20 Shows to Watch During <i>The White Lotus</i> Withdrawal
With the success of The White Lotus, the world has finally embraced creator, writer, and director Mike White. But before creating the HBO hit, White wrote a smorgasbord of projects that’s every bit as hilarious, searing, dark, and wonderful as everyone’s favorite vacation dramedy. He’s also worked with everyone from Jennifer Aniston to Laura Dern, so there’s no shortage of Mike White projects to visit (or revisit) while we await The White Lotus season 3.
Following his early writing and producing credits on Dawson’s Creek and Freaks & Geeks, White wrote the movie The Good Girl, a superb dark comedy starring Aniston and Jake Gyllenhaal. White also penned quirky comedies Orange County and School of Rock, and he co-wrote Pitch Perfect 3. Plus, he’s responsible for creating one of HBO’s most overlooked shows, which absolutely deserves a second chance. Here, we round up 20 shows to watch now that you’re mourning the second season of The White Lotus.
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Laura Dern’s starring role in Enlightened won her a Golden Globe, but the HBO series suddenly got canceled after its second season. The dry workplace comedy follows a woman on the verge of a breakdown after her personal and professional lives implode. White served as creator and writer of the series, and also co-starred in it, along with the ever-dreamy Luke Wilson. There might only be two seasons, but they’re damn near perfect.
If you’re a fan of The White Lotus because you love watching rich people being terrible to one another, then Succession is a no-brainer. The glossy HBO drama follows the Roy family as they bicker and fight for the company created by their father. However, Logan Roy isn’t about to relinquish power to anyone. Following season 3’s dramatic cliffhanger, Succession season 4 is set to arrive in Spring 2023.
Industry follows the lives of a group of ambitious graduates all vying for a permanent position in the London offices of an investment bank. Myha’la Herrold gives a jaw-dropping performance as Harper Stern, an intelligent New York recruit hiding a secret that threatens her entire career. When they’re not working, Pierpoint’s employees are usually involved in some scandalous behavior, which will definitely appeal to White Lotus fans.
As viewers of The White Lotus know only too well, money is often responsible for more problems than it fixes. In this mini-series from the creator of Big Little Lies, a group of rich strangers attend a prestigious health and wellness retreat outside of California called Tranquillum House. The retreat is run by the mysterious Masha (Nicole Kidman), who utilizes some strange and sometimes illegal techniques to help heal her clients.
Amanda Seyfried’s stunning portrayal of Elizabeth Holmes convinced Jennifer Lawrence to drop out of a planned movie about the Theranos founder. Hulu’s The Dropout covers Holmes’ incredible rise and devastating fall, and explores what might have motivated the former billionaire to commit so many alleged crimes. White Lotus fans will be gripped by Holmes’ shocking story.
Apple TV+’s Bad Sisters starts with a sudden death, meaning it already shares some ground with The White Lotus. The smart and hilarious series was created by Sharon Horgan, and is adapted from a Flemish series called Clan. Throughout its ten episodes, the Garvey sisters grapple with what really happened to their brother-in-law. Bad Sisters will keep you guessing right up until the end, and it’s already been renewed for a second season.
If you had no idea that there was a sequel to The Golden Girls, you’re in for a treat. The Golden Palace follows Rose, Blanche, and Sophia who, having sold their house, decide to invest in a Miami hotel. The trio runs the establishment, which welcomes many famous faces, including a guest appearance from Dorothy. The spin-off only ran for one season, but Hulu has all 24 episodes for your viewing pleasure.
If you’re obsessed with the rich familial dysfunction found throughout both seasons of The White Lotus, you’ll adore Arrested Development. The show ran for five seasons, and follows the previously wealthy Bluth family, who haven’t adjusted to their new normal. Comedy ensues when Michael Bluth (Jason Bateman) attempts to rein in the family’s extravagant lifestyles after their father is arrested.
Peacock’s The Resort follows Emma (Cristina Milioti) and Noah (William Jackson Harper), a married couple trying to reconnect during a luxurious vacation. However, they quickly find themselves in the middle of a 15-year-old mystery involving a murder and some strange disappearances. Just like The White Lotus, The Resort‘s unsolved mysterious will keep you guessing right up until the very end.
If truly ridiculous rich people are your thing, then The Righteous Gemstones is perfect for you. The series follows the exploits of an uber-rich family of televangelists as they expand their empire. Filled with hilarious one-liners, unexpected action, and super strange plots, The Righteous Gemstones will help you forget about your stay at The White Lotus, temporarily at least.
The Gilded Age asks the pertinent question, “What if Downton Abbey took place in America?” Set in New York in the late 1800s, The Gilded Age focuses on the nouveau riche Russell family, as they attempt to ingratiate themselves with their much more established neighbors. Characters are forced to navigate race, class, and gender politics, and the series provides plenty of twists and turns that will keep White Lotus viewers on their toes.
Mad Men ran for seven seasons and introduced the world to the impossibly suave Don Draper, which Jon Hamm played to perfection. Set within a successful New York advertising agency, Mad Men masterfully brings the 1960s to life. The series rightfully established Elisabeth Moss and Christina Hendricks as actors to watch. It’s undeniable that Mad Men is a slow burn, but White Lotus fans will love the stylish costumes, retro sets, and the characters’ propensity for drinking too much.
Lily James tranforms into Pamela Anderson in Hulu’s Pam & Tommy, which stars Sebastian Stan as her iconic rocker husband. Covering the tense period during which their sex tape was stolen, Pam & Tommy features all of the decadence and drama you’d expect from two international superstars. Follow it up with Anderson’s biography, which is coming in early 2023.
Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini are a total dream team in Netflix’s Dead to Me. The show, which just wrapped its third and final season, follows the unlikely friendship between two very different women. Just like The White Lotus, murder mysteries abound, and provide an intriguing backdrop to Dead to Me‘s hilarious premise. James Marsden is simply the cherry on the top.
Throughout its first three seasons, at least, Showtime’s The Affair provided a fascinating exploration of how illicit relationships ripple through entire families. An ensemble cast led by Ruth Wilson, Joshua Jackson, Dominic West, and Maura Tierney made The Affair endlessly watchable. Sadly, rumors of a “toxic” environment plagued the series, which Wilson exited in season 4. But if you like watching terrible people doing dark deeds, The Affair is your next binge.
Las Vegas stand-up Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) suddenly loses her residency, and needs to shake up her act. Enter Ava (Hannah Einbinder), a young writer whose career has been stalled because of a social media faux pas. The unlikely pair must learn to work together if either of them are going to work in the entertainment again. Ava’s very relatable life stands in stark contrast to Deborah’s glamorous lifestyle, which is certainly appropriate after a fateful stay at The White Lotus.
Olivia Cooke stars as Becky Sharpe, a ruthless social climber intent on entering the upper echelons of society, no matter what it takes. Based on William Makepeace Thackeray’s classic novel, this seven-part adaptation of Vanity Fair masterfully explores how it feels to be on the outside looking in. Regardless of how you feel about Becky, her antics are endlessly entertaining. She’d definitely be finding a way to stay at every White Lotus property around the globe.
UnReal takes viewers on a fictional tour behind-the-scenes of a reality show that looks a lot like The Bachelor. Shiri Appleby plays Rachel, a young producer urged by her boss (Constance Zimmer) to put her morality aside for the good of the show. Both shocking and hilarious, UnReal makes a strong case against reality TV, whilst being a brilliant piece of television on its own. Thanks to an eclectic cast of “contestants” each season, spending time at the Everlasting Mansion is a lot like vacationing at The White Lotus.
While Yellowjackets is about as far as you can get from a dreamy Italian vacation, it is about a group of people forced to spend time together. Jumping between two timelines, Yellowjackets follows a high school soccer team whose plane crashes in the wilderness, where they’re stranded and must learn to survive. In present day, the survivors are pretty messed up and face a brand new mystery. Ultimately, the series examines the intricate, twisted, and sometimes horrifying relationships between a group of a women.
On Becoming a God in Central Florida
It’s criminal that there’s only one season of On Becoming a God in Central Florida. Set in the ’90s, this dark comedy stars Kirsten Dunst as Krystal, a lowly water park employee with huge ambitions. The series tracks her journey to infiltrate the multi-level-marketing scheme that destroyed her family. Krystal’s determination to climb the ranks is probably the exact same way you feel after watching terrible rich people waste their stay at The White Lotus.
Amy Mackelden is a freelance writer, editor, and disability activist.
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