Mike White is a multi-talented person who has credits as a writer, director, actor, and producer. He first found success in Hollywood when he penned Dead Man On Campus in 1998. Since then, he has found success in writing and directing, contributing to some of the most successful films and TV shows of recent years.
He’s recently been tied to the hugely successful The White Lotus, which has been renewed for a second season, which is set to release on HBO in October 2022 (the teaser can be viewed on Rotten Tomatoes' YouTube channel). The series received lots of critical praise, and saw White receive more awards recognition than ever before, with three personal Emmy nominations this year (Outstanding Limited Series, Directing, and Writing). His writing credentials are strong, and ahead of this year's Primetime Emmy Awards, here's a look at the best TV shows and films that have been written by Mike White.
7 Year of the Dog
Year of the Dog was released in 2007 and is an emotional story that follows a character called Peggy, who is trying to pick her life up after her dog has passed away. The film is touching, and Molly Shannon gives a subtly moving performance as the lead character. White wrote and directed this film, effectively portraying the tender relationship between humans and animals perfectly.
6 Dawson's Creek
Dawson’s Creek is an iconic series that centers around the lives of a close-knit group of teenage friends. The series ran on The WB from 1998 to 2003, and starred James Van Der Beek as the titular Dawson Leery, with the series largely revolving around his life including the dramas and love stories that accompany it. Per The Conversation, Dawson's Creek was a huge success and became the flagship show for The WB alongside Buffy the Vampire Slayer. White had several writing credits on this show, and he achieved a lot of recognition and success for his efforts.
5 Brad’s Status
Brad’s Status was released in 2017 and tells the story of Brad (played by Ben Stiller), who reunites with childhood friends who have now become much more successful than him, which sends him into a midlife crisis, where he reassesses his choices and how he ended up where he is. The story has an effortless humor and a relatable authenticity, which is achieved through Stiller’s performance and White’s writing. White also directed the movie, and it is one of the best showcases of his skills as a filmmaker
4 Pasadena
Pasadena was canceled after one season, however, it’s still one of White’s highest-rated projects. The story centers around Lily McAllister (Alison Loham), who is a woman embroiled in a murder mystery that she thinks might be related to her own family. White created and wrote six episodes of the show ,which was deemed too dark for audiences, particularly after the events of 9/11. While understandable for the time, it’s a shame the show did not stay on-air for longer.
3 School of Rock
School of Rock was released in 2003 and is the most commercially and critically successful project that White has been involved with. The film was directed by Richard Linklater and features a performance by Jack Black that propelled his stardom to new heights. The series features Black as Dewey, who takes on a job as a substitute teacher at a private school. He encourages the children to embrace their inner rockstar, and they compete in the battle of the bands. School of Rock has become a family classic, and White’s talents as a writer are clear throughout the script.
2 Enlightened
Enlightened was a series that predated The White Lotus and features one of Laura Dern’s best performances, earning her a Golden Globe. The series was released in 2011 and centers around Amy Jellicoe, a woman who is on the verge of a nervous breakdown, having to pick up the pieces of her shattered personal and professional life. Her character is dysfunctional and realistic, and White makes the character layered in only a way that he can do.
1 The White Lotus
The White Lotus is perhaps the most perfect accumulation of all of White’s talents in one series. The HBO series focuses on a cluster of affluent guests staying in The White Lotus' Hawaii resort, who are ridiculously out of touch and complain about their problems that become more trivial the more their privilege and entitlement is highlighted. The series features hilarious performances from the likes of Jennifer Coolidge, Sydney Sweeney, and Natasha Rothwell, to name a few, and was renewed for a second season, even though it was only originally meant to air for one. The White Lotus is a great commentary about superficiality and the modern world, and is done in a way that doesn’t feel cheesy.