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The White Lotus season 3 episode 1 was released on February 16, 2025, on HBO. The show's creator, Mike White, has written and directed the episode titled Same Spirits, New Forms.
The anthology series features three new groups of guests arriving at Thailand's White Lotus Hotel. Also, season 1's Belinda Lindsey appears in the episode along with another recurring character - Greg, who lives close to the hotel in Thailand with his much younger girlfriend Chloe. For the unversed, Greg is Tanya's widower who had conspired to kill his wife in season 2.
Similar to previous seasons, the premiere episode opens with a mysterious murder at the end of the weeklong trip. When Belinda's son, Zion's meditation session is interrupted by the sound of gunshots, he jumps into a nearby lagoon and encounters a floating corpse, whose identity is the central mystery of this season.
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Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for The White Lotus season 3 episode 1.
The White Lotus season 3 episode 1 hints at Rick's secret motive to visit Thailand
At the start of The White Lotus season 3 episode 1, the American tourists take a scenic boat ride to Thailand's White Lotus Hotel. During the ride, Rick (Walton Goggins) and Timothy Ratliff (Jason Isaacs) get off to a bad start by arguing over the former's smoking.
The hotel's latest arrivals are greeted by staff members as well as the hotel's owner Sritala Hollinger (Patravadi Mejudhon). The hotel staff includes the health mentor Mook (Lalisa Manoban) and security guard Gaitok (Tayme Thapthimthong). Gaitok's romantic feelings towards Mook become obvious from his annoyance at watching her talk to the owner's personal bodyguards.
Mook shows the middle-aged Rick and his much younger girlfriend, Chelsea, to their private villa. Rick appears to be in a surly mood throughout the episode and makes little effort to hide his annoyance at his girlfriend's constant chatter.
When she suggests he get a facial, Rick cuts her off by saying he is not here to enjoy the wellness center. He enquires about Sritala's American husband, Jim Hollinger, and cusses out when Mook informs him that Jim is currently in Bangkok.
At dinner, Rick loses his appetite after watching Sritala interact with other guests and walks away, leaving Chelsea all alone. She hits the bar and gets talking to a woman named Chloe (Charlotte Le Bon), who mentions living nearby with her partner. As the two women bond over their miserable, balding boyfriends, Chloe points him out to Chelsea.
The camera pans to none other than Greg (Jon Gries) sitting alone at a nearby table. Fans of the series may remember Greg as Tanya's (Jennifer Coolidge) husband, who schemed with his partner Quentin to get her killed in The White Lotus season 2. His presence in this season is a promising sign that audiences will get to uncover his mysterious past and learn about the aftermath of Tanya's death.
Jaclyn, Kate, and Laurie embark on a fun girls' trip in The White Lotus season 3 episode 1
The famous actress Jaclyn Lemon arrives for her girls' trip with her childhood friends, Kate (Leslie Bibb) and Laurie (Carrie Coon). Her friends get a sense of Jaclyn's widespread popularity when Sritala admits she is a fan of her show while greeting them. As a token of appreciation, she leaves the women in the care of Valentin, the hotel's handsome and buff health mentor.
Back in their room, Jaclyn and Kate gush over each other's youthful appearances and joke about their doctors' role in their lasting beauty. Laurie, who has seemingly not had any work done, feels understandably left out. The recently divorced Laurie, who works as a corporate lawyer, feels disconnected from her gal pals and their superficial conversations.
Her feeling intensifies over dinner, where Kate brags about her big-shot husband, Dave, and their perfect life in Austin. Jaclyn chimes in about how fame has changed her life. The two women compliment each other on "winning life" and extend conciliatory praises to Laurie.
After consuming one too many glasses of wine, Laurie heads back to her room and sobs as she feels like a failure.
Also read: The White Lotus season 3: Full list of cast explored
Who are the Ratliffs in The White Lotus season 3 episode 1?
Timothy Ratliff arrives for a family vacation with his wife Victoria (Parker Posey) and their three kids. The Southern couple chose to visit Thailand as their daughter, Piper, is majoring in religious studies and wanted to write a thesis on Buddhism. As part of her college assignment, she plans to meet with a monk at the local monastery.
Her younger brother and high school student Lochlan (Sam Nivola) tags along with her to the temple, but Piper changes her mind about going inside after feeling overwhelmed. Meanwhile, the couple's eldest son, Saxon (Patrick Schwarzenegger) chills by the pool and shamelessly checks out Chelsea and Jaclyn while telling Lochlan it's a "number's game."
In their room, Saxon tries to encourage his younger brother to live life more freely before asking him about his choice of adult video content. After getting no answer, Saxon walks over to the washroom buck-naked to self-pleasure, with Lochlan's gaze closely following him.
Moreover, Timothy receives a call from a Wall Street Journal reporter enquiring about his old friend Kenneth Nyugen. The reporter informs him that he is looking into Kenneth's connections to the government of Brunei and the Sho-Kel funds Timothy set up for his friend. Concerned about the situation, Timothy calls Kenneth to discuss the matter but gets his voicemail.
Belinda explores Eastern culture in The White Lotus season 3 episode 1
The spa manager Belinda Lindsey (Natasha Rothwell), travels to Thailand to get a crash course in Eastern wellness practices over the next three months. She shares her plans to utilize these practices at her own facility in Hawaii with the hotel's spa therapist, Pornchai.
Belinda has a great time exploring the tropical landscape of Thailand and learning about Buddhism from Pornchai. At dinner, she notices another Black couple at the resort and excitedly waves at them. Later, she mentions it to her teenage son, Zion, and looks forward to him joining her at the White Lotus.
Viewers can stream The White Lotus season 3 episode 1 on Max.
