Is it just me, or are we seeing an unexpected wave of… family love on our screens lately? For some reason, incest storylines are popping up more than ever — and not just in medieval fantasy worlds like House of Dragons. Now, they’re creeping into modern settings, making things feel even more uncomfortable. Most of us can’t imagine being attracted to a sibling or parent (major yikes), yet showrunners seem to be leaning into this taboo — whether to shock, disturb, or simply get people talking.
White Lotus producer David Bernad defended creator Mike White’s incest storyline. “Mike is brilliant, and I think those big story turns are not just for shock,” Bernad told The New York Post. “There’s a specific reason in terms of the narrative storytelling, and the larger thematic idea Mike is trying to get across.”
It sounds like we’ll have to wait for the season finale to “see the purpose of that story turn.” Bernad continued, “The show goes there for a larger thematic idea. I love that family storyline, especially the brother story — and, it culminates in a very satisfying way.”
So, why are we seeing more incest in storylines? Is incest becoming the new taboo to exploit for drama? One thing is for sure: family dynamics on TV have never been this uncomfortable.
Spoiler alert: this article mentions scenes from season 3, episode 5 of The White Lotus.
People are MAD at The White Lotus
Let’s talk about the Ratliff siblings — because something’s been off with this trio from the start. One of their first conversations is about rooming arrangements, where eldest brother Saxon insists Piper and Lochlan can’t share a room because “brothers and sisters don’t sleep together after they have full-grown, ya know, genitals.”
First off, why is Saxon talking about his sister’s genitals? And second, he seems a little too eager to share a room with Lochlan instead. Rule of thumb: siblings don’t discuss each other’s junk unless it’s to complain about a brutal UTI (iykyk).
But the weirdness doesn’t stop there (unfortunately). In their shared room, Saxon brings up Piper’s sex life — or, in his opinion, her lack of one. “She’s pretty hot,” he tells Lochlan. “But I don’t think she’s ever been laid before.”
And he still isn’t done. Saxon then quizzes Lochlan on his porn preferences and whines about how he’s going to “jerk off all week.” He even strolls to the bathroom buck naked to, well, handle things — fully aware Lochlan is watching him go.
The near-incest vibes die down for a bit after that, aside from Saxon’s ongoing obsession with getting Lochlan laid. This all comes to a head when they join party girls Chelsea and Chloe for a Full Moon Party. There’s enough alcohol and party favors involved to knock out a small horse. Saxon pushes Lochlan to make a move on Chloe, who seems half-charmed, half-pitying the “little magician.”
But the real shocker comes at the end of the night. The brothers encourage Chelsea and Chloe to kiss — and the girls turn the tables, telling them to do the same. Lochlan, surprisingly eager to oblige, plants a quick one on Saxon.
Chloe isn’t impressed. She eggs them on to “kiss properly.” And to everyone’s surprise — including Saxon’s — Lochlan dives in for a full-on, deep kiss with his brother. Saxon looks stunned but… kinda into it?
The scene cuts there. One thing’s for sure — that’s a hangover I wouldn’t want to wake up to.
Incest is somehow all over our TV screens
Incest on screen isn’t exactly new — but lately, it feels like we’re seeing a lot more of it, and not just in medieval fantasy worlds. The White Lotus is the latest to stir up the conversation, but it’s part of a growing trend that’s both shocking and, frankly, uncomfortable.
Let’s start with the obvious culprit: House of the Dragon. The Targaryens are practically the poster family for on-screen incest, keeping it all in the family to maintain their “pure bloodline.” Sure, it’s a reflection of old royal customs — though, historically, it was more cousin marriages than full-on uncle-niece hookups like Rhaenyra and Daemon. And let’s be real: defending it as “historically accurate” falls apart when we remember this is a world with dragons and a literal crab king.
Then there’s Cruel Intentions, especially the latest remake — which hilariously stars Piper from The White Lotus as Caroline. Girl’s got a thing for twisted family dynamics, apparently. This version follows step-siblings who plot to seduce the Vice President’s daughter after a botched hazing incident. If Lucien succeeds, he gets to sleep with his stepsister. The show was axed after one season, and honestly, it’s no wonder — not only do they share way too much sexual tension, but Caroline even pleasures herself while watching tapes of her stepbrother with other women — tapes he made for her. Oh, and just when you think it couldn’t get messier, Lucien seduces his stepmother… who’s also Caroline’s mom. She finds out through the video on their shared Google Drive.
Ryan Murphy’s Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story also dipped into this territory. In episode two, Lyle (Nicholas Alexander Chavez) holds his brother Erik’s (Cooper Koch) neck before kissing him — intensely. The erotic tension continues throughout the season despite no evidence of the real-life brothers having a sexual relationship. Murphy loves pushing boundaries, but this one left viewers more disturbed than intrigued.
Even shows that don’t fully commit to the incest plot seem to dance around it. Succession played this card repeatedly, with Roman making wildly inappropriate comments about his sister Shiv — her sex life, her body, even hinting that she might want him. It’s less about the possibility of incest and more about seeing how far he can push the line before someone stops him.
And then, there’s the latest season of Love Is Blind — where the internet filled in the blanks. Dave’s fixation on his sister’s approval (which she refused to give to Lauren) had social media buzzing with Game of Thrones memes, comparing them to Cersei and Jaime Lannister. To be clear, there’s no incest happening — but the fact that viewers immediately jumped to that assumption says a lot about how deeply this trope has seeped into our screens and minds.
What’s behind the incest storylines on TV?
When shows use incest, it often feels like a cheap shot — an easy way to shock viewers. It’s one of the most taboo, non-violent, sexual twists a show can throw at us to guarantee a gasp. This was a major criticism of the Cruel Intentions reboot, where the incest felt shallow and purely provocative, with no real exploration of what it meant for the characters. The same goes for Ryan Murphy’s Monsters, which leaned into an incestuous subplot between the Menendez brothers, seemingly to add a salacious reason for their crimes — despite zero evidence that such a relationship existed.
Incest is naturally shocking and deeply uncomfortable — I’m right there with you. That’s exactly why showrunners keep pulling it out of their bag of tricks. It gets people talking, and let’s be honest: more chatter equals more viewers.
But why this specific taboo? Betches spoke to Dr. Emily May, a sex expert, to learn more.
“Most taboos in media like BDSM or age-gap relationships still fall within the boundaries of consensual adult interactions. Incest, on the other hand, disrupts our ideas of family and what’s socially acceptable, which is why it feels especially unsettling,” she explained. “It’s one of those topics that trigger both fascination and unease at the same time, making it a go-to for shock value in storytelling rather than something people actually explore or romanticize.”
Indeed, such scenes usually aim to shock viewers or disrupt a plot rather than explore a connection between characters. Although you could argue that Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen were the exceptions to this in Game of Thrones, where we all found out he was her nephew post-shag.
But is it becoming a more popular fantasy, or at least more popular in TV? Why does it feel like it is everywhere right now?!
“Incest storylines have been around for a long time — mythology, classic literature, and even the royal family histories are full of them — but it’s always been something taboo rather than accepted,” Dr. Emily May shared. “What’s changed is how TV and film are using it more broadly. It’s not a fantasy that’s becoming more mainstream like other kinks, but rather, it’s being used as a way to create drama and controversy. Shows like Game of Thrones and The White Lotus know these plots will get people talking —whether out of horror, curiosity, or just pure disbelief.”
Given reactions to the most recent episode of The White Lotus, it definitely has this effect. Betches spoke to Sasha Andrews, sex expert at HeraHaven, specifically about how this popular HBO show is portraying this taboo matter.
“These plots aren’t really about romance or attraction; they’re more about power struggles, messed-up family dynamics, and emotional chaos,” she explained. “They add tension and a sense of taboo appeal to a story, making it feel darkly fascinating rather than anything remotely sexy.”
That pretty much sums up The White Lotus, so it’s almost surprising that it took them so long to get that particular theme in the mix. This storyline seems another way to push boundaries and incite a power play between characters. This won’t be the last show that uses this subject to make us cringe in front of our TV screens.
