And… breathe out. That’s it, The White Lotus is over for another season. But hasn’t Mike White pulled it out of the bag?
The last, 90-minute blockbuster episode (the longest the show has ever run) served up death in spades, as well as cathartic reckonings, almost-murders and some very sad realisations — namely, that becoming successful means compromising your morals.
It was one-and-a-half-hours of uneven television: heartwarming, frequently heartbreaking and, often, frustrating.
See also: Who dies in White Lotus Season 3? Finale leaves viewers in disbelief
Spoilers ahead
Front and centre was Rick and Chelsea’s toxic relationship, and the depressing inevitability of how it played out. Rick — fresh from his encounter with Jim Hollinger — returned to the White Lotus, seemingly at peace with his past.
But more fool us if we thought that was going to last. When Jim turned up again (and insulted Rick’s mother, no less), two things became very clear: one, Jim was actually Rick’s dad. Surprise!If you were one of the sleuths who guessed it, congrats. And two, Rick was absolutely going to kill Jim.
Which he did, stealing the gun off him and firing off those shots we heard back at the start of the season — and ultimately dooming both himself and Chelsea into the process.
Their deaths were tragic (and, to be honest, pretty obviously signposted). What was much less tragic, though, was the culmination of the Ratliff family storyline, which veered far off the beaten track and into the realms of farce.
While Piper’s sudden U-turn on becoming a monk was expected — the rich’s inability to give up the luxuries they’re used to is a classic Mike White touch —what was not, was Tim’s sudden desire to kill off all of his family with a poisonous fruit smoothie.
Yes, the Chekhov’s fruit came back to haunt us. What better way to release your family from the horrors of being poor than with murder-suicide? All except for Lochlan, because apparently he seemed the most likely to be able to cope without material goods — not counting the traumatic deaths of his loved ones).
While Tim ultimately does not become a family annihilater, it was Lochlan who ended up almost dying. Yep, by making a smoothie using that same poisonous fruit. Expect to see Vitamix shares slump after this episode.
To be honest, it was all a bit silly, and resolved nothing. The Ratliff family ended up sailing back merrily to the US, to the barrage of legal difficulties awaiting Tim — and the incest storyline never really resolved.
But if that pill (or, ahem, fruit) was hard to swallow, wait until we get around to Belinda. Together with her son, Zion, she spent most of the episode bargaining Greg into submission. In the end, she sold her silence for a staggering $5m (surely chump change to Greg) — and immediately dumped her hot masseuse boyfriend, with whom she’d vaguely promised to start a business.
The wheel turns. Remember Tanya doing the same to her, all the way back in season one? And what are the odds of Belinda rocking up at a White Lotus in season four, newly wealthy, and with a new attitude to match now she’s no longer at the bottom of the ladder?
If that feels like a poisoned chalice, that’s before we mention Gaitok, who ends up being the person to shoot Rick dead at the urging of his boss, Sritala. Yes, he ends up with the promotion he wanted — and a happy Mook — but he’s sacrificed his morals to get there. It’s the most bittersweet ending of all, even if Lisa ended up criminally underused this season. Her, and Christian Friedel, were never really given the chance to shine — and the show felt poorer for it.
The only happy ending, really, was Laurie’s. All hail Carrie Coon, who’s given the chance to let rip with a glorious monologue that manages to both lambast her friends and provide punch-the-air moments aplenty.
"I don't need religion or God to give my life meaning," she tells her friends, seemingly purging her jealousy as she does it, as well as underlining that for her, just existing is enough. "I'm just happy to be at the table."
It was a neat tying-up of the American wives’ storyline, and one that actually felt satisfying. The same can’t be said for some of the other plotlines, most of which didn’t so much bang as wetly implode — but the show’s slyly subversive edge remains intact, even if it ultimately bottled some of its more compelling storylines. Here’s hoping the next season hits harder.
The White Lotus is streaming on NOW
