The White Lotus creator explains what's behind surprising episode 1 cameo

The character has now appeared in all three seasons of the satirical drama, effectively serving as its overarching villain; first, appearing as a beau for heiress Tanya McQuoid (Jennifer Coolidge), and, later, as the architect of her demise.

The beloved character valiantly fought off an attempt on her life in season 2, but ultimately died shortly after in a botched attempt to reach the lifeboat of a luxury yacht – meaning that Greg secured her enormous inheritance, just as he planned.

The reappearance of Greg in Thailand suggests that there's more to come from this sinister subplot, with The White Lotus creator Mike White confirming as much in a recent interview with Time Magazine.

He teased: "I got excited, because I was like: 'This is how we can keep the Tanya storyline alive.'"

Why Thailand? Well, as referenced in the episode, Greg isn't the only wealthy expat keeping a low profile in the country's lavish leisure spots, with White arguing that it's a perfectly plausible hiding place for the crook.

"This is where he would end up, and this is the kind of situation he'd be in," the screenwriter continued. "These guys, there's always a woman – usually a much younger woman – in their life. But you don't get the sense that there are many other people."

Indeed, the relationship between Greg and his current girlfriend Chloe (Charlotte Le Bon) seems far from trouble-free, inviting comparisons with the similarly cold pairing of Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood) and Rick (Walton Goggins).

For all her flaws, Tanya did seem to genuinely care about Greg, which contributes to the sense of "pathos" in his lonely new life, prompting White to raise the question: "You've done the deed… Was it all worth it?"

Notably, the tagline for this season in its HBO promotional materials is "karma comes for everyone", which is particularly foreboding for someone with quite so many skeletons as Greg.

Greg would be wise to keep his wits about him in the days to come, especially with Natasha Rothwell's Belinda on the scene – who previously crossed paths with himself and Tanya during their stay in Hawaii.

The White Lotus season 3 is available on Sky Atlantic and NOW.

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