By Sadie York
Small town murders, upper-class moms hiding dire secrets, a new face with a rocky past— Big Little Lies, the 2 season series based on Liane Moriarty’s book, exceeds all expectations. The series aired in 2017, and although initially intended to be a single season show, positive viewer response led to the making of a widely-enjoyed second season. Stacked with an A-list cast composed of Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Zoe Kravitz, Laura Dern, Shailene Woodley, and Meryl Streep, the acting in Big Little Lies is beyond phenomenal. Seriously, Reese Witherspoon has mastered the role of a wealthy, slightly unhinged PTA mom. On the other hand, Nicole Kidman and Shailene Woodley produced such chilling performances—your heart will completely ache for them. Of course, Laura Dern certainly left the biggest impression with her outspoken character, Renata. She by far had one of the biggest character developments between the first and second season. The show, set in Monterey, California, captures the raw beauty of the coastal town. Within the first minutes of watching the pilot episode, I was drawn in by the cinematography. Suddenly, I had longed to go back to Monterey and enjoy the views I had previously forgotten about. There is something so poetic about how Big Little Lies was filmed. The reused clips of flashbacks, breaking waves, and other views are smartly edited to create a montage between scenes. Another outstanding detail of Big Little Lies is the soundtrack. There are so many, and I mean so many tracks in this show that I’ve looked up and added to my Spotify playlists. The cinematography coincides with the careful selection of songs, and creates such beautifully raw scenes.
Although presented to have a simple premise, the actual plot of Big Little Lies is completely tangled, and slowly unravels as more information is presented throughout the first season. Told back through a series of interviews and flashbacks, Big Little Lies does a great job of maintaining the right amount of suspense without answering the final question prior to the final episode: who died, why, and how?
The series presents the lives of various wealthy families who are connected through their children’s attendance at a prestigious elementary school. While all these characters are so similar, their entire community is fueled by rumors, scandals, and deceit. Every family has a secret, some darker than others. The accumulation of pressures within these seemingly “perfect” lives eventually burst, and turn into complete disarray.
Upon finishing Big Little Lies, I still tend to think about the show, even months later. The general public agrees, considering the show has won over 20 awards for best performances and overall series. While it’s unclear whether a season 3 is on the way, Big Little Lies is a must watch regardless. Don’t waste your time—give the show a chance and I guarantee you’ll be hooked after an episode.