Every season of "The White Lotus" marks a leveling up in ambition. The first, Maui-set season of the HBO anthology was a COVID-era contingency plan, shaped by the need for speed and physical isolation.

LONDON (AP) — Get ready to check into “The White Lotus” in Thailand for Season 3 — this time, sadly, there’s no room for Jennifer Coolidge, who went overboard in the second season.

That bloat kicks off with Season 3's extensive cast, a White Lotus staple from season to season. On this outing, though, the disparity between which group of guests gets the most airtime is much higher, making for a more disjointed season.

"The White Lotus" Season 3 premiere became a celebration of perseverance, as creator Mike White acknowledged a tough shoot in Thailand, and HBO CEO Casey Bloys directed attention toward the caterers that lost their restaurants in the LA fires.

Look closely at the opening credit sequence of this season's White Lotus, set at a luxury resort on the island of Koh Samui in Thailand. The camera roves over colourful drawings depicting centuries-old scenes of the landscape and culture,

Gunfire is echoing around the meditation huts; bodies are floating in the reflecting ponds. Welcome back to The White Lotus, where every booking will soon have to come with a complementary body bag.

As The White Lotus Season 3 dissects privilege, karma, and mortality, Belinda’s return challenges who gets to experience freedom, rest, and reinvention

The White Lotus Season 3 casts the net wider, at the expense of depth. Has the HBO hit faltered in its latest chapter?

None of the chaos would be possible in The White Lotus Season 3 without the foundation built from the previous two seasons. The post REVIEW: ‘The White Lotus’ Season 3 Is Driven By Its Strongly Acted Characters appeared first on But Why Tho?