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Managing editor & film and television critic with a Bachelor's of Arts in English Literature with a Writing Minor from the University of Guam. Currently in graduate school completing a Master's in English Literature.
I was actually able to see this episode of The White Lotus before I went on vacation. However, I couldn’t seem to get to writing my review during the two weeks that I was away. Today, I returned to the episode right when the next one is premiering on television, so let me tell you what I have to say!
The third episode of Mike White’s comedy satire show (titled “Mysterious Monkeys”) presents the audience with a little conflict to the premises of the eponymous Pacific island hotel! As usual, he serves as the writer/director of the HBO miniseries. This review will include spoilers, as the title of the article suggests. Please read ahead at your own discretion.
Plot Summary
As per HBO, here is the synopsis of this third episode.
Stripped of his gadgets, Quinn (Fred Hechinger) reluctantly takes a scuba class with Mark (Steve Zahn), who’s struggling to process revelations regarding his late father. Hoping to reignite the spark with Rachel (Alexandra Daddario), Shane (Jake Lacy) enlists Armond (Murray Bartlett) to help plan a romantic evening. Tanya (Jennifer Coolidge) leans on Belinda (Natasha Rothwell) for support as she scatters her mother’s ashes at sea. Paula (Brittany O’Grady) keeps a secret from a suspicious Olivia (Sydney Sweeney).
Connie Britton appears as the Mossbacher matriarch, Nicole. Lukas Gage plays Dillon, a staffer at the White Lotus, while Kekoa Scott Kekumano plays Kai, a staffer at the hotel who forms a sexual bond with Paula.
Discussion
“Mysterious Monkeys” is an interesting title for this episode of the series. While “Arrivals” and “New Day” are aimed at something related to vacation, Episode 3’s title has a deeper meaning. It derives from a piece of dialogue that Mark Mossbacher tells his son during their scuba lesson. He says, “We’re just monkeys living in our own monkey pods, driven by base instincts to create these hierarchies and hump each other.”
This episode of Mike White’s limited series looks at the evolution of the human being and such hierarchies that are established. Shane Patton and his wife Rachel move out of their need for a good room and yearn for a need that is more sexual. Conversely, Mark is the opposite, dealing with his former father’s life as a closet homosexual. I’d say that Armond is right in the middle, dealing with both drug abuse (having stolen the substances from Olivia and Paula) and alcohol abuse. It isn’t clear what Armond’s goal is, as he relies on substances and some sexual gratification.
We also have Quinn, who is left without a phone, laptop, gaming device, etc. to keep him company. This is a relatable feeling to have in the summertime, or more generally when one is on vacation. What will you have to occupy your time away from home? The other option lies with his sister and her friend, who are seen reading Camille Paglia’s Sexual Personae and Frantz Fanon’s The Wretched of the Earth, respectively.
Another thing Mark tells his son is: “It’s natural to want something new,” which is the opposite of what his wife, Nicole, is doing. That is, attending to work-related matters rather than spending time with her family. Talk about hypocritical rhetoric.
Performances and Character Developments
After this second viewing, I was actually in awe at how well all the actors perform in this episode. Specifically, I am talking about Bartlett, Coolidge, Daddario, Hechinger, Lacy, Rothwell, Sweeney, and Zahn.
In terms of character development, Daddario’s Rachel feels challenged in her marriage. Shane isn’t giving her the love, attention, and support that she needs. (Again, this can be found in Maslow’s famous Hierarchy of Needs.) Mark also develops well here, now teaching his son that it is okay to share personal matters with his father.
On Armond’s desk, we can see three monkey statuettes, each with their hands on different parts of their bodies. It is as if to say, “Hear no evil, see no evil, and speak no evil”. In the case of the Mossbachers, homosexuality is something that isn’t normal, but Olivia challenges this. She tells her father that there are positives to being in such a way. On the other hand, she also endures some character development when she discovers Paula having sex with Kai. This suggests that she is homosexual herself through her jealousy of her best friend with another person.
Final Thoughts
Now that we are halfway through White’s series, it is clear as to what explicit message(s) may be delivered. Having been on vacation myself does open my eyes to what is around me. This can change a person; sometimes for the better, and other times not. Aside from Belinda, who has a professional opportunity in the works (no pun intended), the other characters are met with some form of conflict.
For Mark and Olivia Mossbacher, it’s sexual matters; with Nicole and Quinn, it’s properly making use of their time at the hotel. For Rachel, it’s getting her husband to focus on what is most important to them. Finally, for Armond, it’s being truthful with himself and not running when others come to his aid. He needs to return the girls’ bag and he needs to resolve his issues with Shane. What makes these monkeys so mysterious is that not any two of them are the same.
Mike White’s limited series, The White Lotus, is now on HBO. Check it out now! And take a look at our reviews on The White Lotus Episode 1 and Episode 2!
Have you seen the former half of this limited series? What are your thoughts on it? Let us know! For more comedy-related news and reviews visit and follow The Cinema Spot on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!
Managing editor & film and television critic with a Bachelor's of Arts in English Literature with a Writing Minor from the University of Guam. Currently in graduate school completing a Master's in English Literature.
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