Still Hooked on That Resort Chaos? The Best Shows to Watch If You Can’t Get Enough of ‘The White Lotus’

If you have recently found yourself doom-scrolling through your streaming queue in a post-‘White Lotus’ haze, you are absolutely not alone. ‘The White Lotus’ season three followed a new group of guests and staff at the eponymous resort chain in Thailand, including returning fan favorite Belinda played by Natasha Rothwell.

The third season held a 93% critical approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and became one of the most talked-about shows of the year.

The numbers tell the full story of just how deep the obsession runs. The season as a whole averaged 16 million viewers in the United States, surpassing the already impressive 15.5 million average of season two, while the season three finale alone drew a record-breaking 6.2 million viewers across HBO and Max. With the wait for season four already underway, here are the best shows that scratch that same dark, glamorous, deeply unsettling itch.

When a Luxury Resort Hides Something Darker Underneath

Hulu’s ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ follows nine people from different walks of life who all congregate at a boutique wellness retreat, only to discover that the California resort is not what it seems and its director is hiding some secrets. It is the kind of setup that ‘The White Lotus’ fans will recognize instantly, paradise as a trap and healing as a dangerous illusion.

Nicole Kidman leads the series as the enigmatic director of a high-end wellness retreat, with the show following a group of strangers lured in by promises of transformation, only to discover that the path to enlightenment might be far darker and stranger than anticipated. The contrast between the serene surroundings and the simmering unease underneath is where both shows truly thrive.

If you are craving another series with a breathtaking backdrop and a fancy resort with plenty of dark secrets, the show features a mysterious program run by Masha, a figure with far more to her than meets the eye. Much like ‘The White Lotus,’ the tension is never really about the setting. It is always about the people who chose to be there.

The Dark Comedy About Wealthy People Behaving Badly

Created by Jesse Armstrong, ‘Succession’ follows the power struggles and in-fighting that define the billionaire Roy family, who own a global media conglomerate, and has earned 13 Emmy Awards out of a total 44 nominations. The writing is sharp, the characters are monstrous in the most watchable way possible, and the social commentary lands with the same precision as Mike White’s work.

With stellar performances by Jeremy Strong, Sarah Snook, and Kieran Culkin, who won the lead actor prize at the Emmys for his role of Roman Roy, ‘Succession’ is the perfect ‘White Lotus’ alternative if you are looking for more dysfunctional on-screen family dynamics. Swap the beach cabanas for corporate boardrooms and the formula feels remarkably familiar.

If ‘The White Lotus’ is a perfectly plated amuse-bouche of class satire, ‘Succession’ is a full five-course meal of unchecked power, familial dysfunction, and corporate backstabbing. The Roys are exactly the kind of people who would vacation at a ‘White Lotus’ resort and make everybody else’s week considerably worse for it.

Murder Mystery With an Ensemble Cast to Die For

‘Big Little Lies’ follows a group of wealthy women in Monterey, California, whose seemingly perfect lives start to unravel as they are thrown into a homicide investigation, with the show brilliantly tackling themes from domestic violence to grief. The coastal setting gives it the same visual lushness that makes ‘The White Lotus’ so visually intoxicating to watch.

If you have not watched the series for its star-studded cast alone, which includes Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern, Meryl Streep, Zoë Kravitz, and Shailene Woodley, it is time to add it to your must-watch list. That kind of ensemble energy is rare, and ‘Big Little Lies’ uses it with the same ruthless efficiency that ‘The White Lotus’ deploys its own rotating cast of beautiful disasters.

Based on a Liane Moriarty novel of the same name, the show follows a group of rich women whose seemingly perfect lives start to crumble when they are thrown into a homicide investigation, brilliantly tackling deep themes including domestic violence and the complexities of female friendships. It is the kind of show where every smile is hiding something, which is basically the entire premise of Mike White’s universe.

Privilege and Class Satire Worth Binge-Watching Immediately

Netflix’s ‘The Perfect Couple’ was widely compared to ‘The White Lotus’ and features not one but two ‘White Lotus’ alums in Meghann Fahy and Sam Nivola, telling the story of a murder at a fancy beachside wedding. It is practically tailor-made for the same audience, complete with characters who wear their wealth like armor while the whole thing crumbles around them.

Netflix’s ‘The Four Seasons,’ created by Tina Fey alongside Lang Fisher and Tracey Wigfield, uses holidays as windows into strained psyches and deteriorating relationships, departing significantly from the bouncy tone of previous Fey creations and opting instead for wistful, earthy melancholia. It is a grounded alternative for viewers who love the relationship excavation that ‘The White Lotus’ does so well without the body count.

‘Beef’ explores the complexities of human relationships and the repercussions of escalating tensions, delving into themes of privilege, power dynamics, and the consequences of unchecked emotions while exposing the fragility and volatility of human interactions in the face of conflict.

The Netflix series stars Steven Yeun and Ali Wong in what critics agreed was one of the sharpest pieces of social satire to come out of streaming television in years. Shows like ‘Severance,’ ‘The Morning Show,’ and ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ have also been hailed as must-watch companion pieces for anyone drawn to the unexpected plot twists and richly layered storytelling that define ‘The White Lotus.’

Whether it is the suffocating luxury, the slow-burn mystery, or the unmistakable sensation that everyone on screen is one bad conversation away from a complete meltdown, the shows above deliver that same charged atmosphere in different settings and flavors. Which of these is your next watch after finishing ‘The White Lotus,’ and is there a series on this list that you think deserves even more love among fans of the show?