The White Lotus, Season 3, Episode 1

What’s it about?

Guests and employees stay at an exclusive tropical resort in Thailand over the span of a week. With each passing day, a darker complexity emerges in these picture-perfect travellers, the hotel’s cheerful employees and the location itself.

The facts

• Created, written and directed by Mike White
• English and Thai languages
• Runtime: 60 minutes per episode
• Starring Natasha Rothwell, Parker Posey, Walton Goggins, Lalisa Manobal, NZ actress Morgana O’Reilly
• Each episode drops on a weekly basis. This featured decision is for the first episode released on Monday 17 February 2025.
• Set in Thailand, filmed at the Four Seasons Resort in Koh Samui

Why did it get this rating?

Season three of The White Lotus is self-rated 13 age level which indicates less graphic content than what audiences make expect from the first two seasons. Those first two seasons of The White Lotus were rated at the 16 age level (season one is an R16, and season two is self-rated 16 by Neon).

This series was self-rated by Neon. You can find out more about self-rating by streaming providers here.

Offensive language

There is occasional strong language, such as ‘f*ck you’, ‘m*otherf*cker’, ‘sh*t’ and ‘d*ck’. Characters use language to offend or for emphasis.

Nudity

Two brothers share a hotel room. One gets up to use the bathroom, momentarily leaving the door open. We see that he’s fully naked – his buttocks are shown, and in the bathroom mirror reflection we briefly see his penis.

Sexual themes

There are references to sex, ‘getting laid’, and different types of porn. While the two brothers spend time together, the older brother appears to be obsessed with finding a woman to have sex with at the resort, as well as references to his sister needing to have sex. He asks his younger brother what type of porn he wants to watch before deciding to go to the bathroom to ‘jerk off’. On his iPad screen, you see a brief but blurry shot of a porn video thumbnail.

When content stays with you:

We all have our boundaries, and it’s completely okay if something you’ve watched is weighing on your mind. If certain content lingers with you, consider having a chat with friends or whānau to debrief about what you’ve just seen. But if you’re still feeling affected, please reach out to any of the following helplines for support.

• 1737
• Safe to talk
• Lifeline
• Youthline

Further information

• Why are ratings and content warnings important for me and my whānau?
• The White Lotus, Season 1 (featured decision)
• The White Lotus, Season 2 (featured decision)