Yahoo Lifestyle 15 shows to fill the "White Lotus" shaped hole in your cultural calendar
It’s safe to say that 2025 appears to be an excellent year for television. As well as some gripping new series to keep us settled on our sofas for the foreseeable future (Adolescence proved to be a huge global success, while audiences also considered themselves hooked by the absorbing true story of Apple Cider Vinegar), some old favourites also return following breathless anticipation – including Mike White’s beloved The White Lotus.
As to be expected, this glossy take-down of the uber-wealthy guests at a luxury resort was a runaway hit once more for its third outing, with showrunner White’s razor-sharp writing (not to mention the luscious backdrops of Koh Samui) making the third season every inch as addictive as its predecessors (although, we didn't think we'd see incest as a plot point when we first tuned in).
While a fourth series in in the works (and likely to be based in Europe), it may be some time before we book a stay at The White Lotus again. Not to fear; Bazaar has rounded up a handful of series with similar themes to fill the White Lotus-shaped void now the hotel has shut its doors for another season. TV shows about rich people behaving badly? Expect Nicole Kidman to feature heavily.
Westworld
An especially chilling show about rich people behaving badly, this sci-fi series takes place in an immersive theme park where human guests can interact with highly advanced, lifelike robots (called "hosts") in various Wild West-inspired scenarios. The park is owned by the Delos Corporation and is designed to fulfill guests’ every desire without consequences. Naturally, sex, violence, and adventurous quests abound. But when the hosts begin to gain consciousness, they start questioning their reality and the morality of their creators.
Empire
Lucious Lyon (Terrence Howard), a former drug dealer turned influential music mogul, is the patriarch of the rich and powerful Lyon family. After he is diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, he must choose one of his three sons to inherit his multimillion-dollar entertainment company, Empire Entertainment. This sparks a fierce battle for control, as each son—Andre (Trai Byers), Jamal (Jussie Smollett), and Hakeem (Bryshere Y. Gray)—competes for their father's approval and the future of the company. Taraji P. Henson also stars as the Lyon matriarch.
Big Little Lies
A rich television adaptation of one of Liane Moriaty’s novels, the ensemble cast (including Nicole Kidman) play a series of upper-class women who live in the well-to-do Californian town of Monterey. However, when a murder takes place, their seemingly perfect lives start to quickly unravel – seeing friendships fractured, relationships ruined, and suspicions aroused. It might not necessarily have the wit of The White Lotus, but it's of comparable quality; it won eight Emmy awards, as well as four Golden Globes. Kidman has since confirmed a third season will happen.
Nine Perfect Strangers
Nine Perfect Strangers sees a group of wealthy individuals head to the renowned health and wellness resort Tranquillum House (so far, so White Lotus). However, those who have read Liane Moriaty’s bestseller on which this series is based will know that Marsha (Kidman, naturally) is not all that she seems to be – and the restful vacation takes a transformative – and disturbing – turn. A second series is currently in the works, so now is the perfect time to devour the first outing.
Succession
No series does rich people behaving badly as well as the multi award-winning Succession. Brian Cox stars as grumpy and gravelly voiced patriarch Logan Roy, the brash billionaire owner of Waystar Royco. The series follows the escapades of his four children, who are all vying to take over the conglomerate after Logan suffers a decline in health. It may not sound like a laugh-a-minute riot, but Jesse Armstrong’s pitch-black satirical writing will see audiences reluctantly guffawing at even the show’s darkest moments. With 14 Emmys to its name, and career-defining performances from Kieran Culkin, Sarah Snook and Jeremy Strong, Succession is a fitting replacement while we wait for more guests to check in to The White Lotus.
The Perfect Couple
Think of this as Big Little Lies on the beach – complete with Nicole Kidman (who else?). Amelia (Eve Hewson) is about to marry into one of Nantucket’s wealthiest families – but a murder derails the entire wedding, with everyone now a suspect. The Perfect Couple has the rich, glossy backdrops of The White Lotus, as well as the obnoxiously wealthy behaving obnoxiously, which makes it deliciously bingeable. It also, like The White Lotus season two, has the endlessly watchable Meghann Fahy. However, there is one downside to The Perfect Couple – the nonsensical opening credits, which, for some reason, sees the entire cast flashdance.
Fleishman is in Trouble
Based on Taffy Brodesser-Akner’s novel, Fleishman is in Trouble follows Toby Fleishman (Jesse Eisenberg), a recently divorced doctor navigating the complexities of his new single life in New York City. As he explores dating apps and tries to embrace his freedom, his ex-wife Rachel (Claire Danes) suddenly disappears, leaving him to care for their two children. Libby Epstein (Lizzy Caplan), one of Toby’s best friends, serves as the narrator of the series, which ultimately offers an often darkly humorous exploration of parenthood and personal fulfillment.
Industry
Set in the fast-paced world of international finance, Industry focuses on a group of recent graduates who are competing for positions at the prestigious London investment bank, Pierpoint & Co. The show follows Harper Stern (Myha'la Herrold), a driven and ambitious American recruit, as she navigates the cutthroat, high-stakes world of finance. Along with her colleagues, she faces intense pressure to prove her worth. As they form deeper relationships with one another, sex, drugs, and false promises cause their newfound friendships to fray.
Schitt's Creek
The most comedic offering on this list, Schitt's Creek sees the wealthy Rose family (comprised of film magnate Johnny, his actress wife Moira, and their adult children David and Alexis) find themselves bankrupt after they are defrauded by their business manager. Down on their luck and with no money left, the family are forced to embrace their one remaining asset – a town called Schitt’s Creek, which they had once bought for laughs. Living in a rundown motel, the once-wealthy family now have to learn to adjust to their means – with hilarious consequences. Considered one of the best and most uplifting comedies of all time, Schitt’s Creek looks at the super-wealthy like The White Lotus – but with a less satirical slant, with more heart and humour in its bones.
Sharp Objects
Based on Gillian Flynn’s 2006 novel of the same name, this 2018 psychological thriller miniseries follows reporter Camille Preaker (Amy Adams), who is suffering from alcoholism, as she returns to her hometown in Wind Gap, Missouri, to investigate the murders of two young girls. For Preaker, returning home is fraught in itself; she’s long had a strained relationship with her mother, a wealthy town socialite obsessed with maintaining an image of perfection. But when the investigation prompts her to confront her own troubled past and dark family history, secrets are exposed that will forever change the small town.
The Resort
Like The White Lotus, The Resort is a mystery-comedy drama series with an exquisite setting. The show revolves around a couple, Noah (William Jackson Harper) and Emma (Cristin Milioti), who are celebrating their 10th anniversary at a luxury resort in Mexico in hopes of salvaging their deteriorating marriage. While exploring the area, they stumble upon a long-forgotten mystery from 15 years ago involving the disappearance of a young woman during a hurricane. As they dig deeper, they uncover secrets about the resort and the people involved and ultimately come to realizations about their own relationship.
Billions
Billions is a high-stakes drama that centers on the power struggle between two influential figures: Bobby Axelrod (Damian Lewis), a self-made hedge fund king, and Chuck Rhoades (Paul Giamatti), a ruthless U.S. Attorney. Set in the cutthroat world of finance and law, the show explores themes of wealth, corruption, ambition, and moral ambiguity. Axelrod uses his vast fortune to manipulate the system, while Rhoades is determined to bring him down, often employing equally shady tactics.
Revenge
This drama follows Emily Thorne (Emily VanCamp), a woman who moves to the affluent Hamptons to infiltrate the lives of the Grayson family, whose matriarch and patriarch were responsible for the wrongful imprisonment of her father. As Emily hides behind a pseudonym, Amanda Clarke, she meticulously plots her revenge against those who destroyed her family.
Expats
Expats follows three American women living in Hong Kong whose lives become inextricably intertwined in the wake of a tragedy. Margaret (Nicole Kidman) is a mother of two who hires Mercy (Ji-young Yoo), a Korean-American college graduate, to help her take her two kids to a night market. When Gus, the youngest, disappears in Mercy’s care, Margaret struggles to remain present for the rest of the family and forgive Mercy for what happened to her son, while Hilary (Sarayu Blue), Margaret’s best friend, tries to help the family move forward despite her own marital issues.
Bad Sisters
Similarly to The White Lotus, this Apple TV original is a pitch-black comedy with a deliciously slow burn. Following the Garvey sisters, the five siblings are forced to bound together after Grace (Anne-Marie Duff) controlling husband John Paul dies unexpectedly, the sisters find themselves at the centre of a life insurance investigation - and find their once tight bond truly tested.
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