‘The White Lotus’ Season 3, Episode 4 Recap: Party Time

Even if I’m wrong, the robbery subplot remains a major part of this season, and it could be what gets us eventually to the gunshots and the corpse we saw in the season premiere’s flash-forward. For now, what matters about the robbery is that it leads to a meeting between the gatekeeper, Gaitok, and his bosses, in which he gets chastised for being too “friendly” and is given a pistol. Take note! At least one other gun — beyond the one the robber wielded — is now in play at the White Lotus.

So far this season, each episode has covered more or less one day for the vacationers, ending with them heading for bed. This episode is an exception since it ends shortly after sundown, with multiple White Lotus guests still off the property and searching for some full moon fun.

For most of the main characters, the day is spent on the yacht belonging to the man we know as Greg, now calling himself Gary. His girlfriend, Chloe, has invited Chelsea and the Ratliff family to go sailing with a boatload of Gary’s rich friends (labeled “bald geriatric potbellied pigs” by Saxon) and their suspiciously young and pretty female partners.

Rick previously registered his opinion with Chelsea that these women are likely prostitutes. But he agrees to come aboard anyway after being reassured that he will be back in time for his flight to Bangkok, where he plans to meet up with a friend and to confront this White Lotus’s co-owner, Jim Hollinger.

In this episode, Rick confirms something “White Lotus” viewers probably assumed: Hollinger murdered his father. According to the story Rick’s mom told him, his dad was “a do-gooder” who came to Thailand on a humanitarian mission and tried to stop a crooked American from stealing the locals’ land. Rick tells Chelsea he just needs to look this thieving, murdering jerk in the eye, for closure.

But do we believe that? We still don’t know who Rick really is, or even how he can afford to book accommodations at a White Lotus. My assumption is that he is — or was — a well-paid criminal. But he has nothing in common with the shady bozos on Gary’s boat, whose own crimes seem to involve hiding money from various governments.