Dysfunctionality plagues the season three cast of “White Lotus,” with returning and new characters alike engulfed in another eerie storyline. 

Not only did the theme song not appear in “White Lotus”’s third season, but we also bade a farewell to Jennifer Coolidge after her fateful end in season two. However, the creators made a riveting plotline that made viewers wish for more. 

The first episode introduces us to four core groups: a returning customer, a disheveled couple, the intolerable Ratcliff family, and a group of old friends. 

Although the groups — all vastly different — come to the Thailand White Lotus Resort with diverse motives, the foreshadowing at the beginning leaves little room for comfort while watching. 

A return of Belinda and Gary, played by Natasha Rothwell and Jon Gries, adds to the spooky nature of each episode as Rothwell’s character tries to place the murderous Gary. 

Although the first episode adequately introduced the new cast and characters, creator Mike White went above and beyond to incorporate plotlines that have uncanny and freakish twists. 

Specifically, the Ratcliff family caught the attention of every viewer, with a pill-popping mother, an overly zealous working father, and three children who are quite invested in each other’s personal lives. 

Played by Parker Posey and Jason Isaacs, the Ratcliff parental unit offers a questionable relationship, and through the first three episodes, the father’s controversial business ventures come back to haunt him during his stay at the White Lotus. 

The three Ratcliff children — Saxon (Patrick Schwarzenegger), Piper (Sarah Catherine Hook) and Lochlan (Sam Nivola) — come to the resort in both scholarly pursuits as well as personal.

While the Ratcliff family is one of the most interesting plotlines, the childhood girlfriends storyline offers another interesting and more catty subplot. 

Three friends, Laurie, Kate and Jaclyn have reconnected after years apart, and to their surprise, the persistent gossiping is the least of their concerns. While the gossiping adds to their storyline, it also highlights that their friendship is dwindling due to underlying issues from the past. 

The White Lotus also hosts a disheveled and grouchy couple, looking for relaxation amidst the boyfriend Rick’s (Walter Goggins) perpetual crash-out that his supportive girlfriend Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood) tries to ease. The pair is the most humorous aspect of the show. 

Last and certainly not least, is Belinda and her storyline, which is quite small in comparison to her role in season one. Unlike the other groups seeking refuge from their busy and hard-hitting lives, Belinda is in search of new therapy and meditation methods. 

Her unwavering kindness becomes an issue once she approaches Gary, who is actively avoiding the spotlight after his former wife’s life insurance pushed him into retirement. 

The storyline of the first three episodes was compelling and enticing, yet there was a lack of a storyline for Belinda. Because of her fairly prominent role in season one, it was disheartening to see her role diminished in the first three episodes. 

Although her role was cut short, I found the new storylines to be creative and well thought out. The inclusion of the girlfriend group fighting about politics in episode three also gave a real-world insight into political tiffs between friends, and while this wasn’t Laurie, Kate and Jaclyn’s only awkward conversation, it illuminates how easily they can judge one another. 

This series has many outstanding plots and stories going for it; however, it lacked the oomph of the former seasons. 

This season stands out in comparison to the others since this plotline is so vastly different from the former seasons, but I wish it included more than catty older women, a drug-addicted southern woman and a middle-aged pothead who needs severe psychotherapy. 

The season is at a decent starting point but didn’t consume my every fiber like the former installments. 

Overall, the series excels in videography and acting but falls short with a fast-paced plotline. 

While it’s too early to give a complete synopsis of the show, the first three episodes introduce the characters with subpar detail, yet the show still incorporates the unsettling tactics viewers have seen in the last two seasons. 

To watch season three of “White Lotus,” new episodes drop at 9 p.m. Sundays on HBO.