'The White Lotus' Is Sure to Be the Tense Dramedy That HBO Seriously Needs

There are movie and TV show trailers that do the absolute most and show you everything. Then, there are trailers that show you so little that you aren't even sure you understand the plot. The latter is sort of the case with the trailer for the HBO miniseries The White Lotus, but it hasn't stopped people from getting super excited. Its star-studded cast and intriguing plot don't hurt, either.

The show centers on a Hawaiian resort over the course of one week and explores the interlacing stories of various guests staying there. And at the helm of it all is the manager of the place, who seems to be pulling strings while simultaneously despising all of the guests.

According to IMDb, The White Lotus "follows the exploits of various guests and employees over the span of a week." In the official trailer for the HBO miniseries, you get a peek at the employees and characters whose lives intersect in several different ways over the course of the episodes. At first, they seem like the usual kinds of people you'd see at such a resort, but they all seem to be harboring secrets, some of which are pretty dark.

You've got Alexandra Daddario and Jake Lacy, who play newlyweds on their honeymoon. That would all be well and fine, but then Jake's mother (played by Molly Shannon) crashes their vacation.

Steve Zahn and Connie Britton play a married couple on vacation with their kids and their daughter's friend, who may or may not be sneaking off in the middle of the night with hotel staff.

And Jennifer Coolidge is a single woman who develops feelings for her masseuse, a member of the resort staff.

Actor and writer Mike White created and wrote The White Lotus, and it's not the first time he created a series for HBO. The dramedy Enlightened premiered on the network in 2011 and ran for two seasons with Mike at its helm. While it wasn't as successful as some fans might have hoped, Mike may have more luck with The White Lotus.

Orange Is the New Black's Jolene Purdy and Sydney Sweeney (Eden in The Handmaid's Tale and Cassie in Euphoria) are part of the cast as well. Clearly, there is a mixed bag of comedic and dramatic actors who have come together for this miniseries.

Because The White Lotus spans the course of just one week, it should come as little surprise that it's only six episodes long. That might be a good thing, though. The fact that it's a miniseries might keep storylines tight and exciting the whole way through. And if the reception is solid enough, viewers might even get more seasons.

Watch The White Lotus on HBO starting on July 11, 2021.