What is 'The White Lotus' on HBO all about? Everything you need to know before you watch the series
The White Lotus is an award-winning anthology series created, written, and directed by Mike White for HBO. The social satire takes a deep dive into the complicated lives of wealthy guests vacationing at the titular White Lotus hotel. The series has received critical acclaim, boasting a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 123 critic reviews.
Mike White’s storytelling resonates with audiences due to its authentic portrayal of how wealth and power change one's outlook on life. The show examines the complexities of human relationships in the context of toxic partnerships, messy affairs, and power dynamics.
According to HBO, the show's official synopsis reads:
"An all-star cast head to a resort and unleash their worst, most privileged impulses. The series is a sharp social satire following the exploits of various guests and employees of the fictional White Lotus resort chain, whose stay becomes affected by their various dysfunctions."
It continues:
"A week in the life of vacationers is unravelled as they relax and rejuvenate in paradise. With each passing day, a darker complexity emerges in these picture-perfect travelers, the hotel's cheerful employees, and the idyllic locale itself."
The White Lotus offers an intriguing look into the lives of the uber-rich tourists
Each season of The White Lotus follows a new group of guests during their weeklong stay at the luxurious White Lotus hotel and spa. The first season is set in Maui, the second season takes place in Sicily, Italy, and the third unfolds in Thailand.
Throughout their stay, the guests disclose their personal struggles, navigate interpersonal conflicts, and engage in crazy antics. Also, each season begins with a murder mystery, introducing the audience to a yet-unknown victim before flashing back to the start of the vacation. As the story unfolds, the series slowly reveals the victim's identity and the circumstances leading to their death.
The first season of The White Lotus premiered in 2021, followed by the second season in 2022. The show is currently in its third season, which began airing on HBO on February 16, 2025, and will conclude on April 6, 2025.
In February 2025, the show's creator, Mike White, told Harper's Bazaar that each season is built around a particular theme.
"The first season kind of highlighted money, and then the second season is s*x. I think the third season would be maybe a satirical and funny look at death and Eastern religion and spirituality," he said.
Is The White Lotus worth your time or a bad satire about the rich and famous?
Each season of The White Lotus introduces a new set of characters and storylines to keep the show interesting for viewers. The relatable and sometimes irredeemable characters that make up the hotel's guests are the defining feature of the series.
The series explores darker aspects of human nature like greed, ego, lust, deception, and even one's proclivity for murder. It takes it up a notch by exploring taboo subject matters through tantalizing storylines.
Furthermore, The White Lotus is a visual treat, filmed in some of the world's most breathtaking locations. Mike White's top-notch writing is evident in the show's biting humor and sharp satire. In addition to being entertaining, the series engages viewers with its social commentary and offers several thought-provoking moments each season.
5 shows to watch if you're interested in The White Lotus
The list of shows that offer a similar viewing experience to The White Lotus due to its similar themes, settings, and plot.
1) Succession - Succession is a corporate drama centered on the media family led by the domineering Logan Roy. The series features complex, nuanced characters that don't fit the traditional roles of good and bad. The show is elevated by sharp writing and excellent acting, much like The White Lotus.
2) Schitt's Creek - The show follows the formerly wealthy Rose family as they fall on hard times and settle in a town named Schitt's Creek that they once bought as a joke. Created by the father-son duo Eugene and Dan Levy, the series highlights wealthy people's idiosyncrasies and takes a hilarious look at family dysfunction.
3) Nine Perfect Strangers - The Hulu series is probably the closest to the premise of The White Lotus, as it centers on guests staying at the Tranquillum House in California for a ten-day retreat. However, the resort owner, Masha, microdoses the guests on LSD without their knowledge to help treat their physical and mental ailments.
4) Only Murders in the Building - It is also a whodunnit murder mystery series, but the setting of the show is the swanky Arconia building in the Upper West Side. The investigators are the millennial artist Mabel Mora, the retired actor Charles-Haden Savage, and his director friend Oliver Putnam, who record their findings in their own true crime podcast.
5) Big Little Lies - Big Little Lies features great locations like The White Lotus. Celeste, Madeline, and Jane are three mothers living in Monterey, California, who befriend each other before a murder changes the course of their lives.
Conclusion
The White Lotus is a compelling psychological drama that highlights the moral corruption of the affluent. Each season spans six to eight episodes, making it an ideal series to binge-watch. It boasts impressive writing, exceptional acting, and fabulous exotic locations and is one of the best series to come out in recent times.
All episodes of The White Lotus can be streamed on Max.
