According to HBO, a staggering 2.4 million viewers tuned into The White Lotus season 3 premiere on February 16—were you one of them? If not, we’ve got you covered. Here’s how you can escape into all eight episodes of the latest installment of this comedy-drama anthology, set in breathtaking Thailand.
If you’re not new to The White Lotus (perhaps you’ve enjoyed season 1 in Maui or season 2 in Taormina), then you’re probably already familiar with the show’s intoxicating blueprint. Each season begins with the discovery that a mysterious someone at the luxurious White Lotus resort has been murdered. Then, we flash back to one week earlier as the new crop of guests arrive, and spend the rest of the season figuring out who, among the zany mega-rich visitors and working-class hotel staff, is the victim—and the culprit. The series explores a fascinating aspect of human nature through this format: in season 1, it was money; in season 2, relationships. It’s a recipe for disaster and it works every time, having scored 15 Emmy Awards and 43 nominations so far.
For the season 3 installment, the show’s creator, writer, and director Mike White chose to turn his focus to spirituality, revealing to Forbes, “I was thinking it’d be cool to do something about religion, God, and spirituality. Thailand is a Buddhist country and there’s a lot of Buddhist concepts that I thought would be interesting to explore.” Season 3 was filmed in and around Phuket, and Bangkok, and The Four Seasons Koh Samui. How will the new guests, who are mostly white and Western, disrupt the balance in this environment with all their literal and emotional baggage?
Season 3 welcomes back Natasha Rothwell to reprise her role as Belinda Lindsey from season 1, who is joined by a sprawling cast of newcomers, including Leslie Bibb, Carrie Coon, Michelle Monaghan, Walton Goggins, Aimie Lou Wood, Jacson Isaacs, Parker Posey, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Sarah Catherine Hook, Sam Nivola, Dom Hetrakul, Tayme Thapthimthong, Christian Freidel, Morgana O’Reilley, Lek Patravadi, Shalini Peiris, Walton Goggins, Nicholas Duvernay, Arnas Federavicius, Scott Glen, and Blackpink’s Lalisa “Lisa” Manobal.
Lisa is already causing a stir for her impressive acting debut, stepping into the role of Mook, a member of the White Lotus staff. Her co-star Aimie Lou Wood told ELLE.com, “I remember the first day she was so nervous. And she just came over and she absolutely nailed it.”
After saying farewell to hotel manager Armond (Murray Barlett) in season 1 and fan-favorite returning guest Tanya (Jennifer Coolidge) in season 2, the series has taught us that no one at The White Lotus—neither guests nor staff—is safe. We’ll be curious to see how this murder mystery pans out, and how this season’s East-meets-West approach will contribute to the ever-unfolding drama.
When do new episodes of The White Lotus drop?
The first few episodes of season 3 are currently available to stream on Max. The series will continue to release the rest of its remaining seven episodes weekly on Sundays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on both HBO and Max.
Follow the full release schedule below to make sure you’re up to date.
Where Can I Stream The White Lotus?
The White Lotus will be exclusively available for streaming on Max. Check out subscription plans here.