AS A KID, Mike White had weird interests. That makes a lot of sense if you consider “The White Lotus,” the Emmy-winning HBO series he created: Its first season also involved quirky characters and disastrous turns of events in a glamorous setting, namely Maui. Promising the same heady cocktail, season 2, which premieres Oct. 30, unfolds in Sicily at San Domenico Palace, Taormina, a Four Seasons Hotel. “In Taormina, you see villas on terraced hills, Mount Etna and the Ionian Sea,” said Mr. White, 52. Mr. White brought his penchant for traveling, and troubleshooting, to his role as a director and showrunner, too, opting to film both seasons of “The White Lotus” on location.

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