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Mallory Rubin
This episode of the Prestige TV podcast is brought to you by Coffee Mate.
Joanna Robinson
Coffee Mate has been searching the globe for flavors that pair perfectly with coffee.
Mallory Rubin
So when they heard that the new season of HBO's the White Lotus was set in Thailand, they were inspired to brew up two new flavors. Thai iced coffee and Pina colada flavored creamers.
Joanna Robinson
They're available for a short time only, so for the love of coffee, go try them now.
Bill Simmons
The Prestige TV podcast is brought to you by the Ringer Podcast Network, where you can find House of Bar with Mallory and Joanna. You can find all the severance stuff you and Rob did.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah. All the severe.
Bill Simmons
The season ended.
Joanna Robinson
What a season.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah.
Bill Simmons
I can't believe everyone died. That was crazy. Who would have saw that coming? You can watch this as a video podcast on Spotify. I hope you are. You can watch it on the Ringer Dash TV YouTube channel. And I'm starting to get sad because this is episode six of White Lotus and we only have a couple left. We only have one more pre tape, and then usually we don't get the screeners for the finale. So we're gonna do that one live.
Mallory Rubin
Live. Sunday night, live finale. That's very exciting.
Bill Simmons
Sunday night.
Mallory Rubin
You love a live reaction pod.
Joanna Robinson
I would be thrilled to watch the White Lotus finale with the three of us and then immediately talk about it genuinely. Will someone turn to the other and say, you're soulless? Sad could happen.
Mallory Rubin
Will you show up with Saxon's hangover hair?
Joanna Robinson
It's entirely possible. As you know, I'm considering buying one of Locky's shirts. I told you both that I've been served Lakis outfits on Instagram, which I am deeply disturbed by.
Mallory Rubin
You don't want to embrace your inner Laki?
Joanna Robinson
No.
Mallory Rubin
Okay. Little sleight of hand, Mallory. No.
Bill Simmons
We're going to dive into all this and Buddhism. Episode six is next. This episode is brought to you by Hookah. I've got to talk to you guys about the Bondi 9, the new daily trainer from Hookah. The Bondi 9 delivers peak plushness for everyday miles. Overhauled from top to bottom, they've increased the stack height and added a new premium foam midsole to deliver that soft, resilient ride that's become synonymous with the Bondi. And look, I walk a lot. I walk all around la. You need good shoes for that. These are perfect. Everybody Bondi. Visit hookah.com, h O-K-A.com to learn more about the Bondi Nine. All right, tough to follow episode five, which was a banger. And yet episode six did its own banging.
Joanna Robinson
Boy did.
Mallory Rubin
Boy did it. I liked this one even better. Yeah, I thought this one was phenomenal.
Joanna Robinson
They're on a heater, man.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah.
Joanna Robinson
Every episode is better than the last.
Bill Simmons
We were concerned, intrigued, worried where they were going to go with the brothers storyline.
Mallory Rubin
Tantalized. Scared. Yeah.
Joanna Robinson
And you.
Mallory Rubin
You. So you said you didn't want this. When we asked last week, do you want to go beyond kissing?
Bill Simmons
You were like, still don't want it?
Joanna Robinson
No.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah.
Bill Simmons
Still definitely don't want it. Uh. Man, did they go for it.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah.
Joanna Robinson
Yes.
Bill Simmons
Holy mackerel. So the answer of, oh, I wonder how far they're going to go with the brothers. Well, they went really far. And now the only thing left for Mike White to do on White Lotus, I think is necrophilia.
Joanna Robinson
Oh, well, give it time.
Mallory Rubin
We've got. We're doing Cold, Cold White Lotus next season.
Joanna Robinson
You guys remember the simpler times when Saxon opened the season wondering where and how he'd jerk off while sharing a hotel room with his brother?
Bill Simmons
Yeah.
Joanna Robinson
Turns out it's not going to be a problem. Saxon, your brother's going to jerk you, lend you a hand in the cabin of a boat. I loved when they swapped swim trunks. And it's like, what won't they share?
Bill Simmons
Jesus. Well, when we see the flashback, initially, it looks like he's jerking off.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah.
Bill Simmons
Some great camera angle is having sex with Chloe, and I'm like, all right, that's pretty disturbing. And then 10 minutes later, nope, nope. He's getting some help.
Mallory Rubin
Sure is.
Bill Simmons
Lines were crossed. I don't know. I don't know what we are recording this before we know what America's reaction will be to this. And I'm curious, what do you think America's reaction will be?
Joanna Robinson
I think saying lines are crossed is a safe. A safe play. I think you're gonna be okay.
Mallory Rubin
I mean, like, are people gonna say, this is a line too far for their Sunday night hbo? I feel like people are gonna. Some people are gonna say that, but for the most part, I feel like people are gonna be like, we love how depraved this is.
Bill Simmons
Yeah, well, I'm trying to. And I haven't watched all the HBO shows, but HBO has been in my life, my whole life. Even to when we had the little box in my dad's apartment in Brookline, Massachusetts, where you turned it on and off. I'm trying to think of the craziest, most depraved things I've seen, and the bar for me was always Adebisi raping the Mafia's son in Oz and putting his headphones on during it because he wanted some entertainment. And I remember thinking, they're never going to top this. They have topped it over and over again on HBO since. And this is now, I think, up there.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah.
Bill Simmons
I mean, girls had one. Girls had the cum shot episode.
Joanna Robinson
Oh, yeah.
Bill Simmons
Which I remember thinking, like, oh, my God. I think that's the final line. But this might be.
Mallory Rubin
I feel like a. A nation raised on Game of Thrones is, like, ready. You know what I mean?
Bill Simmons
Right, Game of Thrones. But Game of Thrones could always hide behind. This is a weird, crazy fantasy world dragon theme.
Joanna Robinson
Even in a fantasy world, when Daemon Targaryen has a Harrenhal fever dream that he's performing oral sex on his own mother. It's notable. It's notable.
Bill Simmons
It's a good point.
Joanna Robinson
And that is what we are accustomed to seeing on our Sunday night.
Mallory Rubin
So this was like a yawn, old hat for you. You were just like, no, no big deal, little brother and brother.
Joanna Robinson
I did feel, like, proud of this group of Game of Thrones viewers for clocking from minute one that we were headed to incest down here. I mean, we weren't alone. No, we were not alone, but we were rewarded.
Bill Simmons
Well, in.
Joanna Robinson
In retrospect, I don't know.
Bill Simmons
Having Locky check out his brother's ass at the end of episode one might have been a red flag.
Mallory Rubin
Saxon gets to check out his ass.
Joanna Robinson
And the mirroring and the inversions, like, right down to flipping which side they're on in the bed. And Saxon looking over at Locky's ass this time, like, it's good. The number of things that were there from the first couple episodes with the fancy cougars, how we've been trained all season long to expect that they're able to hear and see things from each other's bedrooms across that villa. So when Kate sees Valentine leaving, we're not like, oh, how convenient. We're like, yeah, we've been readying for something like that. From the word go.
Mallory Rubin
What I loved is that when they were gossiping about her at the pool and Jacqueline's like, I'm right here. I can hear you. You know, like, that was great.
Bill Simmons
So we dove into this a little on episode five. That you were really interested in the Locky part of this. Yeah, that this is like some weird power over his brother, who's like a bully to him and just ridicules him.
Mallory Rubin
What's interesting is Sam Navola gave an Interview where he was like, that's not what's going on. His interpretation is that Lockie just really wanted attention to impress his brother. And all he had like rattling around his drug addled brain was, my brother said we have to get laid. My brother says we have to get laid. My brother says we have to get laid. So we'll get laid. You know, so I don't like. There are shots in this episode, you know, where he's almost like smirking in a way that I was wondering if that's what was going on. But according to the actor and I, you know, I guess, I guess he knows a little bit more than I do about his own character. That it's something else that it's like attention seeking and trying to impress. And I think it's interesting that he goes off with Piper in this episode, you know, True.
Bill Simmons
He's just a really good sibling.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah, he's just really supportive.
Bill Simmons
Please.
Mallory Rubin
Ready, Ready to lend a hand.
Bill Simmons
See, this is why I don't like those interviews during the season.
Joanna Robinson
Oh, man.
Mallory Rubin
But you talk directly to the people.
Bill Simmons
I try not to. After I found out about the Rockwell surprise, I was like, I don't want any more info. But I will say I do avoid those interviews because I don't want anything to prejudice how I'm feeling when I'm watching. You know what I mean? I interpreted it because if you're doing these shows correctly, it's almost like reading a book when you're sitting in college and the English majors are all giving their theories on what they saw.
Mallory Rubin
Stupid English majors.
Bill Simmons
Yeah, that was stupid. But I think Mike White, I do think he cares about that. Like, I'm throwing this out there. I'm really interested to see how people take this and run with it once it's in the world.
Joanna Robinson
I would say that in White Lotus of all shows, we still have the COVID of, like, whether it's the performer or the analyst or the characters themselves. So much of the core proposition is trying to interrogate your own behavior or being afraid to interrogate your own behavior. And so there's room for interpretation no matter what.
Mallory Rubin
I think that's true.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah.
Bill Simmons
I had that as one of the big takeaways for this episode. You know, we start with the big takeaways that might half ass format along with everyone on the show is now lying or pretending or it's fantastic doing some different version of what they actually are or who they are. Even Belinda, the. The sun here's Zion. It's like, hey, baby, can you give me A second.
Joanna Robinson
You called this. You're like, how early? Okay, so she told him to come right to the hotel room. How early is too early? I have to. I have a note for the White Lotus Hotel chain. I know she told her son to come right there. However, I still think if you're bringing someone to the room, you call ahead and. Or you knock. You don't.
Mallory Rubin
Just one knock.
Joanna Robinson
The door would be one knock.
Mallory Rubin
They have a remarkably healthy relationship. Full of Scarface advice.
Joanna Robinson
Incredible stuff.
Bill Simmons
I'm just trying.
Joanna Robinson
Did you take some parenting notes?
Bill Simmons
Well, I was just thinking my wife and my son in the same scenario. If I was dead and my wife was getting it on with poor child, with some guy she met at the.
Joanna Robinson
White Lotus Dare to Dream. Not about you being dead.
Bill Simmons
My son would have been, I think, 130 times more horrified.
Mallory Rubin
Oh, yeah.
Joanna Robinson
Zion took it.
Bill Simmons
Zion took it Great.
Mallory Rubin
They have just, like a very.
Joanna Robinson
I mean. But he's like. No, perhaps he. I mean, he showed up from. From Global Travel wearing Travis Scott one high mochas. Like, Zion is elite. I have no notes on Zion.
Mallory Rubin
I really love incredible phone headphone placement.
Joanna Robinson
Great stuff.
Bill Simmons
Yeah. Your worst fear as a kid, other.
Joanna Robinson
Than divorce, for some of us, it's just reality. From day one, you can't fear. What? You can't fear the only thing you've ever happened.
Bill Simmons
Your worst fear as a kid is walking in on your parents or. Or parent and step parent having sex would be number one on the list. And then your worst fear as a parent is your kids walking in on you having sex.
Mallory Rubin
Is that your worst fear? Is it your worst fear that they're gonna go take drugs at a full moon?
Bill Simmons
Well, maybe that, too. Yeah.
Mallory Rubin
They end up in an episode too.
Bill Simmons
Close, but he took that well. Anyway, everyone's lying or pretending. Now there's a takeaway.
Joanna Robinson
Yep.
Bill Simmons
There's real danger in the air now. There's danger in death now. Now looming. There's people starting to seem evil or seem like. So we'll get into all that. This show's made Buddhism seem really cool. I'm really starting to think about it. Are we missing out?
Mallory Rubin
That was my favorite scene of the series.
Bill Simmons
Are we missing out on Buddhism?
Mallory Rubin
Tim and the monk.
Joanna Robinson
Oh, God.
Mallory Rubin
I thought that was.
Bill Simmons
That was the best scene of the episode.
Joanna Robinson
We've been praising the Jason Isaacs performance all season. Yeah, I thought he hit yet another gear in the understated longing and anguish across the scenes in this episode. It's just tremendous. So are you now because you're intrigued by Buddhism, Are you continuing to amend your initial stance on visiting China. Thank you.
Bill Simmons
Visiting Taiwan.
Joanna Robinson
On visiting the White Lotus in Phuket. What do you think? Should we take a trip?
Bill Simmons
I have thought more about Buddhism and maybe getting a guru.
Mallory Rubin
Okay, great. No, there it is.
Bill Simmons
Listen. The drops of water, you leave. You leave the ocean. You're a drop. And then you fall back down and you're meant to end up in the ocean again. I was like, you know what?
Joanna Robinson
Happy return. Lovely.
Bill Simmons
This is great.
Mallory Rubin
I loved that.
Bill Simmons
What was that guy's name?
Joanna Robinson
Beautiful.
Mallory Rubin
The Monk.
Bill Simmons
Yeah, it is that name, right?
Mallory Rubin
I bet Mallory wrote it down.
Joanna Robinson
Luang Portiera.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah.
Bill Simmons
All right, so we'll get into that. And then, last big takeaway. Carrie Coon activated. We plugged her in.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah.
Bill Simmons
These last two episodes, she is now fully an electric guitar and not just an acoustic guitar.
Mallory Rubin
Lawyer Lori has entered the astonishing stuff.
Bill Simmons
From the cough, blowing away the other cougars. Now on everything, she played it. She played it koi for, like. It was like a football team just handing off and be like, we're not gonna throw deep. Not gonna. And then now she's bombing away.
Joanna Robinson
They had the plays drawn up. They had the plays dropped.
Bill Simmons
She's like, third quarter, I'm bombing away. Anything else? Big takeaways before we get to the episode.
Joanna Robinson
Oh, man.
Mallory Rubin
I'm just really glad that Chelsea stayed safe and away from Saxon.
Joanna Robinson
We didn't think. And ultimately Rick. And what we saw on Rick's face last episode with Frank probably will never be matched in the history of television. However, Chelsea listening to Chloe tell Saxon that Locky had jerked him off pretty close on the facial expression front, astonishing stuff for Chelsea.
Mallory Rubin
And the fact that that comes on the heels of her being like, oh, you're soulless.
Bill Simmons
Yeah, that was a great.
Joanna Robinson
My guy Saxon is really going through it. I guess on the big takeaways front, this is another day that did not go into the night.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah. Yeah. Because we've got the Muay Thai effect.
Joanna Robinson
So, like, the structure of what we would expect inside of an episode of White Lotus continues to kind of be shattered. And now I'm like, wait, give us non. Give us 10. Like, I'm not ready.
Bill Simmons
How many days have we had? Is this, like, day four? I think this is day four, three.
Mallory Rubin
And then four and five. So this is day five, right?
Joanna Robinson
Yes. And we still. So tonight, which I guess will be episode seven, we've got the Muay Thai fight, the sleepover at the monastery, the party at Greg Gary's party at my house. Please come.
Bill Simmons
Super creepy, mysterious, unfriendly guy. I'm having some people over. Any interest?
Joanna Robinson
Is that Fabian singing the Mook guy talk date? Obviously Rick meeting Hollinger. Like all of that is going to be contained to one evening. So is episode 7 also just part of the same day? Does the shootout happen before the end of the week in the finale or.
Mallory Rubin
Is a five day week?
Joanna Robinson
I get more house because the travel, the length of the travel, the time at the resort is shorter.
Bill Simmons
So it puts the gunfire from episode one on a Saturday. Then if we're headed toward Friday, the fights. That's episode.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah, yeah, seven.
Bill Simmons
And then the last episode will be that Saturday.
Mallory Rubin
It's a five day thing because I just got here.
Joanna Robinson
I mean it's a lot of travel for just a couple days. But Belinda is staying longer than the week, so that's. Yeah, that's good.
Bill Simmons
We start the episode with Tim and a Duke sweatshirt. T shirt. T shirt.
Joanna Robinson
T shirt.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah, it was a T shirt. How do you feel about a fake out dream sequence?
Bill Simmons
It worked. I thought it was real. Did you think it was real? I actually thought it was real.
Joanna Robinson
I did not think it was real. Mostly because I had convinced myself that we were getting the meaningful Tim scene at the monastery that was going to come. And I just felt like being cheated of that would have.
Bill Simmons
Was this like a trailer studying thing by you?
Joanna Robinson
No, no.
Mallory Rubin
But I will say. And I didn't study these trailers, but I do know that people.
Joanna Robinson
I think the Piper scream was in the trailer.
Mallory Rubin
I think. I think people got a little faked out by some of this stuff in the trailer.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah.
Mallory Rubin
Dream blue tinged dream sequences in.
Bill Simmons
I don't mind dream sequences like this. Where it went up the rails was the Sopranos when they would do entire, entire episodes. Joe doesn't know what I'm talking about. They do entire dream sequence episodes one day and it was like, come on, guys. It feels like we're. We're not getting anywhere else.
Joanna Robinson
I didn't mind it because we got then the second one later when Tim envisioned and daydreamed about not only killing himself, but about killing Vicky and apologizing. And I thought in general Tim confronting like he's been spending so much of the season thinking about his own fall. Like, I won't be able to go back to work. I won't be able to be the person I was. I'd rather die than go to jail. And to have to think about what it would be like for his family to find him. For his family to confront his death in that way. I thought was important for the character.
Mallory Rubin
This is why we've been getting emails all season about the idea of, like, a family Annihilator, which is a technical term of like, you know, a well heeled businessman who loses everything and then not only kills himself, but kills his entire family because, like, he can't face the shame, but also does not want his family exposed to it either. And that's like a known thing. And so people have been wondering. That feels too dark. And especially since we saw Tim have this, hopefully, moment of enlightenment at the monastery. This is not where Tim is headed, but I think that that's why people were worried that that might be an instinct for him.
Joanna Robinson
Right.
Mallory Rubin
Especially, yeah, when we hear Victoria.
Bill Simmons
Family Annihilator. Family Annihilator sounds like the worst Netflix series ever. Season four of Family Annihilator. We're going to Kansas City.
Joanna Robinson
I don't know. I think the algorithm would love that one, honestly.
Mallory Rubin
I'm sure it exists on, like, TLC or something.
Bill Simmons
I will say I thought about this during episode five and I didn't want to voice it because I think we all like Jason Isaacs, but it's like, I think they've shaded it a little too much toward this guy. His life's falling apart. It's kind of like, we get it. It's starting to feel a little one note to me, which is why I thought this scene with the monk was so important, because it was like, okay, now it's not just him being like.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah, what I love.
Bill Simmons
He was doing it for three episodes.
Mallory Rubin
I kind of agree with you. But on the other hand, I do think. I do think that it's important for us to think about where we meet him in episode one. Like that guy who walks into the villa, big swinging dick and is just sort of like, I did this. And like, you know, in every way, right?
Bill Simmons
Big swinging, prosthetic dick.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah, I did this. And then to get him to the monastery, I do think we need to sort of really be with him. So we're not like, well, that was a quick, you know, complete turnaround on this character.
Joanna Robinson
That is the thing about the structure of these seasons. It's gonna be two months for us, but it's a week for the characters. Like, it's just a week, a couple days of his life falling apart. I continue to think that the Ratliffs have been the most compelling. And the family set that's giving us the most notes. Other than Vicky, though, that's obviously deliberate, that she is, like, always operating in this one little Frequency wave of parody. I was feeling that with Guy Talk this episode. Like no variance in though I think that we are moving toward a impactful conclusion for him.
Mallory Rubin
The tension for me to go back to Tim for a second. I am going to cite an interview, but it's not hopefully too you cite all the interviews. You want that like Jason Isis was talking about the challenge of playing this character who is never talking about how he's feeling, you know, so it's all an internal performance. And I hear what you're saying about it being repetitive, but it's just sort of like I think for people, especially people who might be second screening White Lotus, like you really need to drive something like that where there's no conversation around what's going on. It's all internal to him, to Guy Talk. I, I, on the one hand I agree. On the other hand, I was very tense, I mean and very worried that he was gonna get caught and accused of stealing lorazepam or something like that from the, from the villas.
Joanna Robinson
Still possible. Just FYI, Vicki's like, who took my pills? And they see him going into the villa on that CCTV footage. It's still possible.
Bill Simmons
Yeah, it's be working at the snake shop.
Joanna Robinson
But we need him ultimately to remain free of Vicky's accusations so that he can fire his gun after a monkey scares someone. We still need all that to happen.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah, yeah.
Joanna Robinson
Perhaps because of poison fruit. It's all still in play.
Mallory Rubin
And toilet snakes.
Bill Simmons
And Vicky thinks Tim's upset about Piper and potentially staying there for the year and just is the all time wife that cannot read any signals whatsoever.
Mallory Rubin
Do you think she found out that like she's not, she seems fine without her lorazepam. She seems the same.
Bill Simmons
Well, now she's just boozing in.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah, she's boozing and I guess she's a little bit more alert at the monastery and that she's like running a gambit on her daughter where she's like.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah, she's like, let me call your blood.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah, go ahead, spend a night here. Let's see how that goes for you.
Joanna Robinson
I saw how they lived. It's grim.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah, grim.
Bill Simmons
We'll take a break and then we'll talk about the cougars.
Jason Isaacs
This episode is brought to you by Athletic Brewing Company. Non alcoholic brews. The other day was golfing with some of the guys. They're like, hey, you want anything? I was like, I'm an adult, I got stuff to do tonight. I'm not doing one of these like semi retired deals. 18 holes and see how it goes. Luckily, Athletic Brewing Company had reached out to me. They sent me a bunch of stuff including the Irish Red or the Run Wild ipa and my personal favorite, Upside Dawn. A nice little golden goes well with a few holes of golf this March. Don't miss the sports action with athletic. Head to athleticbrewing.com ringer to find it near you or shop online. That's athleticbrewing.com R I N G E R to find award winning athletic n a brews near you. Athletic Brewing Co. Fit for all times near beer.
Bill Simmons
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Mallory Rubin
Yeah.
Bill Simmons
Seemed like he had a great night.
Mallory Rubin
Sure did.
Joanna Robinson
All smiles.
Bill Simmons
Right at work. Since I could be a great, great addition to the Ringer staff. Guys going all night, sleeps would shower. Sleeps for a half hour back at work. That's smile on his face.
Mallory Rubin
That's the Mally Ruben.
Joanna Robinson
He can multitask.
Bill Simmons
You know, it's just unbelievable. He's. He's a party planner.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah, yeah.
Bill Simmons
He's a great butler. He's a great host.
Mallory Rubin
Great job. Introduce you to wonderful people.
Joanna Robinson
Exactly.
Bill Simmons
Anyway, loves a life stuck on Kate. Sees him.
Mallory Rubin
Kate. I love this detail. Kate's. It's really early, but Kate's on the phone because of the time difference. She's like talking to her kids on.
Joanna Robinson
The phone or Dave, give me the latest on Trump. What's he up to?
Mallory Rubin
Daniel, are you soaking the beans for what I return?
Bill Simmons
Well, she wasn't hungover either because she, she probably had like a drink and a half.
Joanna Robinson
You know, she put those pajamas on and she was just trying really hard to get everyone out of there so she could go to bed and then wake up early to blow up the friend.
Bill Simmons
But because this is what makes the Cougars so great. They're best friends. They've been best friends forever. She can't wait to tell Lori breakfast. Okay. Literally can't even wait until the food's there to give her that one.
Mallory Rubin
I love this because they're. They've all been gossiping about each Other. But, like, Kate is always in the one who's relished it the most. She gets this cat away, the canary sort of smile on her face every time. So she's so excited to tell Lori this, and then she's like, oh, no. Yeah, I just kicked something off and tries to put the cat back in the bag, but it is not. It's impossible.
Joanna Robinson
It is funny. I am laughing.
Bill Simmons
So you're. You're buying that she didn't realize that Carrie Coon was going to get that upset.
Mallory Rubin
I didn't think she thought it would. She would get that upset.
Bill Simmons
Oh, I see. I disagree. I think these three women hate each other, and she couldn't wait to stick it to her with that one because they're out the whole night and she's watching Carrie Coon the whole night going.
Mallory Rubin
No, I don't think.
Bill Simmons
Oh, I wonder if she's going to have a threesome with these two Russian guys. And then all of a sudden, I don't think.
Mallory Rubin
I don't think it didn't cross her mind that Carrie Coon might be upset. I think she thought Laurie would keep it to herself and not. It's. It's like the fallout that she doesn't want. She doesn't want. And then when she gets implicated in it, when Laurie's like, well, Kate's the one who told me. Wonderful.
Bill Simmons
But she's known Laurie since, what, eighth grade? She knows, like, if once you activate her, I would assume she has enough history with that character to be like, oh, she's gonna. She's just gonna start doing this.
Joanna Robinson
Certainly given that one of the notes that Laurie is hitting repeatedly throughout the episode is like, nobody ever changed. We are always, like, kind of stuck as these earlier versions of ourselves, when one of us was your hands and one of us was your feet. Right. So I think that this. Every single. Obviously, it's like a heightened circumstance, but every single thing from all three of them that happened in this episode felt so true to friendship to me. Like, Kate is stirring the pot and then can't believe when it spills over. Like, what do you.
Mallory Rubin
What happens when you soak the flame?
Joanna Robinson
Right. She's not.
Bill Simmons
We all know people who do this in real life.
Joanna Robinson
Exactly. Like, I don't think it's necessarily, like.
Bill Simmons
I might be that person in my family. Yeah.
Joanna Robinson
A little bit of a. I kind.
Bill Simmons
Of start that with, yeah, my daughter sometimes.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah.
Bill Simmons
I just can't help myself.
Joanna Robinson
I do think that she is leaning into the drama, but also think she probably was not counting on this level of response. And that's her miscalculation. Laurie is like genuinely, despite saying repeatedly that she doesn't care. Of course it's, I'm fine, I'm fine.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah, fine.
Joanna Robinson
Of course it's an ego blow. Like, we saw them at the end of the fifth episode. She's whispering into his ear.
Mallory Rubin
She's so upset when Valentine comes over to the table and she's just sort.
Joanna Robinson
Of like, the energy healing. Like, it's better with your eyes closed. We saw that they were gravitating toward each other and of course she resents the Jacqueline part of it. But from the Valentine part of it, there is a blow. And then Lauri does a thing that I thought was like, I mean, I'm still team Laurie and I always will be. But again, so true to life where, like, you're on her side and you know she's in the right and Jacqueline's in the wrong. But then she starts to be so mean. She starts to be so mean and like, that's what people do when they're hurt. Yeah, we'll talk about Jacqueline in full.
Mallory Rubin
But the larger note around this, Jacqueline is acting.
Joanna Robinson
Jaclyn is, boy, is this Jacqueline acting. This is now. We talked a lot last episode about desire and identity and how they entwine. I'm sure that'll come up many times again today. This is now a three season long central preoccupation for Mike White. This idea of, as Ethan called it in the Ethan Cameron plot line, memetic desire with Olivia and Paula in season one, Paula was like, you're always going for the guy I want. Like, and then we saw it was true, it wasn't hearsay, it wasn't bullshit. Like, Olivia tried to scoop Kai. And then when.
Bill Simmons
I love that you remember the character names Cameron.
Joanna Robinson
Well, I'll always remember Kai's name because we have a Kai here.
Bill Simmons
I was like in Sydney Sweeney and that friend that stayed with them and then that hotel guy.
Joanna Robinson
Oh, the Mossbachers. But like, it was. It was made such active text with Ethan and Cameron. That was one of my favorite parts of season two, when Ethan's like, of course you want to fuck my wife. You've always wanted everything that I have because I have higher status than you. And Cameron was like, you didn't have higher status than me in college. Like, you were like the original incel. And then Ethan's like, I have more money than you now. And Cameron is like stunned into silence.
Bill Simmons
Yeah.
Joanna Robinson
So this is yet again another. Like, it's not Just what do you desire? On a core level, it's what do you covet that someone else has? What do you desire? Desire taking away from them.
Mallory Rubin
And why?
Joanna Robinson
And, like, the answer is because that's human nature. But it's even more heightened when these people have so much already. I just find that fascinating that that recurs.
Bill Simmons
Well, we. We skipped over the part when Carrie Coon gets mad and says she has not changed at all. So psycho.
Joanna Robinson
Demented. She calls it demented.
Bill Simmons
And then she says, we talked about this last episode. It's sad. She's an aging actress. You saw her. She lives off male attention. It's one thing when you're 25, but now she's 45. It's pathetic. Pathetic words hurt.
Mallory Rubin
It's tough stuff. And I would. I would be so ready to be on Jacqueline's side. Except Jacqueline is being.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah.
Bill Simmons
Yeah.
Joanna Robinson
Yep.
Mallory Rubin
Well, gaslight gate.
Bill Simmons
Can we cut? Cut to Jacqueline. She finally gets to hear from her younger husband, Harrison.
Mallory Rubin
He's so horny for.
Bill Simmons
My phone wasn't working on the set. There's, like, thousand plugs on the set. Like, there couldn't be. There's chargers everywhere. They're ripping charges.
Joanna Robinson
Definitely wasn't fucking somebody else and not answering your calls for two days.
Mallory Rubin
So horny for you.
Bill Simmons
Can I. One last shout out to Valentin's acting when he comes over and Laura's being pissy.
Joanna Robinson
He's been great and he's. And he's kind of like, oh, yeah, the tension. Yeah.
Bill Simmons
You know how to reach me.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah.
Bill Simmons
Like, he's just trying to be pleasant.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah.
Joanna Robinson
I need to go find Vlad. He's always a good time keeping like.
Mallory Rubin
He's been through so much.
Bill Simmons
Right.
Joanna Robinson
It's great.
Bill Simmons
And then we get Saxon waking up hungover next to his bro. We get the flashback of Chelsea turning him down.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah.
Bill Simmons
You must have been so happy.
Mallory Rubin
I was thrilled.
Joanna Robinson
You were so proud of her.
Mallory Rubin
I was proud.
Joanna Robinson
Have you ever been prouder of a character on White Lotus than Chelsea? Being like, I'm good.
Mallory Rubin
The bar's in hell. But no, I'm not.
Bill Simmons
Saxon makes out with. With. With Chloe.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah. Yeah.
Bill Simmons
Then Lock is just fucking Chloe.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah.
Joanna Robinson
Going to town, ravening.
Bill Simmons
And Saxon lying next to him jerking off.
Joanna Robinson
We.
Bill Simmons
Seems fine.
Mallory Rubin
Seems fine.
Bill Simmons
Seems okay. Still not too scared yet.
Mallory Rubin
Great. But it's not great. But it's.
Bill Simmons
It's. Nothing crazy is happening.
Joanna Robinson
Wait, what? Let's interrogate that.
Bill Simmons
Well, no, I mean, it's. But we knew this was. We knew we were headed at least to.
Joanna Robinson
So if it had in Fact, just insanely weird. Jerking off two inches away from his brother, still insanely, weirdly fucking Chloe. You'd be like, this is fine.
Mallory Rubin
It's not fine. Here's the. Here's the crossing the line. More than anything, for me, it's the eye contact.
Bill Simmons
The look, eye contact and touching is when it really goes eye contact sideways.
Joanna Robinson
The way they filmed the flashbacks was so great.
Bill Simmons
But then he goes to get the coffee and he's.
Joanna Robinson
He's got the great hair hangover and.
Bill Simmons
He'S kind like, what happened last night?
Mallory Rubin
Incredible.
Joanna Robinson
Impeccable.
Mallory Rubin
Impeccable. He's doing that like ginger, sort of like waddling.
Joanna Robinson
Like, I might like myself at any point, you know, He's. That was amazing. And, like, the blocky trunks are so tight on him, he can barely move.
Bill Simmons
But then he has the flashback. He wasn't jerking off. His brother was jerking him off. And right on cue, Locky's just walking up. Hey, guy. Hey. What's happening? Good morning.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah, you blacked out. We both did.
Bill Simmons
Yeah, we both did.
Mallory Rubin
I don't remember what happened at all.
Bill Simmons
Nothing happened.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah. And then we get evocative. Thank you, Mike. White.
Joanna Robinson
Oh, my God.
Mallory Rubin
Foamy white waves and a dead puffer fish.
Joanna Robinson
That was of all of the cuts. It's just sort of natural element that was really the foamy white waves and the dead top tier.
Bill Simmons
So before we know what happened happens later. Did you think Locky remembered the whole time or that he literally didn't remember? Remember?
Joanna Robinson
I believed him when he said he didn't.
Mallory Rubin
He.
Joanna Robinson
He was like, I don't remember what happened because Saxon was so palpably disturbed and Locky was just sort of like.
Mallory Rubin
I'm like, really hungover if I wasn't sure. And if he did remember and was sort of like, I don't remember what happened last night at all. I was prepared to be like, this is the scariest person who's ever been in a white lotus. But when it all comes flooding back to him later, I was like, okay. Then he genuinely.
Bill Simmons
Yeah. So we find out that he genuinely.
Joanna Robinson
Did because, like, he's like, see you later, dude. Wait, what?
Mallory Rubin
Yeah.
Bill Simmons
And then Saxon throws up. And I'd like to present a pet peeve to both of you. There's a lot of throw up scenes in prestige tv.
Mallory Rubin
Sure.
Joanna Robinson
Okay.
Bill Simmons
I'm never satisfied with the amount of throwing up.
Joanna Robinson
Okay.
Bill Simmons
I really feel like if you're gonna. If we're gonna do this, guys, let's have some throw up.
Joanna Robinson
Okay. Do you want them to.
Bill Simmons
I just feel like he's doing a full boot. Like, it's like.
Joanna Robinson
It's like CGI with this or something.
Bill Simmons
Either CGI or let's.
Mallory Rubin
I actually think it's. But don't you.
Bill Simmons
Like if he's just spitting up like a little baby?
Joanna Robinson
Yeah, I. When you last went to the full moon party and woke up the next morning.
Bill Simmons
Yeah.
Joanna Robinson
And flashes of your prior night returned to you.
Mallory Rubin
I just.
Joanna Robinson
How many heaves were.
Mallory Rubin
I think it's worse when you're throwing up and there's nothing there.
Joanna Robinson
Sure. That's like.
Mallory Rubin
That's rock bottom.
Bill Simmons
That's a toe curl. Just. You're throwing up Cheetos from 4 in the morning from the mini bar and all kinds of gross shit. It is disgusting.
Mallory Rubin
I think when you reach the bottom and it's just. That's the worst.
Bill Simmons
Well, so we had that.
Mallory Rubin
Welcome back to Prestige tv.
Joanna Robinson
It's always great to be here with you guys.
Mallory Rubin
Delightful.
Bill Simmons
We get Belinda and Zion.
Joanna Robinson
Great stuff.
Bill Simmons
They go to breakfast. First you get the money, then you get the power, then you get the woman. Little Scarface quote. And then Fabian tells them he's gonna sing. What do we think of this?
Mallory Rubin
Fabian practicing his singing on his little golf cart as Charming. Driving around the property. And yet what I love is he walks up, he's like, you feeling better? She's like, no.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah. I still think I'm going to be murdered.
Mallory Rubin
I love that fucker. I love Fabian because he is the exact kind of character I want to root for. And then there's just this, like, nasty side to him that we saw last week where, like, I can't root for his little singing performance.
Joanna Robinson
You like your job and your exchange program. Don't call the police on our guests.
Mallory Rubin
You'll probably be okay.
Joanna Robinson
You'll probably be fine. I feel like you'll be fine. I didn't sense any sinister motives. Do you guys think that Zion has time with two episodes remaining to get laid? Because he was really lamenting that he wasn't getting.
Bill Simmons
And who's he getting? Laid back.
Joanna Robinson
They're all heading to a party. I mean, if I were Belinda, I would not go.
Mallory Rubin
No. But Chloe, that would be great. Seems Chelsea. Not Chelsea, but was Zion my way?
Bill Simmons
My wife and daughter are both in the. Zion's gay and hasn't told his mom camp.
Mallory Rubin
Oh, yeah.
Bill Simmons
Interesting.
Joanna Robinson
Interesting.
Bill Simmons
Yeah.
Mallory Rubin
Like what?
Bill Simmons
Nothing. Just vibes only. Vibes only.
Joanna Robinson
Oh, man. I need. If Rick expects Chelsea to remain loyal emotionally and sexually, I need him to stop telling her how fucking annoying she is. He needs to earn her love and.
Mallory Rubin
He also needs to stop saying love ya instead of I love you.
Joanna Robinson
But the eye in front of it is different.
Bill Simmons
Listen. Chelsea believes in true love.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah. Soulmates.
Bill Simmons
Hot tooth lady is here to teach us about what it really means to connect to that human.
Joanna Robinson
No more cheap stuff.
Mallory Rubin
Here's the most important thing about Chelsea.
Joanna Robinson
Chelsea.
Mallory Rubin
She loves a libra rising.
Joanna Robinson
Great stuff.
Bill Simmons
Right?
Mallory Rubin
You know, Great stuff.
Joanna Robinson
I still don't know what it means, but I do love her commitment.
Bill Simmons
Big. If we talk about most upset if anybody in this show this season gets shot.
Joanna Robinson
If Chelsea dies, I'll cover her.
Bill Simmons
Chelsea is so far above everyone else on the show for I'd be upset.
Joanna Robinson
We have grown incredibly.
Bill Simmons
I really like she's gotten to the point where I'm like bring her back next year. Rick. Rick dies at the end of season three. Let's go.
Joanna Robinson
Let's Chelsea.
Bill Simmons
Let's take her to Switzerland for some.
Joanna Robinson
Skiing instead of Greg. Gary.
Bill Simmons
Let's go.
Joanna Robinson
We don't deserve that.
Mallory Rubin
We don't deserve that.
Bill Simmons
I feel like there's a lot of Chelsea dating again after Rick's tragic death. I'm. I'm ready for anything. Assuming Rick does.
Joanna Robinson
You think Rick is going to die? I want. I'm rooting for Rick.
Bill Simmons
I don't think it's going to go.
Mallory Rubin
Well for Rick and Chelsea are going to make happily ever after.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah.
Bill Simmons
Rick and Chelsea together freed of the.
Mallory Rubin
But if Goggles also wants to come back next season, I would not say no.
Joanna Robinson
That'd be great.
Bill Simmons
Gary, Greg. Greg. Gary. Gary, Greg.
Joanna Robinson
I was excited to talk about the incest but I'm not going to lie. The single number one like most anticipated talking point for me today is your thoughts on this house. Oh, you love a bit of real estate in a movie.
Mallory Rubin
The lab pool. This was the view from the deck.
Bill Simmons
Dobbins needs to.
Joanna Robinson
Gorgeous.
Bill Simmons
Dobbins needs to come in for the final verdict. But this has to be one of the jaw dropping houses we've had on a TV show.
Mallory Rubin
If they give us a kit, if they give us the kitchen, we need to have Amanda in here.
Bill Simmons
The giant pool.
Joanna Robinson
Stunning.
Bill Simmons
It's unclear how close it is to the hotel, but seems close enough that he can just wander down and get a margarita.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah.
Bill Simmons
It sounds great.
Joanna Robinson
Unbelievable.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah. When you have staff.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah. Yeah.
Mallory Rubin
The egg is waiting for you when you get out of your lap. Yeah.
Joanna Robinson
That he had.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah.
Joanna Robinson
When you go on the lam, is this where you'll hide?
Bill Simmons
It's. It's certainly in the, in the discussion now. I do think there would be a Lot of staff at all times. I don't think it would ever be Greg Gary swimming by him. I think there would be like five people walking around, constantly picking up, like, fruit that's fallen and gardener. I think there'd be a leaf blower.
Joanna Robinson
Buttering his own toast. But then that did lead to him. He got to very, like, menacingly butter the toast so that we felt very afraid.
Mallory Rubin
I am terrified of him, I gotta say.
Joanna Robinson
Really scary.
Bill Simmons
This guy is a great actor.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah.
Bill Simmons
This is like just a career long. That guy who's bounced around and he's like, awesome in this.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah.
Mallory Rubin
When he says menacing, when he says liar to her, that was. It was so scary. And also I'm like, this guy knows. He always knows when people are lying. He is so scary.
Bill Simmons
Yeah. It's really hard. I think a part like this where you have very little to play with. And a lot of it is vibes and.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah.
Bill Simmons
Intensity and being menacing and. Or being like, what's this guy thinking? He's just really good at it. I still don't know what. Like, he's gonna kill Belinda in episode seven. He's gonna try to like. I'm like, everything's on the table.
Mallory Rubin
I am going to sign another interview. I didn't realize how many I was reading that he was like. What John Grease said is that he wasn't always thinking of Greg Gary this way. But when they started filming season three, he went to Mike White and he was like, psychopath. And he's like, psychopath. And he's like, okay, yeah, here we go.
Joanna Robinson
Had he been previously thinking of him as someone who would have taken the name Mitchell instead of just Gary Pierre, Brian, literally any other letter could have been anything.
Bill Simmons
Well, first she tells Chelsea about the night before, which I loved. I thought that was really fun.
Joanna Robinson
No, I don't. So funny.
Bill Simmons
Chelsea's like, what?
Joanna Robinson
The little pause between no and I hooked up with both of them was just great.
Bill Simmons
Couple telling lines here. Gary's gonna dump me, comma, or worse.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah. Yep.
Bill Simmons
What does that mean?
Mallory Rubin
Well, she knows that he killed.
Bill Simmons
She knows he's like a murderer.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah, Yeah.
Joanna Robinson
I mean, she. This is not the first time that she has expressed genuine fear that he would kill her if.
Bill Simmons
Do you think it's a one murder or it's like, this guy.
Mallory Rubin
I think she knows multiple murders. Tanya. Or got. Or had Tanya killed. But then she's like, but this is a good situation.
Bill Simmons
Yeah, I know. I complain about that, but this is a good situation.
Joanna Robinson
I enjoyed, too, when she spotted the deck hands it was like, I need to buy their silence.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah, but, like, I.
Bill Simmons
They're gonna rap me out. I love that.
Joanna Robinson
Surely they did.
Mallory Rubin
Well, I don't think they did. I think he just knows. But she doesn't even need to bribe them.
Bill Simmons
He had cameras somewhere.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Bill Simmons
You have as much money as Greg. Gary. You're putting cameras in all the bedrooms in the yacht. Yeah, take the yacht out. I'll be on my little computer watching it tonight.
Mallory Rubin
Gross.
Bill Simmons
So.
Joanna Robinson
Oh, God.
Bill Simmons
So he sees Gary. She sees Gary swimming.
Joanna Robinson
Yep.
Bill Simmons
You fucked one of those brothers. Just tell me what you did. Tell me which one you fucked.
Joanna Robinson
Tell me you did it. Tell me. Tell me you did it. Scared the shit out of me.
Bill Simmons
Honestly. This is just. Now you're just preaching right to Mel. This is like, her kind of content right here. Tell me what you did. This is, like, right out of the Affair, season two.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah, well, when we get the alternate perspective the exact same time. Can you imagine? Oh, my God, what a thrill that would be.
Mallory Rubin
It's a lot of lap swimming.
Bill Simmons
How does this invitation sound for you? Bring them over tonight. I want to have people over. I need to deal with something and I need your help.
Joanna Robinson
It sounds fine.
Bill Simmons
This sounds great. Is it just a movie and dinner?
Mallory Rubin
Couples that murder together stay together. I need you to help me murder Belinda.
Joanna Robinson
So that's the question, right? Is, like, what level of candor and transparency will he have with Chloe? How. If he's saying, I need your help, is it just to bring people there and pretend it's.
Bill Simmons
It feels like I'm gonna kill you if you don't help me kill this person?
Mallory Rubin
No, but how involved is she?
Joanna Robinson
Yeah. What is Bodies. Yeah.
Mallory Rubin
And also, like, distract people. Yeah, yeah, but not. Please slip this poison into someone's drink.
Joanna Robinson
Tell Saxon before he comes over to grab some of the poison seed pods.
Bill Simmons
From his dec. Yeah, listen, poison fruit is off the board now in Vegas.
Joanna Robinson
Oh, I think there's time.
Mallory Rubin
I.
Bill Simmons
No, I'm saying it's.
Joanna Robinson
Oh, because it's such a poison fruit.
Mallory Rubin
Somebody's dying from another smoothie.
Bill Simmons
There's like.
Joanna Robinson
You're right.
Bill Simmons
Saxon killing Locky just feels very likely to him making him a little blender shake and not. Not realizing the fruit.
Joanna Robinson
Tim goes for the gun. The gun is gone, so he. So many different things could still happen.
Bill Simmons
The fruits in play.
Joanna Robinson
Well, with asking Chloe to bring Saxon, and now Saxon has invited Tim, so it feels like Tim is maybe gonna actually say to Gary, like, how do I hide? Right. I'm not seeking. I'm hiding.
Mallory Rubin
But do you think that's where he is after his enlightenment at the monastery?
Joanna Robinson
The fact that I think he had his enlightenment and then he got pulled back under by Vicky saying, I can't live that way. I can't live that way. So that's kind of the seesaw that he's on for another episode until his ultimate. But I. I wonder if he will actually actively approach Gary. The other thing is, like, is part of the Saxon play here. Not just I'm gonna kill you because you fucked Chloe, but like, I'm gonna use you in some way.
Mallory Rubin
Like, well, he kill me. You really want. And you this, you were talking about this last week. You really want Mastermind Greg Gary, not Blunt Force Greg Gary. You want him. He's got Zion under his control. He's got Saxon under because that's what you want.
Bill Simmons
Maybe Fabian.
Joanna Robinson
Fabian promise him a record deal.
Mallory Rubin
Easy.
Bill Simmons
I'll fund your first jazz.
Joanna Robinson
I mean he could get him, he could do Puppet Master Fabian with. Without much, much effort. But yeah, I like the idea. I think because of like the level of the plot to get Tanya's money, of him having to work like harder than that now to cover his tracks.
Mallory Rubin
Yes. But on the other hand, that he.
Joanna Robinson
Was just sort of like gonna pay off Quentin. Take her to the opera.
Bill Simmons
I just want you both to know that I know I complain about him a lot, but this is a good situation. Is my worst case scenario for my second wife. Oh, I just said this to make Mal mad. Mal, this is where you say you are only going to have one wife. And this is where I agree with you because I'm only getting married once. She's forever.
Joanna Robinson
Whereas for my second marriage, Mel was mad.
Bill Simmons
I was at her corner. That's my joke. Maybe they'll say that about you, your second husband.
Joanna Robinson
It's entirely possible. It's entirely possible. I know I complain about her a lot, but it's a good situation.
Bill Simmons
We have the Ratliff boys returning home from the yacht. This was just what it so funny. There's a missing scene where it's just like. What was that cab ride like?
Joanna Robinson
Oh, my God.
Bill Simmons
Just dead silence. And somebody put it.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah.
Bill Simmons
Silent Vicky tells the boys about Piper. Like they care.
Joanna Robinson
This was just absolutely hysterical.
Mallory Rubin
This is incredible.
Joanna Robinson
I loved every second of this.
Bill Simmons
How did you feel about Piper reducing the hedge fund industry to gambling with others people's monies? That's not wasting your life. That's meaningful sarcasm.
Joanna Robinson
I don't think that Tim would have appreciated that if he had been in the dagger. Yeah, I did. I do think it all led to Saxon saying, name one Buddhism for dipshits, which just. I love that historic stuff yet again from our guy Saxon.
Mallory Rubin
I think Piper's zing was a little harder.
Bill Simmons
The. The blender's just going hard. The blender is just getting louder each episode.
Mallory Rubin
Something I want to say about the blender. Apparently. You should. The water is not potable. And so we do see him.
Bill Simmons
Oh, that's like a diarrhea machine.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah, so we do. Well, we do see him put Fiji water in the machine with his, like, banana and his. No free ads for Fiji water, but it's definitely Fiji water and his protein powder. But, like, elsewhere, like, Tim Ratliff needs to close his mouth when he takes his outdoor showers. Like, this is interesting potable water, though. I don't know if at the White Lotus they filter everything, even the shower water. I have no idea.
Bill Simmons
Or Tim Ratliff's, like, drinking the water during the shower. It's, like, as much bacteria as I can get. Maybe it'll kill me. He better be the best Buddhist in China. I love that line, too.
Joanna Robinson
Remarkable stuff from you.
Bill Simmons
She was. She's really figured out the character.
Joanna Robinson
It's great.
Bill Simmons
It's gonna be interesting to see come Emmy time. It's a battle.
Joanna Robinson
Almost everyone is worth it because Chelsea's.
Bill Simmons
Got to be in the mix too.
Mallory Rubin
But she can. They can put her in supporting even though she's not.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah.
Mallory Rubin
Because she's a younger, newer actress, and you can kind of get away with that.
Bill Simmons
Interesting.
Mallory Rubin
You could put.
Bill Simmons
Talk about a word for odd, but.
Joanna Robinson
But yeah, Goggins and Goggins and Isaacs are going head to head, and that's tough. It's Isaac's, though, isn't it?
Mallory Rubin
No. Wiley from the pit.
Joanna Robinson
I'll take your word for it.
Mallory Rubin
We need to see what happens from Severance.
Joanna Robinson
Wow.
Bill Simmons
I don't know if Goggins is at his episode yet, and it feels like episode seven is going to be the one.
Mallory Rubin
I agree. I'm waiting. Here's. I mean, I agree that. That Carrie Coon has been activated, but I still think we have, like, another big thing coming from Carrie Coon. Oh, yeah, and another big thing coming from Walton Goggins. Especially, like, the way this episode ends.
Joanna Robinson
The showdown with Hollander. I, like, have chills thinking about it.
Mallory Rubin
Right. And that goes as hard as. As Gogin is capable of going then. But I still think it might be Noah Wy from the pit. Guys, the pit rules.
Joanna Robinson
I haven't seen a second of the pit. Well, that's not true. I've seen.
Bill Simmons
I saw 20 minutes of it.
Joanna Robinson
120 seconds. Cuz I've seen a couple. As I've told Joanna, I've been served Instagram reels of somebody in a pan.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah.
Joanna Robinson
And somebody with like a sunken face.
Bill Simmons
Are you sure there wasn't Megan Marle?
Joanna Robinson
Are you talking about the pasta?
Mallory Rubin
Are you auditioning for jam session right now?
Bill Simmons
I was gonna get a bigger laugh for that one. No. My wife and daughter have said TikTok and Instagram Reels are now being dominated with people making fun of this Meghan Markle show.
Joanna Robinson
Correct.
Bill Simmons
That all the thing, right? That's like the biggest thing right now.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Bill Simmons
Which then provoked my wife into watching multiple episodes of it. She was transfixed.
Mallory Rubin
No such thing as bad publicity.
Bill Simmons
She said.
Joanna Robinson
There you go.
Bill Simmons
She said. This is a full fledged hate watch. Don't get me wrong, I can't believe the show exists.
Joanna Robinson
Consumed.
Bill Simmons
She doesn't know how to do anything and just brings friends in to help her make stuff. Was the scattering friends.
Joanna Robinson
That sounds good.
Mallory Rubin
Everything I know about the show I learned from Amanda Dobbins. Okay. When we run out of White Lotus, talk about. Or when. When people are looking for something. You can either hate watch the Meghan Markle show.
Bill Simmons
Yes.
Mallory Rubin
Or just love watch the pit.
Bill Simmons
Or love watch the pit.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah.
Bill Simmons
Well, I'm just happy for our pal Juliet.
Joanna Robinson
Same.
Bill Simmons
She's been through so much the last 30 years with no Wiley.
Joanna Robinson
The biggest younger fan in the world.
Bill Simmons
Had having the most stock in him and the most stock in ER shows in general. And then just to watch him blossom like this. Rick goes to see Sitala. I was working on that.
Mallory Rubin
You crushed it, actually. Yeah. Molly and I were talking about this before we started recording.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah, let's get his take.
Mallory Rubin
We're a little disappointed in Rick. He did not Google one of her movies for this con.
Bill Simmons
Yeah. Remember three. Three names.
Joanna Robinson
Come on.
Mallory Rubin
Sloppy.
Bill Simmons
Well, she knows he's full of shit, right? It.
Joanna Robinson
I don't think so. And I guess that's part of being a good con man is picking your mark wisely. So if she is a vulnerable enough target, I mean, he gets.
Mallory Rubin
He.
Joanna Robinson
He makes his way into the house. So the con worked. Ultimately he's gonna get to face down Jim Hollinger. Probably his father. But like, this is shoddy con work.
Mallory Rubin
One film title. Google it.
Joanna Robinson
And his face keeps prediction time way.
Bill Simmons
Yeah, she knows who he is. And the husband's her dad. His dad. And they've been waiting for this to happen. And they're ready.
Mallory Rubin
Sita lies.
Bill Simmons
She knows Citela is playing chess and Rick's playing checkers. Just a theory.
Mallory Rubin
I'm not all in on that, but she does seem to have, like, extra layers to her.
Bill Simmons
You know, I think she is way too savvy and accomplished over the years to just be completely snookered by dumbass Rick, who's like, yeah, I got a director and I can't remember any of your movies, but you're a great actress. He's so full of shit.
Mallory Rubin
Know.
Joanna Robinson
I think even that though it's just on theme for the show. It's like yet another person who's like, oh, you're telling me I'm great. You're telling me somebody else thinks I'm great.
Mallory Rubin
And the first time we meet her, she's susceptible to that. Primping in a mirror.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah.
Mallory Rubin
And like, is Oliver. Jacqueline. And talking about her career as an actress. So, like, the vanity. Huge vulnerability for her. I agree. But I wouldn't. I don't know that she knows everything, but I wouldn't be surprised if. If there's some little spark to her. Do you know me beyond just like an easy mark.
Bill Simmons
I'm prepared for this to go in any direction.
Joanna Robinson
Interesting. We do. We and Rick. Our eyes are drawn more than once at the restaurant. Billion dollar tuna business. The seafood here is great. And heading up into the home, the Hollinger bodyguards of the original Mook Guy talk debate. They're there. Their holsters are full.
Mallory Rubin
They're strapped.
Joanna Robinson
They're strapped.
Mallory Rubin
Get used to it.
Joanna Robinson
It troubling. It's troubling. I mean, we got to get all these guns back to the White Lotus, right? Are they going to chase Rick?
Mallory Rubin
Do you know who I'm actually kind of worried about for Frank? Frank.
Joanna Robinson
Sweet Frank, who's like, just trying to Sucked back into a life of crime.
Mallory Rubin
It's one last job for Frank, is it not? And that's never a good thing.
Joanna Robinson
Terrible.
Bill Simmons
Well, he's had sex with everyone in Thailand, so there's not a lot of places to go at this point.
Mallory Rubin
You can only go up from there.
Bill Simmons
Just basically maybe work at a coffee shop.
Joanna Robinson
Right to the grave of all the.
Mallory Rubin
Fits on this show. I think the white suit on Goggins at the end when they're coming in.
Joanna Robinson
On that sensational stuff.
Mallory Rubin
And then Frank puts on his director costume, which is a cap.
Bill Simmons
Yeah, well, not to get ahead of ourselves, because it's the end, but I really like the boat ride. The boat ride was cool. Where the house was I really thought that was a fun, like, 30 seconds.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah, it was great. Nice.
Bill Simmons
Nice shot of the two guys together. Good wide shot. Got. Yeah, I was thinking, like. It just got my brain thinking, like, all right, you live in this house. Is the only way in and out boats. Like, is it like being in.
Joanna Robinson
That's a good question. Is there another.
Bill Simmons
Really intrigued by it. I would have Google Earth it right away if they. If they had the address.
Joanna Robinson
I hadn't thought about that.
Mallory Rubin
If he.
Joanna Robinson
If Rick needs to get out of there quickly.
Bill Simmons
Yeah.
Joanna Robinson
Oh, well, I don't. This now I'm even more worried than troubled than I already was. I like Rick telling Frank, like, I won't even bring the gun. Then. I won't even bring the gun. And then in the. In the linen suit, it's very easy to spot the gun in my pocket.
Mallory Rubin
No shit. He's bringing the gun.
Joanna Robinson
Oh, Rick.
Bill Simmons
We're gonna talk about Buddhism, but let's take a break. This episode is brought to you by the Home Depot. It's starting to look like spring. And spring starts with savings at the Home Depot. There are savings for every project, whether you're starting with a queen slate with convenient cordless power, like a new pressure washer or leaf blower, or starting to love the art again with colorful flowers and fresh mulch. Start your spring with early savings at the Home Depot. Shop now@homedepot.com. how does the Baltimore accent versus the North Carolina accent? What are the tweaks and pulls each way?
Joanna Robinson
Well, I was just going to say that, to me, sounded much more going down to the ocean hunt Baltimore than Carolinians.
Mallory Rubin
The diphthong in the ew.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah, but I welcome it. Okay. Sprinkle a little bay in your La Croix. Yeah.
Bill Simmons
Piper brings her family to the Buddhist place, sees the main ball guy. Been feeling a little lost.
Mallory Rubin
The thing is, Bill, we need you to say things like, main ball guy, head monk. No, we need you to say, like, hot tub lady and whatever, because there are people listening at home who don't.
Bill Simmons
Write down other people.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah, you are. We need you on that wall.
Bill Simmons
The things my family cares about, I just don't care about.
Mallory Rubin
That was emotional scene for Piper again. I was really surprised that that actress had said, like, a previous episode was her favorite episode. I thought this is the best.
Bill Simmons
Easily the best acting she did.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah.
Bill Simmons
Like, really high level.
Mallory Rubin
Really, really good. I loved it. I mean, the monk was also incredible.
Joanna Robinson
Like, yeah, he was fantastic.
Mallory Rubin
A great scene partner for both of them.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah.
Bill Simmons
He says, bring in your parents. I can Answer their questions.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah. Great. Yep.
Bill Simmons
And then, as this is happening, Guy Talk is breaking into the rat lifts, trying to find a gun that. Great. Now we're back with Tim and Head. Bald guy. Bald guy. Number one spiritual malaise.
Joanna Robinson
Yep.
Mallory Rubin
It's incredible.
Joanna Robinson
Lost connection with nature, with family, with the spirit. What is left? The self.
Bill Simmons
Now's like Postmates, streaming fantasy baseball. My cat, the Ravens, cats.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah, yeah.
Mallory Rubin
He. Yeah, he brings up self and identity, which, of course, we've been talking about, like, since the beginning. Chasing money, pleasure. Everyone runs from pain towards pleasure. When they get there, they only find. Only to find more pain. You cannot outrun pain, which is just like White Lotus.
Joanna Robinson
Exactly.
Mallory Rubin
That's the show.
Bill Simmons
I gotta say, I wrote it down and I thought it was great.
Mallory Rubin
Yes.
Bill Simmons
I was like, this is really good stuff.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah.
Joanna Robinson
Who are we?
Bill Simmons
Can I run the pain?
Joanna Robinson
Yeah. Well, what decisions do you make in the face of that? Who are you when you try to strip away your desires?
Mallory Rubin
This.
Joanna Robinson
This will be certainly familiar to many people. There are many Buddhists in the world. And then to many other people who are not. I think it will be familiar to a lot of Star wars viewers. Right. This. This philosophy and the way that it's made its way into the.
Mallory Rubin
Listen, the Star wars canon is just Buddhism is.
Bill Simmons
Is Star wars bayotist.
Joanna Robinson
The. The.
Mallory Rubin
Pretty much, yeah.
Joanna Robinson
There is a lot of influence there. So I think people rewatch that. What happens when we die, and then do a podcast about it on a.
Bill Simmons
What happens when we die.
Joanna Robinson
He moved right past that.
Mallory Rubin
Do you want to come on House of R and talk about Star Wars?
Bill Simmons
Can we talk about how you're just a single drop of water and you shoot up and then you come back down in the ocean and how death is a happy return? Like, coming up.
Mallory Rubin
The visual that went with it.
Bill Simmons
I actually. I didn't want to like it, but I liked it.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah, I liked it, too.
Mallory Rubin
It was like almost Jack Handy snl. And then it. Like it.
Bill Simmons
Really?
Mallory Rubin
Yeah, yeah. And then they sort of like.
Joanna Robinson
Then it works.
Mallory Rubin
Brought it back.
Joanna Robinson
It works. Also.
Bill Simmons
That's a great.
Joanna Robinson
From like the Chelsea calling Saxon soulless. Right into this whole stretch at the monastery and just thinking back to Saxon as the, like when Lockhee asked him earlier, what do I want? Like, the. The money, freedom, respect. Right into, like. Well, okay, what. What are we actually talking about here? The whole sequence. And that was really wonderful.
Bill Simmons
I think that's the Emmy scene for Jason Isaacs, too.
Joanna Robinson
His face.
Bill Simmons
So far, we don't know. There's two episodes left.
Mallory Rubin
So good.
Bill Simmons
Meanwhile, guy talk found the right drawer. Just first pick.
Mallory Rubin
I actually rewound that several times to see if, like, the handle was like.
Joanna Robinson
Like, how did he know?
Mallory Rubin
How did he know it was that drawer?
Bill Simmons
It's just his day. Finally.
Mallory Rubin
You and me. You and me against the world. Mallory. It's like, surely it was slightly a jar, right? Yeah.
Bill Simmons
And then Vicki's going nuts about Piper.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah.
Bill Simmons
Wants her to stay there one night.
Joanna Robinson
It's great.
Bill Simmons
She's mad at Tim, but I love this.
Joanna Robinson
I think.
Mallory Rubin
I feel like this is where it's. It's leaning for Piper to be like, I don't want to stay here.
Joanna Robinson
I was gonna ask you for. Yeah, where are you on this?
Mallory Rubin
After this episode, I think Vicki's gonna be right, and Piper's not gonna want to stay there.
Bill Simmons
Oh, so you're predicting the last second D'Dario season one flip or she just kind of buys into the lights.
Mallory Rubin
We all just, like, come back. You know, I think Vicky's like, yeah, you think you're so different from us, but you like your creature comforts. You don't know. You know, I have to be provisioned. Wrong. Like what you were saying last week about the fact that we only have two seasons of evidence to go off on. Right. Small sample size, great sports theory, and that Mike White could zag and give us something completely different. But I'm a little worried that Vicky. I feel like Vicky has to have a wit, has to be right about something, and this feels like something she could be right about.
Joanna Robinson
She did. I mean, she still was, like, kind of panicked when they got back to the villa, and she was talking to Tim about it, because the way he came out and he was like, I liked him. That might have been my favorite Tim line of the season. Seemed legitimate. But Vicky calling Piper's bluff, or what she thinks is her bluff and, like, banking on her not truly being ready to leave, like, a life of luxury behind. I think it's entirely possible that she's proven right. But the thing we loved about that Piper scene, the sincerity. Like, I don't know. I think that it. It would be really powerful if, like, this family that basically didn't bother to get to know their own kid was wrong, and she, like, actually made that choice. I think the other thing that's interesting is I had a moment where I was like, is Lachie gonna be the one who stays? Because he feels like he needs.
Mallory Rubin
There's not.
Bill Simmons
But, like, the iPad kid.
Mallory Rubin
There's not enough monastery. There's not enough monastery in the World. Yeah, to help.
Joanna Robinson
I know.
Mallory Rubin
The flashbacks that lock he's got. I know.
Joanna Robinson
But then I swung back, right back out of that because I considered it for a minute. But then I'm like, I don't know. We think back to the corrective posture session and he is not abject horror on his face when he confronted what he had done. And I don't think that he has been presented to us as a character who is embracing that kind of self assessment.
Mallory Rubin
Can I just say that, like, you're never coming back from jerking off your brother incest jaunt in Thailand.
Bill Simmons
Well, he. He could. He could hang out with Frank one night. Maybe that. Maybe that's Lackey's destiny.
Mallory Rubin
I just think like, yeah, forever. There's no going back. There's no going back from this. You are forever. And like there's. So there's such a, like rich history of Southern gothic literature where you know of like Faulkner or Tennessee Williams or whatever, where there's a. There's a memory and incident, an incestuous incident in the past. And here we are like front row tickets to it actually happening live. But this is forever going to be part of their family.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah.
Bill Simmons
The brothers one.
Mallory Rubin
One night. One night in Thailand when Piper tells.
Joanna Robinson
Vicky, like, you just have to accept this. It's not. And then accept it's not the worst thing in the world. It's like, well, I got news for you. Wait till she finds out that her husband has been embroiled in scandal and her sons are jerking each other off. It's actually not the worst thing in the world.
Bill Simmons
Vicki and Cooper Flagg got hurt and Cooper Flag. That's a Duke joke.
Joanna Robinson
But Vicki would be celebrating. She would be thrilled. She's Chapel Hill.
Bill Simmons
Oh, that's true. You're right. She's fired up.
Mallory Rubin
No one tell Tim. Don't let Tim get his phone.
Joanna Robinson
Now, now.
Mallory Rubin
It'll be the last round.
Joanna Robinson
By the way, I have loved these last couple episodes. Not enough Pam. The phone made me think, not enough Pam.
Mallory Rubin
Where is Pam?
Joanna Robinson
Where is Pam? Yeah, I agree.
Bill Simmons
Maybe it was only a three episode contract check. I'm convinced Mike White was writing at least some of these lines or scenes after they started filming, because there's no way he didn't hear Parker Posey for like three episodes. And then he had to write what's next? Shaving her head and banging a bongo in Times Square. Like he had to have been like, I gotta just have her say the word bongo. So I don't know what words are left for Us in the last two episodes. But it's gonna be stuff like Bongo.
Joanna Robinson
That was remarkable.
Bill Simmons
Two, three syllable things where she can go high, like low.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah. Less amazing on the accent front, but I don't want her thinking she'll be just fine. If she's poor, she needs to fear poverty like everyone else we know. Remarkable line from Vicki.
Bill Simmons
My God, if we lost everything, honestly, I'm not sure I'd want to live. I don't have the will. I don't have it in me.
Joanna Robinson
Tim's face.
Bill Simmons
Tough one.
Joanna Robinson
He heard this. Do you watch with subtitles on?
Bill Simmons
I do, actually.
Joanna Robinson
So you and I know you do.
Bill Simmons
I do. Second screening. I do the subtitles to make sure I get all this stuff.
Joanna Robinson
So you were both treated to as. I was as Tim is just in his haze, confronting this Vicki, smelling her scent and saying, I like my scents.
Mallory Rubin
Grass. Tuberos. Tuberos. Yeah. She needs to, like, live in her little shell of something. And if she doesn't have her lorazepam, at least she can have, like, a little scent bubble for herself.
Joanna Robinson
So funny.
Bill Simmons
I guess I'm a little behind on the outline because we didn't talk about Saxon hanging out with Chelsea at the pool yet. I don't understand why you wouldn't hook up with me.
Joanna Robinson
Incredible scene.
Mallory Rubin
You're soulless.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah.
Bill Simmons
That's something you. Is he in his 30s yet?
Mallory Rubin
I think he's still in his 20s.
Bill Simmons
That's something you say in your 20s, and that's really the only decade you would say that in where you have enough confidence in yourself and you've been around enough women where you would just say something like that.
Mallory Rubin
But he looks. Looks like such. Like, so young and such a shell of himself.
Bill Simmons
Yeah.
Mallory Rubin
When she, like, tears him down and like, comparing that to him being the apex predator in the pool.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah.
Mallory Rubin
Scoping it all out and how. How far down he's come from there.
Joanna Robinson
I was really struck by his physical presentation of the whole episode. But this poolside stretch actually, in particular, like, let me be clear. Sunscreen is cool. Bug spray is cool. It's all good.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah.
Joanna Robinson
You should use it.
Mallory Rubin
But the noxious cloud.
Joanna Robinson
But he's like, kind of like, like. No, he's no longer Mr. Hip, Mr. Cool, Mr. I have it All.
Bill Simmons
He's like a tourist.
Joanna Robinson
When he, like, gathers all his stuff.
Bill Simmons
Yeah.
Mallory Rubin
When he gathers all his stuff up, he's just like. Yeah, yeah. Shuffles home.
Joanna Robinson
He's really going through it.
Bill Simmons
Finds out he's soulless.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah.
Joanna Robinson
Well, that was mean. I like Chelsea a lot. But that was. That was too much.
Mallory Rubin
I think she said it kind of timely.
Bill Simmons
Yeah. She didn't say it wasn't intentionally mean.
Mallory Rubin
It was like, you can do better.
Bill Simmons
She's like, right now, you don't have a soul.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah, good work on that.
Joanna Robinson
It did make me think on that front to, like, obviously it was all part of the urgent need to get the phones out of their hands. But Tim in episode three, saying to Saxon, like, well, if we put these away, we'll have more to offer. Like, let's train ourselves to have more to offer. And is there any hope for Saxon still on the character on an arc front that he could embrace that, that he could decide he wants to be a character who has more to offer.
Mallory Rubin
In a show that's not White Lotus? Sure.
Bill Simmons
Yeah. Yeah.
Mallory Rubin
My guy, your guy.
Bill Simmons
Your destiny is your destiny. On White Lotus, Chloe shows up. He knows about you. She. That's a starter.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah.
Bill Simmons
Doesn't seem that mad. Doesn't care. Seem kind of turned on.
Joanna Robinson
Incredible stuff here.
Bill Simmons
And then Saxon does the threesome with another guy. What part was a joke. And then he finds out that she remembers.
Joanna Robinson
I didn't force him to jerk you off.
Bill Simmons
Tough one. I don't remember that. I blacked out. Well, I didn't.
Mallory Rubin
God, I don't think there's a drug in the world that could make me get with my brother.
Bill Simmons
Incredible. Chelsea.
Joanna Robinson
Hey, I don't judge.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Bill Simmons
Whole Thanksgiving.
Mallory Rubin
Everyone has their thing. If that's your thing.
Joanna Robinson
It's not a thing.
Mallory Rubin
It's fine.
Bill Simmons
Chloe, who I just found out in the last couple hours, is Simon Le Bon's daughter. Oh, From Duran Duran.
Joanna Robinson
What?
Mallory Rubin
Wow.
Joanna Robinson
Did not know that.
Bill Simmons
Chris Ryan, AKA cr, passed that one along to me. And apparently she does some music too. She's got. She's got a confidence to her of somebody that's clearly been on stage. I think she's gotten really good as the seasons go along.
Mallory Rubin
So Simon Le Bon's daughter talking to Arnold Schwarzenegger's son.
Joanna Robinson
Great stuff.
Bill Simmons
Great stuff. I would have loved this in the.
Joanna Robinson
80S after fucking Ellie.
Bill Simmons
Everyone has their thing. It's fine. It's not my thing.
Joanna Robinson
That was so. That was great.
Bill Simmons
I loved all that. We get Rick and Frank meeting. We get the fancies at the pool, I guess is the last thing we want to talk about. One person's fake is another person's good manners.
Joanna Robinson
That was a great line from Kate.
Bill Simmons
And then it's just on with Carrie Coon and. And. And Jacqueline.
Joanna Robinson
Oh, man.
Mallory Rubin
Michelle Monahan. Yeah. Yeah.
Bill Simmons
Where does this go.
Mallory Rubin
I mean, I think they're going to the fights.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah.
Mallory Rubin
I think everyone's going like no party.
Joanna Robinson
The fight.
Mallory Rubin
Half the people are going to Greg Gary's and half the people are going to the fight.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah.
Mallory Rubin
Right.
Joanna Robinson
And I guess. Yeah, I guess we have some people.
Bill Simmons
Still at the hotel.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah. Guy talks. Going to the fight with Mook.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah.
Mallory Rubin
The Russians in and.
Joanna Robinson
And he'll see the robber and the Cougs are going. Yep.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah. And then the Ratliffs are going to. Are going to Great G's party and Belinda and Zion are going to.
Joanna Robinson
And Rick is confronting his long lost father.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah. It's a lot.
Joanna Robinson
Sounds like a great episode.
Mallory Rubin
And Fabian's going to saying, but who.
Joanna Robinson
Will be there to watch?
Mallory Rubin
That's what he deserves. That's what he deserves. A completely empty restaurant when he's going to make his debut.
Bill Simmons
Believe what that is sad. I loved. Shut up, Kate. Have a drink for sake.
Joanna Robinson
My God.
Bill Simmons
Great stuff. Kate.
Joanna Robinson
Kate.
Bill Simmons
Just. Kate's. Kate's wearing out her welcome.
Joanna Robinson
I mean, they all are with each other.
Mallory Rubin
Well, Kate's just trying to make nice and trying to keep everything calm and.
Bill Simmons
Smooth it over, but she's a complete phony.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Bill Simmons
Kate told me he came out of your room this morning. We're just the same people we were in the 10th grade. This is what you always did. Can't even imagine the history of these three.
Mallory Rubin
I believe it. I believe there's never been a guy that Laurie didn't say she had a crush on that Jacklyn didn't go for.
Joanna Robinson
Exactly.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah.
Bill Simmons
And then later, Jackie to Kate. You know how much gossip I have to deal with. My own friends are talking shit about me behind my back. She's literally talked the most shit this whole season of the other two. Settle down, Jackie.
Mallory Rubin
It's true.
Joanna Robinson
She did it.
Mallory Rubin
Did she do that?
Bill Simmons
Why did she. Why do you think she lied and said she didn't do it?
Mallory Rubin
She's so used to, like, acting and appearances and needing to have this perfect relationship with Harrison that's very important for her identity. And I just really wish she had just been like. I was feeling so insecure. I couldn't get a hold of Harrison. I did this thing and oh, no, now he's called me and I feel like shit about it.
Bill Simmons
But that's why these are not real friends.
Mallory Rubin
No.
Bill Simmons
They're not having actual real conversations with one another.
Mallory Rubin
No. Does Jacqueline. Who needs to go to the monastery next?
Joanna Robinson
Oh, man. I mean, I think every single character on the show would benefit from the Chat that Tim had. That's for sure.
Bill Simmons
Well, we get Locky and Piper meditating. Locky remembers a jerk off.
Joanna Robinson
Just astonishing guy talk at the gun.
Bill Simmons
Range might not have the killer instinct. And then Greg Gary runs into Belinda and invites her to dinner.
Mallory Rubin
Do you think that and do you think the gun range. We talked about this a little bit. Yeah, but hearing the gun at the gun range. Is there any way in which the gun range shooting has anything to do with the shooting in the final episode? Sounds different. Okay. And then also Tim having this very like, death is a return home. Is there a version of the story where Tim dies and we feel like kind of like he feels kind of okay with it and. And we feel kind of okay about it. I don't want him to die. But if he's the character who is like had the lesson that death is not the end.
Joanna Robinson
So the well organized mind Lys Malfoy death is but the next great adventure.
Bill Simmons
I liked your theory about Interpol. No, that it. It actually at the end it works out and he's not broke.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah, I like that too. I do like that too. I'm just wondering, like, looks Pam shows.
Joanna Robinson
Up, gives him his phone back. Chuck has checked in.
Bill Simmons
He's like, actually Kenny, Kenny just killed himself. The case has fallen apart.
Mallory Rubin
I just don't know if this is like a comedy death. Like the last two have been comedy deaths.
Joanna Robinson
I shit in your. In your suitcase. And then you stabbed me with the knife meant to cut the pineapple in the room you insisted on having shoot out on the yacht. And then I fall because I cannot dismount. Because I can't dismount. Hit my head and drown. That is so different tonally.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah, but that's the monkey.
Mallory Rubin
Fabian's the only one that I could. That I would like, find hilarious. Maybe.
Bill Simmons
But where would toxic fruit blender drink rank?
Joanna Robinson
I mean, it would have to be like an accident, I guess. Ingested by the wrong person.
Bill Simmons
I just think going back to the first episode when some of the clues they dropped that we noted all of them.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah.
Bill Simmons
And two thirds of them now have come to fruition.
Mallory Rubin
So you think it's.
Bill Simmons
No pun intended, it's the fruit. I'm just waiting for the fruit to make a reappearance. And the blender just getting louder. The blender's getting louder. Louder and more prominent each episode. Yeah, just focused on it. Last house, top of the hill. Come anytime.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah.
Bill Simmons
What an invite from Greg.
Joanna Robinson
Seems fine.
Bill Simmons
You may remember me because I killed that lady who was gonna fund your stuff tonight. 8:00. What do you think? And then I feel like she's gonna.
Mallory Rubin
Go, but I don't know how we get her there.
Bill Simmons
We get a dream sequence of Tim's murder suicide. And then we get the Bangkok boat ride with Rick and Frank and Rick going into the house. House doing the Rick face. Rick's had a couple. Couple faces.
Joanna Robinson
Saw Scott Glenn come down the stairs. We heard a couple from Scott Glenn. I'm like, all right, where's Stick?
Bill Simmons
I didn't really see Scott Glenn, though.
Joanna Robinson
You could just see a figure emerging from the stairs and like the look on. On Rick's face. We know Rick saw him, which is what matters. But so on that Belinda, like, I. It's. It's implied that she will have told Zion everything right between episodes, given the way that.
Mallory Rubin
Well.
Bill Simmons
And Zion probably does, though. We got to go. We got to confront this guy. I'll talk to him.
Joanna Robinson
That's. Zion's going to try to be like.
Bill Simmons
Yeah.
Joanna Robinson
And especially because when the shootout happened at the beginning of the first episode, he was so worried about his mom, he clearly is going to be in possession of the facts by then.
Mallory Rubin
So. Okay, does that say take some tension out of the party? Belinda's making it through the party. At least we know that.
Joanna Robinson
That's true. That's true. Yeah. Is Saxon.
Mallory Rubin
I don't know.
Joanna Robinson
Is Chloe?
Mallory Rubin
I'm very worried about Chloe.
Joanna Robinson
Same.
Bill Simmons
Chloe's in trouble.
Joanna Robinson
How many partners can Greg have killed?
Mallory Rubin
Oh, the limit does not exist.
Joanna Robinson
Then again, how many people can be murdered at the White Lotus?
Mallory Rubin
I mean, do you think Tanya's fortune alone built that house? Or did he have to kill many a wife in order to get a house that big?
Joanna Robinson
So we. She had like.
Bill Simmons
He was already staying at the White Lotus.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Bill Simmons
So he had some money.
Joanna Robinson
Wow. Or he was pooling his research.
Bill Simmons
I don't know if BLM was really.
Joanna Robinson
Land management.
Bill Simmons
Yeah. I don't know if the land management was cranking it out.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah. Oh, man.
Mallory Rubin
He's also in. Someone reminded me that in season two, Tanya's in like the Diamond Circle at the White Lotus, and he's. He's in the Diamond Circle at the White Lotus as well. So maybe that's why. Right on the same floor, in and out privilege.
Bill Simmons
Good point. You know, did you want more from the Blinda sex scene? I forgot to ask you. Like, just the cuddling in the next morning to.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah.
Bill Simmons
Didn't really check a lot of boxes these people have.
Joanna Robinson
Like, they've washed each other's Feet.
Bill Simmons
Yeah.
Mallory Rubin
They cradled each other's body.
Joanna Robinson
Cradled each other in a gentle pool of water. I want to see them exploring every inch of each other. I don't know that I need Zion to see that, but from a sex.
Bill Simmons
Standpoint, I guess positively chased.
Joanna Robinson
Other than Locky jerking off his brother.
Bill Simmons
Well. And then Locky kind of pounding away.
Mallory Rubin
Chloe, why is. Yes. Why is this such a. Such a prudish season?
Joanna Robinson
Other than Sam Rockwell's five and a half minute, uninterrupted, corrupted monologue, it's been positively tame. You want it?
Mallory Rubin
Did you want to see more of Jacqueline and Valentine? We got the come hither and.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah, just a little slit in and then, you know, that's it.
Bill Simmons
Michelle Monahan and like, doesn't really dabble in those waters. And I was kind of. I was like, whoa, she's really going for it. Didn't really do it, though. Just had the excited look on her face. And that was about it.
Joanna Robinson
Two episodes left, guys.
Bill Simmons
Who's gonna still predictions? Yeah, let's go. What are you got?
Joanna Robinson
I think Zion. Zion will have sex. Hopefully. Maybe Piper will be like, this life's not for me.
Bill Simmons
Zion and Piper and then Zion. That's interesting.
Joanna Robinson
The siblings can go back to their water habits.
Mallory Rubin
They're both seniors in college. We all had some action same age.
Joanna Robinson
This vacation predictions.
Mallory Rubin
Are we creeped out? I mean, like, should be mentioned in and among the brotherly hand job. Yeah, there's the fact that, like, you know, Locky is 18, but, like, just 18. How old is Chloe? You know, like.
Bill Simmons
Well, she likes the young ones, though. She likes watching their heartbeat. I. Let's be honest. Chloe's not a great person.
Joanna Robinson
No, it's all very disturbing.
Mallory Rubin
That's a fair point.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah.
Mallory Rubin
And that's a fair point well made. Yeah.
Bill Simmons
I. Can we all do one wild prediction because I. Yeah, I think my wildest one, and I don't even think it's that wild, but I really think Saxon's going to kill Locky with the. With a fruit blender dress drink.
Mallory Rubin
Intentionally.
Bill Simmons
Yes. Because I think he's gonna kill his brother. Worried that I don't think he's gonna be able to deal with this. He's got this macho whatever, and I just feel like he needs to eliminate him so he doesn't think about this anymore. It's only the two of them, though. Chloe dies somehow, and then if he kills the brother, then nobody will remember this happened. The.
Joanna Robinson
The Saxon trying to maybe poison Locky with the smoothie has been on my mind too. I'm worried about that. The only thing is, I thought, even though he was like, it's. It's not a thing. Thing. It's definitely not a thing. His reaction to Chelsea and Chloe ultimately was, I thought, kind of, like, tame.
Mallory Rubin
Well, but like.
Joanna Robinson
Like, he was like, oh, God.
Mallory Rubin
Oh. Because he wasn't doing that. Like, you were about Saxon's rage.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah.
Mallory Rubin
Instincts.
Joanna Robinson
He was more like dis. Rightfully so. Disturbed, scared, ashamed.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah.
Joanna Robinson
You know, So I think that could lead him to violence.
Bill Simmons
Could it be as Saxon preparing the fruit blender drink for lackey, but then someone else drinks it? That's in play, too. I don't know. I just feel like they're the blender.
Mallory Rubin
And the blender posen fruit.
Bill Simmons
Wrong person drinks it.
Joanna Robinson
I agree. Yeah.
Bill Simmons
So I have that one. I. We're gonna hear from the Russians again.
Mallory Rubin
Okay.
Joanna Robinson
No question. They're not the fight.
Mallory Rubin
Okay, wait, wait, wait.
Joanna Robinson
We still think Gio's gonna see the robbers at the fight.
Mallory Rubin
I need to go back to Tim.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah, yeah. Tim drinks it.
Mallory Rubin
Tim does get off scot free. Like, finds out from his phone that everything's fine, and then finds out one.
Joanna Robinson
Of the kids is dead.
Mallory Rubin
Poison blender anyway, just by. By accident.
Bill Simmons
That'd be great.
Joanna Robinson
That would.
Mallory Rubin
And then he dies. But as he dies, we see the crashing waves again, and it's just a drop into the ocean.
Bill Simmons
Or Vicky drinks it and it just doesn't phase her at all. She's. She's fine. She's just.
Joanna Robinson
She chugs the whole thing with the body. Sushi and billions. Built up a tolerance.
Bill Simmons
Sobers her up.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah.
Bill Simmons
So. All right, so death rankings. Who would you have one?
Joanna Robinson
I mean, we got another. Bad luck comes in threes from Chelsea. All of the lingering looks on the guns. I hope. I hope they're okay. I mean, I think Chloe. We have to be concerned. Right?
Mallory Rubin
Though I will say, if Rick's got to die, if Rick gets shot and dies, that red suit, that white suit with the red, it's going to be a blossom.
Bill Simmons
So if. So if Rick dies in this next episode, and Chelsea loves Rick, and she'll be like, on a.
Mallory Rubin
On a grief tour of white lotuses for the next four seasons or, like.
Bill Simmons
Trying to find out, like, more info and trying to blow it up, basically.
Mallory Rubin
Greg, Gary. Greg Gary dies.
Joanna Robinson
I hope so.
Mallory Rubin
That's right.
Joanna Robinson
I really hope so. I think Rick is gonna be okay.
Bill Simmons
Who gets the house? Chloe is amazing.
Joanna Robinson
We have two weeks. Can Chloe get the house for the finale? Think about it.
Bill Simmons
Chloe ends up with the house that's a good outcome. Maybe Chelsea lives there grieving dead Rick.
Mallory Rubin
Oh, okay.
Joanna Robinson
I want Rick to be okay. And I want him to embrace Amrita's lesson to him. I really, I hope that that happens. I hope that that happens.
Bill Simmons
I think our guy Goggin signed up for one season. Please kill me at the end. Can I have a white suit on.
Mallory Rubin
Covered in Harrison Ford? Yeah.
Joanna Robinson
You guys like, I don't think will agree because you're more disciplined and you believe rightly that television episodes should be a certain length and seasons should be a certain length. The fact that we've now had a couple of the half day, you know, into night is separate episodes. I want the next White Lotus season to be 14 episodes. I would watch every second of it and I would do it gladly and I would love it.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah, we're different.
Joanna Robinson
I need more same, but different. You know what I mean? I'm following my desire to the point of pleasure and I will find pain, but I'm doing it anyway.
Bill Simmons
Anyway, so did you see there was this White Lotus four seasons collaboration.
Joanna Robinson
Oh yeah, yeah. Should we get robes?
Bill Simmons
What would HBO do if Mike White's like, I've written season four. Not doing it unless I get. We're 5050 on all this stuff going forward because I didn't get cut in. Nobody knew this was gonna be the show that kept going. I don't have to make season four. I'm good once the Mamys did great, made some money. You're cutting me an hour. You're not getting season four. I'm going to hijack it from you.
Joanna Robinson
You tell us what would happen.
Bill Simmons
I don't know. I just.
Mallory Rubin
What would HBO know what the contract is? Because does he own White Lotus?
Bill Simmons
I don't know.
Mallory Rubin
Or does HBO own White Lotus and can they make it without it?
Bill Simmons
I'm just always interested in this because like Yellowstone had. They do like the steakhouse now. Like the 666 steakhouse is like a pop up steakhouse.
Joanna Robinson
The four sixes.
Bill Simmons
Oh, you want four sixes.
Mallory Rubin
Thank you.
Bill Simmons
Whatever you want.
Mallory Rubin
Like wait to see something of that. That coffee mate. Money.
Bill Simmons
I just always when a show turns into something else like this. Yeah, do you. He still has some say and some power. And this show, I think this season's been, I think in the running for biggest audience they've had. It's like a little power. Mike White pay.
Mallory Rubin
Mike White.
Joanna Robinson
I. How long are we gonna have to wait for the next season?
Bill Simmons
Oh my God. Two years at least.
Mallory Rubin
They make them pretty quickly though. We.
Bill Simmons
We'll all be dead by the. Then that'll be it. This will be our last White Lotus.
Joanna Robinson
Are we going to Greg Gary's party?
Bill Simmons
God, we're just going to be underwater.
Mallory Rubin
The Last one was 2023, right? That's. That was the last season of White lotus.
Bill Simmons
Yeah, yeah, cuz. 21. 23, 25.
Mallory Rubin
Yeah, yeah. Two years.
Bill Simmons
Who. Last question, who's your MVP through six episodes?
Mallory Rubin
Jason Isaac.
Joanna Robinson
I agree. Amy L. A close second.
Bill Simmons
I think Jason Isaac's really your mvp.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah. Parker Posey also in the running. Honestly, they've been so good. They've all been great.
Bill Simmons
I think Chelsea is my mvp.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah, she's been amazing.
Bill Simmons
And I would say for sidekick, MVP is Parker Posey.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah.
Bill Simmons
But I also think on the comedy.
Joanna Robinson
Front, it's obviously Parker Posey.
Bill Simmons
I think what Schwarzenegger is doing with that character is really good.
Joanna Robinson
No, I agree.
Bill Simmons
Yeah, he's a genuinely good actor.
Mallory Rubin
I think he's great.
Joanna Robinson
He's really.
Bill Simmons
Yeah. I was trying to think of other people, like if that had been Jake Lacy in that part. I don't know if he's able to pull it off the same way.
Mallory Rubin
Hungover Saxon was truly phenomenal.
Bill Simmons
Yeah.
Mallory Rubin
Really good stuff.
Bill Simmons
Great stuff. All right, that's it. Well, Prestige tv, you're doing your deep dive with Rob. We'll be able to watch that on ringer dash TV, YouTube plus as a video pod on Spotify.
Mallory Rubin
Correct.
Bill Simmons
And I'll see you next week, hopefully. Thanks to the crew for producing. As always, White Lotus Pleasure Delight.
Joanna Robinson
Truly.
The Prestige TV Podcast Summary: The White Lotus Season 3, Episode 6 – "About Last Night"
Released on March 24, 2025, The Prestige TV Podcast by The Ringer delves deep into the intricacies of HBO's "The White Lotus" Season 3, Episode 6, titled "About Last Night." Hosted by a rotating cast including Bill Simmons, Joanna Robinson, Mallory Rubin, and others, this episode provides a comprehensive analysis of the latest developments in the series.
The hosts unanimously praised Episode 6, with Mallory Rubin expressing, "I liked this one even better. Yeah, I thought this one was phenomenal" ([02:37]). Joanna Robinson echoed this sentiment, highlighting the episode's intensity and complexity: "They’re on a heater, man" ([02:37]). Bill Simmons reflected on the season's progression, noting the unexpected twists and the impending live finale: "I can't believe everyone died. That was crazy. Who would have saw that coming?" ([00:37]).
A significant portion of the discussion centered around the brothers' storyline, specifically the controversial incest subplot between Locky and Saxon. Bill Simmons raised concerns about the show's bold narrative choices: "Now the only thing left for Mike White to do on White Lotus, I think is necrophilia" ([03:03]). The hosts debated Locky's motivations, with Joanna Robinson mentioning Sam Navola's interpretation that Locky's actions were attention-seeking: "His interpretation is that Lockie just really wanted attention to impress his brother" ([07:34]).
Mallory Rubin added depth to the analysis by referencing interviews and the actors' insights, emphasizing the complexity of the characters' relationships: "Fabian tells them he's gonna sing. What do we think of this?" ([31:50]). The discussion underscored the show's willingness to push boundaries, leaving audiences both intrigued and unsettled.
The episode delved into the philosophical underpinnings of the series, particularly Buddhism. Mallory Rubin highlighted a pivotal scene between Tim and the monk: "This was my favorite scene of the series" ([10:49]). Bill Simmons connected the show's exploration of self and identity to broader philosophical concepts: "We all know people who do this in real life" ([04:53]). Joanna Robinson emphasized the recurring motif of desire and its impact on the characters: "It's not just what do you desire? On a core level, it's what do you covet that someone else has" ([26:12]).
The hosts also discussed the show's Southern Gothic elements and how they intertwine with personal desires and moral dilemmas, offering a richer understanding of the characters' internal conflicts.
Jason Isaacs received high praise for his portrayal of complex emotions, with Joanna Robinson stating, "We've been praising the Jason Isaacs performance all season" ([05:04]) and Bill Simmons declaring him the MVP of the season ([76:18]). Carrie Coon was also lauded for her evolving role, transitioning from an acoustic to an electric presence: "These last two episodes, she is now fully an electric guitar and not just an acoustic guitar" ([11:56]).
Parker Posey's performance was highlighted for adding depth and humor, with Bill Simmons noting, "She's a genuinely good actor" ([76:37]). The hosts appreciated how the actors brought authenticity and nuance to their roles, enhancing the show's overall impact.
As the season nears its conclusion, the hosts speculated on potential plot twists and character fates. Bill Simmons proposed a theory about Saxon potentially killing Locky using a fruit blender: "I really think Saxon's going to kill Locky with the... with a fruit blender dress drink" ([70:57]). Mallory Rubin considered the possibility of Tim's demise through accidental poisoning: "Tim drinks it... he dies" ([72:23]).
Joanna Robinson pondered the resolution of the brothers' arc, questioning whether Saxon could embrace self-assessment or if his shame would lead to further violence: "I don't think he has been presented to us as a character who is embracing that kind of self-assessment" ([55:44]). These theories reflect the hosts' engagement with the show's suspenseful narrative, building anticipation for the finale.
The luxurious and menacing setting of the White Lotus house was a topic of fascination. Bill Simmons admired the property's grandeur: "It's one of the jaw-dropping houses we've had on a TV show" ([34:45]). Mallory Rubin discussed the house's strategic design, questioning its accessibility and security: "Is there another way in? Is there another..." ([49:12]).
Joanna Robinson appreciated the symbolic role of the house, considering it a character in its own right that influences the plot's development and the characters' interactions within its walls.
The dynamics among the Cougars—Kate, Jacqueline, and Laurie—were dissected, revealing underlying tensions and insecurities. Mallory Rubin critiqued their superficial friendships: "They're not having actual real conversations with one another" ([64:33]). Joanna Robinson noted the authenticity of their interactions, despite the surface-level camaraderie: "This is true to life where, like, you're on her side and you know she's in the right" ([25:37]).
The hosts explored how these relationships contribute to the show's themes of facade versus reality, emphasizing the characters' struggles with genuine connection and personal vulnerabilities.
As the hosts wrapped up their discussion, they offered final predictions on the remaining episodes:
Bill Simmons concluded with a speculative yet humorous take on the finale's potential events, blending serious analysis with playful banter: "I love that historic stuff yet again from our guy Saxon" ([42:58]).
Throughout the episode, the hosts highlighted several impactful quotes and scenes:
These quotes encapsulate the show's thematic depth and the hosts' insightful commentary, offering listeners a nuanced understanding of the series' developments.
Conclusion
In this detailed analysis, The Prestige TV Podcast team meticulously unpacked the complexities of "The White Lotus" Season 3, Episode 6. From controversial storylines and philosophical themes to standout performances and predictive theories, the hosts provided listeners with a rich, engaging exploration of the show's evolution. Their insightful discussions and memorable quotes offer both devoted fans and newcomers a comprehensive understanding of the intricate tapestry that is "The White Lotus."