The White Lotus's Patrick Schwarzenegger explains reasoning behind season 3 theme tune
The title track is a departure from the club classic that season 2 provided.
The White Lotus season 3 has thrown viewers into another surreal stay at the titular hotel chain, but one element hasn't quite lived up to the show's five-star reputation: the theme music.
The satirical drama has always boasted a stellar original score, with the breakout track of the past two seasons being the unusual-yet-funky theme song, which plays over the show's ever-cryptic opening credits.
The second season's theme, titled Renaissance (to reflect the Italian setting), was even played at festivals and nightclubs, enjoying remixes from prolific DJs such as Dutch star Tiësto.
Despite composer Cristobal Tapia De Veer returning to pen the soundtrack for season 3, the latest theme song (dubbed 'Enlightenment') has received a significantly less enthusiastic response from viewers so far.
However, season 3 star Patrick Schwarzenegger has come out in defence of the track, calling it a "fascinating" change that matches the darker themes that these latest episodes set out to address.
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He told RadioTimes.com and other press: "It's something that I loved so much about the previous seasons, how upbeat it was and it was so iconic, and yet he wanted to push the envelope and make it different this time... It's daunting and darker and deeper."
Schwarzenegger also teased that some of the musical elements weaved into the title sequence are actually derived from "funeral" music, referencing the untimely fate that will befall at least one guest at the end of the season.
"I love the soundtrack and I love the opening sequence," added Schwarzenegger, before acknowledging that "it's a lot different than what probably fans are used to from the iconic songs from the first two seasons".
On The White Lotus season 3 more generally, co-star Jason Isaacs said: "It's richer and more profound. There are questions of life and identity. Mike [White, creator] chose Thailand for a reason, because people go there on a spiritual odyssey.
"And as well as all the normally entertaining things, he wanted to make the series have more resonance, I think."
Isaacs and Schwarzenegger play father-and-son duo Timothy and Saxon Ratliff in the third season, who are on a holiday with the rest of their dysfunctional family, played by Parker Posey, Sam Nivola and Sarah Catherine Hook.
The White Lotus is available on Sky Atlantic and NOW.
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Authors
David Craig is the Senior Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest and greatest scripted drama and comedy across television and streaming. Previously, he worked at Starburst Magazine, presented The Winter King Podcast for ITVX and studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield.
