richard suggests Victoria’s character (the mother in the Ratliff family) embodies a low-trust, old-school social mentality. We speculate about her exaggerated Southern accent and social paranoia. I note that a lot of shows and movies play up regional accents to add depth and texture to characters.
Protein shakes – Are the writers out of touch with modern health foods, or is Saxon sabotaging his brother Lochy’s drinks?
Is White Lotus more about mood than plot? – Discussing whether the show’s strength lies in storytelling or just immersing us in a world of privilege. Why this season feels different from the others and whether the show is best suited for summer viewing.
Is the show headed toward a family annihilation plot? – Tim’s (the father of the Ratliff family) arc resembles real-life cases of men who kill their families to "save" themselves from disgrace.
The gossip triangle – How every possible gossip combination has played out among the three blonde friends. Why I think at least one of the three women will likely stab another in the back before the season ends.
Greg orchestrated Tanya’s murder last season. So why is Greg back at another White Lotus resort instead of laying low? Hunting for his next victim?
The show’s surprisingly honest take on relationships – How White Lotus portrays real-life power dynamics between men and women.
Does White Lotus secretly respect age-gap relationships? – The surprising way it portrays older men with younger women.
Is Valentin a mastermind? – Valentin (the hotel concierge) is the show’s biggest wildcard. He might be this season’s version of the prostitutes from season 2.
My predictions for where the show is going
Why this show resonates so much with a specific kind of audience.