The eagerly-awaited season 3 premiere of the popular drama The White Lotus aired this week. And while many fans were thrilled to see its return, a significant change to the format left some disgruntled. Mike White's satirical drama unfolds in a different fictional luxury resort each season - with previous locations including Hawaii and Italy - and introduces a new set of guests and staff members. This year, the shenanigans are set in a wellness retreat in Thailand, and season 3 boasts an almost entirely new – and larger – cast.
Fan favourite Belinda (Natasha Rothwell) is the only returning character from the original Hawaii-based series. Meanwhile, new faces include a group of old friends, led by Echoes' Michelle Monaghan on a reunion trip, an age-gap couple portrayed by Walton Goggins and Aimee Lou Wood, and the obligatory dysfunctional family, featuring Jason Isaacs and Patrick Schwarzenegger. But what's the major gripe about this season, which is airing on Sky Atlantic and available for streaming on Now TV? It actually arose as soon as the show began, with many viewers irate that the iconic intro music has been altered.
Instead of the quirky yet captivating warbling of the previous intro track 'Aloha!', a more generic piece of music, aptly named 'Enlightenment', has taken its place. The new theme song for White Lotus Season 3, complete with drums, handclaps, and rather dark-sounding flutes, is quite the departure from its predecessor, and it seems many fans are less than thrilled with the update. Flocking to social media to vent their frustration, one viewer queried: "So, we're all devastated they changed the theme song, right? " Another commented disappointedly: "The theme song for White Lotus Season 3 is a big downgrade.".
A third missed the original, saying: "Did y'all forget how much we lost our mind for that theme song two seasons in a row?" While a fourth lamented: "Disappointed to the fact that they changed the iconic intro song for s3.". However, not everyone is up in arms; some found the new tune to their liking, with one fan declaring they were "vibing" to it and another calling it "fire". In addition to the debate surrounding the theme tune, viewers have also been taken aback by a shocking revelation of a potential gay incestuous plotline involving the Ratliff siblings in the season's opening episode.
Viewers watched as Saxon (played by Patrick Schwarzenegger) remarks that his sister Piper (Sarah Catherine Hook) shouldn't share a room with their younger brother Lochlan (Sam Nivola) as they now have "full grown genitals.". As a result, Saxon and Lochlan are forced to share a room, which leads to an uncomfortable scene where Saxon openly discusses his sister's physical appearance and intimate relationships, and even inquires about his brother's viewing habits when it comes to adult content. He then brazenly speculates about how he'll manage to "pleasure himself all week" with his brother present in the room, before nonchalantly strolling to the bathroom without any clothes on.
The exchange sparked heated reactions online, with one person questioning: "What the hell is happening with these brothers on The White Lotus." Another expressed outrage, saying: "Not The White Lotus season 3 having a incest storyline.". Meanwhile, a third user demanded clarity, asking: "What do you mean there's a gay incest storyline in The White Lotus season 3?". Get the biggest TV headlines, recaps and insider knowledge straight to your inbox.
