March 10, 2025

WHITE LOTUS – Season 3, Episode 4: The Full Moon is Rising & So Is the Chaos

Welcome back to The White Lotus, where the rosé is flowing, the air is thick with lies, and everyone is about five bad decisions away from total ruin. Episode 4 served up a yacht, a gun, an existential crisis (or three), and some serious foreshadowing that suggests not everyone is making it out of this vacation alive. Let’s break it all down.

Timothy Ratliff: Rich Guy Meltdown in Progress

Oh, Tim. He thought this trip would be a quick reset, maybe a little detox before returning to country club tennis matches and cutting checks for politicians. Instead, his lawyer delivers the worst possible news: his financial crimes are about to catch up with him, and yes—real prison time is now on the table.

This, of course, triggers a full-blown identity crisis. Tim isn’t just worried about losing his money—he’s worried about what people at the club will say (What will the other old-money families think?! The shame! The horror!) At dinner, Victoria even reassures Piper that Tim’s a “boy scout,” while across the table, he’s spiraling into a benzo-and-booze-fueled breakdown.

And then, because of course, he stumbles upon Gaitok’s unattended gun. Because nothing says “this will end well” like a rich white man having a full-blown crisis while holding a firearm.

Victoria Ratliff: Unfiltered, Unhinged & Possibly the New Tanya

Without her usual dose of “keep me blissfully unaware” pills, Victoria is having a VERY different vacation than expected. And if you thought she was out of it before, sober Victoria is a whole new beast. She’s sharper, more observant, and low-key terrifying—because now she’s actually processing what’s happening around her.

She even mentions almost having a grand mal seizure, which is a very real danger of going cold turkey off benzos (thanks a lot, Tim!). But even in withdrawal, she still manages to deliver iconic one-liners, like getting off the yacht and dramatically telling Piper, “C’mon, let’s go enjoy a GORGEOUS dinner!” A mess? Absolutely. A legend? Also yes.

At this rate, is she the new Tanya? Floating through chaos, somehow seeing the truth, yet completely oblivious at the same time? It’s starting to feel like it.

Piper: Buddhism, Self-Discovery, or Just a Really Good Excuse to Stay in Thailand?

Piper’s whole “I’m here for my thesis on Buddhism” storyline? Yeah… that excuse is holding on by a thread. By Episode 4, it’s painfully obvious that the thesis was just the convenient cover story—her real goal? Staying in Thailand. And she doesn’t even have to say it outright—it’s all in the hesitation, the vague responses, and the way she’s suddenly way too at peace in all this chaos.

While her family is actively imploding, Piper is out here like, “Wow, what if I just… never left?” And honestly? I get it. Who wouldn’t want to trade a crumbling dynasty, a dad possibly headed for prison, and Saxon’s horrifying commentary for eternal yoga retreats and fresh coconut water?

She’s not staying for enlightenment—she’s staying for an escape. The thesis? Barely a footnote in her plan.

Rick & Chelsea: Star Wars, Snakes & Surprise Depth

Rick finally drops the act and confesses the real reason he dragged Chelsea to Thailand: revenge. Turns out, his father wasn’t just some random dead guy—he was a righteous whistleblower murdered by a corrupt American businessman (who just happens to own the White Lotus resort). Now, Rick is here to settle the score.

Chelsea’s reaction? A perfect mix of Princess Bride and Star Wars confusion.

“You killed my father!”
Wait… wasn’t that a Princess Bride thing?

Except… it’s literally exactly what happens in Star Wars—Luke is told the name of his father’s killer, only to find out it’s actually his father. 🤯 (And now I can’t stop wondering if that’s where this is headed…).

Meanwhile, Chelsea continues to prove she’s way more emotionally intelligent than she gets credit for. She actually gets Rick to open up, she checked on the woman working during the robbery (very on-brand for her), and she’s calling Rick out when he gets too deep in his own mess.

But let’s be real—Rick is getting dangerously comfortable with chaos and clearly setting himself up for a massive reckoning.

Belinda vs. Greg: This Can’t End Well

Belinda, our queen of seeing through everyone’s bullshit, recognizes Greg (aka Gary)—and the alarm bells go off instantly. She knows exactly who he is—the man who married Tanya, inherited her money, and is definitely connected to some shady, possibly murderous, activity.

Belinda is clearly in danger, but will she play it smart? No. Instead, she makes it incredibly obvious she knows something (girl, WHY). If Greg is as ruthless as we think he is, she’s now officially on his radar, and not in a good way.

The real question is: will he kill her? Or will he buy her off? Maybe he’s checking her social media to see if she’s worthy of hush money. But knowing White Lotus, Belinda’s fate is looking dicey. Either way, Belinda needs to tread carefully.

The Goldilocks Girlfriends: This Place is Too Old, This Place is Too Young… This Place is Going to Get Them Killed

Kate, Jaclyn, and Laurie continue their “women’s midlife crisis tour” —this time Goldilocks-ing their way through Thailand.

One place is too old.
One place is too young.
One place is just right… except it’s filled with criminals who are definitely going to rob them.

Jaclyn’s insecurities about aging are hitting hard, especially because her younger husband isn’t responding to her calls (red flag alert!). Meanwhile, Kate and Laurie are low-key enjoying watching her spiral.

But the real red flag? The people they’re hanging out with at the full moon party—some of whom have very suspicious tattoos (matching those of the guys who robbed the hotel). Yeah… this is not going to end well.

Saxon: Still a Walking Red Flag, Just Quieter About It

Saxon may not have smashed anything this episode, but don’t be fooled—he’s still giving peak creep energy.

Exhibit A: His full moon party commentary. “These girls are thirsty for some young f**ing.”* Light-years of cringe, Saxon.

Exhibit B: His interactions during the yacht party. Saxon and Lochlan engage with Chloe and other young women on the yacht. Gary observes these interactions from afar, and something tells me Gary doesn’t take kindly to people eyeing his paid-for property.

Meanwhile, Lochlan is getting sucked into Saxon’s nonsense, and I’m officially worried about him.

Mook: The Show-Stopping Goddess Who Singlehandedly Broke Gaitok’s Brain

Let’s just take a moment to appreciate Mook. Because holy hell, when she walked into that room? The world stopped.

Even Gaitok—the man who is quite literally paid to be alert—immediately forgot his job. Love the guy, but he is the worst security guard of all time. His literal only job is to be vigilant, yet the second Mook steps in, he’s out of commission.

And, honestly? I can’t blame him. She looked drop-dead stunning, and in that moment, all logic, reason, and responsibility left the building. If a robbery happened right then and there, Gaitok wouldn’t have even noticed.

The real question is: Will Gaitok get it together, or is he fully about to throw away his entire career for Mook? Because right now? His job security is looking shakier than Timothy’s financial future.

Final Thoughts

Episode 4 was a slow simmer, but all the ingredients for disaster are now in the pot. We have:

Tim losing everything and holding a gun.
Victoria going full “Tanya mode” without her pills.
Rick fully embracing his revenge arc.
Belinda in serious danger thanks to Greg.
The girlfriends about to get scammed (or worse).
The full moon party—aka, the perfect place for everything to go horribly wrong.
Piper pretending this is all about a “thesis” when she’s clearly just plotting her permanent Thailand relocation.
Gaitok proving, once again, that he is absolutely the worst security guard on earth—this time because he was too busy being completely floored by how stunning Mook looked. (And honestly? Fair.)

And next week? Things explode.

Buckle up. White Lotus is about to go full-throttle into pure chaos.

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UNTIL NEXT WEEK!
Thoughts?