HBO’s 14-Episode Drama Is So Good, It Keeps Outgrowing the Book

The release of Big Little Lies is one of the most important television events of the 21st century, as it marked a point when a network like HBO could attract movie stars. There had certainly been HBO shows featuring A-list actors before, but it was unheard of for a series to be populated by some of the most famous stars, based on a hit novel, and helmed by an acclaimed director. Big Little Lies was a summer television spectacle that created a thrilling mystery, yet also sparked meaningful conversations about domestic abuse and toxic relationships. While the series was a faithful interpretation of Liane Moriarty‘s book, it became too big a hit for HBO to remain a limited event. Big Little Lies returned for a second season entirely based on new material, and it’s set to continue soon with the impending Season 3.

Set in Monterey, California, Big Little Lies explores a wealthy elementary school and the parents of its attending children, including Celeste Wright (Nicole Kidman) and Madeline Mackenzie (Reese Witherspoon). Madeline is trying to rebuild her confidence after her ex-husband Nathan (James Tupper) marries the yoga instructor Bonnie Carlson (Zoë Kravitz), and Celeste discovers that her husband Perry (Alexander Skarsgård) has a relationship of some kind with single parent Jane Chapman (Shailene Woodley). Both Madeline and Celeste share a friendship with the socialite Renata Klein (Laura Dern), but all five women develop a bond when they discover the extent to which Perry has been abusive. Big Little Lies‘ first season tells a concise story; its seven episodes are a flashback following the reveal that a homicide occurred on school grounds. While Season 2 didn’t have the same exciting hook, it offered a deeper exploration of surviving trauma.

‘Big Little Lies’ Became an Event Series for HBO

Big Little Lies amplified the class commentary present in Moriarty’s novel, with a fair amount of black comedy satirizing the extent to which wealth and privilege have made these women out of touch with reality. Yet the series also confirms that no amount of money or material possessions can protect them from rampant sexism. Kidman depicts the turmoil that Celeste faces as she copes with Perry’s violence, Witherspoon portrays the pressure Madeline is under to retain her public profile after her husband remarries, and Dern takes on a somewhat more comedic role that becomes more nuanced as Renata reveals some of her mental health struggles. Kravitz’s role in the series was particularly important because it was critical to highlight the experience of a woman of color, especially given the culture of Monterey. Although Woodley had given several notable performances in young adult films, Big Little Lies confirmed her maturation as a performer.

Big Little Lies delicately handled potentially divisive subject matter; it was unflinching in its graphic content, but it didn’t exploit the characters. Although the first season was directed in its entirety by the Oscar-nominated filmmaker Jean-Marc Vallée, both Kidman and Witherspoon were involved as producers and were thus able to determine how they were projected onscreen. It became clear that the characters were the reason for Big Little Lies‘ success, and that there was audience interest in seeing how their lives changed after the traumatic incident that ended Season 1. Since the show had made icons of its characters, it would have been a missed opportunity for Season 2 not to let the stars continue playing their roles.

‘Big Little Lies’ Turned Into More Than a Book Adaptation

Season 2 of Big Little Lies is a bit of a mess, as the brilliant filmmaker Andrea Arnold was reportedly not allowed to execute her vision, resulting in some tonal inconsistencies. That being said, Season 2 deepened the message of survival and perseverance by showing how the absence of an abuser does not mean that trauma is erased; a majority of the season is spent on the bonding between Celeste and Jane, who decide to inform their children that they all share the same father. The biggest addition to Season 2 was Meryl Streep as Perry’s mother, Mary Louise, delivering one of her best performances of the 21st century. The season addressed nuanced themes of modern feminism by confronting the women who ignore abuses committed by their loved ones, and the arc of Mary Louise coming to grips with the reality that her son was a monster is unforgettable.

Big Little Lies wasn’t just a ratings hit and an Emmy-nominated critical darling, as the show changed the landscape of prestige television by revealing the demand for these types of book adaptations. Kidman would transform her career by becoming one of the most consistent television stars around, and Witherspoon also had a career resurgence that led to more work on the small screen. While it is unclear what shape the next iteration of Big Little Lies will take, its legacy has already been solidified.