Since 2021, Mike White's drama series The White Lotus has awed viewers with its unique mix of comedy, drama, and murder. With The White Lotus season 3 finally arrived, fans will likely be in the mood for more shows with similar vibes. The White Lotus is an anthology drama series with two seasons created by Mike White. The series follows the sordid vacations of various different wealthy and privileged individuals on a beautiful yet dangerous resort. For those looking for shows similar to The White Lotus, the first genre to look into is the TV murder mystery.
Although The White Lotus is often hilarious, and a major part of the series is its satire about privilege, the aspect of the show that tips it over the edge into major success is murder. For many watching The White Lotus for the first time, its hints of violence and crime are so unexpected that it makes the show even better than just following rich people on vacation. Plus, there are countless television series nowadays that are similar to The White Lotus in that they mix humor with bloodshed.
10 Dead To Me (2019-2022)
3 Seasons; 30 Episodes
Dead to Me
- Release Date
- 2019 - 2022-00-00
- Showrunner
- Liz Feldman
- Directors
- Liz Feldman
Cast
Linda Cardellini
WHERE TO WATCH
- Writers
- Liz Feldman
One such series that includes comedy and murder is Netflix's Dead To Me. It stars Christina Applegate as Jen, a recent widow who, while mourning the loss of her husband at a group, meets Linda Cardellini's Judy. The two hit it off immediately, bonding over their recent losses, however, Judy is hiding a secret that could ruin their friendship forever. Dead To Me is a hilarious and dark series that lacks the rich ensemble of The White Lotus, but makes up for it with amazing leading ladies and an unpredictable plot.
Interestingly, while the audience is glued to an entire season of The White Lotus trying to predict who was killed and who was responsible, Dead To Me reveals the truth behind the central murder quite early. However, this makes it just as gripping as the audience is waiting for the truth to come out. The tension that comes as a result amplifies the show's dark humor.
9 A Murder At The End Of The World (2023)
1 Season; 7 Episodes
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A Murder at the End of the World
- Release Date
- 2023 - 2023-00-00
- Network
- FX
- Showrunner
- Zal Batmanglij, Brit Marling
Cast
Clive Owen
Brit Marling
Harris Dickinson
WHERE TO WATCH
- Directors
- Zal Batmanglij, Brit Marling
- Writers
- Zal Batmanglij, Brit Marling, Cherie Dimaline, Rebecca Roanhorse, Melanie Marnich
- Creator(s)
- Zal Batmanglij, Brit Marling
A newer miniseries that could definitely hold up next to The White Lotus is Hulu's A Murder At The End of the World. The show follows Gen Z detective and hacker, Darby Hart, as she attends a mysterious dinner held by a billionaire in a remote place. When one of the guests is found dead, Darby must convince the others that something dangerous is afoot.
This series offers audiences a classic dinner party whodunnit type of mystery, however, it is unique because of its modern, Gen Z backdrop.
In this way, it has the same type of social critique that The White Lotus does. The collection of rich and influential suspects in a secluded getaway sets the story up for a lot of clever comedy about class divide and privilege. However, it is also a lot of fun to see the series embrace the classic murder mystery tropes more than The White Lotus, with the detective character sleuthing around the whole time.
8 Killing Eve (2018-2022)
4 Seasons; 32 Episodes
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Killing Eve
- Release Date
- 2018 - 2022-00-00
- Network
- BBC
- Showrunner
- Phoebe Waller-Bridge
WHERE TO WATCH
- Directors
- Lisa Brühlmann
- Writers
- Phoebe Waller-Bridge
A series that has murder and mystery, but not necessarily both of them together, is Killing Eve. The series follows Sandra Oh as Eve, an M15 agent who hoped for an exciting career but instead gets a desk job. However, her everyday life gets more interesting when an assassin named Villanelle comes on the scene. As Eve begins tracking this killer and trying to catch her, the two women find themselves drawn to each other in unexpected ways.
Killing Eve is yet another series with dark subject matter but a more light and playful tone. Like The White Lotus, the different tones are able to blend effortlessly without deflating one another. There are big laughs, but the more intense moments are given the opportunity to thrive. The lead actors bring the series together, along with its fast-paced plots and tense mysteries.
7 Search Party (2016-2022)
5 Seasons; 50 Episodes
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Search Party
- Release Date
- 2016 - 2022-00-00
- Network
- HBO Max
- Showrunner
- Michael Showalter
Cast
John Reynolds
John Early
Meredith Hagner
Brandon Micheal Hall
WHERE TO WATCH
- Directors
- Michael Showalter
- Writers
- Michael Showalter
One series that is a bit more established than the rest is HBO's Search Party. For five seasons, Search Party followed a group of 20-somethings who become entangled in investigating the disappearance of a college acquaintance. Despite having a somewhat serious-sounding premise, Search Party is full of dark comedy, especially when it comes to its ensemble cast. Each character is privileged and flawed in their own right, making their murder investigation all the more complicated.
This is definitely akin to The White Lotus via its morally ambiguous characters. It is an especially effective look at younger generations who see themselves as socially conscious and good people only for the show to hilarious showcase their self-indulgent tendencies. The White Lotus has this with characters like Paula in season 1 and Albie in season 2.
6 Yellowjackets (2021-)
3 Seasons; 30 Episodes
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Yellowjackets
- Release Date
- November 14, 2021
- Network
- Showtime, Paramount+ with Showtime
- Showrunner
- Ashley Lyle, Bart Nickerson, Jonathan Lisco
Cast
Shauna Sadecki
Tawny CypressTaissa Turner
WHERE TO WATCH
- Directors
- Benjamin Semanoff, Daisy von Scherler Mayer, Deepa Mehta, Eduardo Sánchez, Jeffrey W. Byrd, Liz Garbus, Scott Winant, Eva Sørhaug, Jamie Travis
- Writers
- Liz Phang, Sarah L. Thompson, Ameni Rozsa
- Creator(s)
- Ashley Lyle, Bart Nickerson
Though not necessarily a "murder" mystery, Yellowjackets has plenty of darkness, death, and mystery all wrapped up in a bow. The Showtime series follows the dual timelines of a girl's soccer team: first, when their plane to nationals crashes, leaving them stranded in the forest, and then, their lives after they have grown up and started families. Although Yellowjackets is not as campy as The White Lotus, it is humorous at times, and its mysteries are far greater than just who committed a crime.
It is a dark series with a great ensemble cast and plenty of questions to chew on. s' separate timelines also make it a unique series. While the flashbacks to the plane crash survivors in the wilderness is a much different show from The White Lotus, seeing these survivors decades later in the suburban setting yet still possessing those survival instincts they acquired does feel more like The White Lotus' satire.
5 The Afterparty (2022-2023)
2 Seasons; 18 Episodes
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The Afterparty
- Release Date
- 2022 - 2023-00-00
- Showrunner
- Christopher Miller
- Directors
- Christopher Miller
Cast
Tiffany Haddish
Sam Richardson
Zoe Chao
Ike Barinholtz
WHERE TO WATCH
- Writers
- Christopher Miller
For those seeking a more traditional mystery, The Afterparty is a strong choice. The Apple TV series follows a high school reunion that goes terribly wrong when someone ends up murdered. A group of friends try to figure out what happened, despite the fact that they all things differently. Like The White Lotus, The Afterparty is an anthology series, with some key cast remaining from the first to second season, including Sam Richardson and Tiffany Haddish. However, they are also ed by a star-studded ensemble in both cases.
The Afterparty is a wacky, fun take on the classic murder mystery, being far more comedic than The White Lotus. However, both shows excel at having such large casts as The Afterparty dedicates each episode to the story of one specific character, showing the audience various perspectives of the mystery and giving all of the actors a chance to shine in their roles.
4 Only Murders In The Building (2021-)
4 Seasons; 40 Episodes
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Only Murders in the Building
- Release Date
- August 31, 2021
- Showrunner
- Steve Martin, John Hoffman
- Directors
- Cherien Dabis
Cast
Michael Cyril Creighton
Aaron Dominguez
WHERE TO WATCH
- Writers
- Steve Martin, John Hoffman
- Creator(s)
- Steve Martin, John Hoffman
One of the most popular murder mysteries on TV right now is Hulu's Only Murders in the Building. With all-stars Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez at the helm, this series follows a trio of neighbors that bands together after a murder occurs in their Upper West Side building. This show has many strong parallels to The White Lotus, from its privileged characters to their dynamic, lie-filled relationships. Furthermore, it leans a bit more heavily on the comedy aspect than the serious drama.
While the three stars have led the cast since the beginning, the show often features an even more star-studded ensemble than The White Lotus. The most recent season of the show contained the likes of Meryl Streep, Paul Rudd, Melissa McCarthy, and Eugene Levy to name only a few.
3 Fargo (2014-)
5 Seasons; 51 Episodes
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- Writers
- Noah Hawley
- Franchise(s)
- Fargo
The oldest series on this list is also the one that The White Lotus fans could love the most. Inspired by the 1996 film of the same name, Fargo is a mystery anthology series that follows a new mysterious murder in the heart of the Midwest. Though Fargo is lacking in the glamour of The White Lotus, its Midwestern, small-town charm has a similar effect. Plus, Fargo has a set-up that is very much like The White Lotus.
However, the show's sense of humor is a lot more specific than The White Lotus, with it doing a solid job of recreating the Coen Brothers' quirky tone.
Fargo has a new star-studded cast in a new location that delves into a strange and suspicious crime, leading to moments both hilarious and intense. However, the show's sense of humor is a lot more specific than The White Lotus, with it doing a solid job of recreating the Coen Brothers' quirky tone. Viewers should also be warned that the series is also much more violent and dark than The White Lotus.
2 Big Little Lies (2017-)
2 Seasons; 14 Episodes
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Big Little Lies
- Release Date
- 2017 - 2026-00-00
- Network
- HBO Max
- Showrunner
- David E. Kelley
WHERE TO WATCH
- Directors
- Jean-Marc Vallee, Andrea Arnold
- Writers
- David E. Kelley
The similarities between The White Lotus and its fellow HBO series Big Little Lies are hard to ignore, yet the result is two very different shows overall. Big Little Lies follows the wealthy mothers of Monterey, California as they find themselves entangled in each other's lives, and therefore, their crimes. With a murder confirmed as the series begins, it is made clear that someone will be killed before the end of the story.
Big Little Lies switches out the tropical setting of The White Lotus for the affluent seaside community of California, but it holds the same undertone of violence. It also has an amazing ensemble cast, including Oscar winners like Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, and Laura Dern. While it also takes time to inspect social issues and problems with wealth like The White Lotus, the subject matter is a lot heavier.
1 Nine Perfect Strangers (2021-)
1 Season; 8 Episodes
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Nine Perfect Strangers
- Release Date
- August 18, 2021
- Network
- Hulu
- Showrunner
- David E. Kelley
Cast
Masha-
Aras AydınMatteo
WHERE TO WATCH
- Directors
- Jonathan Levine
- Writers
- T. Rafael Cimino
Originally written by the same author who wrote Big Little Lies, Liane Moriarty, Nine Perfect Strangers tells the story of nine city dwellers who meet at a 10-day retreat to clear their minds. However, there is much more than just relaxation happening at this resort. The privileged characters come with their own backstories and find themselves met by the unusual methods of the retreat and its eccentric leader, played by Nicole Kidman.
Once again, this is a series that is reminiscent of The White Lotus because of its big cast of unique characters and its emphasis on mystery. With Nine Perfect Strangers season 2 on the way, it is also confirmed that it will take a similar approach of replacing nearly the entire cast. Season 1 featured the likes of Melissa McCarthy, Michael Shannon, and Samara Weaving. Season 2 will see Kidman return along with Annie Murphy, Henry Golding, and The White Lotus season 1 star Murray Barlett.
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- Showrunner
- Mike White
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