HBO's massive hit The White Lotus ended its acclaimed second season this past weekend, bringing its sophomore effort to a bittersweet closure. The Mike White-created anthology has become one of HBO's most celebrated projects, and a third season is already in development.
RELATED: The Best Characters From The White Lotus Season 2
However, the show's next chapter won't come any time soon, considering there's no casting or setting announced. Fans shouldn't worry, though, as they can stream these incredible shows to fill the void left by The White Lotus. Indeed, these series share similar themes, tones, and characters as The White Lotus, making them ideal alternatives to fill fans' Sunday nights.
Enlightened (2011-2013)
Stream On HBO Max
Mike White's first prominent show was HBO's comedy Enlightened. The story centered on Amy Jellicoe, a forty-year-old woman "on the verge of a nervous breakthrough." Laura Dern starred in and co-created Enlightened, which also counted Luke Wilson and Dern's mother, Diane Ladd, in the cast.
As a Mike White production, Enlightened shares a similar DNA with The White Lotus. Both shows juggle the intricacies and contrarieties of the human psyche with a funny, biting, and empathetic approach. The characters in The White Lotus might be more straightforward with their flaws, but both shows have Mike White's signature imbued all over them.
It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia (2005-Present)
Stream On Hulu
Arguably television's most provocative comedy, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia has been going on for fifteen years and counting. The show follows "The Gang," a group of five sociopathic friends running a barely-functional Irish pub in South Philadelphia.
It's Always Sunny is one of the all-time great shows about terrible people. The Gang is truly and unashamedly awful, making even the most reprehensible characters in The White Lotus feel tame in comparison. However, that's what makes the show so fascinating and compelling. By dealing with taboo and offensive themes with deliciously black humor, It's Always Sunny forces its audience to witness the worst aspects of humanity while offering a twisted sense of catharsis.
Big Little Lies (2017-2019)
Stream On HBO Max
Nothing beats a good old-fashioned mystery, and Big Little Lies is the perfect proof. Starring an all-star cast including Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, and Laura Dern, Big Little Lies follows a group of women whose lives become intertwined thanks to their children.
RELATED: 10 Best HBO Original Series, According To Reddit
Like The White Lotus, Big Little Lies uses someone's murder as a framing device to hook viewers. However, the story is less about the mystery and more about the people involved in it. By exploring their personal lives and emotional struggles, Big Little Lies and The White Lotus deliver richly affecting stories that work as both character studies and gripping mysteries.
Only Murders In The Building (2021-Present)
Stream On Hulu
Who would've thought that the combination of Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez would be so effective? The unlikely trio stars in Hulu's Only Murders in the Building, a black comedy about a group of amateur sleuths who start a podcast to investigate the death of one of their neighbors.
Like the best Agatha Christie mysteries, Only Murders in the Building is clever, twisty, and thrilling. Its premise is intriguing, but it soars thanks to the charming dynamic between its perfectly matched leads. Charles, Oliver, and Mabel might not be the best detectives in town, but they could certainly crack the mystery behind the White Lotus' constant deaths faster than any guest.
Dead To Me (2019-2022)
Stream On Netflix
Netflix's Dead to Me stars Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini. The plot centers on the unlikely friendship between a brash and outspoken widow and a carefree woman with a shocking secret. James Marsden also stars.
Black comedies don't get any better than Dead to Me. Half Thelma & Louise and half A Simple Favor, Dead to Me is a funny and poignant exploration of grief and friendship. Fans of The White Lotus's brand of absurd sympathy will enjoy Dead to Me's exploration of complex human emotions. Both shows pack an emotional punch, providing the kind of tough love many people are too afraid to ask.
The Great (2020-Present)
Stream On Hulu
Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult star in Hulu's The Great, one of streaming's most underrated comedies. The show is a highly fictionalized and satirical take on Catherine the Great's rise to power in 18th-century Russia.
Highlighting the absurdism in many of history's most important events and adopting a wicked and shameless tone, The Great is a triumph. The show highlights Gen Z culture while providing a unique look at its fascinating real-life inspiration, creating a unique story that is as entertaining as scathing. Fans of The White Lotus will surely enjoy The Great's hilarious nastiness.
Arrested Development (2003-2019)
Stream On Netflix
Arrested Development stars a who's who of brilliant comedic actors, from Jason Bateman to Tony Hale and the late Jessica Walters. The show centers on the vapid and formerly wealthy Bluth family, a collection of dysfunctional people whose lives get altered after the patriarch gets arrested for embezzlement.
One of the best family sitcoms of the 2000s, Arrested Developmentis already a certified classic. Hilarious, clever, and unexpectedly poignant, the show is a fascinating and addictive exploration of family and class through an uncompromising and wickedly funny lens. Its cast of eccentric and derpy characters would feel right at home in Mike White's satirical world.
Barry (2018-Present)
Stream On HBO Max
Created by and starring Bill Hader, Barry is one of television's most layered comedies. The show centers on the eponymous character, a hitman who begins a path of self-discovery and reevaluation after joining an acting class in Los Angeles. TV icon Henry Winkler co-stars opposite Hader.
RELATED: The 10 Best Dramedies Of The 2010s (And Where To Stream Them)
Few shows balance dark humor and jarring drama as capably as Barry. Hader's outstanding performance gives the show a thought-provoking and tragicomic angle without ever letting go of its bite. Fans of The White Lotus will find many things to love about Barry, from its hilarious take on otherwise morbid subjects to the performances of a familiar yet surprisingly underrated cast.
The Flight Attendant (2020-2022)
Stream On HBO Max
Kaley Cuoco is the beating heart of HBO Max's delicious black comedy The Flight Attendant. The show focuses on Cassie, a flight attendant with substance abuse issues who becomes involved in a murder mystery. Rosie Perez and Zosia Mamet also star.
The Flight Attendant is one of the best comedies on HBO Max. Elevated by Cuoco's tour-de-force performance, the show tackles addiction and mental health with an acidic but thoughtful approach. Cassie is messy, complicated, frustrating, and engaging, a tornado of emotion and self-sabotage in a constant struggle to get things right; in short, she would make the perfect White Lotus guest.
Desperate Housewives (2004-2012)
Stream On Prime Video
It wouldn't be an overstatement to say Desperate Housewives changed the television landscape of the noughties. The series featured a cast of forty-something women and told the story of a group of scheming and resourceful housewives living in the seemingly quiet but ultimately chaotic suburb of Wisteria Lane.
Like The White Lotus, Desperate Housewives began with someone's death, and the mystery surrounding her suicide drove most of the show's early seasons. Both shows feature wicked humor and easily balance comedy and drama. They also showcase complex female characters and intricate storylines that will keep audiences hooked to their screens.
NEXT: 10 Not-So-Serious Crime and Mystery Shows That Break The Genre's Rules
