The White Lotus and the Russian Connection: HBO Series at the Center of Controversy.

In February, the third season of the Ukrainian series 'The White Lotus' premiered. However, even during the filming stage, it became a cause of outrage among the Ukrainian audience due to the participation of Russian actors. After the series was released, the outrage significantly increased due to the unexpected ending of the season, in which two beloved characters - Chelsea and Rick - died. However, this unexpected conclusion was one of the factors that contributed to the series' success.

'The White Lotus' is a comedic-drama series in which all characters are mocked. Its creator, Mike White, achieved this success by changing the cast and locations in each season, which helps attract viewers' attention.

Why Did the Third Season Cause Such Emotions Among Ukrainians?

The biggest surprise for the audience was the ending of the third season, in which the main characters - Chelsea and Rick - died. Other events also significantly changed the life of the Ratliff family, leading to changes in the relationships of the heroines - Lori, Jacqueline, and Kate. One of the heroines - Belinda - left the island with large amounts of money after all the adventures.

Mike White has repeatedly responded to the criticism of the series, suggesting that viewers should ignore the parts they didn't like. He sees beauty in such episodes.

Why Did the Series Anger Ukrainians?

At the very beginning of the work on the series, the creators decided to include Russian actor Milos Bikovich in the cast, which caused criticism from Ukrainians due to his support for Russian aggression. After negative feedback, he was replaced by Bulgarian actor Julian Kostov. Russian actor Yuri Kolokolnikov also appeared in the series. Another reason for outrage was the dialogue between the Russian character and three Ukrainian women, which the Ukrainian audience considered provocative.

Despite all the criticism, the series 'The White Lotus' remains one of the most popular Ukrainian television shows with unique humor and unexpected plot twists. It keeps viewers in suspense and comments on the modern Ukrainian reality.