On paper, that is one of the best season but for “The White Lotus.”

The Max drama retains piling on viewers, with the penultimate episode drawing a series-best 4.2 million viewers. That’s on prime of the third season’s huge social media attain.

Followers can’t cease speaking in regards to the “incest” episode, that MAGA second and visitor star Sam Rockwell’s episode 5 monologue.

We’ve by no means seen the Oscar winner fairly like that earlier than (…possibly that’s for one of the best).

There’s nonetheless one nagging drawback. The brand new episodes are a far cry from the earlier, stellar seasons.

It’s not even shut.

Some story spoilers forward

Season 3, which wraps on April 6, follows one other group of wealthy, entitled souls vacationing in paradise. This time, “paradise” means the beautiful jungles of Thailand.

Even the present’s harshest critics should admit the collection seems to be magnificent.

A lot of the new characters are detestable on the floor. Take Jason Isaacs’ patriarch, a gent who learns he’ll be heading to jail for his company misdeeds.

It’s arduous to really feel sorry for him as he retains the information from his household and glowers in each scene. He additionally swipes medicine from his clueless spouse (the good Parker Posey) to numb his ache.

Their eldest son Saxon (Patrick Schwarzenegger) has had seven episodes to indicate a flicker of a soul, but we’re nonetheless left ready for one thing, something resembling it. The opposite grown kids are both blandly entitled (Sarah Catherine Hook) or simply, nicely, bland (Sam Nivola).

The much less stated in regards to the southern household’s meandering accents, the higher.

A trio of 40-something associates (Michelle Monaghan, Carrie Coon and Leslie Bibb) proved annoying from the bounce. Their egocentric actions have solely made them much less endearing over time.

There’s extra to the ensemble, together with Rick (Walton Goggins) as a tragic sack who inexplicably attracted a sugary candy galpal (Aimee Lou Wooden).

Does it matter?

The brand new season lacks goal and perspective. Sure, we’re meant to savor how the elites can’t get pleasure from their privilege, however one of the best episodes shared some empathy for the characters in query.

This time? Not a lot.

We’re left with the present’s spiky soundtrack, a sonic mattress that calls for one thing to punch up. “The White Lotus” seems to be and sounds pretty much as good as any present on TV.

That’s not sufficient.

Final week’s Episode 7 began to fill in some blanks, however that stultifying air hasn’t light away. Even when the plot begins to simmer “The White Lotus” feels weighed down and defeated.

Some scenes are beneath the appreciable abilities of author/director Mike White. Take Rick’s encounter with the person who modified the course of his life. We’ve been ready for this second, but the setup is so poorly written it takes the sting out of it.

Rockwell’s character pretends to be a serious movie director as a part of Rick’s scheme to get his nemesis alone, however neither he nor Rick ready for the plain questions heading their method.

Rick is many issues, however dumb isn’t one in every of them. 

Too many scenes go on longer than obligatory, leaving us ready for one thing profound, or simply darkly comedian, to happen. We come up empty repeatedly.

We’re lastly seeing some stress among the many good friend trio, however even these late developments haven’t been neatly rendered.

Growing old. Remorse. Jealousy. Competitors. Failure. Parenthood.

We will consider a dozen methods to take this a part of the collection. White and co. are content material to make them flirt and fuss with out a lot perception.

One other sagging plot follows a Thai safety guard (Tayme Thapthimthong) and his efforts to woo a co-worker. It’s the flabbiest a part of Season 3.

Let’s revisit that “incest” second. The writing hasn’t been sharp sufficient to elucidate the scene between Saxon and younger Lochlan (Nivola). It added nothing to the present save a “gotcha” social media second.

“The White Lotus,” up till now, has been higher than that.

We’re advised there’s a large payoff coming, however we’ve misplaced religion in what “The White Lotus” can muster.

“The White Lotus” incest kiss is “not only for shock” worth.

“Mike is sensible, and I feel these large story turns aren’t only for shock. There’s a selected cause when it comes to the narrative storytelling, and the bigger thematic thought Mike is attempting to get throughout. Because the season… pic.twitter.com/EeU1LOMgkB

— Selection (@Selection) March 17, 2025

White deserves credit score for that Trump voter confession. It’s not stunning to see it given previous installments. The primary two seasons confirmed he isn’t shackled by woke restrictions. In reality, he typically presents progressive groupthink earlier than deconstructing it.

There’s little of that this time round.

Now, all that’s left is to study who died within the present’s opening moments. “The White Lotus” system at all times begins with a useless physique and works backward.

It’s a startling premise and one which hooks us from the bounce. This season? The revelation could also be greeted with a shrug.

“The White Lotus” airs at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and Max, its streaming web site.