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In 2020, HBO was desperate for material they could get underway over the pandemic with all its restrictions. They were looking for a smart, well written show they could shoot in one location, with a lean crew. They approached the right guy, Mike White. 



Saxon (Patrick Schwarzenegger), Piper (Sarah Catherine Hook) and Lochlan Ratcliffe (Sam Nivola) make their way to The White Lotus. PHOTOS COURTESY OF MAX

In October 2020, cast and crew were in Hawaii and production started on the six episodes which made up what is now the first season of "The White Lotus." It was supposed to be a stand-alone series but the characters White created and the situations he put them in while on a luxury escape (or in service of those on a luxury escape) were just so compelling and delicious, audiences asked for more.



BlackPink's Lalisa Manobal makes her acting debut as Mook in HBO's acclaimed ‘The White Lotus.'

So far "The White Lotus" has touched on issues of colonialism, gender politics, wealth, redemption, spirituality, lust and so much more within the framework of an "upstairs — downstairs" style of storytelling. Each series starts off with a death and then goes backwards to a perfect sunny day with a boat of wealthy vacationers being greeted by resort staff, and the unraveling begins.

Mike White created, wrote and directed all of "The White Lotus." The show is a mystery and a whodunit, but it's also a soap opera with lots of dark humor. The characters, their humanity, flaws, brokenness and quirks are done so well; White brilliantly writes dialogue like he's in the heads of his characters.

Speaking of which, the fifth episode of the current season has this incredible monologue by (a surprise) Sam Rockwell in a scene shared with cast member Walton Goggins. It's a confessional that goes from covering self-knowledge to deviance, digressions, philosophies and a quest for identity. It seemed as if each sentence left me more stunned than the previous one did.



Among those joining Goggins in the cast are Jason Isaacs, Parker Posey, BlackPink's Lalisa Manobal, Carrie Coon and a host of young talent (as usual) including Patrick Schwarzenegger and well known and up and coming Thai actors. Being cast in a season of "The White Lotus" season has often provided a boost to both fairly new and already established talent.

This iteration has a rich family from North Carolina, a trio of forty something girlfriends on a reunion trip, two sets of couples with an older man paired with a much younger woman, a Russian wellness concierge and of course the local staff and their European manager.

"The White Lotus" was renewed for a fourth season even before season 3 premiered. Much of the current Thailand season was shot at the Four Seasons Koh Samui. The Four Seasons San Domenico Palace Taormina and Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea have been locations for the first two seasons. There are no clues yet about where they are going next.

In terms of cast, I'd like to see Steven Yeun, Javier Bardem, James Spader, Olivia Colman, Michelle Yeoh and Josh O' Connor on the show. And then myself, as an extra.


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"The White Lotus" Season 3 is now streaming on Max and available on HBO. New episodes are out Monday mornings in the Philippines.