“The White Lotus” is back on HBO, and if the third season’s first two episodes are any indication, the hit show will have folks not only tuning in for the rest but also discussing its characters, plotlines, and locale. While the first season in Hawaii could be described as hot and bothered, and the last season in Sicily sun-baked and anxiety-ridden, the latest in Thailand starts off hazy, humid, and harrowing as three parties begin their stay at a lush White Lotus, a fictional hotel chain. 

When the program had its debut in 2021, creator and showrunner Mike White pulled off a neat trick by taking the “Downton Abbey” mode of aristocratic and working-class characters under the same roof and updating it for the modern era of luxury hospitality and the jetset crowd. The idea had been done before in the U.S., such as in the 1980s TV series “Hotel” starring James Brolin, yet Mr. White gives the concept more of a satirical edge, particularly regarding obnoxious Americans, trending topics, and new-agey health practices. 

The new season continues this biting tone, though it’s too soon to tell if it will be sustained, particularly as it begins with a literal bang, with gunshots zipping through the gorgeous retreat. Yet even this violence has its mordant humor, considering it occurs when two characters are meditating and includes a prayer to Jesus in front of a Buddha. As in prior seasons, this opening scene is a sneak peek of what will all make sense at the end, even if it’s distinctly more disturbing. 

The new arrivals to the Thai location consist of a family, three middle-age female friends, and a couple. The wealthy Ratliff family includes mother Victoria (Parker Posey), father Tim (Jason Isaacs), eldest son Saxon (Patrick Schwarzenegger), middle child Piper (Sarah Catherine Hook), and the youngest, Lochlan (Sam Nivola). The parents are ridiculously presumptuous, arrogant, and condescending, while the siblings share a strangely incestuous vibe. The main reason they’ve come to Thailand is because Piper is studying Buddhism and wishes to interview a renowned monk, much to her parents’ chagrin.    

The “girls trip” gallivanters are TV actress Jaclyn (Michelle Monaghan), Texan Kate (Leslie Bibb), and New Yorker Laurie (Carrie Coon). Friends since their youth but living far from each other, they’ve come to the White Lotus to reaffirm their bond. Some of the sharpest dialogue and acting in these early episodes takes place when the three “catch up” and subtly compete over their physical attributes. True to life, when one leaves the room, the remaining two instantly start gossiping about her. 

Rick (Walton Goggins) and Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood) make up the final party. He’s a grumpy, vaguely criminal American, while Chelsea is his much younger and chipper British companion. Chelsea befriends a former French-Canadian model who lives in town with her boyfriend, but I’m not at liberty to discuss this latter personage, as HBO would like it to be a surprise for the viewer. What I will say is that events from past seasons may have a bearing on future episodes.

A familiar face from the first season appears when Natasha Rothwell shows up again as Belinda, spa manager of the Hawaii White Lotus. She’s at the Thailand property for a three-month immersion in Southeast Asian wellness techniques. Other “staff members” who stand out include Mook (Lalisa Manobal), one of the resort’s several “health mentors,” and Gaitok (Tayme Thapthimthong), a security guard. We also meet the regal Sritala (Lek Patravadi), who, along with her American husband, is the owner of the hotel. Rick seems keen to meet this husband, who’s away in Bangkok, and one wonders if there is a family connection to this plotline.

“Self-care” plays a major role in the new season, as the location offers several treatment options, meditation, and “digital detox” — as in, there’s no WiFi. Another prominent element is violence, with an armed robbery at the resort’s luxury boutique in the second episode in addition to the flash-forward at the start. Curiously, despite all the police who arrive, most of the guests, like the Ratliffs and the three girlfriends, seem unaware of the break-in later that evening. Let’s hope Mr. White maintains his knack for tight plotting without compromising credibility.

As before, there are oodles of sex, sexiness, and raunch. The skewering of the alpha male remains a focal point, as does the show’s trademark mocking of the rich — or, as Tom Wolfe once called it, the “American vice” of plutography. Missing, though, is a character as indelible as Tanya McQuoid, played both humorously and heartbreakingly by Jennifer Coolidge in the first seasons. Viewers may even find a few new characters off-putting and some scenes strained, but like all first episodes of anthology series, it takes a bit of time to acclimate. 

One thing that’s easy to get used to is the beauty of the resort grounds and the surrounding landscape. The third season of “The White Lotus” no doubt will have viewers clamoring to travel to Thailand to bask in its seductive atmosphere — and perhaps their own foibles.