‘The White Lotus’ is over — here’s what to watch next
‘The White Lotus’ is over — here’s what to watch next
From murder mysteries to messy rich people, these picks hit all the right notes.
“The White Lotus” just wrapped up its wildest chapter yet, with Season 3 taking its tropical dysfunction to even darker, weirder places in Thailand. If you’re already missing the luxury, lies, and slow-burn chaos that make this show so addictive, you’re not alone. Mike White’s sun-soaked satire has carved out its own lane — part murder mystery, part social commentary, part vacation-gone-wrong fever dream.
But just because the latest season is over doesn’t mean you have to stop watching rich people spiral in beautiful locations. If you’re craving more sharp writing, uncomfortable laughs, and characters you love to hate, these four shows should be next in your queue.
The White Lotus
Follow the exploits of various guests and employees at an exclusive tropical resort over the span of a week as with each passing day, a darker complexity emerges in these picture-perfect travelers, the hotel’s cheerful employees and the idyllic locale itself.
Loved ‘The White Lotus’? Watch: ‘The Resort’
If “The White Lotus” is a slow-burn social satire with a side of murder, “The Resort” cranks up the mystery and throws in a sci-fi twist. I loved this show — it’s got the same tropical setting, a couple on vacation, and that feeling that something very strange is bubbling under the surface. But instead of quietly unraveling class tensions, “The Resort” dives headfirst into a decades-old disappearance and ends up somewhere way weirder (in a good way).
The tone is definitely lighter in places, but the emotional stakes still hit. It mixes relationship drama with time-loop conspiracies and big existential questions, all while staying grounded in two characters trying to figure out where their marriage is going. So yeah, the resort setting and mystery vibes give it that “White Lotus” feel, but this one’s less about sharp social commentary and more about how the past messes with the present. If you like twisty plots, great performances, and a totally original take on the vacation-gone-wrong genre, “The Resort” is absolutely worth your time.
The Resort
An anniversary trip puts a marriage to the test when a couple finds themselves embroiled in one of Yucatan’s most bizarre unsolved mysteries.
Check out ‘Big Little Lies’
If the messy secrets and simmering tension in “The White Lotus” pulled you in, then “Big Little Lies” is definitely worth a watch. It’s got a similar setup — wealthy people in a beautiful location, someone ends up dead, and the show slowly peels back layers of dysfunction to show you how it all went sideways. The vibes are just as icy, and the secrets just as juicy.
Where “The White Lotus” leans more into dark humor and satire, “Big Little Lies” plays it straighter — more intense drama, less wink. It’s also more grounded, with the emotional stakes centered around parenting, abuse, and friendship, rather than class satire or existential dread. For me, the pacing was a bit slow at times, but the performances more than make up for it. Every actor in this show is firing on all cylinders — Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Laura Dern, Zoë Kravitz, and Shailene Woodley all bring something sharp and real. And the world-building? Flawless. Monterey feels like a character all its own.
So yeah, if you’re into beautifully shot coastal drama with high-end secrets, a killer cast, and a mystery that unfolds piece by piece, “Big Little Lies” is a strong follow-up to “The White Lotus” season finale.
Big Little Lies
The tale of three mothers of first graders whose apparently perfect lives unravel to the point of murder.
Don’t miss ‘Succession’
If “The White Lotus” pulled you in with its sharp social commentary and takedown of the ultra-wealthy, then “Succession” should be next on your list. This is one of my favorite shows of all time. It’s a brutal, hilarious, and completely addictive look at a media dynasty where every family member is both desperate for power and deeply unqualified to hold it. And the ending? I loved it. It stuck the landing in a way so few hit shows tend to do.
While “White Lotus” bounces between exotic resorts and leans into mystery and satire, “Succession” is locked into boardrooms, penthouses, and private jets. But the target is the same: the unchecked entitlement of the rich, and the emotional damage that festers beneath all that money. Where “White Lotus” gives you slow-burn reveals and class tension among strangers, “Succession” gives you full-throttle family warfare and backstabbing so sharp it’s basically a blood sport.
It’s not a murder mystery, but the stakes always feel life-or-death — just in a different way. If you’re into watching the rich eat their own, you won’t find a smarter, meaner, or more satisfying version of that than “Succession.”
Succession
Follow the lives of the Roy family as they contemplate their future once their aging father begins to step back from the media and entertainment conglomerate they control.
One more: ‘Enlightened’
“Enlightened” is Mike White’s other, far less known show, and it’s just as thoughtful and biting as “The White Lotus” — just on a much smaller scale. I was first introduced to this show about a decade ago when a professor at USC screened it for us. I watched the rest of the season that year and I couldn’t get enough. Laura Dern co-writes and stars as Amy Jellicoe, a corporate exec who has a breakdown, disappears to a wellness retreat, and comes back determined to change her life (and maybe the world). She’s sad, messy, and a little bit delusional, but Dern makes her feel so human that it’s impossible to look away. Luke Wilson and Diane Ladd also turn in strong performances, rounding out a cast that leans into the show’s emotional weight without ever getting too heavy.
What sets “Enlightened” apart is its quiet, character-driven focus. Where “The White Lotus” builds tension through ensemble chaos and social satire, this one sticks close to Amy’s journey — her attempts at self-improvement, her frustrations with the system and her job (it’s even got a little bit of “Severance” undertones), and the gap between the person she wants to be and the one she actually is. It’s less about murder and more about meaning, but if you’re drawn to Mike White’s mix of humor, discomfort, and empathy, this one’s a must-watch. Oh – and Mike White put himself in this show, so that’s fun too!
Enlightened
After a very public breakdown and a subsequent philosophical awakening in rehabilitation, Amy tries to get her life back together.
More to watch after finishing ‘The White Lotus’
‘The Affair’ | Paramount+ WITH SHOWTIME
The Affair
The emotional effects of an extramarital relationship between Noah, a New York City schoolteacher and budding novelist with a wife of twenty years and four children and Alison, a young waitress and wife from Montauk at the end of Long Island, trying to piece her life back together in the wake of a tragedy.
‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ | Hulu
Nine Perfect Strangers
At a boutique health-and-wellness resort that promises healing and transformation, nine stressed city dwellers try to get on a path to a better way of living. Watching over them during this 10-day retreat is the resort’s director, Masha, a woman on a mission to reinvigorate their tired minds and bodies. However, these nine “perfect” strangers have no idea what is about to hit them.
‘Search Party’ | Max
Search Party
A dark comedy about four self-absorbed twenty-somethings who become entangled in an ominous mystery when a former college acquaintance suddenly disappears.
‘The Sympathizer’ | Max
The Sympathizer
Near the end of the Vietnam War, a spy who was embedded in the South Vietnam army flees to the United States and takes up residence in a refugee community, where he continues to gather intelligence and report back to the Viet Cong.