Well, I guess that’s what we waited all season for. After all the endings with the Ratliffs, after all the backstabbing amongst the blondes, and after all the amazing Sam Rockwell segments…The White Lotus finally put the pedal to the metal.. doing what it does best in a finale where you know that someone is going to get GOT.
It was a fine work by Mike White… the early part of the episode focused on reconciliation… we were done with Sam Rockwell and his sexcapades… Belinda played her way into 5 million with her son… and the blondes even came to a much needed common ground as they closed out their vacation.
From then on it felt like we were on the highway to hell as we knew there would be impending gunshots and a death… you have Tom Ratliff concocting a bar rescue situation not even Jon Taffer could deal with. Idk if Breaking Bad invented the muting/whoosh slomo effect while a character was freaking out but that’s what I’ll always associate it with.
Ultimately Tom decides he’d rather put his whole family through misery of being broke and scandal-ridden, but he leaves a little remnant in the blender (really damn rude tbh)
Speaking of blundered, Rick Hatchett returns and FOR SOME DAMN REASON… stays at the hotel of the couple that he almost just tried to kill. He goes to get a donut but ends up with a hole in his heart when Jim Bollinger (hotel husband) reveals his Daddy really was a nothing and shit talks Rick’s mom!
Understandably fuming, Rick needs the psychiatrist/soothsayer but nope she’s gotta have some meaningless appointment with Belinda’s son who just finagled Uncle Rico out of 5 million smackers?!?!?! Rick draws Jim’s gun and shoots him before we get the reveal of the season…. JIM WAASSSSS RICK’S papa. From there it’s all craziness, Rick actually wastes the hotel couple’s security like crazy metal gear solid style, before Gaitok comes and from the urging of Sritala saves the day. And oh yeah, Chelsea got popped in the ending there too.
So was this finale lit? Absolutely, even Locky made it. Was this a good season of television? Absolutely yes. Where does it rank by White Lotus standards? Pretty low. You don’t (clearly) just replace a Jennifer Coolidge. It was still great TV, the finale salvaged the season from the abyss for sure, but ultimately it’s probably the worst season of The White Lotus. Bring on The Last of Us!