On the earth of The White Lotus, the ultrarich verify in, however they don’t all the time take a look at. At the very least not unscathed. A sensation on HBO, the sequence has captivated audiences since its debut in 2021, and it’s simple to see why. Created by Mike White, the sequence transports viewers to tropical Hawaii (adopted by Sicily and now Thailand), the place a bunch of privileged company arrive at a resort for every week of leisure. However they carry their very own set of luggage and neurosis and disdain for the employees. Over the course of every season, we witness the characters – from enterprise moguls to entitled socialites – as they confront some darkish and twisted truths.
The White Lotus additionally stands out by being star-studded, that includes Jennifer Coolidge, Connie Britton, Sydney Sweeney and Murray Bartlett within the first season, and Theo James, Aubrey Plaza, Leo Woodall, and Haley Lu Richardson within the second season. The inaugural season was a breakout hit, and it gained a slew of Emmy Awards.
Audiences have been so drawn to the deliciously biting humor and its skill to make even probably the most annoying characters both universally relatable or downright detestable that they couldn’t wait to come back again for extra. Now, with a 3rd season presently underway, it’s honest to need to dive into different addictive exhibits that scratch the identical itch as The White Lotus.
10
‘Useless to Me’ (2019 – 2022)
Useless to Me
- Launch Date
-
2019 – 2021
- Showrunner
-
Liz Feldman
- Administrators
-
Liz Feldman
A darkly humorous exploration of friendship and grief, Useless to Me facilities round Jen, a not too long ago widowed actual property agent, who crosses paths with the quirky and free-spirited Judy at a grief assist group. They bond over shared experiences of loss and forge an unlikely friendship that’s examined when the reality about Judy’s involvement in Jen’s husband’s dying surfaces.
A Twisted Story of Unlikely Associates
Very like The White Lotus, this sequence delves into the messy, uncomfortable, and infrequently hilarious realities of human relationships. However not like the previous, it reveals the large secret early within the sequence, which does little to spoil the intrigue. Led by Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini, the sequence boasts a gripping storyline and themes of redemption and guilt together with an sincere portrayal of advanced feminine friendships.
9
‘Business’ (2020 – Current)
Set towards the backdrop of the cutthroat world of worldwide finance, Business follows a bunch of younger and impressive graduates as they enter the true market and compete with each other for a everlasting place at Pierpoint & Co., a prestigious funding financial institution in London. As they steer via the ruthless company tradition and pressure-filled atmosphere, they find yourself confronting their very own private demons.
Ambition and Success Amidst Energy Performs
Business is all about exploring the lives of the privileged elite, which isn’t narratively removed from The White Lotus, besides this one takes a extra decidedly agency strategy and options high-stakes twists and turns. The present’s thrilling examination of how poisonous company tradition can get, the pressures to adapt, and the non-public sacrifices required to get to the highest, all come right down to themes of energy and greed. It additionally subverts expectations by being extraordinarily addictive to observe.
8
‘Yellowjackets’ (2021 – Current)
Yellowjackets
- Launch Date
-
November 14, 2021
- Community
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Showtime, Paramount+ with Showtime
- Showrunner
-
Ashley Lyle, Bart Nickerson, Jonathan Lisco
Yellowjackets begins within the Nineties by introducing us to a highschool women’ soccer staff touring to Seattle for a event when their airplane crashes within the distant Canadian wilderness, and so they’re compelled to battle for survival regardless of their variations. The present then quick forwards to current day, when the survivors are adults residing strange lives whereas nonetheless grappling with the trauma and loss they tolerated.
Survival Horror Like No Different
On the floor, Yellowjackets is nothing like The White Lotus. It combines thriller and drama with a contact of macabre and has a twin timeline that follows the kids’ harrowing ordeal in the midst of nowhere and the adults’ present struggles to reconcile with their previous. The narrative is wealthy, layered, and intriguing. However what makes it scratch the identical itch as The White Lotus? Effectively, it’s the best way the sequence explores the advanced human nature and the lengths they may go to with a view to survive that results in an analogous social commentary.
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7
‘Solely Murders within the Constructing’ (2021 – Current)
In Solely Murders within the Constructing, we observe three strangers – Charles, a semi-retired actor; Oliver, a struggling Broadway director; and Mabel, a mysterious younger artist – who additionally occur to be neighbors with a shared obsession with true-crime podcasts. When a dying happens of their upscale New York Metropolis house, they develop suspicious and determine to make use of their beginner sleuthing expertise to unravel the thriller, all whereas recording their very own podcast.
A Whodunit Laced With Allure
Solely Murders within the Constructing is without doubt one of the most beloved and profitable homicide mysteries on tv proper now and for good cause. It deftly balances comedy with the central thriller and with every episode, it reveals new secrets and techniques and suspects. The present stars Steve Martin, Martin Quick, and Selena Gomez, who share unbelievable chemistry with each other. Just like the HBO sequence, this one thrives on its skill to peel again the layers of its characters, revealing their flaws and hidden depths.
6
‘Barry’ (2018 – 2023)
Barry
- Launch Date
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2018 – 2022
- Community
-
HBO Max
- Showrunner
-
Alec Berg
Created by and starring ex-SNL star Invoice Hader, Barry facilities round Barry Berkman, a disillusioned hitman who’s on an task in Los Angeles when he stumbles into an performing class and is straight away drawn to the world of theater. Regardless of his darkish previous and his ongoing prison actions, he begins to dream of a brand new life as an actor. The present then sees him juggle his two worlds and stop them from colliding.
Thought-Scary and Addictive
Throughout 4 seasons, Barry delves into the various challenges Hader’s character faces when attempting to maintain each his lives aside, which ends up in each dramatic and comedic outcomes. The present examines his internal turmoil and Hader’s efficiency is phenomenal as a result of he effortlessly navigates the tonal shifts from deadpan comedy to gut-wrenching tragedy. Like The White Lotus, the sequence, together with its sharp writing and fascinating path, nails its darkish humorousness.
5
‘9 Excellent Strangers’ (2021)
Tailored from the 2018 novel of the identical identify by Liane Moriarty, 9 Excellent Strangers transports viewers to a secluded wellness retreat within the Australian wilderness, the place a various group of stressed-out city-dwellers collect and search to rework their lives via a 10-day program run by Masha. However as they endure numerous therapies, their calm and picked up facades start to crack and what’s left are their darkish, insecure, and mysterious selves.
Drama and Suspense in an Idyllic Setting
9 Excellent Strangers solely spans one season, so it doesn’t take lengthy to disclose the very fact that there’s a completely different reality to the retreat and to Masha’s intentions. The dysfunction and darkish humor emerge from privileged people being thrust into an unfamiliar setting and having to observe unconventional, and even harmful, strategies. In the identical vein as The White Lotus, the sequence directs the highlight on the solid, which incorporates Nicole Kidman, Melissa McCarthy, and Michael Shannon, and the central thriller.
4
‘Large Little Lies’ (2017 – 2026)
The HBO sequence, additionally primarily based on Liane Moriarty’s novel, ran for 2 profitable seasons. Set within the seemingly quiet coastal city of Monterey, California, Large Little Lies begins with a homicide that shatters the tranquility of sparks rigidity amongst a bunch of ladies. The story revolves round three moms – Madeline, Celeste, and Jane – who not solely cope with their private struggles but in addition get entangled in every others’ lies and betrayals.
An Spectacular, Twist-Crammed Thriller
Very very like The White Lotus in its setting but completely nuanced in skewering heavy matters round wealth, standing, exploitation, and the duality of human nature, Large Little Lies has a suspenseful narrative that retains viewers hooked from begin to end. It options powerhouse performances from Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Laura Dern, and Shailene Woodley, who every carry their dramatic and humorous chops to an already nice story.
3
‘Veep’ (2012 – 2019)
Veep
5
/5
- Launch Date
-
2012 – 2018
- Community
-
HBO Max
With regards to satirical comedy, maybe no different present does it higher than Veep. Following the non-public {and professional} lifetime of Selina Meyer, a former senator who’s thrust into the position of Vice President of america, the sequence affords an intimate and unflinching have a look at the state and absurdities of American politics. Selina and her hapless employees cope with a endless sequence of scandals, chaos, and energy struggles throughout seven seasons.
Entertains and Serves Political Commentary
Veep’s good script and sharp wit make it a standout present. Its relentless dedication to exposing the hypocrisies of its characters and the system is laced with irreverence and humor. The present stars Julia Louis-Dreyfus within the lead position, and she or he has gained six consecutive Primetime Emmy Awards for her efficiency. However past the surface-level hilarity, Veep additionally affords commentary on how the political elite prioritize their very own pursuits over these of the folks they serve.
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2
‘Succession’ (2018 – 2023)
Succession
- Launch Date
-
2018 – 2023
- Community
-
HBO Max
- Showrunner
-
Jesse Armstrong
One other award-winning HBO sequence, Succession chronicles the facility struggles throughout the Roy household, house owners of a worldwide leisure conglomerate. When the patriarch, Logan Roy, decides to retire and appears for a successor, his youngsters vie for management. Every of them brings their ambitions, flaws, insecurities, and rivalries into the combo and the result’s an influence battle that sees no proper and improper.
Indulgent and Incisive
Like The White Lotus, Succession revels in intricately exploring the lives of the rich and highly effective, in addition to utilizing a eager eye for social satire to reveal the ethical failings of its characters. The present’s impeccable writing, led by Jesse Armstrong, effortlessly balances moments of rigidity, gripping character growth, and razor-sharp humor. The dynamic between the Roy siblings is a spotlight as a result of it echoes the identical interpersonal relationships that make The White Lotus so enjoyable to observe.
1
‘Schitt’s Creek’ (2015 – 2020)
Schitt’s Creek facilities across the ultra-wealthy Rose household, who lose their fortune and are compelled to relocate to the small and quirky city of Schitt’s Creek, which they as soon as purchased as a joke. Because the household, consisting of Johnny, Moira, and their grownup youngsters, David and Alexis, adjusts to their new residence and humble environment, they get right into a sequence of misadventures.
An Uplifting and Heartwarming Antidote
This one is maybe one of the vital light-hearted titles on the checklist. Utilizing a fish-out-of-water premise to kick issues off, Schitt’s Creek portrays a household’s journey from getting used to the superficiality of wealth to understanding the significance of neighborhood, household, and human connection. It doesn’t dive into the darker points of the privileged however performs round themes of self-discovery, which makes it just like The White Lotus, however simply not as chaotic.