Same Spirits, New Forms

Absolutely loved the first season of this show. What made it for me was how real the characters felt, even when they were over the top. I am worried that as the show progresses, the characters are becoming caricatures of themselves.

Some scenes in this first episode felt very hard to believe. Zion praying to the buddha statue and Jesus while under active gunfire? The Ratcliffe mom rattling off bibliographic information about the family as soon as she encounters the hotel manager? Saxon saying that music gives him a better pump at the gym? These scenes make me feel like I am watching a cheap Hallmark movie as opposed to the more subtle and pointed satire that I have come to expect from the show.

I am hopeful that the rest of the season will be better.

The first few minutes of the premiere episode this season are more action packed than the norm but after that, it's time to get comfy and wait for the slow build-up.

Characters are introduced and seem to have potential. The smug, well-off couple with their perfect teen/young-adult children. Three "cougar" friends on the prowl.

The mismatched couple who seem on edge. Belinda, back from season one, who I hope will emerge as the center around which the story will build. And of course the local staff, who hopefully will have an Armond in their midst.

The main attraction here is the star power, staring with Walton Goggins, Parker Posey, Carrie Coon, Jason Isaacs and the Governator's kid. With acting at that high of a caliber, and gorgeous locations, I can be patient about the story revealing itself.

At this point, this show has the same formula for the first episode of the season, and this one didn't deviate. The problem I have with these initial episodes is that they introduce the characters but don't progress the story as much as I hoped. The introduction also teases the shocking conclusion of the season, so I'm looking forward to it. So far, all three groups aren't appealing but I know it takes time. The Ratliff family seems boring and predictable, but there are some hints of family tension. The three middle-aged women haven't done too much for me but you can tell Laurie is jealous of the other two. Rick and Chelsea don't seem like a good match, so I'm not sure where their story is going. It's cool to see Belinda back, but I'm not sure why she's there yet, and seeing Greg is haunting. Beautiful setting, though. 3/5 stars.

WHERE IS THE FRICKING INTRO SONG????!??

I can't believe they decided to ditch the iconic theme that has defined the show. It's one of the most recognizable parts of The White Lotus, and its absence really threw me off in this first episode of season 3. That being said, the episode itself was solid. The setting is as stunning as ever, and the casting continues to be top-notch. The storyline is intriguing, and I'm excited to see where it goes. Overall, a great start to the season, and I'm hoping the show can maintain that unique charm moving forward.

This should meet your needs while keeping the focus on your thoughts!

It's White Lotus so obviously the plot will pick up and make for an intriguing story. That said, I found a lot of the dialogue to be like a rehearsal. Lot of lines meant for laughs that fell flat.

In addition, not many super intriguing characters. In seasons past, many had loads of charisma and it made for riveting TV. This year, 20 minutes in I thought, is that it? Lot of seemingly one dimensional people.

For example, older bro from Duke could be good, but they make him a caricature of a douche and even a creep, makes him less of a real person. Or the blond friend who keeps complimenting the famous one. Ok we get it, she's pretentious! Or how about the employee from season one? Mm mm not today nuh uh sista. Like..... *sigh*

I'm not giving up of course. It was still a good hour of tv. Just not to the standard we've come to expect.