Last week I posted a poll about which television drama I should delve into next, though I had an inkling that we would at least try out each of the shows I listed in the poll.
Megan and I started with an episode of Sharp Objects. While it was interesting to watch, it was incredibly depressing, and I heard from a few people that it actually gets sadder and darker throughout the season. Even in serious dramas, I need a glimmer of hope, something to celebrate, and a touch of humor, so we decided to put that one aside for a bit.
Instead, we turned to Big Little Lies. And we LOVED it! The cast is amazing, the characters are fascinating, the mysteries and tension kept me on the edge of my seat, and there are moment of levity and beauty at the right times.
Without giving away anything, Big Little Lies follows several women (and men, but the focus is on the women) in Monteray Bay, California in the days leading up to a mysterious death at a fundraising event. There are also a series of other mysteries and revelations throughout the 7-episode arc that kept Megan and me talking well after each episode ended.
Oh, and I have to give a quick shoutout to Nicole Kidman. I haven’t seen her act in a while, but she is absolutely incredible in this show. Her range is incredible.
We were told that the second season wasn’t nearly as good as the first, and I can see why…yet I’m so invested in these characters that I’m going to watch it anyway. I don’t think a mediocre second season can ruin the great time I had watching the first.
Have you seen it? What did you think? How early did you guess the central mystery?
I was just going to ask if you’d decided yet. So glad you loved this! I agree that the second season isn’t as impeccable as the first but it’s still worth watching. And yes, Nicole rocked it. She continues to do so next season. I can’t recall how early I guessed at stuff but I loved the way it unfolded. And it’s shot so beautifully.
Thanks for recommending it! I look forward to seeing what happens next, and I agree that the entire production is so well crafted.
I’ve watched the first season 3 times I love it so much! The second season still has plenty of amazing moments, but I just didn’t feel the same connecting thread runnung through it, I guess is perhaps the best way to sum it up.
I’d read the book a few years before it came out, so I knew how S1 ended, but barring one thing at the very end I wished they’d focused more on, I thought the show was just as good, if not better. The actresses in particular really brought things to life and made me love the characters, even when I was rolling my eyes at them. I had no idea what to expect going into S2, as there was no source material. But I loved the characters so much that, like you, I didn’t really care!
I’m so glad you guys watched it and loved it too!
Katie: I’m curious about the one thing in the book the show didn’t focus on–does it spoil anything?
The book did a really good job giving a better background and stronger motivation for the person who was ultimately responsible for the mysterious death at the fundraiser. In the show, I thought it seemed out of character for that person to do what they did, but the book goes into why they might have responded that way. You don’t really learn that until the last few chapters set at the fundraiser, but it helps give both that moment and the rest of her personality some clarity.
When watching the previews for S2, it initially looked like they were going to delve into that history, but I was disappointed with how vaguely it was referenced. They spend a lot of time dancing around it without ever really showing the background.
Ah, I see what you’re saying. It did seem to come from nowhere.