The new season of Big Little Lies has nothing really “big” in it. Except for Meryl Streep. She plays Mary Louise, the mother of Celeste’s (Nicole Kidman) abusive late husband, Perry. She is unconvinced by the story of an accidental fall off the balcony by her boy – and now seeks the truth.
THE CAST AND THE SCRIPT
Streep is terrific as Mary and leaves a significant impact even when she is not around. But even Meryl can’t help this show, whose writing and direction seem loose. None of the plots connects appropriately. The buildup to Mary Louise and Celeste cross-questioning one another in a peculiar courtroom make no true sense. Nor do they live up to the legacy of Kidman’s Emmy-winning Season 1 performance.
From left: Shailene Woodley, Zoë Kravitz, Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, and Laura Dern.
Photo: Jennifer Clasen/HBOKidman suffers for her sins that are enjoyable, but her scenes are given no room to unfold. She is consumed with guilt because of her husband (killed in the Season 1 finale) and how she could’ve just escaped her abusive marriage. Her story could’ve been great if the narrative was strong enough. Season 2 isn’t terrible, despite many meaningless developments. The returning cast and Streep put up a compelling performance and lift the show.
This show’s first season depicted a group of women whose lives were restrained by wealth and by the politics of their surroundings. Its second push the issue under the carpet.
FINAL CONCLUSION
An exceptional victory of “Big Little Lies,” when it first aired in 2017, was the idea about the power of female friendship and cooperation.
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But the second season fails to retain it because of a lack of a proper structure. Still, “Big Little Lies,” is enjoyable but only in parts. The individualized attention to the suffering of all the characters has a pull. But the pull is not that powerful that the show had proven to exert.
According to TVLine, HBO programming chief Casey Bloys told that Season 3 would not be released as it was a hectic task to get an A-list cast together for season 2 and getting them together again for another installment isn’t very realistic.