Editor’s note: The below recap contains spoilers for The White Lotus Season 3 Episode 2.
As per The White Lotus tradition, the Season 3 premiere introduced us to the new players on the board of this wellness-focused retreat in Thailand while teasing an inevitable tragedy at the end of the guests’ week-long stay. Families, couples, best friends, and staff members all gravitate to the most dramatic scenarios in this series, and Episode 2 is no exception, as the seeds of scandals sown in the premiere slowly take root. It opens up with the night from the day the boat landed at Thailand’s tranquil dock, where we are thrown into a conversation between long-time besties Jaclyn (Michelle Monaghan) and Kate (Leslie Bibb), whose lips are loosened by tiny sips of alcohol (but we know it’s not the alcohol talking) while their third friend Laurie (Carrie Coon) has retired to bed.
‘The White Lotus’ Season 3 Episode 2 Reveals Cracks in the Trio’s Friendship

Image via Warner Bros

Through Jaclyn and Kate “kind-hearted” and “concerned” discussion, we find out that Laurie has gone through a rough divorce, has a daughter who gets in trouble at school (New York kids are sucking each other off at 8 years old, after all) and hasn’t gotten the promotion she was vying for. But, of course, they’re not gossiping about her; they just worry, so much so that Jaclyn calls out Kate’s slip of the tongue, where she says Laurie looks “tired” after saying she looks “good” — despite the possible alcoholism because she drank a whole bottle of champagne. Who knew talking shit about someone could be done so elegantly?
The next day, Kate has an awkward run-in with Victoria Ratcliff (Parker Posey) during breakfast, where the latter didn’t recognize her after they spent a weekend together for a mutual friend’s baby shower years ago. When Kate returns to her friends, it is one of the rare scenes that they do not throw around that many underhanded quips and instead direct their passive-aggressiveness at Victoria — until the question of whether Kate is memorable comes up. Their day continues in similar fashion, with backhanded comments about looking half their age or perfect relationships simmering underneath the over-friendly atmosphere.
By the end of the day, after Sritala (Patravadi Mejudhon) dedicates a musical number to them during dinner, Jaclyn goes to bed early, and it is her turn to be talked about. However, it looks like Laurie doesn’t have time for trivial niceties and is happy to let her claws out. While Kate maintains faux surprise and concern, she eggs Laurie on to say more overt things. Laurie calls Jaclyn a narcissist, rubbed the wrong way after she found out their health instructor said their number was of someone half their age to both Laurie and Jaclyn. She also questions how Jaclyn gushed over her relationship, suggesting she was putting on a front. Interestingly, it seems Jaclyn overhears some of it, but instead of confronting them, dons a knowing smile and saunters away.

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An Armed Robbery Wracks ‘The White Lotus’ Thailand Resort

Meanwhile, Belinda (Natasha Rothwell) begins her training with Pornchai (Dom Hetrakul), as the two of them exchange trade secrets in front of the beautiful backdrops of Thai greenery. Pornchai gives Belinda a foot rub and shoulder massage — which seems very cathartic for her — while she offers her signature back massage. When Pornchai walks in without a shirt on and his muscles on full display, Belinda’s mouth promptly drops; do we sense a romance brewing on the horizon? Belinda also has another hold-our-breaths moment during dinner, when she sees Greg (Jon Gries) and her mind works overdrive to recognize him, but alas, she does not.
The other resort staff members, security guard Gaitok (Tayme Thapthimthong) and health mentor Mook (Lalisa Manobal), are shown still having friendly conversations together, with Gaitok going above and beyond to impress her by fixing her scooter. His innocence is taken advantage of during the day, when another staff member, Valentin (Arnus Fedaravicius), distracts him by inviting him to a concert as a vehicle drives past the boom. We witness a man exit the vehicle with a balaclava and gun, then proceed to rob a jewelry store where Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood) and Chloe (Charlotte Le Bon) are shopping. Chelsea is briefly threatened while Chloe is tucked away in the changing rooms, leading to the former having to sort out a witness statement with the police after the thief gets away. During the conversation with the police, Rick (Walton Goggins) walks in and hugs Chelsea with a look of concern on his face — wait, does he actually care about her?
After this first display of genuine affection, they end up having the double-date dinner with Chloe and Greg that they arranged earlier during the day. Rick may have been softened up by the meditation session he had with Amrita (Shalini Peiris), where he nihilistically confessed he cared about nothing, felt nothing, and was nothing. But during the dinner, he is grouchier than ever, grumpily conceding to ask what Greg did for work, which apparently is a vague doing “this and that,” unlike what he told Tanya (Jennifer Coolidge) in previous seasons. Funnily enough, Rick warms up again when Greg/Gary argues with Chloe about her birthplace, and later that night, he and Chelsea have sex. It is also when he conveniently mentions he will be going to Bangkok for a few days after overhearing Sritala tell Jaclyn that she will be visiting her husband there.
Tim’s Financial Crimes Haunt Him in ‘The White Lotus’ Season 3

Image via Warner Bros

While the best friends judge each other, the couples find romance and the hotel gets robbed, the family members are pushing taboo and legal boundaries in their storyline. Their White Lotus segment opens up with Lochlan (Sam Nivola) gazing at his brother’s naked butt. With that jarring reminder, the rest of their day is spent on their individual activities. Piper (Sarah Catherine Hook) is uncomfortably ogled at during her yoga session; Saxon (Patrick Schwarzenegger) is unhappy about his lack of a happy ending; Lochlan and Victoria get relaxing massages; and Tim (Jason Isaacs) breaks a sweat on the treadmill. But this peacefulness is subsequently disrupted by Lochlan asking Piper about her sex life and passive-aggressive comments being passed along the dinner table about staying out of people’s personal lives.
While the kids struggle with appropriate sibling boundaries, Tim is haunted by potential legal troubles in his past. We find out what the Wall Street Journal caller was investigating, as Tim is finally able to reach Kenny. It turns out they had a money laundering scheme that can easily be traced back to Tim as well, which is particularly worrying because the FBI is conducting a raid. Kenny mentions he should never have gotten involved with Brunei, while Tim is insistent on telling him to go kill himself. Episode 2 closes out with the stressed face of Tim staring back at his family and eventually wandering into his room, worried about how this secret of his will play out.

The White Lotus

The White Lotus Season 3 slows down in Episode 2, but fake friendships still hang deliciously in the air.

Release Date

2021 – 2024

Network

HBO

Showrunner

Mike White

Directors

Mike White

Pros & Cons

Bibbs, Monaghan and Coon are memorable with their gushy quips and back-handed comments.
The White Lotus excels at making viewers uncomfortable with seemingly innocuous conversations and connotations.

Episode 2’s pace meanders at the start, losing some focus and sharpness.
It’s difficult to believe the glimpses of affection between Chelsea and Rick due to lack of chemistry.