The amount of full-frontal male nudity inThe White Lotusseason 3 has been surprising, but only because viewers are not used to seeing male genitalia on TV shows. More so than shows from different networks and streaming services, and even more so than some other HBO series, which are known to be quite graphic,The White Lotusconsistently proves that it is an extremely risqué series. While the first two seasons of the HBO show included numerous surprising moments,The White Lotusseason 3has doubled down on the shock value.
The White Lotusseason 3 follows a new group of characters who are on a luxurious vacation in Thailand. While some of the (mostly wealthy)characters inThe White Lotusseason 3may seem perfect on the surface, viewers of the series get to take a more intimate look at them. Sometimes, these characters reveal much more than what is traditionally expected from viewers. In particular,The White Lotus season 3 has more full-frontal male nuditythan the previous two seasons of the show.
The White Lotus Has A Long History Of Male Nudity
Several Male White Lotus Characters Have Gone Nude In The Series
The male nudity inThe White Lotusseason 3 shouldn’t be that surprising for fans of the series. After all,the previous two seasons of the hit HBO series have featured full-frontal male nude scenes, as well. For example, actors such as Steve Zahn, who played Mark in season 1, and Theo James, who played Cameron in season 2, both had full-frontal nude scenes. In addition to these two prominent characters, many other male characters inThe White Lotushave been shown completely naked.
I Was So Stressed Out Watching The White Lotus Season 3, Episode 5 & Can’t Believe Nothing Actually Happened
The White Lotus episode 5 puts many of its characters on a collision course with disaster, but it pulls back in time to save the tension for later.
Throughout the series' three seasons, several penis' have been shown inThe White Lotus.Jason Isaacs' shocking nude scenehas been the most talked-about full-frontal scene fromThe White Lotusseason 3. For all these aforementioned characters, series creator Mike White has not tried to hide any details of their genitals. However,these actors all wore prosthetics while filming nude scenes inThe White Lotus. Therefore, at least when it comes to the main actors, no real penis' have been seen in the HBO series.
What This Really Means In The White Lotus
Nude Scenes In The White Lotus Are Never Completely Random
While some viewers may criticizeThe White Lotus’risqué nude scenes, White always has a reason for showing a character completely naked. In particular, White often displays the genitals of rich men in the series because it showcases a more vulnerable side of their characters. For example,Timothy accidently reveals his penis to his family in season 3 because he is so stressed and distracted about potentially going to jail. This has made for a viral clip, but in terms of the story of the season, it also clearly displays Timothy’s distracted mindset.
There are always deeper reasons why a fully nude male is shown inThe White Lotus.
Meanwhile, including a full-frontal nude scene could highlight power dynamics between characters. For example, the dynamic between Cameron and Harper was explored in season 2 when James' character purposefully got fully naked in front of her. While there are always deeper reasons why a fully nude male is shown inThe White Lotus, it also needs to be noted that White is a very comedic writer. He understands that shocking viewers can often lead to laughter, which is what he is also sometimes trying to accomplish with full-frontal male nude scenes.
The White Lotus Is Addressing An Old TV Imbalance
Naked Men Haven’t Been Shown As Much As Naked Women In TV History
In addition to exploring vulnerabilities, power dynamics, and simply trying to make viewers laugh,White also includes male nudity inThe White Lotusto address a problem with many older TV shows. WithThe White Lotus, White wants to break taboos and show that women do not always need to be sexualized on TV. Historically, women have had to show off their bodies in movies and shows way more than men, but White knows this doesn’t have to be the case. Through these scenes inThe White Lotus, White highlights how imbalanced nudity in shows and movies has been.
The White Lotus Season 4 Refusing To Take Place In These Locations Is Actually A Good Thing
According to an executive producer on The White Lotus, there are several locations that can be ruled out from the HBO show’s future outings.
For years, women have been filmed for the male gaze. Even HBO has been guilty of this in the past by showing an excess of female nudity and “sexposition” in their shows. In these shows,it has almost always been the women who are naked, while the men are comfortably clothed. However, White often tries to flip this inThe White Lotus, and depicts male sexuality and the male form in a way that it hasn’t been in the past.
