Liane Moriarty wrote “Big Little Lies” in 2014 and the book about the lifes and secrets of 1st grader moms become an instant hit and bestseller. After a feud between Hbo and Netflix for the rights to produce a TV show based on the novel, HBO eventually got it, with Reese Witherspoon as the show’s producer and one of the protagonists, Madeline. Although Moriarty’s story is set in Australia, the TV netword decided to adapt it to Monterrey, California.
The name does resemble a lot another famous TV series, Pretty Little Liars, and in fact, it could easily be compared to a more grown-up version of it. However, Big Little Lies has its own vibe and its own interesting characters. If you enjoy a thriller with an edge of “Mean Girls”, you will love it.
1. The entrance
Everytime you start a Hbo show, you feel amused by how great their openings are and Big Little Lies is no exception. The song, played by Michael Kiwanuka, Cold Little Heart fits perfectly with the characters lifes and desires. Besides, there are gorgeous scenes of Monterrey coast.
2. Mean Girls everywhere
The series really focus on female friendships and how the different women in the show relate to other people (husbands, kids and etc.). Regardless of the fact they are grown-ups, you can feel a very Mean Girls vibe to the show, with Madeline being the queen bee with serious emotional problems. Overall, the mothers are more problematic to the teachers than the kids are. There is also lots of subtleties between what someone says, how the other interprets and fights back.
3. The actors are amazing
Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley, Alexander Skasgard, Adam Scott, Laura Dern, Zoe Kravitz and the list goes on.
4. There is suspense and a murder
From the very first scene in the show, we are aware that someone died in a fundraising party, but we don’t know who and how the person died. The suspense only builds up as the series goes back to weeks earlier. Moreover, Shailene Woodley’s character, Jane, has a secret of her own, as we later find out that she was raped and got pregnant, but does not know the father.
5. Reese Witherspon, of course
Madeline Mackenzie is both annoying and relatable, she is always causing trouble, fighting with everyone for small things and she is extremely nousy, life saver type of mom and friend. Eventhough the character sometimes gets into our nerves, we eventually end up liking Madeline and cheering for her. Reese Witherspoon is amazing as the character.
The show airs every Sunday at 22:00 in HBO.