Warning! This article contains spoilers for The White Lotus season 3, episode 1.Sam Nivola stars inThe White Lotus' season 3, playing an almost identical part to the one he had inThe Perfect Couple. JoiningThe White Lotusseason 3’s cast, the actor’s second role in a whodunit murder mystery already has many connections to his Netflix hit — to the point that it seems to be setting him up for a future in the genre, and for playing a specific type of character. Nivola plays Lochlan, the youngest and shiest of the Ratliffs, a wealthy North Carolina family that’s oddly familiar with vice, illegal gambits, and lies.
The White Lotusseason 3’s early reviewsconfirm it’s another amazing class portrait by Mike White, this time also coupled with themes of spirituality, death, and a darker but enticing tone. As the Ratliffs are poised to suffer the consequences of their father’s illegal activities, it’ll becomeinteresting to see whether Nivola’s character replicates or reinvents his most notable role yet. For now,The White Lotus' new season 3 trailersets up exciting possibilities for the actor, even if his role is very similar to Will inThe Perfect Couple.
Sam Nivola’s The White Lotus Role Is Weird After The Perfect Couple
Sam Nivola Already Played The Quiet And Innocent Sibling That Rebels Against His Family
Sam Nivola might be cementing a career in the murder mystery genre with his role inThe White Lotus, as it comes right after he starred in Netflix’sThe Perfect Couple. Both shows arewhodunit mysteries that explore class dynamics, where Nivola plays the younger, quiet kid of a dysfunctional rich family. Lochlan, like Will, falls to the sidelines as his siblings take center focus — Piper’s thesis being the reason they went to Thailand in the first place, and Saxon being older and more confident to influence his parents' actions.
The White Lotusseason 3 will have eight episodes, making it the longest of the show.
In a recent interview,Nivola explained Lochlan’s motivations inThe White Lotus, saying he “just wants someone in the world to love him. And he will do anything to make that happen.” That makes him seek guidance from Schwarzenegger’s character, despite his problematic and overly sexual attitudes. However, while Nivola’sThe Perfect Couplecharacter does suffer from his father and mother’s neglect, and his older brother’s teasing,Will doesn’t really crave their attention like Lochlan does. Instead, his arc involves exposing his family’s deceptions and finding comfort in an honest connection.
The White Lotus' Massive Success And Prestige Over The Perfect Couple Is Undeniable
Image via Max
The White LotusandThe Perfect Coupledeal with a cast filled with ignorant and flawed wealthy people, and where Nivola plays one of the few innocent and selfless characters. DespiteThe Perfect Couple’s similarities toThe White Lotus,the acclaimed HBO show casts a shadow over the Netflix miniseries, and this could extend to Nivola’s character. Accordingly, the Netflix show is most known as an over-the-top murder mystery dramedy, while TheWhite Lotusis a satirical and darker effort that dissects class and power dynamics as they organically pave the way for crime.
Though some believeThe White Lotus' Lochlan might be trying to come out or vocalize his desire to attend a different university, others believe he is keeping a terrible secret.
This explains whyThe Perfect Couple’s mixed reviews and Rotten Tomatoes score are considerably lower thanThe White Lotus, featuring a 65% against an impressive 93%. Because of this, even if Nivola repeats his character, he is set for bigger success — as he is now part of one of the most acclaimed andbest TV shows streaming right now. However,if Mike White gives Lochlan a surprisingly dark edge, he could take the young star to unexplored territoryand successfully subvert hisThe Perfect Couplerole.
What’s The Deal With Sam Nivola’s Lochlan & The Ratliff Family In The White Lotus?
Episode 1 Suggests The Ratliff Family Is Hiding A Terrible Secret In The White Lotus
At first sight, the Ratliff family seems to suffer from common issues that tend to prey on fictional wealthy families, such as substance abuse, tax fraud, and the pressure to go to the same school as their parents. However, season 3’s first episode goes out of its way tosuggest that all is not well with the Ratliff family, despite Victoria’s insistence that they’re “a normal family.” Notably, viewers have signaled theweird sexual tension between the Ratliff kids, and dark theories have risen regarding what the family is hiding beneath the surface.
5 Best Fan Theories After The White Lotus Season 3, Episode 1
The White Lotus season 3 raises many questions during its premiere, and the best theories about episode 1 would make truly great twists.
Though some believeThe White Lotus' Lochlan might be trying to come out or vocalize his desire to attend a different university, others believe he is keeping a terrible secret. While it’s still too soon to know, it’s possible the Ratliff family has a history of sexual abuse or incest, one that’s so horrifying thatThe White Lotus' Victoria drugs herself with Lozazepamto cope with it. While that would be a shocking turn, having Nivola play an innocent enabler turned into a complex victim that could retaliate if pushed to the extreme would effectively change his character trend.
The White Lotus
Cast
The White Lotus is a television series that explores the interactions of guests and staff at an upscale tropical resort. Premiering in 2021, the narrative unfolds over a week, revealing underlying complexities and tensions among the resort’s seemingly ideal travelers and employees.
