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Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'The White Lotus' is over — but new vacation shows like 'The Four Seasons' and 'The Summer I Turned Pretty' are just getting started.
So many of us turn to television to escape from the everyday grind. That may be why shows like HBO's White Lotus — which, following Hawaii- and Italy-set seasons, took its wealthy and morally questionable characters to Thailand for its third go — scratch such an itch. Not only do vacation-vibes shows like The White Lotus dive into juicy, scandalous drama, they also take audiences to a place with gorgeous backdrops and luxe vibes. Sure, White Lotus fans were eager to learn who died in the finale, but they just as much enjoyed watching resort guests sunbathe by the pool, cocktails in hand. Of course, not everyone's idea of a perfect vacation is the same. For everyone who dreams of lounging on a Sicilian beach, there's someone who prefers cozying up by the fire in a ski lodge, or leaning into the R&R at a high-end spa. And others just want to look at the foliage in New England. No matter what your speed, there's a vacation-worthy show for you to watch. Some offer brand-new 'out of office' vibes — while others are returning to provide that same escapism we know and love. Here's what to check out: Group trips: Love 'em or loathe 'em, they're great for drama — and The Four Seasons, based on the 1981 film of the same name, has it in spades. The series follows a group of longtime pals (which includes comedy icons like Steve Carell and Tina Fey, as well as Oscar nominee Colman Domingo) as they navigate the ups and downs of midlife while on their multiple yearly vacations together. What could go wrong? Well, a lot, as it turns out — like a divorce announcement upending a surprise wedding renewal ceremony. Drama aside, there's a little something for every type of vacationer in The Four Seasons. Filming locations for the series include a Hudson Valley lake house, an eco-resort in Puerto Rico and a ski resort in upstate New York. For those who love leaves, the gang also takes an autumnal trip to their alma mater, which is filmed at the real Vassar College. Nicole Kidman, who is literally everywhere all the time, somehow managed to squeeze in a second season of her culty Hulu series, which premiered in 2021. Now, the show is coming back with a brand-new star-studded cast that includes Henry Golding, Annie Murphy, Christine Baranski and even The White Lotus's Murray Bartlett. Just don't expect a sun-soaked retreat this year — per the show's trailer, the sophomore season of Kidman's psychedelics-loving guru Masha is bringing a crop of 'broken people' on a snowy retreat, where they'll dive into their core memories. ('This is not a spa?!' one of the guests asks in the trailer.) While there will certainly be some dark shenanigans afoot, Bartlett's white cable-knit sweater certainly evokes luxe ski lodge vibes. Sirens stars White Lotus alum Meghann Fahy as Devon, a woman who grows concerned about her sister Simone (played by House of the Dragon's Milly Alcock) after Simone gets a little too invested in her job with Julianne Moore's socialite Michaela. It turns out that Simone's job is to tend to Michaela's every need — as well as help her throw lavish parties — at her luxury beach estate. Of course, it's not all fun and games — Michaela's definitely got a few dark secrets — but the scenery? A+. Need one more example of why beach houses spell trouble? Enter We Were Liars, an upcoming series based on the popular E. Lockhart YA novel of the same name. The show follows the ultra-wealthy Sinclair family, who summer every year on their private Beechwood Island — until something goes terribly wrong. The less said about that, the better — the book's well known for its jaw-dropping twist. But before everything goes to hell, there's lots of summer fun to be had: Think boat trips, tennis matches and lounging in the sand. If you're shell-shocked by the ending of We Were Liars, allow another summer-fun show to bring back the fun. The Summer I Turned Pretty is back for a third and final season, and with it, an answer to the question dividing fans: Will Belly (Lola Tung) end up with longtime crush Conrad (Christopher Briney) or new boyfriend Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno)? Oh, and did I mention that Conrad and Jeremiah happen to be brothers?! The third season of The Summer I Turned Pretty, which thus far has spent most of its time in the fictional beach town of Cousins, will explore outside of its seasonal home for the final season, with Belly attending college with her probably-not-forever love Jeremiah. But they'll always have summer ... and the only thing harder than keeping Belly away from the Fisher boys is keeping the characters away from their beloved beach house.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'The White Lotus' is over — but new vacation shows like 'The Four Seasons' and 'The Summer I Turned Pretty' are just getting started.
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways So many of us turn to television to escape from the everyday grind. That may be why shows like HBO's White Lotus — which, following Hawaii- and Italy-set seasons, took its wealthy and morally questionable characters to Thailand for its third go — scratch such an itch. Not only do vacation-vibes shows like The White Lotus dive into juicy, scandalous drama, they also take audiences to a place with gorgeous backdrops and luxe vibes. Sure, White Lotus fans were eager to learn who died in the finale, but they just as much enjoyed watching resort guests sunbathe by the pool, cocktails in hand. Of course, not everyone's idea of a perfect vacation is the same. For everyone who dreams of lounging on a Sicilian beach, there's someone who prefers cozying up by the fire in a ski lodge, or leaning into the R&R at a high-end spa. And others just want to look at the foliage in New England. No matter what your speed, there's a vacation-worthy show for you to watch. Some offer brand-new 'out of office' vibes — while others are returning to provide that same escapism we know and love. Here's what to check out: The Four Seasons — Netflix, out now Will Forte and Tina Fey play a married couple in The Four Seasons. (Francisco Roman/Netflix) Group trips: Love 'em or loathe 'em, they're great for drama — and The Four Seasons, based on the 1981 film of the same name, has it in spades. The series follows a group of longtime pals (which includes comedy icons like Steve Carell and Tina Fey, as well as Oscar nominee Colman Domingo) as they navigate the ups and downs of midlife while on their multiple yearly vacations together. What could go wrong? Well, a lot, as it turns out — like a divorce announcement upending a surprise wedding renewal ceremony. Drama aside, there's a little something for every type of vacationer in The Four Seasons. Filming locations for the series include a Hudson Valley lake house, an eco-resort in Puerto Rico and a ski resort in upstate New York. For those who love leaves, the gang also takes an autumnal trip to their alma mater, which is filmed at the real Vassar College. Nine Perfect Strangers, Season 2 — Hulu, out May 21 The cast of Nine Perfect Strangers is heading to a wintery resort. (Hulu) Nicole Kidman, who is literally everywhere all the time, somehow managed to squeeze in a second season of her culty Hulu series, which premiered in 2021. Now, the show is coming back with a brand-new star-studded cast that includes Henry Golding, Annie Murphy, Christine Baranski and even The White Lotus's Murray Bartlett. Just don't expect a sun-soaked retreat this year — per the show's trailer, the sophomore season of Kidman's psychedelics-loving guru Masha is bringing a crop of 'broken people' on a snowy retreat, where they'll dive into their core memories. ('This is not a spa?!' one of the guests asks in the trailer.) While there will certainly be some dark shenanigans afoot, Bartlett's white cable-knit sweater certainly evokes luxe ski lodge vibes. Sirens — Netflix, out May 22 Meghann Fahy plays Devon, a woman looking to reconnect with her sister, on Sirens. (Macall Polay/Netflix) Sirens stars White Lotus alum Meghann Fahy as Devon, a woman who grows concerned about her sister Simone (played by House of the Dragon's Milly Alcock) after Simone gets a little too invested in her job with Julianne Moore's socialite Michaela. It turns out that Simone's job is to tend to Michaela's every need — as well as help her throw lavish parties — at her luxury beach estate. Of course, it's not all fun and games — Michaela's definitely got a few dark secrets — but the scenery? A+. We Were Liars — Prime Video, out June 18 Emily Alyn Lind, Esther McGregor, Joseph Zada and Shubham Maheshwari star in We Were Liars. (Prime Video) Need one more example of why beach houses spell trouble? Enter We Were Liars, an upcoming series based on the popular E. Lockhart YA novel of the same name. The show follows the ultra-wealthy Sinclair family, who summer every year on their private Beechwood Island — until something goes terribly wrong. The less said about that, the better — the book's well known for its jaw-dropping twist. But before everything goes to hell, there's lots of summer fun to be had: Think boat trips, tennis matches and lounging in the sand. The Summer I Turned Pretty — Prime Video, out July 16 Tung and Casalegno in The Summer I Turned Pretty. (Erika Doss/Prime) If you're shell-shocked by the ending of We Were Liars, allow another summer-fun show to bring back the fun. The Summer I Turned Pretty is back for a third and final season, and with it, an answer to the question dividing fans: Will Belly (Lola Tung) end up with longtime crush Conrad (Christopher Briney) or new boyfriend Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno)? Oh, and did I mention that Conrad and Jeremiah happen to be brothers?! The third season of The Summer I Turned Pretty, which thus far has spent most of its time in the fictional beach town of Cousins, will explore outside of its seasonal home for the final season, with Belly attending college with her probably-not-forever love Jeremiah. But they'll always have summer ... and the only thing harder than keeping Belly away from the Fisher boys is keeping the characters away from their beloved beach house.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The White Lotus' Jon Gries on that face-off with Belinda and why Greg is a "run-of-the-mill psychopath"
Jon Gries has secured the rare bragging right of being the only actor to check into Mike White's acerbic anthology for every season so far. His character was introduced in season one as an easygoing man with a terminal illness who crossed paths with the wealthy, oblivious Tanya (Jennifer Coolidge) while vacationing in Hawaii. By the Italy-set sophomore run, it became clear Greg was actually a sinister enigma, one who would go on to plot his wife's death to nab her inheritance. His appearance in season three was kept a secret, so everyone was in for a shock when Greg—sorry, Gary—showed up in Thailand in the premiere. He's gotten away with murder and is living large, with a lavish villa, a hot girlfriend, and a sleek yacht. But now that Belinda (Natasha Rothwell), the sunny White Lotus employee who was roped in by Tanya back in season one, spots him and digs into his past, that high life is in jeopardy. The A.V. Club spoke to Gries—while his adorable, interruptive pet parrot Pablo sat on his arm—about reprising the role, working with White and Rothwell again, tapping into Greg's darkness, and what the character's ultimate fate might be. The A.V. Club: How did Mike White pitch each season's arc to you? Jon Gries: The truth is that if Mike White called and said, 'Listen, Greg eats dog food on his knees out of a bowl,' I'd say, 'It's alright, I'll be there.' Each season you obviously get invested in what you're playing. In season one, I was playing him such that he was very ill and had opted to live in the moment. He didn't want to be bothered with trivialities. I believe that's why he was so driven to not worry about whatever Tanya's concerns were. It was her own manufactured dramas. Then moving on to season two, Mike texted me and asked if I was available as he was writing the episodes. I said of course I was; I wouldn't think twice about it. Then he said, 'By the way, Greg's diabolical.' My reaction was that [it] sounded fun, and that's pretty much it. Yes, it's a pivot but you can easily see that this lovely guy is sweet with this wealthy heiress, and I could see where the pieces would fit for Mike's plan in season two. I embraced it. There were levels to it, of course. Mike's had to coax me to that place. Because of my nature, I didn't go for the gusto of being as irritated with Tanya as Greg seemed to be. But obviously we wanted to indicate that he's involved [in her death]. AVC: How did exploring Greg's dark side more openly in the third season help you understand the character? JG: To me, he's the type of person who would give somebody just one chance with whatever it is he wants to do. I built certain things like that into the character and his attitude. He gives someone one chance, and if it doesn't work out, there's a plan B and that plan is probably sinister and diabolical. You can understand then that he's your run-of-the-mill psychopath. I don't mean to generalize, of course. AVC: You see that in episode six, when Greg questions Chloe about the Ratliff brothers, giving her a chance to admit she slept with one of them. And when she doesn't, there's a plan formulating in his head. Is that how you and Mike wanted to play it? JG: Exactly, that's a keen read on that scene. The interesting thing is working with Mike just clarified one really important thing for me, which is that he's a very generous director and wants to see the actor discover and find the pieces of the character. If he feels like [the performance] is so far off the mark, he'll rein you in, but otherwise, he'd just look at me and say, 'You're right, and this is how I see where Greg is going.' We had this tacit understanding while filming this episode but also overall. At one point, I was talking to him about it, and he said, 'Yeah, you know the character. You've already played him for two seasons. We don't need to talk about it.' It was never a dismissal, but it was just a total boost of confidence. AVC: What is it about a character like Greg that makes him compelling enough to follow for three seasons? JG: I think that Greg is the outlier. We're seeing a lot of aspects of humanity in the show and how things can go dark, like the way Jake Lacy and Murray Bartlett's characters in season one had this ongoing thing that developed and turned into something out of their control. Greg is a phantom in that sense. He's the darkest part of it all but just dressed up. A lot of people have the ability to be introspective and to suffer the pain of whatever it is they're going through. I don't think he does, and I don't think he's capable of it, at least at this point. That's interesting to see evolve. AVC: Do you think Greg is genuinely possessive of Chloe in that moment or that he's trying to figure out how to make her a pawn? JG: I don't know if he's possessive of her or if that's the way to look at it. He just doesn't like the idea that she feels enough freedom in his world to go ahead without including Greg. I think from Greg's point of view, that is not part of the way he likes to play his game. I don't think he even cares about what folly she gets involved in, whether it's sex or whatever. He just doesn't like the fact that she is running outside of the lanes that they have agreed that they're both in together. AVC: The themes of this season are death, spirituality, and karmic retribution. Can you say anything about how Greg fits into those by the end and if justice will be served? JG: I could come up with so many scenarios for Greg, but you can't anticipate where Mike White will go, that's for sure. Of course, everybody sees these shows and all they want to do is manifest and create ideas about how it'll end and who'll die. Most people that I talked to who are friends or family will say, 'Oh, it'd be really cool if this happens.' Everybody likes to know ahead of time, which to me is really funny. It's just something about us humans. Maybe it's a survival mechanism. It's just natural that we want to go, 'Okay, what happens, what happens?' But no, you've got to wait. [Laughs] Even though I know what happens, I'm actually waiting to see how it plays out week to week. AVC: Greg's comeuppance might likely come through Belinda. Can you say anything about what he might've planned for her and what it was like to work with Natasha, especially in that final confrontation between them in episode six? JG: Greg has that attitude I was talking about that's not based on empathy or sympathy or concern. He just has a rule. And his rule is to give one opportunity, and if one thing doesn't work, he is going to figure something else out. Whatever plan B for her is, it's going to be labor-intensive and requires more planning. Purely out of laziness, he doesn't want to have to do it. It's not because he's concerned about people. But he's going to have to. Also, I can't say enough great stuff about Natasha. She's such an amazing talent and a helpful, generous actor. I remember doing a take of the scene you mentioned, and I changed something based on a suggestion that she barely dropped. I did it, and she was like, 'Yeah, that freaked me out.' AVC: Do you remember what it was she suggested and you changed? JG: Yes, but that's a trade secret, an actor's magic trick [laughs]. AVC: That's fair. Apart from Natasha, what was it like to work with a new cast this season, including Jason Isaacs in the fourth episode? As a side note, it's funny that Greg has a yacht now with all his money and that Tanya died when she fell off of one. JG: I know. We never really discussed the parallel between the two boats. It's funny, of course, that he would go and buy a yacht. It's certainly a way to look at the inner workings of his mind a bit. And yes, Jason is an amazing actor and he's doing such a good job on the show. He's just knocking it out of the park. Everybody in season three is knocking it out of the park. AVC: Do you miss working with Jennifer Coolidge? She said in an interview recently that she's been watching season three and wants Greg to pay for his crimes. JG: She's right, obviously. [Laughs] She is so gracious and an amazing professional. I adore her. Some of the most exciting things I've ever done include working in scenes with her because she's electric. I love that she's still rooting for the show, not that she wouldn't be because it's been wonderful for all of us, but she's still invested in it. I think everybody who's been part of this world would feel the same way. Mike White is a genius, and we're just little minds that can't keep up. More from A.V. Club Adolescence is the rare gripping crime drama that doesn't need a twist Survival Of The Thickest returns with tighter scripts and more relatable laughs [UPDATED] Long, slow Marvel announcement confirms original X-Men, Chris Hemsworth in Avengers: Doomsday cast
