white lotus episode 3: are you a republican?

i'm an independent!

episode 3 felt like the most season 1-esque episode so far, with lots of character development but very little ~happening~ in the plot advancement space, though it seems like we’re finally ready for the guests to start mixing in a meaningful way. and of course, there was the scene heard round the world (by affluent white women) that was so painfully on point, it could be what Piper would call a symbol of the collective unconscious.

I recapped this episode with two of my absolute favorite people to talk about my TV fixations with, Emma and Julie from Comments by Celebs. few people appreciate the value of obsessive television analysis like these two.

Listen on Apple Podcasts:

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I’ll be recapping episode 4 with my friend and host of the Hysteria podcast

Alyssa Mastromonaco

! we happen to also be recapping Trump’s speech tonight on Thursday’s episode of Hysteria. if you can’t wait until Thursday, here’s another Hysteria episode I did with Alyssa two weeks ago:

lots of extra thoughts this week that I didn’t get to mention on the podcast:

• there were two things I left out of the snake discourse. I think my discomfort with the visuals makes it less enjoyable for me to talk about, probably because snakes are evil (read the bible). I forgot to mention on the podcast that the snakes in their cages reminded me of the snake necklace stolen after it was removed from the glass case by Chelsea during the robbery in episode 2. everyone’s been on about the monkeys, but my focus is on the snakes.

• there was also a prior snake reference from Patrick Schwarzenegger at breakfast when the Ratliffs were talking about Victoria’s dream. Piper offers to interpret it and says that symbols in dreams are meaningful because of the collective unconscious (for the record, I’m with her). Saxon responds “we all dream about fire and snakes because we’re all afraid of fire and snakes, I mean it’s not that deep.” sooo close Saxon.

• as much as I relished the revelation that Kate is an “independent” who voted for Trump (I’ll be quoting that forever), I wish we got to hear the 3 women give more of their thoughts on religion and spirituality, like when Laurie asked Jaclyn “so you want the women to be centered in the story?” and I took her tone as “so you wish you could see yourself as the center of the story?” also, Kate would think energy healing is irrational but go to church every Sunday, a space where I imagine they deal solely in empiricism and logic.

• I’m very curious about the details of Timothy’s crime, and I know a show has burrowed into my brain when I have to remind myself that there are no details, because this crime doesn’t exist in real life.

• speaking of Timothy, last week I said the podcast that I thought the FBI could have been tapping his call with Kenny Nguyen where he says he only made $10 million on this deal. if that turns out to be true, I realized that he would not have had that conversation if he had given his phone to Pam when they first arrived. how’s that for being trapped in a prison of your own identity?

• if anyone is a fan of the podcast Pivot (one of my faves), Tim’s lawyer Chuck was voiced over the phone by one of its hosts Scott Galloway. he said that Jason Isaacs (aka Lucius Malfoy aka Timothy) worked on the lines with him for a while, and I’ll just say that Scott is better unscripted. I’m very excited about the cameo but the performance insists upon itself.

• Fabian, the general manager, feels primed to become a relevant foil at some point. his awkwardness is simply too egregious to not be consequential.

• who is Rick’s friend Frank in Bangkok and how does he know him!?

• my opening credits analysis is in the works. I’ve been actively avoiding looking at any TikToks I see about this because it weirdly feels like looking at the answer key for the crossword. it would ruin my own fun. also, I’m really obsessed with the new theme song, and I love the remixed clip they played while everyone was staring each other down during the beach bbq.

some more nice things to read and watch:

• if you haven’t read this profile on Parker Posey from NYT Magazine, you simply must. She is a rare delight.

• for more good vibes, rewatch Jennifer Coolidge’s Golden Globes acceptance speech from 2023.

• if you’re as into watching the Rick and Chelsea dynamic unfold as I am, listen to Walton Goggins and Amy Lou Wood on the Official White Lotus Podcast talking about their characters and how they think they would have hypothetically met. ALW is into astrology and she created a whole astrological chart for Chelsea. it seems like Mike White likes to pick actors that he knows will be genuinely enjoyable and easy to be around because I’ve yet to hear a single cast member (of any season, really) who doesn’t seem extremely cool and interesting for reasons outside of their role on this specific show. like if birds of a feather flock together, he makes great flocks.

by the way… on a semi-unrelated note, I’ll be going live on substack after Trump’s speech tonight with my American Fever Dream co-host

Under the Desk News

. whatever he says, I know I’ll be wishing I was in Thailand instead.