Big Little Lies - Season 1 Review
This review of Season 1 of Big Little Lies is spoiler-free!
Ahh, HBO! I hit on this literally every time I do any TV show related to this network and for some reason, I always feel the need to come back and discuss the network as a whole in my openings. Truthfully I think its simply because I can't believe how often they hit on their original series. Game of Thrones, The Leftovers, The Wire, The Sopranos, and now: Big Little Lies. I'm sure that I haven't even hit the end of their great television (The Deuce I'm looking at you), but it's just crazy how well they do. Speaking though of Big Little Lies, I honestly didn't expect to enjoy this show as much as I did because of the direction it chose to take. For those of you out there who were like me and weren't sure whether to jump in or not, let's get down to the nitty-gritty of Big Little Lies.
Big Little Lies at its very beginnings seems to have a bit of an identity problem. There are multiple stories going on that they seemingly want to grab onto, but it's not until later that you see how they come together. These stories all take place in the wealthy town of Monterey, California, a hub for women of wealth (or married to those with it), good-looking families, and homes that manage to always awe. It is in this town that there are conflicts between parents, involving themselves and their children. Here is where we begin, with the story of four main families: the Mackenzie family, the Carlson family, the Chapman family, and the Wright family. They all have a dirty secret that you find out right from the beginning in a series of flash-forwards: someone among them is dead. Truthfully the story like I said started off slow as it focused more on daily life but after the first few episodes, it takes a turn and gets much darker.
The main characters of this show come in Madeline Mackenzie (Reese Witherspoon), Celeste Wright (Nicole Kidman), and Jane Chapman (Shailene Woodley). Madeline Mackenzie seems to fit the role that I always picture for Witherspoon and plays to her strengths really well. Her character feels like she has the most generic of problems in this show, dealing with a failing marriage and playing peacemaker. I just didn't really like her character and arc that much. Jane Chapman though has a compelling arc for the season about her past. She and her son Ziggy come to Monterey at the beginning of the season and Jane is serious about hiding what has happened to her. I won't go too deep into it, but her son's supposed actions in school with a fellow student bring back her fears and have her retracing her steps. Woodley is a good pick for this role and handles the emotional punch with her character very well. She definitely deserved at least though at the Emmys of the best leading actress.
Celeste Wright (Nicole Kidman) is a character that is sympathetic and also has the best arc in the show in my opinion. Her relationship with her husband, Perry Wright (Alexander Skarsgard), is passionate and toxic and makes for extremely enthralling television. After thinking about the show as a whole, Kidman to me is the standout performance without question. The chemistry between Skarsgard and Kidman is palpable and while they go down a dark road, you can see why they continue to come back to each other. Along with this, her arc factors into the overall story of the season on a level that I didn't expect going in.
Truthfully, I know it sounds like I hated Big Little Lies with how critical I was of this show, but I did enjoy the show as a whole. Nicole Kidman's portrayal of Celeste is absolutely powerful and breathtaking. While the show falls into a lot of pitfalls that are commonly seen with shows that follow this glitz and glam style, it manages to overcome those with its darker plot and serious themes. While I don't necessarily believe that it was the best limited series of the year it does deserve recognition for what it does right. I realize the title of this article may be confusing and how I describe the show as a limited series, but to clarify: HBO labeled the show as limited series but it will be returning for a second season. I worry about where it goes from here, but as a series alone it was enjoyable. Check out Big Little Lies on HBO!
