'Big Little Lies' Season 1 Review

In 2017 HBO released Big little Lies, a series based on the novel by Liane Moriarty. Both the novel and the series center around a group of mom’s in Australia raising their kids. The show stars Reese Whitherspoon, Zoe kravitz, Shailene Woodley, and Nicole Kidman. As of this year, the show has 2 seasons and have watched both along with reading the novel. The show is filled with subplots and drama, but I’ll try to give my best synopsis before I give my thoughts on the second season.

The mom’s in the series are Jane, Celeste, Bonnie, Reneta, and Madeline. Their lives are interrupted by bullying in the kid’s classroom. Through a series of kids birthday parties, arguments with the principal, and extensive yelling each of the mother’s are involved in the drama, and trying to put it to a stop. Both the show and novel end in a costume party and the death of Perry who was Celeste’s husband and abuser, and the person causing all of the drama. Long story short Perry raped Jane who is new to the town, and he is the father of her kid Ziggy. The first season ends with him “slipping,” and dying, but in reality Bonnie pushed him. The whole first season is basically leading up to you knowing who’s dead and who’s the bully in the classroom which is Perry and Celeste’s son.

Last night after watching the season finale I was stunned and thought I would give my thoughts on the critically acclaimed series like everyone else this morning. Just a disclaimer I would recommend watching the show before I get into my “review.”

Madeline’s Cheating Situation

Madeline’s situation is probably the least life changing and dramatic, but I still found it interesting. Her daughter revealed that she has cheated on Ed her husband, and he ended up over hearing. I don’t know why, but I thought her affair was so long ago and that Ed already knew. I like how this situation made Madeline stop being the person to push things under the rug and actually confront her problems. Her decision to take responsibility for her actions in my eyes made her less of the annoying always happy mom. I’m glad that In the end berthing worked out for her and Ed, and there vow renewal was very cute and sweet.

Renata’s Financial Situation

In the first season Renata was made out as the enemy and that’s exactly what I saw her as. She was rude and fake or that’s how she appeared as, but when she and the whole group covered up what happened with Perry they became close and Renata became more of a person. When her husband who I think she should’ve divorced in the first season gets arrested I didn’t care all that much that was until it his misfortune started to affect her. I really emphasized with Renata when she lost basically everything because her husband is for lack of a better term an ass. As both him and her began to lose more there was only one question going through my mind. Why doesn’t she leave him? If they were truly in love maybe I would understand, but it seemed like Renata hated him the way she yelled at him. I guess getting a divorce would just cost more money, and they didn’t have that, but I still hate the fact that she worked so hard and he lost everything even stuff that wasn’t his.

Bonnie and Her Mother

During the second season we really get to know Bonnie and her childhood and why she is like is. From what I saw in the flashbacks she was abused by her mother, and that’s obviously what triggered her to push Perry which leads her to go into a depression. My thing with Bonnie and the rest of the woman is if she would’ve told the cops that she pushed Perry because he was abusing Celeste at the moment then the cops probably wouldn’t give her a harsh sentence. In the novel she tells the truth and ends up getting a slap on the wrist with hours of community service. This whole situation of them not telling truth bugs me, because like In any tv show or movie the more lies that are spread the more punishment there will be at the end. It’s crazy to me that it takes the woman so long to see that.

Celeste and The Twins

Following Perry’s death Perry’s mother Marie Louise comes and stays with Celeste and her twin boys. Marie Louise is of course mourning her son, but even then she annoys the heck out of me. She says her true intentions are getting what’s best for the boys, but from what I say what she really wants is to prove her son was a good man which she can’t. I was really scared because I did think she would get custody of the twins because of Celeste's coping mechanisms, but I'm glad in the end Celeste got full custody.

Jane and Her New Relationship

After Perry's death Jane seems to be doing the best with a new job at the aquarium where she teaches kids about see animals. It was nice not seeing Jane being anxious and having flashbacks, and actually seeing her happy. Last season she was still recovering from her assault by Perry, and she had a real sad mysterious vibe to her. This second season you can just tell Jane is doing better with a new haircut and less screaming runs down the beach. As she gets happier she also lets a guy into her life who works at the aquarium, and you can tell she's very hesitant and why wouldn't she when she's a single mom. In the end she officially lets the guy in and they're quite an adorable couple.