THE WHITE LOTUS SEASON 3 EP 2 RECAP: Special Treatments

*SPOILERS AHEAD*

Episode 2 of season 3 hit the ground running as we had a jewelry robbery, weird sibling sex conversations, a triangle of mean girls gossiping, and we got a hint as to why Timothy was so concerned about the reporter contacting him. Season 3 so far has been shaping up to be the most drama filled yet!

Crime Shopping Spree

We already know there will be some sort of shootout this season but, this episode may have started to lay hints as to how things go down. Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood) and Chloe (Charlotte Le Bon) are in the shop on a spending spree as Chloe took Greg’s credit card after a morning spat. While there a masked armed robber enters smashing the cases and stealing everything in them. There’s speculation that this is more than a one off event as previously we saw what may have been the vehicle used enter the gate while Gaitok was talking to Valentin. Was Valentin distracting Gaitok at the gate and is he in on it?

XoXo Gossip Girl

Meanwhile, there seems to be drama brewing between Kate (Leslie Bibb), Laurie (Carrie Coon), and Jaclyn (Michelle Monaghan). We saw at the end of episode 1 that Laurie watched from upstairs as Kate and Jaclyn were talking and in this episode we see that the duo were discussing he alcohol intake, her job, and her divorce.

Later in the episode we see Laurie and Kate having a similar discussion about Jaclyn as they discuss her “obsession” with her husband and how off-putting and perfect she tries to be. Enter Valentin again in this episode because after the trio have body scans completed by him it turns out he told Laurie and Jaclyn identical numbers which further deepens that untrustworthy feeling fans are getting from him.

Suspicion can also be left with Greg (going by Gary this time) as we know attempted to kill and steal Jennifer Coolidge characters money. As he, Chloe, Chelsea, and Rick (Walton Goggins) attempt a friendly but awkward dinner he mentions how he does “this and that” for work. Rick mentions how that is exactly what he does as well which feels tongue in cheek but, may also lead into why he is so obsessed with Sritala’s (Leo Pareavadi) husband and how he must travel to Bangkok at the end of the episode.

Family Affairs

This leaves us with the Ratliff family who got a heavy dose of screen time this episode. Victoria (Parker Posey) has an uncomfortable interaction with Kate as Kate approaches her at breakfast about how they spent the weekend together at a baby shower to which Victoria could not be bothered in the conversation. Timothy is too preoccupied waiting for an important phone call from someone named Kenny Nguyen. This week after finally receiving this long awaited phone call Kenny rants about his office being raided by 20 FBI agents and how he plans to kill himself. This sets Timothy off into a fit of rage as he is now caught up in some sort of money laundering scheme over $10 million and Kenny tells him he is implicated sending Timothy off to furiously contact his lawyer.

Don’t worry the Ratliff family seems to be all over the place in this episode. The youngest son Lochlan (Sam Nivola) uncomfortably asks his sister Piper if she’s ever had sex after mentioning how the oldest brother Saxon said she hadn’t. From all of the family interactions it appears Piper may be the only “normal” family member leading her to be the black sheep of the family. Speaking of I sincerely hope someone is adopted in this family because Lochlan’s weird staring of Saxon to start the episode as he lay naked in bed and now inquiring about Piper’s sec life leads to a lot of what the hell am I watching moments.

Pointing Fingers

The only normal character so far is Gaitok who we share a tender moment with him and Mook. He shares with her how he likes her to which she shyly expresses how they haven’t even gone on a date and redirects the conversation. Gaitok then attempts to stop the fleeing robbers and gets pistol whipped in the process. Adding insult to injury poor Gaitok is then seen working the night shift while still being injured (seriously what the hell?!)

Walton Goggins character is another one who I am feeling drawn to after this episode. After a therapy session we learn his stress is always at an 8 and how he had a very troubled childhood losing both parents. As the episode ends it seems we get to see some authenticity between him and Chelsea as they share a real feeling moment in bed together and earlier in the episode he shows genuine concern for her after she was at the scene of the robbery.

We don’t yet know who the shooter is that we opened the season with but, groundwork has been laid. Valentin has made himself suspicious through his actions and Timothy doesn’t exactly a scream innocent either. A popular theory is it is just the monkeys who got a hold of a gun which isn’t out of the realm of possibility as they seem to be heavily focusing on monkeys so far this season. Regardless this season has been one of the most gripping and intense yet so early on and I cannot wait to see where it goes.

What are your thoughts on the episode and who is behind everything? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to catch White Lotus streaming exclusively on Max, Sundays at 9pm est.