REVIEW: ‘The White Lotus’ Season 3 Episode 2 — “Special Treatments”

The White Lotus Season 3 Episode 2, “Special Treatments,” continues to stress the importance of spirituality, incoming warning signs, and the conversations of identity. Also, romantic and pleasurable tensions between certain characters continue to fill the different parts of the White Lotus resort. As for Belinda Lindsey’s (Natasha Rothwell) possible run-in with “Gary”/Greg Hunt (Jon Gries), it’s reached the point of her seeing him but not acting on it. By the end of this episode, the intro theme artwork is beginning to have clearer interpretations for certain characters.

As the names of each of The White Lotus episodes hint at what each episode is about, ‘special treatments‘ are fitting for The White Lotus Season 3 Episode 2. It’s the first day for these travellers, and everyone has some appointment around the resort—whether it’s a massage or a one-on-one therapy session.

Delving into the spirituality and identities of The White Lotus, Season 3 Episode 2, many characters take some time to explore inwards. The most enlightening conversation is when Rick Hatchett (Walton Goggins) has a one-on-one therapeutic chat with the meditation teacher and spiritual counselor, Dr. Amrita (Shalini Peiris). This whole exchange between the two offers both exposition for Rick’s past and some introspective thinking, too.

When Rick brings up how his mother overdosed when he was younger and how his father was murdered before he was born, Dr. Amrita tells Rick that attaching trauma to one’s identity creates suffering. Seeing Rick’s miserable and troubled personality, it’s easy to assume that Rick attaches trauma to who he is. But what Rick says back to Dr. Amrita really makes her think, as does the audience.

The White Lotus Season 3 Episode 2 dives deeper into the mystery of Rick.

Rick explains that he’s never had an identity, so he doesn’t attach anything. He outlines the concept that “nothing comes from nothing.” What he’s explaining is that if he doesn’t feel anything or have any ties to anybody, he’s nobody. It’s along the lines of people who set low expectations for themselves; you can’t be disappointed if there aren’t any expectations. This isn’t majorly philosophical, but there’s an important conversation to be had on feeling like nothing and feeling trapped.

This concept of feeling trapped and identity is now directly linked to the intro theme image of the person trapped in a tower when Goggins’ name appears. From a character development standpoint, Rick has kept to himself his true intention of visiting the resort. All that’s known is he’s desperately trying to find and talk to Sritala’s (Lek Patravadi) American husband and co-owner of The White Lotus Thailand, Jim Hollinger (Scott Glenn).

While we don’t know the full picture, Rick is presumably investigating his father’s murder or something related— and Jim is connected to it all. Once Rick finds out Jim is in Bangkok, where Sritala and Jim live, he immediately goes to tell Chelsea he’s leaving for “a night or two in Bangkok.” Through Chelsea’s (Aimee Lou Wood) conversations about how Rick and she have travelled to many places already, it appears that Rick is a drifter who may be searching for answers on who murdered his father.

In a way, his conversation with Dr. Amrita is contradictory to how he thinks he feels. He thinks he feels that he has no love to give, but in reality, he’s driven to accomplish the tasks he sets out to finish. If he really loves Chelsea, he has the ability to love another human being, whether he can accept it himself. For now, it’s unclear if he genuinely loves Chelsea or if he simply sees her as a young woman for pleasure. Rick barely consoles her after being traumatized by the jewelry store robbery. Unless he knows her well enough that she can handle situations like robberies on her own — even though she looks terrified throughout the robbery.

Despite more focus on Rick( Walton Goggins), he still maintains an enigma status.

During the foreplay leading up to an intimate moment between Rick and Chelsea, the cinematography and editing decisions showcase the Freudian connection to Rick’s young girlfriend. What he discussed earlier with Dr. Amrita about his mother and lacking a mother figure in his life could be linked to his psychological state of searching for a mother figure in his romantic relationships. 

Aside from learning more about Rick in this episode, The White Lotus Season 3 Episode 2 doesn’t wait for the finale episode to add some spiralling, violent ending. One of the biggest moments of this episode is when there’s an armed robbery of the resort’s jewelry store. We see this robbery take place from mostly the two robbers’ perspective when they roll into the resort, and from Chelsea shopping in the jewelry store at the time of the robbery. The robbers get away, solely because of Gaitok’s (Tayme Thapthimthong) negligence and partly his lack of competence for his job.

It’s sad to see a nice guy like Gaitok fumble asking out Thidapon “Mook” Sornsin (Blackpink’s Lisa), but it’s even more heartbreaking that his niceness gets him pistol-whipped in the head. His friendly conversation with Valentin (Arnas Fedaravičius), the Russian health mentor for Jaclyn Lemon (Michelle Monaghan), Laurie (Carrie Coon) and Kate (Leslie Bibb), distracts him from preventing the robbers’ vehicle from entering the resort property.

On the theme of identity, Gaitok tells Mook how much he likes her and can care for her with his job, but fails to do his job in The White Lotus Season 3 Episode 2. Even though he’s a nice guy, he fails to live up to Mook’s expectations when it matters most. But going back to the hints from the intro theme tapestry, Thapthimthong’s name comes up with a person trying to fight off a tiger. This is likely the link to Gaitok getting attacked by the robbers, or maybe there’s a more severe threat to come.

The hypocrisy of the Ratliff family is on full display.

Checking in with the Ratliff family, Timothy Ratliff’s (Jason Isaacs) calls begin to make more sense when one of his business partners, Kenny, explains that Tim might be implicated in a money laundering scheme through Kenny’s business ties to Tim’s. Seeing Tim’s face, you can see the gears turning of how this information will ruin the Ratliff identity of being a picture-perfect family.

The most important part of this call is afterward when Tim looks at his family, and Lochlan Ratliff (Sam Nivola) is explaining a story from his class. Lochlan explains how a person in his class was yelling about an impending tsunami, but no one believed them. The art in the intro theme shows people struggling to stay afloat on a sinking ship amidst giant tides. It’s possible the greatest threat may not be the shooting that is going to take place a week later but that a tsunami is going to hit the island.

All the Ratliff kids have the day to do their ‘special treatments’ in and around the resort, having conversations about intimacy or having the expectations of suggestive intimate acts. The way each of the Ratliff kids talk or react around the topic of intimacy leads us to believe they are sheltered kids. This makes sense as Victoria Ratliff (Parker Posey) talks so much about how her family is great and how they have “good values.”

Meanwhile, most of them laugh when Saxton Ratliff (Patrick Schwarzenegger) makes an inappropriate joke about trans women or ‘kathoeys’ (Thai for ladyboys) in Thailand after assuming the server’s identity. It’s also telling of Victoria’s character throughout The White Lotus Season 3 Episode 2 that she takes a lot of drugs to function as a person. For someone who preaches about her family having good morals, she really relies on the pills to get her through her day.

Everyone has a different relationship to their identity, but that can change.

The White Lotus Season 3 Episode 2 focuses a lot on the dynamics of the trio of girlfriends: Jaclyn, Kate and Laurie. The theme of identity is more straightforward with them, as they like to gossip about other people and each other behind their backs. One of the big topics they keep coming back to is how each of them looks in terms of who has good skin or looks physically in shape. These topics of physical features drive home the nature of each of their identities. Each of them is seeking validation in each of their ways.

Belinda doesn’t grapple with the concept of identity as much as the others in The White Lotus Season 3 Episode 2, other than she’s flirting with the idea that she deserves to be happy and find a partner while being a mom to Zion. In a sense, this trip is both educational and relaxing for her.

There are multiple teaching moments between her and Pornchai (Dom Hetrakul), the wellness expert at the White Lotus Thailand, where they teach each other wellness methods while dropping hints of flirtation. Belinda basks in these happy moments for most of The White Lotus Season 3 Episode 2 until she finally sees a familiar face: Greg. While she brushes off the idea of recognizing him inaudibly, it sets up that she’s getting an inkling of going to talk to him.

Greg’s quiet demeanor so far speaks volumes about his character and identity. The fact that he’s saying his name is Gary now, shows he’s trying his best to hide from the authorities. Even when Rick asks Greg about what Greg did before retiring, Greg responds with, “Oh, just this and that.” Funnily enough, Rick responds the same way when Greg asks what Rick does for work, which could stress how they’re both drifter types of people.

The mystery of Greg/Gary looms ominously for Belinda.

A quick, funny exchange at the dinner between Greg and his girlfriend Chloe (Charlotte Le Bon) reveals that they have a lot of squabbles and don’t know each other as much as they present. Greg mentions that Chloe is a French model, but she corrects him by stating that she’s not French. She explains she’s from Québec, Canada, which is different than France. Greg brushes it off like it’s not a big deal, but Chloe calls him out on misidentifying her—showing how she’s proud of her Québécois heritage and won’t be lumped into a broad categorization.

Now that Gries is confirmed in the show, his name pops up in the intro theme next to the image of a lizard sneaking into the palace. This imagery and symbolism connect how he’s an intruder to the resort. Greg’s girlfriend Chloe explains to Chelsea in Episode 1 how they live outside of the resort and just come to eat there from time to time. This emphasizes how Greg is as slippery as a lizard wherever he goes. Also, Belinda gets spooked by a lizard in Episode 1, which could be a foreshadowing of Greg being a danger to Belinda.

After an eventful first full day on the resort, The White Lotus Season 3 Episode 2 continues to flesh out characters in a myriad of subtle and hidden ways. The show repeatedly throws viewers off their feet with what’s to come next, adding tension that builds up over time. While some characters are highlighted more than others, there’s just enough substance to offer about each one. The White Lotus Season 3 Episode 2 doesn’t waste time getting messy and dangerous.

The White Lotus Season 3 Episode 2 is currently streaming on Max, formally HBO Max.