entertainment / Thursday, 28-Aug-2025

The White Lotus Season 3’s 8 Biggest WTF Moments

The White Lotus season 3 included many shocking moments that had viewers reeling. All three seasons of The White Lotus have had many surprising moments, but series creator Mike White arguably took the show to new heights with its Thailand-set third season. While some viewers complained that the plot of The White Lotus season 3 moved too slow, every episode of the season included scenes that ended up going viral. Despite your thoughts on season 3 of the hit HBO series, it is undeniable that many of the moments on this list will be talked about for years to come.

The cast of The White Lotus season 3 includes Jason Isaacs, Parker Posey, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Carrie Coon, Walton Goggins, Natasha Rothwell, and many more notable actors. By the end of The White Lotus season 3, all the actors got several moments to shine in their respective roles. Now that the season finale has aired and broken viewership records for the series, now is the perfect time to reflect on all the characters' Thailand vacations. So, here are the most shocking moments of The White Lotus season 3:

8 Greg Being At The Resort In The Season 3 Premiere

Season 3, Episode 1

While Chelsea is drinking alone at the bar in The White Lotus season 3 premiere, she is approached by Chloe. The two of them quickly hit it off, largely because they are both with older men. Chloe points out her husband, who is shockingly revealed to be Greg. Greg, who goes by Gary in season 3, is the only character who has appeared in every season of The White Lotus. Since Jon Gries wasn't announced to be part of the cast of season 3 prior to its premiere, this moment was shocking.

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Greg's inclusion in season 3 added more intrigue to the season, as he previously orchestrated the death of Tanya in The White Lotus season 2. While none of the new characters in season 3 knew Tanya, Belinda also returned in the most recent season and quickly remembered who Greg was. Greg and Belinda's inclusion in The White Lotus season 3 meant that Tanya's legacy could still live on, which is great since she is arguably the most popular character in the series.

7 Saxon Walking Around Naked In Front Of Lochlan & Openly Doing THAT In The Bathroom

Season 3, Episode 1

Actor Patrick Schwarzenegger as Saxon in The White Lotus.
Actor Patrick Schwarzenegger as Saxon in The White Lotus.

Viewers were also introduced to the Ratliff family in The White Lotus season 3 premiere. Very quickly into the first episode, it becomes obvious that the three Ratliff children have a weird dynamic with each other. Since Saxon believes it would be weird for either him or Lochlan to share a room with Piper since she is a girl, the two of them room together. While Lochlan is much more shy than his older brother, Saxon is a stereotypical frat boy who wants to take him under his wing.

Without hesitation, Saxon walks around the room naked while Lochlan watches.

In doing so, Saxon isn't afraid to act like himself in front of his brother. Before going to bed on their first night in Thailand, Saxon announces that he's going to the bathroom to watch porn and masturbate. Without hesitation, Saxon walks around the room naked while Lochlan watches. This was the first moment that proved just how strange the dynamic between Saxon and Lochlan is, but it wouldn't be the last...

6 Frank's Shocking Monologue (Delivered Expertly By Surprise Cast Member Sam Rockwell)

Season 3, Episode 5

Frank (Sam Rockwell), Rick's friend in The White Lotus Season 3 Ep 5
Frank (Sam Rockwell), Rick's friend in The White Lotus Season 3 Ep 5

Before we get back to the brothers, Sam Rockwell's monologue in The White Lotus season 3 was also shocking. Similar to Gries, Rockwell was also not announced as a cast member for season 3, so it was very surprising when he appeared as Frank, Rick's old friend. Once Rick leaves the Thailand resort and goes to Bangkok to search for the man who supposedly murdered his father, he enlists Frank to help him. However, some of Frank's behavior seems to surprise Rick.

For example, Frank is sober, and orders tea at the bar. This strikes Rick as odd, but things only get weirder from there. During his shocking monologue, Frank reveals that he was on a downward spiral when he first arrived in Thailand, which led to him having a lot of casual sex. However, he eventually realized that he wanted to be one of the Asian girls he was sleeping with. To Rick's dismay, Frank admits that he found pleasure in dressing as a woman and allowing other men to have sex with him, until he eventually got into Buddhism.

5 Jaclyn Secretly Sleeping With Valentin

Season 3, Episode 5

Jaclyn (Michelle Monaghan) lying on her bed in a white dress in The White Lotus Season 3 Ep 5
Jaclyn (Michelle Monaghan) lying on her bed in a white dress in The White Lotus Season 3 Ep 5

During the nighttime-set party-centric episode of The White Lotus season 3, Laurie, Jaclyn, and Kate party with Valentin and his friends. Throughout the first half of season 3, Jaclyn continuously encourages Laurie to sleep with Valentin, the attractive resort employee who took care of them throughout the week. Out of the three women on their "victory tour," Laurie going for Valentin makes the most sense since she is the only one not in a relationship.

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However, after a night of partying, Jaclyn invites Valentin back to her hotel room and sleeps with him. While she intended for this to be a secret, Kate spots Valentin leaving in the morning and quickly tells Laurie. This starts some serious drama between Laurie and Jaclyn, since the former doesn't understand why the latter pushed Valentin on her so much if she actually wanted him for herself.

4 Lochlan Doing THAT To Saxon On The Boat

Season 3, Episode 6

Now back to the brothers. As it turns out, Laurie sleeping with Valentin wasn't the only shocking thing to happen after a wild night of partying. In The White Lotus season 3, episode 5, Saxon wants Lochlan to sleep with Chloe. While partying with Chloe and Chelsea on the boat, Saxon and Lochlan hesitantly kiss each other for the girl's amusement. While this is an uncomfortable moment, it would get much, much worse.

This shocking incest reveal is perhaps one of the most surprising things to happen in the entire series.

While neither of them remember it happening when they initially wake up from their night of partying in season 3, episode 6, it doesn't take long for Saxon to figure out what Lochlan did to him. While Lochlan was having sex with Chloe, he decided to reach over and include Saxon, who was laying in the bed next to them. This shocking incest reveal is perhaps one of the most surprising things to happen in the entire series, and drastically changes the dynamic between Saxon and Lochlan moving forward.

3 Chloe Revealing What Greg's Sexual Fantasy Is

Season 3, Episode 7

Greg/Gary (Jon Gries) having a conversation with Belinda in The White Lotus Season 3 Ep 7
Greg/Gary (Jon Gries) having a conversation with Belinda in The White Lotus Season 3 Ep 7

If you haven't already noticed, The White Lotus is a series that is full of characters who have very surprising sexual fantasies. Even though most of Greg's storyline in season 3 revolves around Belinda, there are also some developments made between him and his new wife, Chloe. In fact, during the penultimate episode of the season, Chloe tells Saxon and Chelsea that Greg finally opened up to her and revealed what his sexual fantasy is.

Chloe reveals to them that Greg used to watch his parents have sex when he was just a child. Now, he apparently still likes to watch people he loves having sex. While telling Saxon and Chelsea, Chloe is trying to convince Saxon to have sex with her so that Greg can watch and perhaps eventually join in. While Saxon declines this offer, it seems like Chloe and Greg's relationship is better than ever at the end of The White Lotus season 3, as he winks at her while she's talking to another man.

2 Lochlan Drinking The Poison (But Not Actually Dying)

Season 3, Episode 8

Timothy (Jason Isaacs) holding an unconscious Lochlan (Sam Nivola) in The White Lotus Season 3 Ep 8
Timothy (Jason Isaacs) holding an unconscious Lochlan (Sam Nivola) in The White Lotus Season 3 Ep 8

The poisonous fruit which hangs from the trees was teased in the first episode of The White Lotus season 3. Wanting to murder most of his family so that they would not find out that they were now possibly poor, Timothy decides to mix the poisonous seeds of the fruit into piña coladas in the season 3 finale. However, Timothy quickly backtracks on this plan and takes everyone's drinks away after just one sip. Despite this, some of the seeds are still left in the blender, which Lochlan uses to make a protein shake the next morning.

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After drinking his protein shake, it doesn't take long for Lochlan to feel sick. When he passes out and starts seeing visions of what appear to be monks, I was convinced that Lochlan was going to die. However, he actually ends up surviving and wakes up in his father's arms. Lochlan's claim that he saw God while he was unconscious reinforces the season's spiritual themes, and undeniably makes for one of the most shocking and thought-provoking moments in The White Lotus season 3.

1 Chelsea Getting Shot After Rick Starts The Gunfight In The Finale

Season 3, Episode 8

Lochlan ends up surviving in The White Lotus season 3 finale, but the same unfortunately can't be said for Chelsea. Chelsea was arguably the most innocent character in the show's third season, and simply wanted to connect with Rick on a deeper level. Unfortunately, Rick could not get over his trauma, which led to him shooting Jim Hollinger in the season 3 finale. After shooting Jim, a shootout ensues between Rick and Jim's bodyguards.

Tragically, Chelsea is still near Rick when the gunfight starts, which leads to her being shot. Chelsea had nothing but good intentions in season 3, but The White Lotus is not always a show that gives its characters happy endings. Ultimately, Chelsea and Rick both end up dying in the season 3 finale, and, despite their different ideologies and beliefs, possibly move on to the next life together. All the episodes of The White Lotus season 3 were building up to these two major deaths, and they were definitely both heartbreaking.

The White Lotus TV Show Poster

Your Rating

The White Lotus
9/10
139
8.1/10
Release Date
July 11, 2021
Network
HBO
Showrunner
Mike White
Directors
Mike White
Writers
Mike White

Cast

See All
  • Headshot Of Jon Gries
    Jon Gries
    Greg Hunt
  • Headshot Of Natasha Rothwell
    Natasha Rothwell
    Belinda Lindsey

Creator(s)
Mike White

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