Last night’s shocking White Lotus scene – and six more
Warning: This story is packed with White Lotus spoilers. Read only if you have watched episode six of season three.
Monday night’s episode of The White Lotus has sent viewers spinning and ratcheted up the ratings (in the US, 4.2 million tuned in), but is a bit of brotherly, ah, love, really the worst thing creator Mike White has delivered on his holidays from hell? Over three seasons, White has delighted in pushing the boundaries ever further, and the shared moment between the two Ratliff brothers, Saxon (Patrick Schwarzenegger) and Lochlan (Sam Nivola), probably won’t even be the most controversial thing he delivers this season. There’s still two episodes to go! Here are some of the most dramatic scenes in The White Lotus so far.
Brothers in arms: Patrick Schwarzenegger and Sam Nivola in The White Lotus.Credit: Fabio Lovino/HBO
Brotherly love (season three, episodes five and six)
An incest storyline between the Ratliff brothers has developed over the course of the season. The seeds for the kiss and then the, well, more physical intimacy between Saxon and Lochlan were planted in episode one, when Lochlan was caught admiring his brother’s behind as he went into the bathroom to masturbate.
That that small moment paid off in all the right – and wrong – ways five episodes later is again credit to White’s storytelling ability. Don’t let anyone tell you The White Lotus is slow! And if you think Lochlan and Saxon’s interlude was wild, it’s not the first time White has gone there. In season two, it was Quentin (Tom Hollander) having sex with his maybe-nephew Jack (Leo Woodall).
Hayley Lu Richardson (Portia) and Leo Woodall (Jack) in season two of The White Lotus.Credit: HBO/Binge
What happens in Thailand … (season three, episode five)
It was only last week when Frank (Sam Rockwell) delivered that showstopper of a spiel to Rick (Walton Goggins) that started with “I always had a thing for Asian girls” and ends with “I guess I was trying to f--- my way to the answer”.
That’s not even mentioning the bit about “ladyboys”, men and Buddhism. As Frank built his story and Rick’s face dropped, the expression was instantly memed. As for what Goggins thought about the whole thing? “It took me a moment to wrap my head around this particular life experience, so it was like, ‘wow, wow, OK’. But without judgment – I think that’s [what’s] so beautiful about it,” Goggins told Vanity Fair.
The return of Gary/Greg (season three, episode one)
Although each season of The White Lotus is filled with new guests and locations, White has tied his anthology series together with one character: Greg (Jon Gries). He appeared in season one, where he wooed poor Tanya (Jennifer Coolidge) in Maui, and then popped up again in season two as her husband, where he seems to have been involved in her death. Fans speculated whether he would return in season three – Gries’ name was never mentioned in any cast list or the opening credits – and then bingo! It was a twist of the best kind because it meant White had more on his band than just torturing the overprivileged. Karma, baby.
Greg (Jon Gries) with Tanya (Jennifer Coolidge) in season two of The White Lotus.
Full-frontal male nudity (all seasons)
Male nudity is still, weirdly, slightly shocking on prime-time TV, and White delights in it. Season three has served up some looks: Timothy (Jason Isaacs) – “Dad, your balls!” – while Saxon gave a peek. Valentin’s Russian friend Vlad also revealed all before he jumped in the pool. It’s not the first time The White Lotus has displayed “the melodramatic penis”, as the BBC called it. In season one, Steve Zahn’s character, Mark, was nude (don’t worry – Zahn confirmed it was a prosthetic), while in season two, it was finance bro Cameron (Theo James) giving more than a glimpse as he got changed in the bathroom.
Theo James (right) bared all in season two.
Tanya’s death (season two, episode eight)
Speaking of Tanya, her death provided season two with the most iconic of moments: “These gays, they’re trying to murder me!” Yes, they were, but Tanya’s actual death proved even more shocking – tripping and falling off the boat.
Tanya (Jennifer Coolidge) in happier times in season two.Credit: HBO
Like father, like son (season two)
White doesn’t just delight in a bit of brotherly transgression, he delights in skewering all families. In season two, it was sex-addict dad Dominic Di Grasso (Michael Imperioli) and wide-eyed son Albie (Adam DiMarco) who both slept with sex worker Lucia (Simona Tabasco), albeit not at the same time.
The suitcase surprise (season one, episode eight)
Considering everything that has come since, hotel manager Armond (Murray Bartlett) defecating in the suitcase of vile guest Shane seems almost quaint. Of course, it ended in his death after an accidental stabbing, but revenge was nonetheless sweet.
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