The White Lotus Season 3’s Female Friendship Drama Is Too Real

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As a fan who can’t resist a good drama, I must warn you that if you’ve just started watching The White Lotus Season 3 on Max, beware! Spoilers for the first four episodes are looming ahead. Enjoy the ride, but tread carefully to avoid ruining the suspense!

Frankly speaking, I find myself captivated by “The White Lotus” for a unique reason: many of its characters seem quite dissimilar to me. Don’t get me wrong; I appreciate shows that delve into the issues I encounter in my life. However, watching these affluent individuals indulge in their outrageous vacation at a luxurious resort – something I could hardly imagine myself ever experiencing, unless by some miracle I won the lottery – offers an enchanting escape.

That said, it’s important to note that I have related to certain plots in “The White Lotus” before (after all, wealthy people are just like us, aren’t they?), and there are characters created by Mike White for the show who serve as average folk – which is quite evident in Natasha Rothwell’s character, Belinda, returning this season. Yet, I must admit, I wasn’t anticipating connecting with one particular plotline so intimately.

It’s the trio of women this season. This one is hitting harder than usual, and I need to discuss.

Alright, The White Lotus Friend’s Trip Plotline Is Stressing Me Out So Hard

In “The White Lotus,” there’s a lot happening as we reach the midpoint of the season. We’ve discovered the reason behind Walton Goggins’ character Rick’s presence at the resort, and the reappearance of Greg Hunt following Tanya’s death has left us simmering, raising concerns about Belinda’s safety. However, surprisingly, the friendships between the women are keeping me on the edge of my seat with anticipation.

It’s clear you understand the scenario. The characters are Michelle Monaghan as Jaclyn Lemon, a well-known TV actress, vacationing in Thailand with her friends. Leslie Bibb portrays Kate Bohr, a woman living in Austin, Texas, who resembles a country club wife. Carrie Coon plays Laurie Duffy, a New York-based corporate lawyer fresh from a divorce. These three haven’t caught up in ages, but instead of genuine interactions, they appear to be boasting and critiquing each other, which viewers can easily pick up on, making the series rather unpleasant to watch.

I Definitely Wasn’t Expecting To Relate To These Passive Aggressive Friends, But Here I Am, I Guess

What I find most troubling in their interactions is the way they communicate with and regarding each other. Frankly, these subtly aggressive women aren’t just mirroring the conversation style of well-off white women in their 40s; it’s a pattern I’ve observed throughout my life. This behavior is something I make a point to distance myself from whenever it emerges in relationships I’m involved in. Through discussions with my female friends and observations of others, this show brings up a common dynamic that we underestimate women for having.

In everyday language, The female experience of jealousy or competition in response to others’ achievements, or defensiveness when faced with new friendships, is a common yet under-examined aspect of our lives. While this theme has been depicted in movies and TV shows before, it often falls into the extremes of friends being excessively toxic towards each other or always getting along perfectly well. Although there’s an element of exaggeration in the portrayal of their friendship as they converse, I wasn’t ready to analyze my own friendships immediately after watching.

When Laurie Tapped Against The Glass After Kate And Jaclyn’s Conversation, I Felt That

Primarily, I often find myself recognizing situations where I’ve been part of groups, and later have private discussions about someone else discussing how another mutual friend was behaving from afar. It feels incredibly awkward to witness such interactions in a TV show’s script, all the more so because I’ve experienced it beforehand.

In Episode 2, Jaclyn and Kate’s discussion about Laurie, initially filled with praise for her positive aspects, soon devolves into gossip about her divorce, family, and work life. Essentially, they are sharing information about Laurie, making judgments based on that information, and discussing perceived discrepancies between her life choices and their own. Kate later remarks “she looks tired” after earlier commenting that she looks good, which suggests a change in her opinion.

In a movie-lover’s perspective, the conversation is briefly halted as Laurie raps on the window to enter the room, causing the two ladies to instantaneously heap praises upon her and engage in a lighthearted squabble – all of which made me ponder whether they were genuinely admiring her or had been discussing her behind her back. Over time, I’ve observed that women often find themselves competing with one another, not only among friends but also when comparing our lives. It leaves me wondering: why do we feel this constant urge to measure ourselves against each other? Is it a deeply ingrained instinct or is there an unspoken rule we follow?

Their Toxic Dynamics Show The Dark Side Of Female Friendships

In a different setting, Jaclyn engages with elderly women at the pool. However, she finds discomfort in being around people who are older than her, as it serves as a reminder that she’s no longer young. Instead of cherishing their companionship, they could have picked any place to enjoy themselves, but their fixation on appearances and competition leads them to socialize with younger men at a bar. At this juncture, their getaway seems less about genuine friendship and more about demonstrating to others that they are thriving.

It’s unfortunate that these women were traveling alone in Thailand, as they might have enjoyed themselves more if they weren’t worried about being in a pool filled with older women or comparing themselves to others. That’s one of the reasons solo travel has become quite trendy recently.

There’s Years Of Boiled Up Emotions Between These Three, And I’m Scared To See What Happens Next

In the latest season, it’s not just figuratively life-threatening events that keep me on tenterhooks, but also this group of friends. I am rooting for them to reach a point where they understand their behavior towards each other and finally enjoy themselves without barriers. However, I sense that things will escalate significantly after all the snide comments and underhanded remarks.

Mike White and his team skillfully shed light on a lesser-known aspect of female psychology in the series, The White Lotus, leaving me eagerly anticipating where the story will head next.

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2025-03-13 01:07