Big Little Lies (HBO) [ Spoilers ]

BobbyBobberson · 30-06-2019 11:30am

According to my other half, Witherspoon had something up on social media the other day indicating that the next episode was going to be big. I wonder was that in response to what was a poorish enough episode last week. Looking forward either way!

BobbyBobberson · 03-07-2019 7:07am

Watched episode four, just isnt hitting for me. Laura Dern was excellent again though, she is having a stormer of a series. Anyone else watch it?

BobbyBobberson · 09-07-2019 8:17am

Episode 5 last night and it really is weak compared to last season. Still a decent watch but it is beyond slow.

cdgalwegian · 09-07-2019 11:02pm

BobbyBobberson wrote: »

Watched episode four, just isnt hitting for me. Laura Dern was excellent again though, she is having a stormer of a series. Anyone else watch it?

Watched episode 2 last week, and already thinking of dropping it. Certainly Laura Dern has moved it up a notch, though I might keep going coz of Meryl Streep; I was never a fan, but she's excellent in it.
Kiwanuka's Theme tune, Cold Little Heart, had me hooked in the first few seconds of season 1: the ensuing season was quite enjoyable, with its various pros and cons. This season though, for the moment at least, has no clear direction. Most likely it will centre around Streep's tenacity regarding what happened, but it's only got the feel of trying to have something it pulled off well in season 1; making the problems of self-centred rich Americans entertaining, with a background whodunnit, whizzing along with cool tunes until a dramatic finale. Only this time, the central conceit is gone, in that it's no longer a whodunnit. So they seem to have their eye on the prize of a dramatic finale again, but not doing a great job with lead-up. Time will tell: I think I'll wait for further reviews before continuing.

The Black Oil · 12-07-2019 9:22pm

I'm enjoying it - how things are crumbling and how this is depicted.

cdgalwegian wrote: »

Only this time, the central conceit is gone, in that it's no longer a whodunnit. So they seem to have their eye on the prize of a dramatic finale again, but not doing a great job with lead-up. Time will tell: I think I'll wait for further reviews before continuing.

It's hard to ignore that feeling - like they're chasing a finale that'll be a hook into a 'we never planned this originally, but feck it, we're going for a third season'. Everything will be in tatters at the end because we need to explore that next time.

The Black Oil · 12-07-2019 9:44pm

OK, this might explain some things. Looks like Andrea Arnold got screwed over. Shame.

https://www.indiewire.com/2019/07/big-little-lies-season-2-andrea-arnold-lost-creative-control-jean-marc-vallee-1202156884/

cdgalwegian · 12-07-2019 11:22pm

The Black Oil wrote: »

OK, this might explain some things. Looks like Andrea Arnold got screwed over. Shame.

https://www.indiewire.com/2019/07/big-little-lies-season-2-andrea-arnold-lost-creative-control-jean-marc-vallee-1202156884/

Quite an interesting article; one generally hears that about films re creative control- not so much with long form tv.
I quite liked American Honey and Red Road, and loved Fish Tank, so was really pleased to see Andrea Arnold's name at the opening credits; the article goes some way to explaining the current meanderings. As it happens, I was "encouraged" to watch episode 3, and was glad I did, as I enjoyed it. It does seem to be coalescing around its new central conceit (as per not very spoilery spoiler in my previous post). It'll need to solidify fairly sharpish though, or it'll be a very uneven season, where some remarkable talent will be squandered.

The Black Oil · 15-07-2019 9:55pm

2.06
They certainly put Celeste through the grinder for the first half of the court stuff, Mary Louise's presence was felt without her saying a word. Touch of pulling things out of the hat with end and Celeste turning things around, but it seems there's a theme here about survival, within the show overall. The writers are really turning the screws on Bonnie too.

Imagine a car journey with Renata.

Deeper Blue · 22-07-2019 12:01am

My biggest issue with Season 2 has been Bonnie's story, I find it extremely dull and any scene that involves her mother makes me want to switch off my TV.

Aside from that I'm enjoying it though.

Shelga · 22-07-2019 11:33am

I’ve enjoyed season 2 but it could never live up to the first season, seeing as it focuses on the aftermath of an event, and not its own, properly-defined plot.

I’m not sure I think it was really necessary... although Meryl was great.

cena · 22-07-2019 1:19pm

Shelga wrote: »

I’ve enjoyed season 2 but it could never live up to the first season, seeing as it focuses on the aftermath of an event, and not its own, properly-defined plot.

I’m not sure I think it was really necessary... although Meryl was great.

We should have moved on from season 1 and moved to a new story for s2. I found S2 very boring

The Black Oil · 22-07-2019 9:59pm

Odd finale. Seem to be engineered for the benefit of the viewer and entertainment sake (in a not so great way) rather than necessarily being good writing. Certainly on the courtroom front at least. The judge barely said a word and there wasn't much legal ping pong between Celeste and Mary Louise's lawyer. We had that last week, I suppose. No doubt David E. Kelley is taking note of my post. I did laugh a few times, both with and at it. I don't care for realism on the legal side because that's not what the show is. Now get Reneta on the stand and that would be pure dynamite. Judgey judgey. :pac:

Or perhaps we should all go for pints with Laura Dern.

If there was one constant, though, it's the children. They. See. Everything. This cut across pretty much all the main storylines.

BobbyBobberson · 23-07-2019 11:53am

I liked the last two episodes, much much better than the first few. Overall it was much weaker than the first series but still enjoyable.

joe_99 · 23-07-2019 1:20pm

Although the court scenes were unrealistic at least it brought of a bit of drama to the show. The first 5 episodes were utterly forgettable.

cdgalwegian · 23-07-2019 3:07pm

What a let-down. Each episode did have some very good acting, which narratively may or may not have been consequential, but at the end of each episode it certainly didn't feel consequential; I just wasn't rooting for anyone, so just didn't feel invested.

The very last (supposedly emotional) scene just felt like a damp squib, where it had been overshadowed by a child custody issue, rather than being the intended thumping finale of a grand arc.

TerrorFirmer · 23-07-2019 4:12pm

I liked it. I would agree that it's a little hollow, but I really enjoy the characters and it's definitely a show that's really heavily carried by the acting.

yellow hen · 24-07-2019 10:17pm

I thought this was truly awful. Slow, depressing, no real storyline. Rather just a loose continuation of the last series but it felt diluted and like the writers just ran out of steam.
Definitely one of the worst series I've seen in a while (and I watch alot if crap!)

JP Liz V1 · 24-07-2019 10:20pm

NDWC wrote: »

My biggest issue with Season 2 has been Bonnie's story, I find it extremely dull and any scene that involves her mother makes me want to switch off my TV.

Aside from that I'm enjoying it though.

I thought Bonnie was maybe going to kill herself

BobbyBobberson · 24-07-2019 10:40pm

According to the actress that played Celeste's solictor, one of the main 5 was meant to die. I would assume Bonnie too. Was in a recent interview, however she could have been given a dud script.

The Black Oil · 24-07-2019 11:29pm

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

I thought Bonnie was maybe going to kill herself

I didn't get that sense.

Were we meant to think that Bonnie's pushing of Perry was a reaction to her own childhood trauma? This seemed to be running parallel to thinking about smothering her mother.

JP Liz V1 · 24-07-2019 11:31pm

I thought she was going to drown, swim out to sea

24-07-2019 11:34pm

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

I thought Bonnie was maybe going to kill herself

I thought they were going to murder Meryl Streep as she guessed that they were lying about her son's death.

extra gravy · 24-07-2019 11:51pm

I'd happily watch a Renata spin-off!

Deeper Blue · 25-07-2019 3:02am

Is it terrible that I was hoping Bonnie would jump in front of oncoming traffic?

cdgalwegian · 25-07-2019 7:25am

NDWC wrote: »

Is it terrible that I was hoping Bonnie would jump in front of oncoming traffic?

Yes. But I agree with the sentiment.
A traumatic childhood pushed her to pushing someone, and fantasizing about killing her abusive mother. Dramatically, this is interesting, but here was merely a cue for a hippie-type's inability to cope with life, moping around with suppressed rage. What was meant to portray catharthis at the end, just felt something instead like some other greek word that might convey "disinterest in a final destination".

JP Liz V1 · 25-07-2019 5:10pm

2 seemed liked a rush written job

The Black Oil · 29-07-2019 8:58pm

Response from HBO, Kidman and Witherspoon, which amounts to nothing, essentially.

https://www.pajiba.com/tv_reviews/nicole-kidman-reese-witherspoon-respond-to-questions-about-andrea-arnold-big-little-lies-season-2.php

BobbyBobberson · 29-07-2019 9:06pm

The Black Oil wrote: »

Response from HBO, Kidman and Witherspoon, which amounts to nothing, essentially.

https://www.pajiba.com/tv_reviews/nicole-kidman-reese-witherspoon-respond-to-questions-about-andrea-arnold-big-little-lies-season-2.php

"This is a mess.

Kidman and Witherspoon also leave the door open for Big Little Lies season 3. No thank you."

Absolutely.

JP Liz V1 · 18-11-2023 11:50pm

https://tvline.com/news/big-little-lies-season-3-renewal-release-date-nicole-kidman-video-1235082611/#recipient_hashed=49b00039e5f61edfe3abcf37466868b2898d9ecdbe302c53abadaa28cca68d75&recipient_salt=382a55d2d253c8c7aa9dccd71aef8900e17191b3f29889b37958900b134e4a23

Kidman confirming it is coming back for a 3rd season

Big Little Lies (HBO) [** Spoilers **]

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Big Little Lies (HBO) [ Spoilers ]