The White Lotus Post-Season 3 Awards

The 2nd installment (actually the 3rd installment - if you're an Industry fan I'll add that as a suggested post below here) of the Post-Season Awards, this time for The White Lotus. This was a divisive season amongst fans, but the discourse surrounding it has never been more active. In this blog I'll hand out some awards much like the NBA or NFL does to help explain my thoughts on the season as a whole.

Rookie of the Year

(actor/actress unknown to me prior to the show)

Nominees: Aimee Lou Wood (Chelsea), Sarah Catherine Hook (Piper), Sam Nivola (Lochlan)

One of the reasons I like The White Lotus is that every season they seem to bring in relatively unknown and lesser-known actors for key roles. Sydney Sweeney and Fred Hechinger have become much bigger stars since S1, Meghann Fahy/Will Sharpe/Leo Woodall were no ones to me in S2, and there's a whole batch in S3.

For me, Aimee Lou Wood is not only giving the best performance, but is also the only character I'm truly interested in among the nominees. Lochlan plays a big role and I think Nivola does well, but Piper is mostly on the sidelines, and neither character intrigues me. Chelsea is funny, cute, sweet, and is one of the few characters I feel like everyone's rooting for beginning to end.

Most Improved Player of the Year

(character who improved the most from ep 1 to ep 8)

Nominees: Rick, Saxon, Laurie

Loaded category because in my eyes, these 3 characters improved vastly throughout the season. I think Rick was a brooding, quiet, mysterious man early - but once we learn his motivations becomes more compelling in the finale (I didn't love his storyline overall though). Laurie is probably my favorite character by the finale, but I liked her a lot early in the season as well.

Saxon takes the cake for me. He was truly revolting in the first few episodes, and honestly when you look at everything he did in the season, some things are tough to forgive. However, after the in(cest)cident with Lochlan, he was no longer the cocky, douchey finance bro persona. We see more of his humanity, see him actually trying to make a connection with Chelsea, making efforts to be a better person. It's worth a lot in my eyes - and selfishly I'm glad he turned that corner because Patrick Schwarzenegger is way too likeable to be a fucking freak all season.

Comeback Player of the Year

(best returning character)

Nominees: Belinda and Greg/Gary

Only 2 returners this season, same as season 2, and I couldn't think of any good joke nominees. Perhaps we could nominate Chloe -- that messy French-Canadian whore -- in attempt to poke fun at her aforementioned whoring. Or perhaps Lochlan, if we wanted to theorize that he turned around to capture his brother's load that night on the yacht.

But alas, there's just Belinda and Greg/Gary on this family-friendly blog. And I don't like either of these two -- one being boring and one being a criminal. They're the big winners at the end of the day: Belinda making $5 mil and Greg getting to stay in Thailand to cuck as he pleases. So I'll give Belinda the nod.

6th Man of the Year

(best low usage/low screentime character)

Nominees: Pornchai, The Russians, Frank

Could go with Fabian or Sritala or Jim Morrison for this as well. And the one Russian's girlfriend who barged in on him and Laurie was funny too -- 10th man off the bench that knocks down a few threes type of energy. Pornchai got Tanya'd by Belinda for sure, I feel for the guy. And the Russian's definitely have their moments. But the clear winner is Frank, aka the absolute wildcard Rick meets in Bangkok played by Sam Rockwell. We'll revisit him in the WTF category.

Defensive Player of the Year

Nominees: Jaclyn, Kate, Tim

I can tell you that Gaitok didn't make the shortlist here. He was essentially the Jordan Poole of this category letting Russians rob the resort, losing the gun, leaving his post constantly. Tim earns a nomination for intercepting that gun from Gaitok's desk literal seconds after he took it out of the safe. Kate defends Jaclyn toward the end of the season (but kinda sorta shit-talked her the whole time). But no one defends herself more than Jaclyn -- evidence by her denying boning Valentin the entire time and flipping it on Laurie.

Least Valuable Player

Nominees: Gaitok, Rick, Tim Ratliff

I actually try to like Gaitok to my credit -- credit to me. But I just couldn't do it. You don't want to fight? I get it brother. But we have to lock in. Not being a killer is okay, but can't be letting killers and robbers in the gates. Can't be losing guns. Can't win with it, Gaitok.

Not liking Rick is tough for me as a Walton Goggins fan. But the character just isn't very interesting to me. It's no fault of his own. He's acting his ass off, but what he's given to do hasn't been particularly interesting to me. His arc in the finale worked for me, the character didn’t for 5/8 of the season.

For me, it was always going to be Tim Ratliff. For starters, motherfucker went to Duke. Without any more context, you can probably infer that he's a fraud who abuses drugs and attempts a murder suicide of 4/5 of his family members. He arrives as an intriguing character in crisis when he gets a call that the FBI know of his money laundering. Shortly after he becomes a suicidal, Lorazepam-addicted robot never speaking louder than a dull roar. The plot for Tim in theory is interesting, I just don't think it was a good performance and was for too monotone/dull.

Funniest Character

Nominees: Victoria, Fabian, Chelsea

One of the best things about this show consistently is that any and every character can make you laugh. I think there were a few less in this season (maybe an over-arching problem, I don't think so). All 3 Girls Trippers have moments, Rick might have the funniest scene reacting to Rockwell's monologue, Saxon certainly tries. Fabian makes me laugh just by the performance - and him screaming-jumping into the lake made me lose it. Chelsea has lots of funny moments through how she reacts to people, and her accent makes everything sound funnier. But Victoria Ratliff, and Parker Posey on talk shows, has taken the internet by storm. And it should be - she's hilarious and has the majority of the memorable lines from the season.

Best Scene of the Season

Nominees: The Republican Dinner Scene, Rick's Final Shootout, Laurie's Dinner Speech

The best scene/moment of the season isn't on this list because it's the next category's winner, but I think there are lots of memorable moments from S3. I think the 3 of these are very different scenes that capture different reasons I like the show.

The dinner scene with Jaclyn, Kate, and Laurie talking about Kate's politics is hysterical to me. Kate's facial expressions when they ask if she's Republican is golden. The Final Shootout for Rick is chaotic, surprising, revealing, and sad at the end. But it was the first momentous time in the season where something major happens, and finally pays off the opening scene of Episode 1.

But I'm giving the nod to Carrie Coon/Laurie's speech in the finale. My last favorite aspect of the show -- the acting -- is on full display with this one. I almost always think the actors do a great job in the different seasons, and Carrie Coon's one of the best in S3 for me. Sad and passionate speech to put a bow on the Girls Trip storyline.

WTF Moment of the Season

Nominees: Saxon and Lochlan, Tim's Dream/Vision, Frank's Monologue to Rick

I have a lot to get to here but I will try my best to be brief. Timbo to start -- a little cheap to open an episode with the vision of a guy un-aliving himself and his wife and daughter finding his dead body. But yeah, it got the fucking job done for shock value.

Sax and Lochy. Oh brother. This is really a series of moments, but to capture it in just one, it is when Chloe reveals to Saxon what happened the night before. The look on his face was priceless (some great reactions from Patty Schwarz this season). Fucking nightmare fuel. Heinous, vile, deplorable acts from Mike White this season. But much like Lochlan surely felt about his brother Saxon whilst fucking Chloe, I don't want to blue ball you all anymore. So without further ado..

Sam Rockwell as Frank. What an epic surprise that was. For me at least - I was fired the fuck up. And that excitement was quickly turned to horror shortly after he and Rick sat down for dinner. Imagine this pitch from Mike White to Rockwell. "Hey Sam, I know you're gonna come stay with Leslie for a few days. I got this little side part for you. Here's the headline: he likes to get dressed up like a Thai girl and get railed out by different men every night. Sometimes multiple. Don't hang up." It's just utterly shocking. I watched it next to my girlfriend (who hasn't watched the new season) and my jaw was on the floor. I was making the same face as Goggins. It's the most batshit scene I've scene in years. Hats off.

Most Valuable Player

Nominees: Laurie, Victoria, Saxon, Mike White

Mike White gets the extra nomination because he's once again created a gripping, fascinating, heavily-talked-about season of TV that garnered millions of eyeballs (regardless of whether you liked it, you watched - shoutout Pete Weber).

Strongly considered Saxon for his glow-up throughout the season, but he's still a trust fund creep who went to Duke and got jerked off by his brother. PASS. I also considered Saxon's mom Victoria because she makes me laugh the most of anyone in the cast, but the Ratliff family as a whole doesn't move the needle enough for me, and I wasn't particularly fond of their ending.

So my pick for MVP of Season 3 White Lotus is Laurie. She's the ultimate 5-tool player in this show - she can make you laugh, tug on the heart strings, reaction/facial expression all-star, physical actor (the dance moves were legit we all saw it), and had the best story arc. And did I mention she showed tits? (and ass) She does, it rocked. Her Character rocked. Game over.

1st Team All-White-Lotus

• Laurie (Carrie Coon)

• Victoria (Parker Posey)

• Saxon (Patrick Schwarzenegger)

• Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood)

• Rick (Walton Goggins)((for finale only and because Goggins is a legend + Sam Rockwell))

Mid Team All-White Lotus

• Kate (Leslie Bibb)

• Lochlan (Sam Nivola)

• Piper (Sarah Catherine Hook)

• Greg/Gary (Jon Gries)

• Chloe (Charlotte Le Bon)

Worst Team All-White-Lotus (aka worst characters)

• Tim (Jason Isaacs)

• Gaitok (Tayme)

• Mook (Lisa)

• Belinda (Natasha Rothwell)

• Jaclyn (Michelle Monaghan)

If you liked this blog - give my next The White Lotus blog a read below. I wrote up some actors I'd love to see in Season 4 of White Lotus, as well as locations it'd be incredible to go to, PLUS addressing the "All-star" cast rumors from Mike White himself by picking the players I think we would be for an All-stars season (from the ones that are still alive, of course).

Or give either my Severance or Industry Post-Season Awards blog a read if you haven't -- also linked below. Comment who would've been your MVP, LVP, or Favorite moment below!