Before we start, let me apologize for the length of this post. I tried to reduce it but there was just so much to talk about. Soon after watching the finale of Big Little Lies, I was compelled to write a review of sorts. Of course, I’m no expert on television except to say that I’m a fan of HBO. I also tried to get this published while it was still fresh but a week has passed. Let’s hope my Escapees still care and maybe even other women looking to understand this complex set of characters.

Let’s get into the nitty gritty of this much anticipated season two of Big Little Lies. It’s been highly criticized this season for not living up to the hype surrounding its premiere. Before you read further though, know that this contains *spoilers*.

There’s been mixed reviews for this show since about mid-way through this season.  I agree that there were too many sub plots for each character, and not enough time to address them all in depth. This can cause a bit of dizziness for the viewer. That said, there were some great moments for each character as well as a decent conclusion for all of them in the last episode. This was important since there will not be a Season 3.

Season 1 of BLL was truly unique and intriguing and that’s what got us hooked in the first place. There was mystery built around all of the character’s multitude of secrets. Also, the episodes each included outsiders or observers (such as other school parents) talking about each character. As the viewer you’re not sure who they’re speaking to but it looks like they are being interviewed at the police station. This added mystery from episode to episode, plus it is signature Liane Moriarty writing. In her novels, she has excerpts of third party observations of her main characters throughout the story. That was completely missing in season 2.

What Didn’t Work In Season 2

David E. Kelly took these characters into season 2. Some say he didn’t do them justice. Pardon the pun, as Celeste found herself inside a courtroom. Still, I think what Kelly tried to do with BLL is keep it action packed. But what he missed is creating mystery, intrigue and suspense (all the elements found in the first season).  Instead, he threw everything that could go wrong onto each character to see what they’re made of. The problem with this approach is that it teeters on being overly dramatic. This contributed to the characters coming off as being privileged with their first world problems.

Renata (played by Laura Dern) for example, continues her haughty attitude about having to sell her ‘things’ after her husband screws countless people out of their invested funds. A scenario that has been told so many times it was almost boring. I mean the true Bernie Madoff story was devastating but fictional accounts of such monstrous behavior seems trite. Dern screams “I won’t be poor!” but what about his victims. She isn’t concerned about their losses.

I couldn’t help but notice the happiest character of all was the unmarried Jane (played by Shailene Woodley). She hasn’t lost her sense of wonder and play. Is this because she doesn’t have a husband? I ask that in jest.

Madeleine is continuing down her same path of controlling everyone around her. The only difference in season 2 is that her husband isn’t having it anymore. On the brink of being left, Madeleine is almost sweet. But will it last?

Bonnie is suffering from her biggest secret yet. We learn she has kept far too many secrets in her lifetime and she is now paying a heavy price.

The worst of all was newly widowed Celeste’s situation. With her mother in law (Mary Louise played by Meryl Streep) practically moved in with her, uninvited, she is under harsh judgment. The character of Mary Louise added a much needed dimension of mystery to season 2. She was the wild card. We didn’t know exactly what her agenda was, nor what kind of butterfly effect she would have on the Monterey 5.

Incidentally, I was expecting the detective to have a greater impact on the second season but instead, we hardly saw her at all. This would have been an opportunity to create more suspense. Am I alone in this?

What Did Work in Season 2

The concept that keeping a dark secret takes a toll on one’s life is the very theme of season 2. Each character finds themselves deeper in psychological and emotional turmoil due to keeping a dark secret. Not dealing with the truth of their “big little lie” has caused all five of these women to suffer.

Bonnie is unable to discuss her guilt with anyone except the Monterey 5 and they aren’t helping her, urging her to remain silent. Upon her mother’s visit and flashbacks of an abusive childhood, Bonnie faces the biggest lie of all—she is not living an authentic life. She married a man to prove something perhaps to her own mother. Even her seemingly Zen career as a yoga teacher, is a joke. We see what she really thinks of her teaching when she is putting on a workshop where adults chant popular song lyrics. “It’s the latest form of therapy,” she explains sarcastically to her mother. Bonnie herself, is a wonderful mother, despite the odds. We see that clearly through both season 1 and season 2. She finally tells the truth in the end, first to her mother while she’s in a coma (her mother has no choice but listen now, ironically). Her main confession? Bonnie tells her that when she pushed Perry, she was really pushing her. She then confesses to her husband that she does not love him. This is probably the most honest scene in all of season 2 and Bonnie is certainly the most sympathetic and tortured character.

Renata, although the most dramatic of all the characters, has the least arc. She has learned very little from either the accidental death nor her husband’s cheating. Instead, this character only thinks of herself and how things effect her. It’s a kind of left over defensive coping mechanism. It’s a very human trait and one I bet you recognize in people in your life.

Appearances are everything to Renata. Immediately following her husband’s arrest, she insists on putting on a huge birthday party for her daughter. Again, we see a costume party. Didn’t these ladies learn anything from the last costume party?

Of course, no one does costumes like the Monterey 5 and I have to admit, that this episode was the most fun. Seeing everyone in their 70‘s disco era costumes was a reprieve from all the drama. It almost made us think everything was ‘normal’ in Monterey but looks are always deceiving here.

Back to Renata. I would have loved to see more character arc here. Ending with her confronting her soon-to-be-ex, Renata loses it. She grabs one of his collector’s edition baseball bats off the wall and begins smashing his toys (that he made a deal to keep) including his massive train set, while he watches helplessly. She even takes a swing at him. Although this scene was satisfying to the animal inside me, it didn’t last. It only showed Renata’s rage but certainly not her poise and grace. I would rather have seen her packing up and moving out. Then cut a scene to her ex inside an empty house sitting with his toys. That says it all without the baseball bat.

Madeleine has taken up a new career in season 2. I had to smile at this one. She’s a realtor and not a very good one. We see her talking on her cell phone, ignoring her clients standing right in front of her. It’s so Madeleine, unaware of anyone around her, absorbed in her own drama. About mid-season though, we see Madeleine begin an arc of development. Is she actually looking at her husband for the first time? She begins to actually try to see things from his perspective and she also begins to see that her controlling ways aren’t winning her any points with her family.

Jane is suffering the least as a result of her assailant’s accidental death. We see her come out of her fear and anger. She seems to have a tranquil presence that she did not have in season 1. In fact, she is the calming presence for all the women of the Monterey 5. She is the one who can see the death of Perry as a positive. He won’t hurt anyone ever again. Moving forward in a relationship proves a challenge for her though. In the end, she does let herself become vulnerable and finally experiences a loving sexual encounter. This is pivotal for her as it is the last step to moving on. She is Celeste’s biggest supporter and also becomes a piece of undeniable evidence in the custody battle.

Last, Celeste is going up against a mighty force in her mother in law, Mary Louise. By mid-way through we understand that she will attempt to take away the twins from Celeste. Every mother’s nightmare is a custody battle. This bit of drama was sure to tug at audience heart strings. Again, there was not enough time to properly develop this sub-plot. It was too rushed. There isn’t a custody battle in the world that begins and ends as quickly as Celeste’s did.

During the trial, Celeste uncovers the past about Mary Louise and her late husband, Perry. We learn what may have instigated Perry’s bullying and abusive personality. Celeste is also revealed as a sex addict and her learning curve is admitting that she has a problem and is willing to seek help.

So in all, each character has problems resulting from keeping secrets. The biggest problems arise from their shared big little lie—that of Perry’s “accidental” death. In fact, Celeste tells Madeleine in the last episode, “Our lie is our friendship.”

Starting about mid-way through the season the women take action to solve their problems and this includes facing up to their lies.

Celeste needs therapy, Madeline has no more room for mistakes in her marriage, Renata — well she may be the only one who doesn’t embrace a single imperfection— and Jane lets her walls down, while Mary Louise realizes she’s harboring guilt from her own past and trying to correct that by raising her grandchildren.

The end of the finale episode sees a conclusion to the custody battle which then leads to consecutive scenes with the key characters and their loved ones. This montage scene tied up each character’s problems with one song and zero dialogue. Even though it came off a bit banal, there was satisfaction in knowing sub-plots were resolved for each character.

But just when we think it’s over, Bonnie texts the rest of the Monterey 5, still the same song playing on the soundtrack. Cut to seeing all the women pulling up in their fancy vehicles to the police station, joining Bonnie who is waiting for them. They’re all entering the police station together. Once again, the Monterey 5 have banded together but we’re not exactly sure what or how they’re going to save themselves…or Bonnie.

It was a rushed conclusion with zero dialogue. Not my favorite kind of wrap up.

Nevertheless, it was clear that the final acceptance of their own truth was confessing it to the police. They are finally letting the lie go and it’s easier to do so now that they’ve faced the other little lies they’ve been telling themselves.

In summary, Big Little Lies season 2 wasn’t nearly as intriguing as Season 1, but it had a message and in fact, concluded with a pretty bow. David E. Kelly did each character justice providing a solid conclusion for all of their troubles. Liane Moriarty was likely done proud by Kelly’s writing of Season 2 and proud that her characters did what was morally correct in the end. What’s more is that these actresses are amazing on their own but together, on a show like this one, they were stunning.