The White Lotus by Mike White

Summary

The TV show based around the fictional hotel chain The White Lotus critically explores the darker sides of a bright and shiny Wellness Industry. The show first aired on HBO in 2021 and captivated audiences with its whodunnit style mystery.

Each season travels to a new destination with new characters. Their larger than life personalities entertain us while beneath the surface writer and director Mike White weaves together cultural stereotypes into what ultimately feels like a funhouse mirror — somehow a distorted image of ourselves.

As a former contestant on Survivor, White is excellent at cultivating the feeling of a group of people trapped in an environment together. He allows each person an inner world and thus grant them each humanity and understanding in the face of horrible decisions.

Why you should watch this

• This show can be helpful if you are navigating a social maze or trying to figure out the motives of a group of people

• The White Lotus as a metaphor for The Wellness Industry is an interesting parallel to explore when marketing materials start to sell you something exotic and expensive and tell you that wellness isn’t accessible without it. (hint: watch the lives of the staff and decide who looks happier)

• Travel tourism is a growing sector of the Wellness Industry but, through parody, this show illuminates that what these resorts are selling is only penetrating at the surface level.