Jason Isaacs Bares It All, Literally and Figuratively, on This Week’s ‘White Lotus’

After the more leisurely pace of the first three episodes of White Lotus season three, episode four finally hinted at the many possibilities for the floating body we glimpsed in the cold open. At the very least, we now know that Zion — the man who hears the gunshot and rushes out searching for his mother — is the son of Natasha Rothwell’s Belinda. If anyone is shooting at her, the most likely suspect is Greg Hunt (Jon Gries), the scammer who walked away from season two with Tanya McQuoid-Hunt’s (Jennifer Coolidge) fortune.

The gun in question might belong to Gaitok (Tayme Thapthimthong), the well-meaning but hapless security guard who somehow managed to lose the firearm given to him to improve resort security. That poor man just wants to go on a date with Mook (Lalisa Manobal).

Or maybe the body belongs to the murderer of Rick’s (Walton Goggins) father. Rick finally revealed to Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood) the real reason they’re in Thailand: the owner of the resort — and much of Thailand’s real estate — allegedly killed his dad, and Rick wants to have a word (or perhaps more).

As for the trio of wealthy women who spend their time talking shit about each other (Michelle Monaghan, Leslie Bibb, Carrie Coon), it’s unclear how they might be involved in a murder. But Jaclyn’s husband isn’t responding to her calls or texts; Laurie is still hiding secrets from her life back home; and Kate is conservative, which doesn’t seem like a reason to end up on either side of a shooting, but in present-day politics, who knows?

Meanwhile, the Ratliff family remains unbearable in every way, except for Piper, who confessed to the “good” brother, Lochlan (Sam Nivola), that she wants to stay behind and open a meditation center. Saxon (Patrick Schwarzenegger), however, continues to be so insufferable that he could easily provoke someone into violence, whether by sleeping with the wrong person’s wife (possibly Jaclyn, who is clearly searching for something to make her feel alive) or by relentlessly bullying Lochlan, who seems perpetually on edge.

The most obvious scenario suggested by the episode’s momentum, however, is that Timothy (Jason Isaacs) might use that gun, or any gun, on himself (though, we know from seasons past, that the most likely scenario is the least likely outcome). Timothy’s entire world is collapsing under the weight of impending jail time and financial ruin, thanks to some shady financial dealings. This week’s episode focused heavily on his downward spiral, showing him stealing his wife’s Lorazepam just to keep it together.

I know viewers hate the Ratliff family, but Isaacs is turning in an especially strong performance as a man teetering on the edge of a complete breakdown. White Lotus is supposed to be a darkly comedic look at the grotesqueness of the ultra-wealthy, but Timothy, unlikable as he may be, is legitimately stressing me the hell out. His awful family will undoubtedly throw him under the bus, but I just want him to confess already so he doesn’t have to bear the weight of it all alone. Spread the stress around a little; let the rest of these monsters share the burden.

Isaacs also did something rare on prestige television this week: he went full frontal. It was the only genuinely funny moment in his otherwise anxiety-inducing storyline. Stumbling out in a robe, hungover from Lorazepam and stress, he failed to realize his dong was on full display to his family. It was undignified, not sexy, and arguably more scarring for his kids than their looming financial ruin. But the real highlight was Parker Posey’s perfectly delivered headshake — a silent, exhausted look that screamed, “Oh, Tim. What am I going to do with you?”

Honestly, Timothy is going to need a few more of those mortifying moments if he wants to relieve any of the pressure that’s building in his storyline. He may be the worst character this season (with the possible exception of Greg), but to me, he’s the most compelling. Even a terrible person drowning in his own mess can be sympathetic when his greatest fear, despite everything, is disappointing his family. Awful as they are, that’s still strangely human.