If you are a fan of checking into the White Lotus resort in Sicily every week to see what happens there then you clearly are a fan of Mike White’s cleaver, intriguing scheme of things. He has us tuned in each week and not missing a beat of THE WHITE LOTUS. The good news is, more is on the way and it really shouldn’t be any surprise because Season Two has proved to be just as good as Season One (and we know how well that one was lauded) so, a Season Three should be no different. Here is the official word:
HBO’s Emmy-winning anthology series THE WHITE LOTUS, from Mike White, will return for a third installment following a new group of guests at another White Lotus property. Upon the ruling, Francesca Orsi, Executive Vice President, HBO Programming, Head of HBO Drama Series and Films was quoted as saying, “Reflecting on THE WHITE LOTUS’ humble, run-and-gun origin as a contained pandemic production, it’s impossible not to be awestruck by how Mike orchestrated one of the buzziest and most critically acclaimed shows. And yet, he’s only continued to reach new heights in season 2, which is the ultimate testament to Mike’s raw, unparalleled vision. His courage to explore the uncharted waters of the human psyche, paired with his signature irreverent humor and buoyant directing style, have us all dreaming of more vacation days at the resort we’ve come to adore. We couldn’t be more thrilled to get the chance to collaborate on a third season together.”
Fans are thrilled also. The stats stand for themselves. The first season, which premiered in July 2021 and was set in Hawaii, received 20 Emmy nominations across 13 categories and 10 wins, the most wins of any program that year, including Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series. The second season, set in Sicily, debuted on October 30 and will conclude on December 11. Its first episode has already been watched by more than 7.6 million viewers, and since, the series has hit an all-time weekly high, ranking as the #1 title overall on HBO Max.
Mike White has stated, “There’s no place I’d rather work than HBO and there’s no people I’d rather partner with than Casey Bloys, Francesca Orsi, Nora Skinner and their incredible team. I feel so lucky to get this opportunity again and am excited to reunite with my amazingly talented collaborators on THE WHITE LOTUS.”
Before this sophomore season arrived, there was talk of just how the show was going to move forward. When the change in cast and locale was evident, we learned that the show was to become an anthology series; each season would feature the goings on at a different White Lotus Resort, complete with its own amenities, staffing and guests – except for Jennifer Coolidge’s Tanya McQuoid it seems. So, with that knowledge, we know that Season Three is going to be set somewhere different and we can already start to imagine just where we will find the next resort and the next hot mess.
Well, it seems one locale is already likely. Creator Mike White stated to Deadline not only where the next season could be going but that Coolidge could be going along. He declared, “Jennifer is my friend and everybody loved her in the first season, and I was like, ‘I can’t go to Italy without Jennifer.’ And maybe that’s still the case. Like, maybe you can’t go to Japan without Jennifer, either. There are so many fun actors we’ve worked with so far, so it’s just kind of like who’s available.”
So, is Coolidge’s Tanya a habitual White Lotus resort guest and is her next destination somewhere in Japan? We will gladly look forward to wherever Mike White’s mind takes us, but a resort spot in the Orient does make sense. We’ll keep you posted as you continue to enjoy THE WHITE LOTUS on HBO.
