Hide or Seek

Simply put, the atmosphere is deep and amazing. It's clear to see how it's either love it or hate it. It may seem slow for some, and for others it's perfectly executed. It's honestly amazing how Mile has put this together and the whole vibe is very, very hard to encapsulate into film/media. I personally think it's going over a lot of people's heads, and I think it's people who are more into fast paced and action packed stuff. The core values of this show and (especially this season which I think is only nice) is the subtle acting, subtle buildup, the quirky characters and atmosphere. But you have to really watch it with heart, otherwise you might get bored if you're on your phone meanwhile.

I was surprised this episode was the lowest-rated of the season so far. I liked how the Ratliff family, Rick & Chelsea, and "Greg" all came together in this episode to intertwine their stories. The yacht led to some awkward but hilarious interactions between the groups. I feel for the father of the Ratliff family, but he continues to sink into bigger trouble with the controversy. This was also my favorite episode with the three women. Instead of being catty with each other and talking behind their backs, it was refreshing to see them let loose and look for ways to mix up their fun. This was probably the funniest episode of the season, and I'm glad the season is slowly getting better. 3.5/5 stars.

Did the studio say "you have to dumb this down, middle America doesn't get it. Make it more like marvel"?. Every character is so poorly written and so one dimensional, including established characters from previous seasons. The beauty of the previous two seasons was the realistic dialog, and incredible dimension given to each person. You cared about everyone, and in this season, you care about no one. The cinematography is stunning as always, but the direction is just... dumbed down. Belinda especially, why is she all of a sudden so stereotyped? She feels like an entirely different character. There's a scene of her sitting on a lounger reading a book, and I swear you can see a lightbulb over her head when she gets an idea. It's like watching a high school play. It's all just so.... "High school play".

I really don't get the negativity around this season. People are acting like The White Lotus has suddenly become slow or uneventful, but honestly, Season 1 had an even slower buildup in its first few episodes. This season is actually moving at a solid pace, and Episode 4, Hide and Seek, really took things up a notch.

Jason Isaacs absolutely nailed it as Timothy, who's spiraling out of control. His scenes were intense (and, let's be honest, shocking in more ways than one). Meanwhile, Rick is getting deeper into his dad's mysterious death, and Greg's return is adding a whole new layer of tension, especially now that Belinda is onto him. The episode had the perfect mix of drama, humor, and suspense.

And let's talk about the trio of American girls, Jaclyn, Kate, and Laurie, who were hilarious in their clueless attempts to embrace local culture. Their scenes balanced out the darker storylines really well.

Overall, I loved this episode. It set up so many intriguing storylines, and I have no doubt the payoff will be worth it. If you're thinking of dropping the show because of a few bad reviews, don't! It's The White Lotus!! Trust the process.

I see much criticism to the pace, while for me the rhythm of this season is actually an advantage. If nothing overdramatic is happening, it is an opportunity to watch the scenery and the dynamics between the characters (actors are amazing, so different and so complex in their anxieties and internal conflicts) with more attention.

And some questions from last seasons are waking up: Who is Greg after all and what is his biggest problem after his cancer and money issues got, it seems, resolved? Where did Belinda's ambitions shift? How can a dysfunctional family resolve a crisis if they spend a week 24/7 together? To which extent friendship can become dead or reborn if there are political and philosophical differences?

There is no need for innumerable cliff hangers every episode to look forward to the continuation. Drama is actually often happening inside us not outside.