I can’t stop thinking about The White Lotus. Not just the finale but the feeling it left behind. A strange mix of awe, frustration, beauty and unease. It didn’t wrap up neatly, it didn’t give me what I wanted… but maybe that was the point. Because the best kind of storytelling doesn’t just end. It lingers.
South Africa (10 April 2025) – I haven’t stopped thinking about The White Lotus finale.
No spoilers, promise. You’re safe to keep reading. Well, there is one, but I have made a note for you not to watch that video. So keep reading, please.
I’ve seen the online debates. The discourse has been fascinating. This season really had people divided. Some loved it. Some hated it. I kind of did both.
It was brilliant. And frustrating. Beautiful. And deeply uncomfortable. I thought I had it figured out… the pacing, the clues, the arcs. But when it ended, I found myself sitting in this weird limbo of awe and disappointment. I wanted something different. I wanted justice. Or chaos. Or peace. Or clarity. I wanted characters to change, or stay the same, or suffer more, or suffer less. Or totally implode. I wanted to feel satisfied. But I didn’t.
And maybe that’s the whole point.
Maybe that is the genius of it.
It left me wanting more. Still unravelling the threads. Still thinking about what wasn’t said. Still obsessing over every detail. There were whole conversations that were just left there. No explanation. Were they just to be red herrings? I guess so.
But I think that’s how you know a show is excellent.
When it doesn’t just end… it lingers.
And linger it does.
There are a few things I need to say though:
1. Weekly episodes are the gift that keeps on giving.
There’s something sacred about waiting. And about watching it “together”. It reminds me of the days when we’d rush to school to talk about last night’s FRIENDS, or X-Files, or Dawson’s Creek. It’s the art of the slow burn. The shared moments. The anticipation. It’s just… special. And I really, really miss that type of “TV”. Also, watching 1 episode a week means I really watch it. I feel like I miss things when binging.
2. Carrie Coon. That is all.
That scene will stay with me forever. It gave me the same chills as Jeff Daniels’ opening monologue in The Newsroom. Iconic. Raw. Real. “I’m just happy to be at the table.” That entire scene will go down in history. Because it’s true. We chase titles, status, things that sparkle… but sometimes, just being there is the win. Give her the Emmy. Immediately.
PLEASE DO NOT WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW IF YOU HAVEN’T SEEN THE FINALE YET!!!
3. Mike White… we need to talk.
No, actually, we can’t. Not yet. I will never forgive you (when you’ve watched the last episode, you’ll get it.)
4. Gaitok. He’s the actual winner here.
And I’m not even talking about the character, I mean the actor. Tayme Thapthimthong. His journey is absolutely incredible. He started acting back in 2013, took a break to serve in the Royal Thai Army in counter-terrorism (as one does), pivoted to private security… and somehow landed in White Lotus. And just like that, a star was born. I cannot wait to see what he does next.
5. The season was one long, slow exhale.
I think this season of the White Lotus is a masterclass in restraint. It built up to one single thing: letting go. In the actual show… and for you and me. And there’s something in that. A reminder that sometimes the most powerful act isn’t control. It’s surrender. We hold so tightly to what we think we want. To how stories should end. To who deserves what. But life doesn’t follow scripts. And neither did this (well it did, but you know what I mean).
6. No ending would’ve made me happy. And I think you feel the same.
None. Not really. Because I had so many expectations swirling in my mind. So maybe the ending wasn’t meant to please me. Maybe it was meant to sit with me. Make me think. Make me reflect. And that’s okay. I’ll let it be. See… letting go.
Oh, if you’re feeling that post-show emptiness. If your Mondays suddenly feel a bit meh… I’ve got you.
There are SO MANY great shows coming to our screens this month:
The Handmaid’s Tale final season. Yes, I am not emotionally ready either. My plan is to watch the entire show from the start again, before diving in to the end.
The Last of Us (Season 2). Buckle up, it’s going to wreck us. Trust me, you were never ready for what’s coming.
YOU, Season 5 (Joe is back and he’s… well, still Joe)
Your Friends & Neighbors (Jon Hamm. That’s it. That’s the reason)
Yellowjackets (this season is also a slow burn BUT worth it)
Nine Perfect Strangers Season 2 (May release, but start prepping now)
And you HAVE TO watch The Pitt (please don’t get this confused with PULSE). The Pitt is possibly the best medical drama that we’ve seen in the last decade. Bold claim, I know. But watch the first two episodes and then come talk to me.
So there are my thoughts on the finale… and now, I am letting it go.
I’m just happy that I got to be at the table.
Okay. Love you. Bye.
by 