In the fifth episode of The White Lotus, Ratliff was also seen spiraling over the consequences of his business dealings. In a shocking scene, he lifts the gun to his head and contemplates killing himself. The scene has since become a meme amid the ongoing NCAA national college basketball championship March Madness happening in the US.

As this season of The White Lotus continues to push the limits of Mike White's imagination, a particular subset of the audience is not happy.

HBO's “The White Lotus” has ignited controversy with Duke University following a scene featuring a main character wearing the school's apparel while appearing to contemplate suicide. Timothy Ratliff,