Mike White created, wrote, and directed, the first season of The White Lotus. HBO originally planned the show as a limited series. But, due to the critical acclaim and the viewership that the first season pulled, HBO greenlit The White Lotus for a second season, airing October 2022. Mike will return as the swiss-knife do-it-all for Season 2 in a story that will revolve around a (mostly) different group of travelers staying at a White Lotus in Sicily, Italy. We say “mostly” because only Jennifer Coolidge and Jon Gries are coming back with substantial roles in Season 2. The rest are fresh faces that include Aubrey Plaza, Theo James, and Michael Imperioli, among others. The White Lotus was one of the biggest surprises of the COVID-19 pandemic. We’re curious to see how the show will do now that it has more freedom. For those who are unaware, The White Lotus’ setting was deliberate if not forced. White had to shoot the entire season in a single setting to protect the cast and crew from the then-raging effects of the coronavirus disease. At the same time, White chose Hawaii for a reason - to explore the effects of colonialism and how the rich pretend to immerse themselves in the local culture of an exotic place. We don’t think that Season 2 of the HBO dark comedy will air in time for the 2023 Emmy Nominations in September. The first season debuted in July 2021 and saw 20 nominations in total with the individual actors getting nods as well for their performance in the show. Speaking of HBO, the latest sizzle trailer reminds audiences that the premiere of House of the Dragon isn’t far off. The Game of Thrones spin-off is set to come out in August with a second season reportedly already in development. With a budget believed to be higher than Game of Thrones, audiences will be keeping a close eye on House of the Dragon.
