USC students are celebrating the release of the third season of the hit Max show, “The White Lotus.” This time, one of the new season’s most controversial characters is played by former Trojan, Patrick Schwarzenegger, who portrays Saxon Ratliff.
Schwarzenegger graduated in 2016 with a major in the USC Marshall School of Business and a minor in cinematic arts. In an Instagram post, Schwarzenegger could be seen crying after finding out he landed the role, a moment he described as “one of those dream come true moments.”
Patrick Schwarzenegger is also the son of journalist Maria Shriver and the actor-turned-California-governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
“The White Lotus” is a murder mystery and social satire show filmed in various locations. It follows various wealthy travelers as their chaotic vacations unfold at the fictional White Lotus chain of luxury resorts. The show depicts the complex relationships between people who go on vacation together and those who work for them, serving as a commentary on human relationships, socioeconomic classes and travel.
Jonah Ball, a junior studying business administration, said that “every different friend group or family has their own weird dynamics that make the viewer very uncomfortable for very different reasons.”
He also pointed out Schwarzenegger’s character as being particularly odd, adding that
“He kind of steps in as this very Southern frat boy, khaki shorts, tucked in polo, and you kind of just get a sense of what he’s gonna be like from the start.”
Right away, Saxon comes across as arrogant and unfiltered. In the first episode alone, Saxon makes several inappropriate comments about his younger sister, even going as far as asking their brother if they think she has “ever been laid.”
Each season features a new slew of peculiar hotel guests and employees at various locations. The show depicts the darker aspects of luxury travel, such as fighting couples, unprofessional employees and uber-wealthy families. There is always a murder — or multiple — taking place at the White Lotus resort that is previewed as a cold open at the beginning of each season.
The new season is set at a wellness resort in Ko Samui in Thailand, and follows several new hotel guests. The first season of The White Lotus took place in Maui, the second season was set in Sicily.
Each season features an ensemble cast different from the last — except for Natasha Rothwell, who plays Belinda, and Jon Gries, who was featured as Greg in seasons one and two.
The show has a large following among Trojans. Students like Ryan Phelan, a freshman studying human biology, said she and her family first “watched it as a joke, and then we became obsessed with it.”
She watched the recent episode with her future roommates and is looking forward to watching them as they release on Max every Sunday night.
“I’m texting my family, they’re all watching it and we watch it at the same time. It’s so fun,” Phelan said, adding that “after it’s over, we have like, a 30-minute debrief about what just happened.”
That controversial content revolves in large part around Schwarzenegger’s character, whose questionable sexual comments and acts are sure to provide some shock value in the coming episodes.
Ball said he is excited for the rest of the season, which ends in April. There will be eight episodes in total.
“I’ll keep watching just because I like to have my little hypotheses about what’s going to happen, and I want to see if they come to fruition or not,” Ball said.