Warning: This article contains spoilers for the latest episode of The White Lotus.
Fans are already picking apart the new season of The White Lotus, which has led to a lot of discussion about what could lie ahead in the coming episodes.
Viewers have already spotted that the latest instalment featured lots of monkey imagery and references – including one that might have gone over some people’s heads.
Shortly after we were introduced to the Ratliff family, the three siblings were seen in poses reminiscent of the “three wise monkeys”, an East Asian emblem for the proverb “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil”.
Patrick Schwarzenegger’s character is seen wearing sunglasses, alluding to “see no evil”, while Sarah Catherine Hook and Sam Nivola subtly cover their ears and mouth, respectively (“hear no evil” and “speak no evil”).
White Lotus creator Mike White has already repeatedly said that a major theme in the new season will be Eastern spirituality, particularly what happens when privileged Westerners try to immerse themselves in it.
Interestingly, the “three wise monkeys” maxim is considered in traditional Buddhism to refer to avoiding evil thoughts, while in the West, it’s more interpreted to be about turning a blind eye to evil.
By having the Ratliffs play off this imagery so early on in the show, some fans on Reddit and X are questioning whether the family is going to have some big things coming up that they might want to avoid talking about – if they don’t already, that is.
Of course, the Ratliffs have already become the most talked-about characters of the new series after that final scene, which hinted there could be more lurking underneath the surface for the siblings (and saw Patrick Schwarzenegger delivering the first White Lotus nude scene of the year).
The White Lotus continues on Monday on Sky and Now.