Jia Tolentino

Hello and welcome to the White Lotus official podcast companion to season three. I'm Gia Tolentino.

Hello and welcome to the White Lotus official podcast companion to season three. I'm Gia Tolentino.

And welcome to the last hurrah, the bonus episode for our season three companion podcast. We'll be talking to Amy Lou Wood later on. But first, like, we're just going to be talking about the big things of this season. What the fuck was this all about?

And welcome to the last hurrah, the bonus episode for our season three companion podcast. We'll be talking to Amy Lou Wood later on. But first, like, we're just going to be talking about the big things of this season. What the fuck was this all about?

It's interesting because people – I think people will have said – like, everyone liked to be like, first season is about money. Second season is about sex. Third season, it's about spirituality. It's about life and death. But all of these things are the same idea to me. Like, does that make sense to you?

It's interesting because people – I think people will have said – like, everyone liked to be like, first season is about money. Second season is about sex. Third season, it's about spirituality. It's about life and death. But all of these things are the same idea to me. Like, does that make sense to you?

The condition of being human is to live in a state of identity and desire. And these are the things that cause you to self-imprison. These are the things that cause your suffering. The things that we desire tend to be money and sex.

The condition of being human is to live in a state of identity and desire. And these are the things that cause you to self-imprison. These are the things that cause your suffering. The things that we desire tend to be money and sex.

So it's like, it's the same. It's always going to be the same mess of themes to me. I mean, there's an aesthetic tilt towards one thing over the other. Like, season two is so, like, hot Sicilian. It's a very bodily season, et cetera. And this... There's lots of eternal return. There's a lot of bouncing droplets.

So it's like, it's the same. It's always going to be the same mess of themes to me. I mean, there's an aesthetic tilt towards one thing over the other. Like, season two is so, like, hot Sicilian. It's a very bodily season, et cetera. And this... There's lots of eternal return. There's a lot of bouncing droplets.

There's, you know, there's a lot of, you don't know what time it is of the day because it's this golden Thailand hazy.

There's, you know, there's a lot of, you don't know what time it is of the day because it's this golden Thailand hazy.

It's always magic hour. It's 10 a.m., it's magic hour. 3 p.m., magic hour. Middle of the night, somehow still magic hour. But you know what I mean? Like, I think your theory is correct. And I think it's also, yeah, I think it's every single story.

It's always magic hour. It's 10 a.m., it's magic hour. 3 p.m., magic hour. Middle of the night, somehow still magic hour. But you know what I mean? Like, I think your theory is correct. And I think it's also, yeah, I think it's every single story.

And I think that there's no real difference between the prison of identity and the prison of desire for money, the prison of desire for sex that you can't have or even sex that you can. Like, it feels like the same exact question to me.

And I think that there's no real difference between the prison of identity and the prison of desire for money, the prison of desire for sex that you can't have or even sex that you can. Like, it feels like the same exact question to me.

I think that one of the things that this season is asking overtly, and that the other seasons were not, is like, do you have a soul? Do you have, like, simply, do you have a soul? Which of these characters has a soul? What would remain of you if your life changed drastically? Like, what is there actually to you underneath whatever? And that, to me, it's like...

I think that one of the things that this season is asking overtly, and that the other seasons were not, is like, do you have a soul? Do you have, like, simply, do you have a soul? Which of these characters has a soul? What would remain of you if your life changed drastically? Like, what is there actually to you underneath whatever? And that, to me, it's like...

It's like Lachlan is the one kind of with the claim on it because he's not – he's the one that is not clinging to a belief structure yet. And he's the one that kind of has an intact soul almost as a result, you know? Like there's something where – like I was going to ask you – Which of these characters' belief systems sort of stands the test of this week at the White Lotus?

It's like Lachlan is the one kind of with the claim on it because he's not – he's the one that is not clinging to a belief structure yet. And he's the one that kind of has an intact soul almost as a result, you know? Like there's something where – like I was going to ask you – Which of these characters' belief systems sort of stands the test of this week at the White Lotus?