Which Bravolebs Would Check In to The White Lotus?

It should surprise no one that Mike White, the creator, writer, and director of The White Lotus, is a fan of reality TV, considering he appeared on both The Amazing Race and Survivor. But we had no idea he was a huge Bravo fan. Sam Nivola, the actor who plays the youngest member of the Ratliff family, recently told People that White advised him and his co-stars to watch Southern Charm because that was his model for the family, or at least their accents. Well, now that you mention it, there are some striking similarities between many of this season’s characters and your favorite Bravolebs. Let’s break down the cast’s reality-docusoap counterparts.

• The Ratliff Family (Jason Isaacs, Parker Posey, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Sarah Catherine Hook, and Sam Nivola): They’re from the South, which is the obvious Southern Charm connection, but their dynamic brings a different Bravo family to mind: An eternally disengaged mother, a business-minded absent father who is oddly angry, a shockingly hot older son, a twink-y younger son questioning his sexuality, and a daughter who is barely there — are we sure this isn’t Meredith Marks and her clan? (I mean, have you seen her oldest?)

• Kate, Laurie, and Jaclyn (Leslie Bibb, Carrie Coon, and Michelle Monaghan): You thought I was going to say these three would be the Tres Amigas because they seem to be a trio, but one of them is always on the outs. But, no, I think they were inspired by a different threesome. One of them has gotten famous, the other two are resentful for it, but they also both talk shit about each other to the famous one. Yes, the famous one is Stassi Schroeder, and the other two are Katie Maloney Schwartz Maloney and Kristen Doute. These three are the Witches of WeHo.

• Rick and Chelsea (Walton Goggins and Aimee Lou Wood): He is a stressed-out older man worried about how much everything costs and seems to be into some shady shit. She appears slightly bothered by her man at all times and feels free to spend money she knows she doesn’t have. If you just switch their accents, it’s PK and Dorit Kemsley.

• Sritala Hollinger (Lek Patravadi): She’s a little past her prime, thinks she is far more talented than she actually is, and keeps everyone waiting while she gets her glam done. She even has a random white dude following her around hyping her up all the time. What’s Karen Huger doing in Thailand? Isn’t she supposed to be in prison?

• Mook and Gaitok (Lalisa Manobal and Tayme Thapthimthong): They both work in hospitality at the same place, he’s been in love with her for years, and she barely seems to notice. This could be Maddi Reese and Joe Bradley from Southern Hospitality.

• Greg / “Gary” (Jon Gries): He got rich thanks to his wife, and now he’s left her so he can go bopping around the globe on luxury trips with a bunch of “models.” This has to be Mauricio Umansky.

• Valentin (Arnas Fedaravicius): The hot Russian “health mentor” seems like he might be trying to sleep with three women all in the same friend group. It’s Slade Smiley … no, wait, it’s Harry Dubin … no, wait, it’s Tom D’Agostino … no, wait, it’s Sonja and Luann’s Pirate.