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Beef Season 2: The Netflix Show Loses Its Bite In New Episodes

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Netflix finally released the long-awaited second instalment of its hit rage drama Beef last week, with the series quickly rising to the top spot of the streamer’s most-watched TV shows, according to its public ranking system.

Season one of the Emmy-winning series starred Steven Yeun and Ali Wong as two strangers who turn a road-rage incident into a long, fury-filled feud. The 2023 series racked up awards for its writing and performances.

The second iteration features a new cast and a whole new beef, in which a struggling Gen Z couple goes head-to-head against a well-to-do millennial married couple in a blackmail saga.

Oscar Isaac stars as Josh, the general manager of a country club, who’s at odds with his wife, Lindsay (played Carey Mulligan), in season two’s opening scene. Two of the country club’s employees — Cailee Spaeny’s Ashley and Charles Melton’s Austin — catch Josh and Lindsay’s big fight on camera, and so ensues the beef that drives the season.

On top of that, the billionaire owner of that same club, Chairwoman Park (the latest screen outing for Oscar winner Youn Yuh-jung), is trying to cover up a big mess dealing with her husband, Dr. Kim (played by Song Kang-ho), and gets everyone entangled in that mess.

We’ve watched all of season two – and these are our thoughts about the show…

Let’s talk about the cast and performances in Beef season 2

Cailee Spaeny as Ashley Miller, Carey Mulligan as Lindsay Crane-Martin and Charles Melton as Austin Davis in Beef
Cailee Spaeny as Ashley Miller, Carey Mulligan as Lindsay Crane-Martin and Charles Melton as Austin Davis in Beef

I thought the ensemble cast for season two was quite a mixed bag when Netflix first announced it, but given the millennial-versus-Gen Z plot, it makes sense now.

Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, Charles Melton and Cailee Spaeny all give great performances. Cailee’s Ashley is an absolute menace by the end of the season, which I’m sure was the whole point of her character’s arc, but the actor played a clingy, controlling girlfriend well. I’m still thinking about those scenes on the planes where she loses it. Oscar was great, too, at flipping the switch between calm and unhinged with his character, especially in his scenes with Carey’s Lindsay.

The real standout for me was Youn Yuh-jung as Chairwoman Park. She was the perfect unexpected villain in this scenario. I have my qualms about season two’s story, but this cast wasn’t half-bad. — Njera

Out of the main cast, I was really only familiar with Charles Melton’s work, specifically his incredible turn opposite Julianne Moore in May December. So he was an exciting lead for me.

I’m still sitting with how I felt about Cailee Spaeny, Carey Mulligan and Oscar Isaac — mostly because their characters were so terrible that I can’t imagine saying anything “good” about them. But yes, I guess that is the whole point. We’re seeing the worst of people in this show — but I just can’t help but keep comparing their character arcs and personalities to the first season’s leads. They just didn’t grab me as much as I thought they should.

That said, I can’t praise Song Kang-ho and Youn Yuh-jung’s performances enough. Make them the leads in another, better Netflix series! — Erin

The best of Beef season 2…

Cailee Spaeny as Ashley Miller and Charles Melton as Austin Davis in season two of Beef
Cailee Spaeny as Ashley Miller and Charles Melton as Austin Davis in season two of Beef

Charles Melton. Listen, I hated that his character was ridiculous and annoying. But he is so hot that I overlooked it during every moment that he did something questionable. I also loved Youn Yuh-jung and Song Kang-ho’s performances as Chairwoman Park and Dr. Kim. If the series had been focused more on them, I probably would have enjoyed it more. — Erin

Charles Melton’s Austin was probably my least favourite at the start of the season, simply because I couldn’t take him being the idiot boyfriend to Cailee Spaeny’s Ashley. However, I feel like he did his job because he played the role convincingly, and he may not have been as dumb as he seemed by the end!

Honestly, everyone’s characters pissed me off the whole show for different reasons, but I still think the actors delivered great performances.

The comedic moments are what really kept me tapped into season two, like when Lindsay went after that coyote trying to save poor Burberry (Lindsay and Josh’s dog) in the woods. Or when Austin thought “misc” on an invoice was a typo for “mist”. Austin’s ditzy moments actually had me screaming. He was the highlight of the show for me. — Njera

…and the worst

My biggest complaint about this second season is how incredibly overstuffed the story feels, from the plot itself to the many characters the show forces us to follow.

We start off with the basic inciting event: Ashley and Austin witness a horrific fight between Josh and Lindsay and capture it on video. They then use that footage to blackmail their boss and his wife to get Ashley health insurance and a promotion with a pay bump – nothing yet for Austin, as he points out.

But then the story unravels into all kinds of mayhem that goes far beyond each couple’s relationship turmoil and their “beefs” with each other. What starts off as a character study of these four peculiar individuals becomes some kind of suspenseful corporate thriller when the show turns its focus toward a third couple: the country club’s billionaire owner, Chairwoman Park, and her much younger husband, plastic surgeon Dr. Kim. We get into the flaws of their relationship as well, but the main focus is on the death that Chairwoman Park is trying to cover up after her husband accidentally kills a patient during surgery at their clinic in Korea. She has to pay off all the clinic employees to keep them quiet and used the country club to clean said hush money.

Somehow, this turns into a money laundering scheme/conspiracy, and while entertaining, this is where the show started to lose me. It felt so far removed from what the original premise was that it no longer felt like a follow-up to Season 1. Granted, it is an anthology series, so I knew season two wasn’t going to replicate everything from the first season, but it felt like the show tried so hard to top its breakout success that it got away from itself.

Beef season one wasn’t perfect, but there’s a reason why it resonated with so many viewers. It tapped into themes and ideas that the average disgruntled person could relate to. Season two has its moments as well, though more often than not, it trades them for wildly ridiculous plots that don’t amount to any great revelations. The finale is proof of that. — Njera

Youn Yuh-jung as Chairwoman Park and Song Kang-ho as Dr. Kim in the Season 2 finale of Beef.
Youn Yuh-jung as Chairwoman Park and Song Kang-ho as Dr. Kim in the Season 2 finale of Beef.

How does Beef season 2 compare to season 1?

Season one of Beef was one of the top shows of 2023. It won eight Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Limited Series, and both its stars won the Outstanding Actor Awards in the limited series categories. Steven Yeun and Ali Wong were incredible leads who you were rooting for even while they were raging against each other. You could feeeeel their energy through the screen.

Unfortunately, that same energy just did not translate for me in season two. Maybe if I’d gone into the show knowing that it’d had a very different feel from season one, I could have adjusted my expectations. But from the first moments of season two, I knew that it was unlikely the show would reach the bar season one set. I imagine it’s pretty hard to replicate that success for any TV show, but season two of Beef felt totally undercooked. — Erin

The first season of Beef immediately grabbed me within the first five minutes of the show. The road-rage incident was the perfect setup — it had action, rage, suspense and you immediately wanted to know where the story was going next. Steven Yeun and Ali Wong were excellent in their roles and proved why that debut season was such a runaway hit.

Season two gets off to a much slower start, and even Josh and Lindsay’s fight didn’t feel as dramatic as it could’ve been. The stakes didn’t feel big enough, not even when they got caught red-handed by Austin and Ashley. The plot sounded boring on paper and played out exactly like I thought it would on screen (before things went haywire).

The season didn’t feel like a drag to me because the action of the Chairwoman Park storyline made up for the parts that were lacking, but if we’re comparing one and two, there’s no competition to me. — Njera

What other critics are saying about Beef season 2

Oscar Isaac as Josh Martin and Carey Mulligan as Lindsay Crane-Martin in Season 2 of "Beef."
Oscar Isaac as Josh Martin and Carey Mulligan as Lindsay Crane-Martin in Season 2 of “Beef.”

Alison Herman at Variety called it “overcrowded and unfocused” in her review. “But over eight episodes, Beef loses focus and overcrowds this already expanded premise,” Herman writes. “By the closing credits, season two is no longer mainly about the acrimony between its antiheroes and what it brings out from within them.”

Aisha Harris at NPR said ultimately the show is “well done”. “Season two is compelling enough largely because its stars gamely tap into the spirit of the show’s M.O.; at any given moment, each character may reveal the worst of themselves, which looks different for everyone,” Harris writes.

While I agree that each character has some truly terrible personality traits, I’m not convinced it taps into the same modus operandi as the first season and definitely not nearly as well.

Christopher Campbell at Rotten Tomatoes rounded up the early reviews of the season, with most critics saying season two was worth the wait. I totally disagree with that! Maybe if the show didn’t seem so sprawling — six episodes instead of eight, 30 minutes each instead of 45- to 55-minute episodes — it would have felt like less of a time investment for something not nearly as focused as season one.

It’s very interesting to see how mixed the reviews are. But I’m more curious to see what folks have to say about it on social media as more people dig in over the weekend. — Erin

So, should you watch Beef season 2?

If you’re looking for the same fervour as Season 1, skip it. But if you’re a huge Charles Melton fan, enjoy. — Erin

If espionage thrillers are your jam, you might enjoy the latter half of the season. Might not be the Beef you’re expecting, but it’s quite a series of events. Also, if you tend to get FOMO, you might just want to get this binge-watch out of the way to avoid spoilers on socials. — Njera

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Half Man Reviews: Baby Reindeer Creator Richard Gadd’s New Show Splits Critics

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However, critics are far more divided over his follow-up series, Half Man. with some saying it is too violent and dark.

Starring Richard and Jamie Bell as two half-brothers with an explosive, toxic relationship and follows them from childhood, through their awkward teens and into adulthood, Half Man is a dark exploration of toxic masculinity, repression and male rage.

Ahead of its release on Thursday, reviews were split over whether the project was a vital piece of television that’s among the year’s best or slightly too much to stomach.

Here’s a selection of what the critics are saying about Half Man so far…

“It leaves you with that rare and precious feeling that everyone involved – Gadd, of course, who has once again pulled out his viscera, spread them over the page and taken a scalpel to every bloody organ, but every actor too (Bell is on career-best form and then some here) – has given us the very best of themselves.”

“The best show of 2026 […] Half Man will be a lot of things to a lot of people, and that’s where its brilliance lies. Many will instantly draw parallels with ongoing conversations about toxic masculinity, and that’s important. But this drama actually speaks to so much more than that, and what you will get out of it as a viewer will be dependent on what theme resonates or speaks to you most.”

The hard-hitting series centres around two half-brothers with a toxic relationship
The hard-hitting series centres around two half-brothers with a toxic relationship

BBC/Mam Tor Productions/Anne Binckebanck

“Half Man is an excellent but difficult watch. A viciousness runs through the narrative, and countless acts of violence depicted. For those who stick it out, the final episode features one of the most emotionally shattering scenes on television.”

“Half Man is so potent because it’s not sanitised. It is a deeply uncomfortable watch about deeply messed-up characters whose lives are in constant turmoil, anchored by some unreal performances – certainly by the younger cast, but definitely from Bell in particular, who I’ve determined deserves an Emmy win for embodying how tortured Niall is in his 20s and 30s.”

“Half Man is gripping, emotional, complex, and upsetting, telling a story of masculinity and brotherhood that feels rooted in reality even though the story is fictional. It stumbles at times but never falls, and the strengths massively outweigh any negatives.”

“The series isn’t flawless. There are dips in pacing here and there, and a few of the women characters could be better written. Often, the monologues feel better suited to a play than they do to television. But the density and layered nature of the writing win the day.

“Half Man makes one thing abundantly clear: Everyone else churning out scripts for TV is a writer. Richard Gadd is a bloody artist.”

“I needed an entire evening to decompress after binging Richard Gadd’s Half Man, and I don’t think I can ever watch it again. Foundational issues aside, Gadd has proved why his disturbing style makes him the storyteller of a generation”

Half Man is Richard Gadd's first major project since the global success of Baby Reindeer
Half Man is Richard Gadd’s first major project since the global success of Baby Reindeer

BBC/Mam Tor Productions/Anne Binckebanck

“Family, for good or for ill, is an undeniable bond. It’s something that can frequently bring out the best and worst in a person. It’s hard to know how to navigate these situations, where it can be easy to feel like you’re living in their shadow or are constantly pulled, unwillingly, back into their orbit.

“The ways in which Half Man acutely understands that dynamic make it a must-see series even in spite of a few misgivings along the way, ultimately presenting itself as a singular experience that sticks with you. After all, family is hard to shake.”

“Life certainly can seem like a constant test of a man’s virility, but Gadd’s dramatisation of that notion doesn’t have enough resonance – as drama it’s fussy and overwrought and as dark comedy it’s lightweight and inconsequential.

“The occasional jolts of sex and violence only emphasise the overall superficiality. It’s probably not a good sign when the only people you care about in a show are the ones your hero mistreats.”

“I don’t doubt that its ugliest scenes are sincere efforts to blast away narrative euphemisms, leaving only scorched kernels of truth. But for me, it doesn’t expand upon the revelations of Reindeer enough to merit the misery.

“Someone more invested in dissecting the nuances of masculinity might disagree. If Gadd has taught us anything, it’s that we are all shaped by an infinite accumulation of experiences, and thus all tragically unique.”

“Six episodes may not seem like enough time to uncover 30 years in the lives of these men, but this limited series packs some serious punch. Niall and Ruben’s journey together is worth sticking around for.”

“Much of what’s explored is hard-hitting and very much real, but the story devolves into a bit of a bleak-fest that makes it hard to really engage with it.”

“Not only does Half Man end without attaining the same level of lived complexity as Gadd’s past work, but its conclusion also ensures the only way to read their story is as an allegory. They’re half-men who add up to even less.”

“Bell and Gadd’s commitment to their roles is never in question. At a certain point, though, the series’ schematism becomes so pronounced that it renders them mere pawns in a contraption designed to underscore, at every turn, the corrosiveness of homophobia and, also, the resultant act of hiding and hating your true self.”

“It’s a show with much to recommend it, but it’s an emotionally draining show that, in its ultimate revelations, left me with little enthusiasm for recommendation.”

“Cartoonishly exaggerated characters knock chunks out of each other, speaking in overwritten soundbites in service of a plot that rambles over the course of multiple decades. It has the feeling of a dark, misanthropic novel – the sort of thing Martin Amis would’ve written, to great acclaim, in the Eighties – but struggles as a six-hour entertainment piece.”

“Gadd was garlanded with awards for Baby Reindeer but the show was mired in accusations of mixing fact with fiction. It was bracingly original and morally dubious. Half Man is a weaker piece of work but, once again, it leaves a nasty taste.”

The first episode of Half Man is now streaming on BBC iPlayer, with new instalments following every Friday. The show is also available to watch weekly on BBC One on Tuesday nights.

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The Celebrity Traitors: 11 Stars Who Turned Down The Chance To Be On The Line-Up

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As far as celebrity reality shows go, the line-up for the first season of The Traitors’ star-studded counterpart is going to be a hard one to beat.

The cast of Celebrity Traitors’ inaugural outing featured a host of impressive names – including many who’d never done reality TV before – that encompassed award-winning broadcasters and actors, athletes at the top of their game, chart-topping musicians and all-round national treasures.

But as revered as many of the celebrities on the line-up were, other famous faces turned down the BBC’s offer to appear on the show outright for a variety of reasons.

With filming getting underway on season two in the not-too-distant future, here are 11 recognisable names who are reported to have said no to appearing on The Celebrity Traitors…

Ricky Gervais

When The Celebrity Traitors was initially revealed to be in the works last year, Ricky Gervais was one of the first names reported to be on bosses’ wishlist.

However, he quickly made it clear that he had no intention of taking part because he’s “too busy” and, in his words, “there’s no way they could afford me”.

Jonathan Ross later claimed that Ricky phoned him about the offer, but the Office creator was unconvinced because he felt that “bigger names” would be easier targets – which the talk show host conceded after the series aired that he was completely “right” about.

Richard Osman

Meanwhile, former Pointless presenter Richard Osman has openly said he turned down the show because there was no way for producers to guarantee his one criteria for taking part.

“I said I would only do it if I could be a Traitor,” he told Good Morning Britain in October.

He continued: “I couldn’t bear – if I [were] a Faithful – that thing where you go back to your room at night and you’re just lying there, [knowing there were] three people up in that tower, having a load of fun in cloaks and filming something.”

Karren Brady

Karren Brady
Karren Brady

Apprentice staple Karren Brady made her feelings clear about Celebrity Traitors during an interview with Metro.

“I was asked and the answer was no,” she said. “One, I’ve never seen it. Two, I don’t have the time.”

She continued: “I have a full-time job and The Apprentice is filmed just in my sweet spot in the summer when the football season is over, so I can just about fit in. But that’s it.”

Martin Lewis

Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock

When the line-up for Celebrity Traitors season one was first reported in the press, money-saving expert Martin Lewis admitted he had major “FOMO” after having to reject an offer to participate.

“I was asked if I wanted to do it, but said no as I couldn’t commit the time,” he told his Instagram followers. “I hadn’t watched it then (but watched the last series after that and loved it) so now feel a little gutted – though I still don’t have the time. Sigh!”

Danny Dyer

Like Martin, Danny Dyer claimed during an episode of his podcast Live And Let Dyer that Traitors producers had been “sniffing round me” while putting together the cast of season one, but turned down them down as he’d not watched the original show at the time.

However, as the Traitors has been putting together its line-up for season two, it seems that Danny has had something of a change of heart.

“If they ask me I’ll do it, but no one’s asked me,” the Rivals actor claimed earlier this year. “I would fucking declare it. I’m not on it, you’ll see when it comes on.”

Miriam Margolyes

David Hartley/Shutterstock

True to form, Miriam Margolyes had no issues revealing exactly why she had no intention of signing up for Celebrity Traitors.

“I was offered this job just recently – and I can’t think of anything I’d rather less do,” she insisted during a Q&A at the Cheltenham Festival. “I’m not into that. I’ve never watched it, I don’t intend to watch it.”

The Bafta winner added: “If they want to do it for money, well, that’s fair enough [but] you won’t get me on it.”

Daisy May Cooper

via Associated Press

When the Celebrity Traitors line-up was first starting to take shape, comedian Daisy May Cooper was heavily rumoured to be competing alongside her brother (and This Country co-star) Charlie, with producers reported to be hoping to capitalise on the drama past seasons of the regular show where contestants have known one another outside the show.

The Sun later claimed that the duo had pulled out of the show just weeks before filming was set to begin, due to scheduling issues.

Like Danny, it seems that Daisy could potentially be putting in an appearance on season two, despite having swerved the show’s first outing.

Andy Murray

Similarly, The Sun claimed in 2024 that tennis pro Andy Murray and his mum Judy had also been in consideration for the reality show.

However, they apparently turned it down, at which point the tabloid claimed bosses turned to Daisy May and Charlie as a duo with a family connection (in the end, none of the Celebrity Traitors wound up in the castle with people they were related to, although there were definitely connections outside the show that became part of the gameplay).

Lorraine Kelly

via Associated Press

In February 2025, The Sun claimed that daytime legend Lorraine Kelly had been contacted by the BBC with an offer to appear on The Celebrity Traitors.

However, the tabloid said that while Lorraine was “flattered” to have been invited, she had to turn it down for scheduling reasons.

Lorraine later told comedian Joe Wilkinson that had she known he’d be on the line-up, she’d have been more inclined to sign up.

Anna Maxwell Martin

via Associated Press

During an interview on Jonathan Ross’ talk show in April 2026, Anna Maxwell Martin was asked directly if she’d ever been approached about taking part in Celebrity Traitors.

The Line Of Duty star then admitted she had been, but made a realisation about the show that put her off the idea.

“I can see from the civilian one how late it gets on that show,” she explained. “That’s a Scottish summer – and they’re not leaving that castle until it gets dark. That’s 11pm, 12am… if you’re a Traitor, it’s 1am, 2am. I want to be in bed by 8pm.”

Peter Capaldi

via Associated Press

While most of the stars on this list relate to Celebrity Traitors’ first run, Doctor Who star Peter Capaldi is one of the new prolific names to have turned down season two.

Peter admitted that because the show “propels” its contestants “into the public eye” and to a “level of fame” and “exposure” that he’s personally not comfortable with, he had to say no to the offer.

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The White Lotus Season 4: Cast, Location And Everything Else We Know So Far

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Since the third iteration of The White Lotus wrapped up more than a year ago, speculation has been rife about what what new collection of eccentrics and property porn showrunner Mike White’s brain will concoct for us in the follow-up.

One of the many thrills of Emmy-winning show is its ever-rotating cast and location – with season four arguably set to pack in more stars and luxury settings than ever before.

Fortunately for White Lotus fans, we’re now one step closer to checking back into TV’s most chaotic resort, with filming now underway on season four.

As fans wait patiently for the next instalments, here’s everything we know abut the new season, from cast members to shooting locations…

When will The White Lotus season 4 be released?

For the time being, exact details about when we should expect to see The White Lotus back on our screens are being kept under wraps.

However, with production beginning in mid-April, it’s a fair bet that we can expect the next season of the sun-drenched hit show to debut in 2027.

Where will the next season of The White Lotus be set?

Season four will take us back to Europe after previous seasons in Thailand, Italy and Hawaii, with The White Lotus opening its doors in France this time around.

And with shooting taking place across the French riviera and Paris, it sounds like we’re in for a characteristically luxurious experience.

For the first time, the story will be set across two different White Lotus resorts, with the Airelles Château de la Messardière serving as the White Lotus du Cap, and the Hôtel Martinez being transformed into the White Lotus Cannes.

Shooting is also due to take place in the French capital, but HBO has specified that these scenes will still be set in the south of France, even if that’s not where they’re filmed.

The Château de La Messardière hotel is a rumoured filming location in the next season of The White Lotus
The Château de La Messardière hotel is a rumoured filming location in the next season of The White Lotus

JARRY via Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

What will season 4 of The White Lotus be about?

So far, creators are staying tight-lipped on exactly what the next storylines will entail.

In the early stages of planning the new season, Variety cited a combination of sources and alluded to filming dates that indicate we could see the Cannes Film Festival work its way into the plot.

HBO later confirmed this to be the case in an official press release, which teased: “The fourth season will follow a new group of White Lotus hotel guests and employees over the span of a week, taking place during the Cannes Film Festival.”

The Cannes Film Festival is rumoured to be a plot point in the next season of The White Lotus
The Cannes Film Festival is rumoured to be a plot point in the next season of The White Lotus

via Associated Press

Season three saw the conclusion of the plot that straddled all series of the show, surrounding Jennifer Coolidge’s Tanya and her eventual demise, so we can presume that that’s now totally done and dusted, and we’re in for a completely fresh storyline.

Having said that, the show has a penchant for bringing back old characters, and with Natasha Rothwell’s Belinda setting off to start a new life at the end of season three, there’s always the possibility that we could see a return from other familiar faces in the next run.

Which actors are in the White Lotus season 4 cast?

The good news is, we have a hefty list of cast members confirmed to be on the call sheet in the White Lotus’ next outing.

Charlie Hall, Helena Bonham Carter and Steve Coogan are all set to appear in the new season of The White Lotus
Charlie Hall, Helena Bonham Carter and Steve Coogan are all set to appear in the new season of The White Lotus

Evan Agostini/Jordan Strauss/Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP

Among them are well-known faces like Helena Bonham Carter, Steve Coogan, Vincent Cassel, Ari Graynor, Sandra Bernhard, Chris Messina, AJ Michalka (aka one half of musical duo Aly & AJ) and Alexander Ludwig.

The likes of Caleb Jonte Edwards, Corentin Fila, Nadia Tereszkiewicz, Dylan Ennis and Marissa Long will also be checking in.

Meanwhile, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Brad Hall’s son Charlie Hall, previously seen in The Sex Life Of College Girls, will take the “nepo baby” baton from last season’s Patrick Schwarzenegger and Sam Nivola when he joins the cast.

It was later announced that Kumail Nanjiani would be joining the line-up, along with New Girl actor Max Greenfield, Marvel star Chloe Bennet and Jarrad Paul.

Kumail Nanjiani, Sandra Bernhard and Max Greenfield are more recent additions to the White Lotus cast
Kumail Nanjiani, Sandra Bernhard and Max Greenfield are more recent additions to the White Lotus cast

Richard Shotwell/Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

Following this, Deadline revealed that established US names Rosie Perez, Heather Graham and Ben Schnetzer had also joined the cast, alongside European performers Tobias Santelmann, Frida Gustavsson and Laura Smet.

And, of course, there’s also the possibility that we’ll see some unexpected guest stars later down the line, as was the case during last season’s surprise appearance from Sam Rockwell.

What have the creators of The White Lotus said about season 4?

While White Lotus creator Mike White is keeping his cards pretty close to his chest for the time being, he dropped a few season four tidbits in a recent interview with W Magazine.

He spoke about shooting his latest stint on the reality show Survivor six months before kicking off his White Lotus prep, explaining: “I came up with the concept of the show and the characters while I was there. But I don’t know if the experience itself really influenced it.”

Mike explained that the experience of returning from Survivor, and seeing the social media of people who he’d bonded with on the show, shaped his thinking for the series.

The White Lotus returns for its fourth season next year
The White Lotus returns for its fourth season next year

Fabio Lovino/HBO

“I don’t know if that’s exactly the theme of the next season of White Lotus, but it’s definitely something I’ve thought about a lot – prioritising likes or the attention of strangers over creating real relationships,” he noted.

Pressed on what the new season will be about, the creator said “it’s a bit about fame, about who has the world’s attention, who is the plus-one, and how that can organise a relationship”.

“Some people are satisfied with the love of just an intimate partner, and some people need the love of strangers and a bigger kind of attention,” he elaborated.

The White Lotus creator Mike White
The White Lotus creator Mike White

via Associated Press

And after the high melodrama of guns, blood and parables we saw in season three, last year Mike said he was keen to return to themes more aligned with season one in an interview for the official White Lotus podcast.

“Maybe something a little bit back to the first season where it’s satirising stuff that I know about,” he pondered.

“Art and criticism and movies and fame and celebrity and a film festival type of thing, or like an art world sort of situation. It just feels like that would be some kind of new theme to get into that’s maybe a little less heady than what we just did, but still have some juice to it.”

The first three seasons of The White Lotus are available to stream on Sky and Now in the UK.

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The Other Bennet Sister Fans Have More Jane Austen Adaptations To Enjoy Later In 2026

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It is a truth universally acknowledged that, almost as often as writers pinch Jane Austen’s most famous opening line, new adaptations must join the already hefty pile.

And this is especially true at the present moment, after last year marked the 250th anniversary of Austen’s birth. While most of us settle for a bottle of pinot down the pub, for Austen, the celebrations of her semiquincentennial include a fresh Hollywood movie and the Netflix treatment for a fan-favourite novel.

The latest spin on Austen’s work is the new BBC series The Other Bennet Sister, which taps into the POV of the sidelined Pride & Prejudice sister, Mary.

Starring Ruth Jones as Mrs Bennet and Call The Midwife actor Ella Bruccoleri as the titular character, many fans have already torn through the series and are on the hunt for more where that came from.

If that sounds familiar, you may well be looking for your next Austen fix right now. Luckily, there’s plenty to look forward to this year – here’s what else you can look forward to getting stuck into…

Netflix’s Pride & Prejudice is coming to our screens soon

The stars of Netflix's new Pride & Prejudice adaptation
The stars of Netflix’s new Pride & Prejudice adaptation

LUDOVIC ROBERT/Netflix

After recruiting Dakota Johnson for a tepidly-received film version of Jane Austen’s 1817 novel Persuasion, Netflix is having another go at bringing Austen’s work to life on screen.

This time around, Everything I Know About Love author Dolly Alderton has written a six-part TV adaptation of Pride & Prejudice that will arrive at a currently undisclosed date later this year.

The Crown’s Emma Corrin will play Elizabeth Bennet while Slow Horses star Jack Lowden will follow in Colin Firth and Matthew Macfadyen’s footsteps to portray Mr Darcy.

Meanwhile, Olivia Colman and Rufus Sewell will play Mrs and Mr Bennett, respectively, with Heartstopper’s Rhea Norwood and Industry’s Freya Mavor also appearing as Lydia and Jane Bennett.

The star-studded series will also include appearances from Daryl McCormack, Jamie Demetriou, Louis Partridge and Black Mirror’s Siena Kelly.

Describing Pride & Prejudice as the “blueprint for romantic comedy”, Dolly has teased what we can expect “both familiar and fresh” ideas in her take on Austen’s classic.

“In it lies the opportunity to examine the complexities of love, family, friendship, and society, while aspiring to Austen’s delightfully observational voice,” she enthused.

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Another Hollywood spin on one of Jane Austen’s most popular books is also in the works

If you’re more in the market for a big screen-adaptation, there’s also a new Sense And Sensibility movie on the way this September.

Austen’s 1811 novel centres on the Dashwood sisters, after they and their widowed mother have become destitute following the death of their father, resulting in them moving to a modest cottage on their cousin’s estate.

Naturally, being an Austen novel, the sisters also navigate suitors of varying morals and suitability.

The 2026 adaptation is led by BAFTA-nominated Blue Jean director Georgia Oakley, with Normal People’s Daisy Edgar-Jones and Hanna star Esmé Creed-Miles starring as Elinor and Marianne Dashwood.

Meanwhile, George MacKay, Fiona Shaw, Caitríona Balfe and Frank Dillane are also in the cast.

The 2026 adaptation is the first major take on Austen’s novel since Ang Lee’s 1995 adaptation, featuring Emma Thompson, Hugh Grant, Kate Winslet and Alan Rickman, which picked up seven Oscar nominations and 12 Bafta nods at the time.

What about a season 2 of The Other Bennet Sister?

Unfortunately, that’s not looking likely.

Laurie Davidson and Ella Bruccoleri in The Other Bennet Sister
Laurie Davidson and Ella Bruccoleri in The Other Bennet Sister

BBC/Bad Wolf

The TV series is adapted from Janice Hadlow’s book of the same name, with the events of pretty much the whole novel being covered over the course of the 10 episodes.

Screenwriter Sarah Quintrell did tell Radio Times that she would “love to do more” shows like The Other Bennet Sister, but clarified that she meant “more stories taking a different angle” on classic tales we already know and love, rather than specifically more shows set in the Pride & Prejudice universe.

There’s also a spruced-up Pride & Prejudice audiobook you can enjoy right now

If it’s even more stars you’re after, perhaps you’d be interested in the revamped audiobook of Pride & Prejudice, which features a bunch of the biggest new acting names as well as a few legends.

Alright, so technically this was released in 2025, but we reckon it’s new enough to pique your interest if you’re still coming off the Other Bennett Sister high.

Audible’s reading of the novel sees Industry star Marisa Abela take on the lead role of Elizabeth Bennet, with Babygirl’s Harris Dickinson joining her as Mr Darcy.

Elsewhere, Will Poulter voices Mr Wickham, while Oscar-winner Jessie Buckley is Caroline Bingley, Glenn Close stars as Lady Catherine De Bourgh, and Mr and Mrs Bennett are played by Bill Nighy and Marianne Jean-Baptiste

The Other Bennet Sister is streaming now on BBC iPlayer.

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