Forget 'The White Lotus,' This 4-Episode Thriller Miniseries Is the Perfect Replacement

Published Oct 25, 2026, 12:23 PM EDT Giovana Gelhoren is a High-Trending Topics Writer at Collider, covering the most-talked-about stars, movies, and TV shows. Before joining Collider, she was a Digital News Writer at People Magazine and served as Associate Editor at SheKnows, where she honed her expertise in celebrity coverage and entertainment journalism. A proud Latina from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Giovana graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in Journalism and International Studies. She has interviewed countless celebrities, including Anne Hathaway, Halle Berry, Pamela Anderson, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Brenda Song, and is known for her encyclopedic knowledge of film, TV, and pop culture. When The White Lotus first came out on July 11, 2021, series creator Mike White changed the game. With a whole new cast of characters every season and one underlying truth that someone will always end up dead by the end, White expertly introduces his players, raises tensions and lets the puzzle pieces fall into one (or more) inevitable deaths. Throughout each season, mystery builds and secrets come to surface, leading viewers with no choice but to tune in week after week to see what happens next. But as Season 4 of The White Lotus continues production, with an estimated release date in the first half of 2027, another series, 2023's Heat from Channel 5, is the perfect replacement. Much like The White Lotus, Heat brings together a group of characters on vacation, each with secrets they've been hiding. As time on the getaway goes on, secrets become harder and harder to keep under wraps. What Is 'Heat' About? Image via Channel 5 Heat, which is an Australian miniseries filmed on-location in Melbourne, Plenty Gorge Park, follows two families as they come together for their annual summer vacation in a secluded home in the Victorian countryside. One of the families is led by Steve (Danny Dyer) and his wife Sarah (Pia Miranda). They bring along their teenage daughter Mia (Matia Marks), who's concerned her dad is having an affair because of his odd behavior and secret phone calls, and his son Tom (Matteo Annetta), who shows up with a suspicious cast on his arm. The other family is made up of Steve's much wealthier best friend Brad (Darren McMullen), who seems to be the only person Steve confides in, his wife, Louise (Jane Allsop), and their son Kip (Hunter Hayden). The series starts off as the families reunite in a seemingly idyllic destination, but with each of their secrets slowly playing a part in the tensions around the house. As they try to enjoy their getaway, tensions brew as financial troubles, marital problems, and long-buried secrets threaten to destroy their relationships. Outside the walls of the home, the Australian bushfires spread, and families have become increasingly isolated and are literally restricted from leaving. As betrayals and obsessions come to light, the emotional conflicts between the characters become just as dangerous as the approaching flames. With their lives at stake, the families must confront the truth about one another if they hope to survive. 'Heat' Is a Gripping Thriller Image via Channel 5 With the synopsis of Heat alone, the series is already drawing in viewers. After all, with a cast of characters filled with secrets and the home around them feeling smaller and more claustrophobic, the looming bushfires are more than just background scenery. Unlike the luxury White Lotus resorts, the growing flames trap the families in an increasingly dangerous situation while their personal secrets come out. That combination of natural disaster and domestic suspense gives the four-episode series a built-in sense of urgency and suspense. As for the cast, the series is led by Dyer in his first role since leaving EastEnders after nearly a decade. It's a gripping watch, with a lead EastEnders fans know and love. All that said, while The White Lotus Season 4 is still a long way away, Channel 5's Heat presents a similar premise. With an intriguing cast of characters, and tensions that reach a fever pitch as the four episodes go on, the miniseries delivers a captivating, enthralling thriller. Release Date 2023 - 2023-00-00 Network Channel 5 Cast Darren McMullen Brad Fisher Pia Miranda Sarah Cameron Jane Allsop Louise Fisher