The White Lotus creator Mike White, who writes and directs every episode of the HBO show, originally had a much different plan for season 2.

For the third year running, HBO’s “The White Lotus” is the talk of the town, garnering the usual buzz that’s as much about the uber-rich and their jet-setting as the show’s  unique formula, seasonal quirks and larger cultural resonance.

This piece discusses plot points from the first two episode of The White Lotus. Up until Season 3 of The White Lotus, many assumed that an ingredient for the show's separate island itinerary format was one connecting character from a previous season.