12 Must-Watch TV Shows That Capture The White Lotus's Dark Satire, Luxury, And Killer Mystery
Are you suffering from a post-vacation withdrawal after finishing the latest season of The White Lotus? You are not alone. As of December 21, 2025, the HBO anthology series, created by the brilliant Mike White, remains one of the most talked-about shows on television, masterfully blending a sharp, dark satire of the ultra-wealthy with a compelling, location-based murder mystery.
The show's unique formula—combining gorgeous, exotic locales with deeply cynical characters and a looming sense of dread—has set a new standard for prestige television. If you are looking to fill the void left by the guests of the White Lotus resort, we have compiled a definitive list of the best, most recent, and most relevant series that scratch that exact itch, whether you crave the class critique, the luxurious scenery, or the thrilling mystery.
The Definitive List: 12 TV Shows That Feel Like a White Lotus Vacation
The core appeal of The White Lotus lies in its ability to make us laugh uncomfortably while judging the privileged elite, all set against a beautiful backdrop. The following shows capture this complex, addictive mix of dark comedy, drama, and high-stakes intrigue.
1. Succession (HBO, 2018–2023)
If you love the biting, cynical satire of the rich, Succession is your next obsession. While it lacks the exotic resort setting, it is arguably the most successful modern critique of the ultra-wealthy.
- The White Lotus Connection: Both series feature deeply flawed, entitled characters who are shielded from the consequences of their actions by immense wealth. The show follows the Roy family, owners of the global media conglomerate Waystar RoyCo, as they fight for control after their patriarch, Logan Roy, falls ill.
- Key Themes: Corporate greed, family dysfunction, power struggles, and a relentless, dark comedic tone.
- Topical Entity: Jesse Armstrong (Creator), Kendall Roy, Shiv Roy, Roman Roy.
2. The Resort (Peacock, 2022)
This is perhaps the most direct spiritual successor to The White Lotus, sharing the exact premise of a vacation gone wrong in a luxurious, exotic locale.
- The White Lotus Connection: Set in a Yucatán resort, the series follows a couple, Noah (William Jackson Harper) and Emma (Cristin Milioti), who uncover a decade-old mystery involving two missing guests.
- Key Themes: Mystery, nostalgia, a blend of comedy and drama, and a stunning, tropical setting. Critics note that while The White Lotus leans into satire, The Resort leans more into the eerie, menacing mystery.
- Topical Entity: Andy Siara (Creator), William Jackson Harper, Cristin Milioti, Yucatán Peninsula.
3. Nine Perfect Strangers (Hulu, 2021)
Based on the novel by Liane Moriarty (who also wrote Big Little Lies), this limited series perfectly mirrors the "strangers in a luxury retreat" format.
- The White Lotus Connection: The show gathers nine stressed city dwellers at Tranquillum House, an exclusive, remote wellness retreat run by the enigmatic Masha Dmitrichenko (Nicole Kidman). Like The White Lotus, the beautiful setting quickly gives way to dark secrets and psychological manipulation.
- Key Themes: Wellness culture critique, grief, trauma, and experimental psychopharmacology.
- Topical Entity: Nicole Kidman, Liane Moriarty, Tranquillum House, Wellness Retreat, David E. Kelley (Producer).
4. Big Little Lies (HBO, 2017–2019)
Another Liane Moriarty adaptation, Big Little Lies is a masterclass in weaving dark secrets, murder, and high-society drama into a single narrative.
- The White Lotus Connection: The series is set in the wealthy, picturesque coastal town of Monterey, California, focusing on a group of affluent mothers whose seemingly perfect lives unravel following a murder investigation. It shares The White Lotus's use of a beautiful setting to mask deep-seated rot and class issues.
- Key Themes: Domestic abuse, motherhood, dark secrets, and the facade of perfection in high society.
- Topical Entity: Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley, Laura Dern, Zoë Kravitz, Monterey Five.
5. The Righteous Gemstones (HBO, 2019–Present)
For those who prefer their satire loud, unhinged, and deeply comedic, this series is a must. It comes from the mind of Danny McBride and is a spiritual cousin to Succession, but with more slapstick.
- The White Lotus Connection: It offers a hilarious, yet scathing, look at a different kind of wealth: the multi-million dollar world of televangelism. The Gemstone family, led by patriarch Eli Gemstone, are as entitled and dysfunctional as the guests at the White Lotus.
- Key Themes: Televangelism, hypocrisy, generational wealth, and extreme dark comedy.
- Topical Entity: Danny McBride, John Goodman, Edi Patterson, Kelvin Gemstone, Eli Gemstone.
6. The Undoing (HBO, 2020)
This limited series starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant focuses on a wealthy New York therapist whose life is thrown into chaos by a violent death and a public scandal.
- The White Lotus Connection: It shares the "whodunit" mystery structure, the focus on elite New York society, and the theme of how wealth and privilege can be used to manipulate the justice system.
7. Dead to Me (Netflix, 2019–2022)
A dark comedy centering on a friendship forged in a grief support group, which quickly spirals into a cycle of secrets, lies, and accidental murder.
- The White Lotus Connection: It perfectly captures the blend of shocking drama and laugh-out-loud dark comedy, revolving around a central mystery that drives the plot across its seasons.
8. Loot (Apple TV+, 2022–Present)
Starring Maya Rudolph, this comedy follows a billionaire who, after a messy divorce, decides to re-engage with the charity foundation she forgot she owned.
- The White Lotus Connection: It is a lighter, more straightforward comedy than The White Lotus, but it provides excellent, modern satire of extreme wealth, following a character on a journey of self-discovery after a major life event.
9. Enlightened (HBO, 2011–2013)
To truly understand the mind behind The White Lotus, you must watch Mike White's earlier, critically acclaimed series.
- The White Lotus Connection: Starring Laura Dern, the show follows a corporate executive who has a public breakdown and returns from a spiritual retreat determined to live a more enlightened life, only to find the world (and herself) resistant to change. It’s a deeper, more personal exploration of the themes of self-help, privilege, and hypocrisy that White would later perfect in The White Lotus.
10. Beef (Netflix, 2023)
This acclaimed limited series is a dark, character-driven comedy-drama about two strangers whose road rage incident spirals into an all-consuming feud.
- The White Lotus Connection: While not set in a resort, it shares the same DNA of dark satire and psychological drama, using extreme circumstances to expose the deep-seated anger, unhappiness, and class resentment simmering beneath the surface of modern American life.
11. The Tourist (Max/BBC, 2022–Present)
Set in the Australian outback, this thriller follows a British man who wakes up in a hospital with amnesia after a car crash, forcing him to piece together his identity while being pursued by dangerous figures.
- The White Lotus Connection: It offers the same sense of a fish-out-of-water scenario, a remote and visually stunning setting, and a central mystery that unfolds with a blend of dark humor and genuine suspense.
12. The Flight Attendant (Max, 2020–2022)
Starring Kaley Cuoco, this series follows a flight attendant who wakes up in a luxurious hotel room in Bangkok next to a dead body with no memory of what happened.
- The White Lotus Connection: It is a fast-paced, globe-trotting mystery-thriller that uses exotic, high-end travel (Bangkok, Rome, New York) as the backdrop for a murder investigation, offering a similar blend of luxury aesthetics and high-stakes drama.
Why These Shows Capture The White Lotus's Topical Authority
The success of The White Lotus is not just about the mystery; it is about its timely and cutting critique of class and privilege in the 2020s. The shows listed above all excel in what we call "prestige TV"—high-quality, critically-acclaimed series that use drama and satire to explore deeper social themes.
The common thread is the exploration of the "rich people problems" trope. In Succession, it is the toxicity of generational wealth. In Nine Perfect Strangers, it is the commodification of wellness and self-help. In Big Little Lies, it is the dark secrets hidden behind the perfect suburban facade.
These series act as mirrors to modern society, showing us the ridiculous, petty, and often horrifying behavior of those at the very top. They allow viewers to indulge in the fantasy of luxury while simultaneously enjoying the schadenfreude of watching the elite self-destruct. This combination of escapism, mystery, and sharp social commentary is the true magic formula that makes all these shows, including the masterwork of Mike White, so utterly addictive.
Whether you prefer the sharp corporate cynicism of Succession or the pure resort-based mystery of The Resort, there is a prestige drama waiting to fill the void until the next season of The White Lotus arrives.
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