The White Lotus viewers said they were physically unable to watch a ‘disgusting’ incest scene that had been teased for weeks.
In the latest episode, titled Full Moon Party, brothers Saxon (Patrick Schwarzenegger) and Lochlan (Sam Nivola) kissed on a yacht.
They snogged in full view of shocked friends Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood) and Chloe (Charlotte Le Bon), who had given them drugs and invited them to party.
Viewers had been anticipating the dark scene after Lochlan looked on longingly when his brother Saxon stripped off and began to masturbate in the bathroom of their shared hotel room in the first episode.
However, they were still revolted when it ramped up to ‘fully-flegded incest’ with many complaining they felt ‘sick’.
What are people saying about The White Lotus incest scene?
Among them was Reddit user Mmonzeob, who said: ‘I couldn’t watch it. It’s probably the cringiest scene in all three seasons, I just can’t with incest.’
Over on X, @StrategicDelusion shared: ‘I hate that y’all were right about the incest… #TheWhiteLotus.’
@ChoiceReznikov complained: ‘OH MY GOD THE INCEST HAPPENED THE INCEST HAPPENED HELPP #TheWhiteLotus.’
Echoing their sentiment, @lovedyoutruly wrote: ‘The incest plotline was true I feel sick #TheWhiteLotus.’
@Nerdophile1990 commented: ‘Tell me you are disgusting human without telling me you are disgusting human.’
@lsmdolls added: ‘This episode gotta be the wildest of them this season…’
Doctor Sophie King-Hill, a professor at the University of Birmingham who specialises in sibling sexual behaviour (SSB), previously warned The White Lotus was treading dangerous and damaging ground with its presentation of incest.
‘Storylines that show it as abusive are a different conversation, but storylines that normalise it are dangerous and damaging,’ Dr. King-Hill tells Metro, quick to call shows that use sexual dynamics between siblings as tools of sensationalism ‘ethically wrong.’
In her opinion, the last thing an already underresearched, underreported, and undertreated form of abuse needs is normalisation by the media, especially given that approximately 34 percent of perpetrators in cases of child sexual abuse are family members.
While the dynamics between the Ratliff siblings in The White Lotus may seem like just another morbidly funny storyline in a series that tends towards the macabre, Dr King-Hill explains that the SSB can have devastating consequences in real life.
People who experience it often go on to have ‘co-morbid issues, lots of long-term damage, and may even end up being ostracised from their families. They may feel guilt and shame,’ Dr King-Hill explains.
On Reddit, The White Lotus viewers were previously horrified by the developing incest line, among them was @krustomer who said: ‘As a victim of incest, this character is incestuous. This season might be too triggering to watch, especially if they just skirt around the issue.’
Agreeing, @nagumosdays wrote on X: ‘Okay so I just watched the White Lotus and I honestly think it has to do with the fact that ppl are incapable of recognizing incest as abuse, especially in regards to this show.’
The White Lotus is available to stream on Now in the UK.
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