The White Lotus has never shied away from portraying some of the more questionable human behaviours, but season 3 takes it, like, 10 steps further.
If you watched this week’s episode (if you didn’t, may we suggest you stop reading right here), you’ll have witnessed the scene everyone’s talking about: when brothers Saxon Ratliff and Lochlan Ratliff share a lingering kiss, ostensibly to impress characters Chelsea and Chloe while they’re all partying together.
Now, White Lotus producer David Bernad has explained why that scene made sense in the larger context of the season, and why it wasn’t just there “for shock.”
Asked if anyone behind the scenes of the show thought that including incest on the show was a step too far, David told The New York Post: “No, in terms of that — that’s all [creator Mike White]. Mike is brilliant, and I think those big story turns are not just for shock.”
He continued: “There’s a specific reason in terms of the narrative storytelling, and the larger thematic idea Mike is trying to get across.”
Apparently, it’s all going to make sense by the end. David said: “as the season wraps up, you’ll see the purpose of that story turn. The show goes there for a larger thematic idea. I love that family storyline, especially the brother story — and, it culminates in a very satisfying way.”
Satisfying, if deeply disturbing.
Those who have watched the series from the beginning will know the kiss didn’t just come out of thin air: there had been hints to a slightly incestuous vibe before, like when older brother Saxon complained about not being able to masturbate on the holiday since he was sharing a room with Lochlan, among other weird hints like Lochlan watching his naked brother go off to the bathroom.
Actor Sam Nivola, who plays Lochlan, has also addressed the brothers kissing scene.
“I think at the end of the day, it was supposed to just be like they’re all really f***ed up, and, of course, kissing your brother is incredibly wrong and weird and gross,” Sam told GQ.
“But I think as is the case with The White Lotus, it’s like these crazy actions and sort of heightened reality coming from really real emotions that are actually really relatable to your everyday guy.
“He just is desperate for his brother’s approval and he’s out doing this partying drug thing with Saxon, which is a thing that Saxon keeps talking about, and all he talks about is sex. He’s like, ‘Sex is the main point of life. You need to get laid. That’s what you need.’
“I’m like, ‘Okay. Well, in this charged sexual environment, what can I do to make you notice me and get you to approve of me?’ And then, he does the wrong thing to make that happen.”