Shows Like ‘The White Lotus’ to Watch Based on Your Favorite Characters
The White Lotus Season 1 is coming to an end. But fear not! The HBO series has been renewed for season 2. While we anxiously wait for the new season, which will feature a new cast at a new White Lotus resort, here’s a list of shows like The White Lotus to satisfy your TV cravings (and where to stream them).
TV shows to watch if your favorite part of ‘The White Lotus’ is Olivia and Paula
Everyone has their favorite White Lotus characters. But if the highlight of your Sunday nights the last six weeks has been watching Olivia and Paula read the Gen Xers for filth, these are the shows for you.
Euphoria — HBO Max
While there are no murder mysteries in Euphoria, there’s still plenty of drama. And its characters will remind you of Olivia and Paula. There’s also the added bonus of The White Lotus stars Sydney Sweeney and Lukas Gage being in the cast.
Gossip Girl — HBO Max
Let’s be real, Olivia is a character we love to hate. She defends Paula whenever necessary, but she also causes a lot of turmoil in their friendship out of the self-importance her mother’s money gives her. The original Gossip Girl has this theme in spades. And just like Olivia and Paula, Serena and Blair’s friendship constantly oscillates between best friends and enemies.
TV shows to watch if your favorite parts of ‘The White Lotus’ involve Connie Britton and Jennifer Coolidge
If you live for Connie Britton’s Nicole Mossbacher and her toxic girl-boss energy, or if you’re rooting for Jennifer Coolidge’s Tanya McQuoid, there are a handful of shows you should check out.
Enlightened — HBO Max
Enlightened is another TV show created by Mike White, The White Lotus creator, writer, and director. It starred Laura Dern as an executive named Amy Jellicoe whose life imploded after an affair with her boss. Her breakdown got her demoted, and she flees to Hawaii to recoup for a month. Upon returning, Amy tries to get her life back together. But that’s easier said than done. And it can’t be done just through meditation.
Like Nicole, Amy had to learn jetting off to Hawaii doesn’t solve your problems. And like Tanya, trying to better herself is a constant struggle for Amy. And all three of the women start to learn that growing often means addressing the hard stuff you’ve been avoiding, and sometimes regressing into your bad habits.
American Horror Story: Murder House — Netflix
If you want to see some more marital strife content, Britton’s plot in American Horror Story: Murder House is all about that. Plus, like The White Lotus, it has an end-of-season death that will shock you. Seriously, the Murder House plot twist is one of the best plot twists in television history.
Shows with similar structure to ‘The White Lotus’
These are all TV shows with similar structure to The White Lotus, aka you learn someone has died in the beginning, but who did it/how they died is a mystery solved throughout the season.
- The Flight Attendant — HBO Max
- Big Little Lies Season 1 — HBO Max
- The Undoing — HBO Max
- The Outsider — HBO Max
- The Haunting of Hill House — Netflix
Shows about rich white people causing everybody problems
The White Lotus is a critique of white privilege and the 1% as much as it is a whodunnit. If your current TV obsession is watching what morally bankrupt rich people do with their money and influence, it’s time to binge these shows:
- Succession — HBO Max
- Mad Men — Amazon Prime
Gossip Girl belongs in this category as well, because obviously.
The White Lotus Season 1 finale airs Sunday, Aug. 15, at 9 pm EST on HBO.
