Big Little Lies
Big Little Lies – The End of the World (2×03)
As the topic of Armageddon is broached in a second-grade classroom, it also feels like the end of the world for the Monterey Five as their personal lives fall apart as a result of keeping some very twisted secrets.
About halfway through Big Little Lies Season 2 Episode 3, the therapist asks Celeste if she’s an addict and Perry’s the drug, and the answer is “absolutely yes.”
Celeste knows that Perry was a terrible person who nearly killed her on several occasions, but instead of acknowledging it, she chooses to stay in denial and remember the good times.
Sometimes, people mess up but it doesn’t necessarily make them bad people.
Take for example Madeline’s affair that has left her marriage to Ed in shambles.
Or even Gordon’s money laundering that’s left the Klein’s penniless, Renata raging and Amabella suffering from anxiety attacks.
Both terrible situations, but ones that can be forgiven and bounced back from.
In this case, Perry was a terrible person who did bad things and occasionally put on a pretty face.
If Celeste continues down this path, she’s going to completely forgive him and paint him as some kind of angel.
Yet, there are moments where she does acknowledge the toxicity of their relationship, mainly when pushing back to Mary Louise.
When she caught Mary Louse snooping around her medicine cabinet, she made sure Perry’s mother knew the Vicodin did its job when Perry kicked her.
There’s also the question of bruising herself to keep the memory alive.
Is he giving herself the bruises or was she telling the truth about getting them while breaking up the boys?
Bottom line is that Celeste misses the violence and whatever rush it gave her.
Without it, life feels almost “dead,” and that means she has a long way to go in therapy to even attempt to respect herself.
Madeline is dealing with the fallout of her cheating.
Considering Ed told Madeline that they were “done,” the fact that he’s attending couple’s therapy is a major step in their relationship.
The therapist, the same one Celeste has been seeing, tries to get to the bottom of the affair and doesn’t necessarily blame Madeline alone.
She does point out that there’s something in Madeline’s past that led to her decision to cheat (Madeline walked in on her father having sex with another woman and never told her mother about it), but she also brings up Ed’s indifference as possibly being disengaged in the relationship.
During the school assembly, Madeline has a breakdown when she talks about children being lied to and made to believe that happy endings exist.
But as Celeste said, Madeline shouldn’t give up on Ed.
It’s doubtful that Ed will leave Madeline, but seeing her realize just how much she loves him and wants to make their marriage work is necessary for them to move forward on a healthy path.
The only positive thing about this whole thing is that Madeline’s relationship with Abigail has gotten significantly stronger as she feels bad for essentially breaking up her mother’s marriage.
Madeline assures her that the problem wasn’t that Abigail outed her it was that she cheated in the first place.
Mary Louise is a bulldozer and a victim blamer, yet she tries to hide under the sweet lady facade and truthfully, it’s infuriating.
She was way out of line when she asked Jane if she’d submit Ziggy to a paternity test simply because she refused to believe her son was capable of something as vile as rape.
And when she finally saw Ziggy and realized he looked exactly like a young Perry, she asked to be in Ziggy’s life before suggesting that maybe Jane was to blame for her own rape.
Is this lady serious?
Meryl Streep is beloved by everyone and yet the series has made us hate and fear her in one fell swoop.
Jane’s a much bigger person than I could ever be for even entertaining Mary Louise with her judgment and finger-pointing.
She tried to play off Perry’s violence as a “misreading” of the signs because his sex life with Celeste was violent, she dismissed Jane’s recollection of the night and even suggested Jane was drugged by someone else and didn’t remember conceiving Ziggy.
I’m not suggesting anyone should ever punch an older woman, but Mary Louise would have deserved it.
If it were up to me, Jane shouldn’t let Mary Louise anywhere near Ziggy.
Not only is Mary Louise accusing victims now, but she’s also collecting more and more intel to support her theory that Perry didn’t fall accidentally.
A quick visit to the police precinct reveals that Detective Quinlan agrees with Mary Louise, which isn’t surprising. Any good detective would be able to deduce that much based on the crime scene and the way the women huddle together since Perry’s death.
It’s the way Mary Louise got the information out of Quinlan that’s troublesome.
The “grieving mother” card goes a long way.
We still don’t know how much Quinlan really knows.
Will Mary Louise inform her about the abusive relationship or the fact that Celeste found out Perry was Ziggy’s father just ten minutes before he plunged to his death?
Mary Louise consistently acts like the victim and yes, losing your son is a tragic experience, but the real victims are Celeste and Jane.
They’ve both had to pick up the pieces after Perry destroyed their lives and enjoyed every minute of it, and now they’re forced to hear how “great” Perry was this whole time.
Jane’s meeting with Mary Louise was troublesome for many reasons, but hearing her say that Perry was a tender and gentle boy raised some flags for Jane because it described Ziggy to a tee.
Is there a possibility that Ziggy will display monster-like tendencies like his father in his older age?
Should she put him into therapy now in hopes of curbing any genetic predispositions?
Then, of course, there’s her inability to connect with anyone on a more intimate level.
She goes on a date with Corey who, despite questioning where his fish came from, seems to be rather normal and totally smitten.
Yet, the moment he leaned in for a kiss, Jane’s whole body tensed up.
He agreed to take it slow, like a gentleman, and their dancing scene was equally as heartwarming as it was heartbreaking.
He even taught Ziggy how to surf, which says a lot about him, but Jane never explained her history to him yet.
Bonnie advised that if she’s serious about making this work, she’s going to have to open up to someone and let them get to know the real her, despite wanting to keep that part of her locked away forever.
Which led us to Bonnie mentioning that Nathan doesn’t know the real her.
There were brief scenes where Bonnie’s mother tried to teach her how to hold her breath as a survival instinct and when baby Bonnie refused to go underwater, she just dunked her in.
There’s also the abuse Bonnie witnessed as a child, which caused her to push Perry on Trivia Night.
Will we ever unpack that?
Laura Dern and her insults (I will be rich again, I will rise up, I will buy a polar bear for every kid in this school) is a blessing for us and a nightmare for Principal Nippal and the teacher.
The nickname “Medusa of Monterey” was warranted.
To them, her outbursts are so unbearable, they cope by smoking in an area where the kids won’t see them.
There’s nothing worse in Renata’s mind than being poor, but being rich hasn’t stopped Amabella from worrying about climate change — it’s a very rational thing to worry about — her parents splitting, or her mother not being present.
As we uncover the pasts of each woman, we realize that they are desperate to keep up the facades because they refuse to return to their humbler beginnings or where they came from.
Will they be able to maintain their picture-perfect lives to the public?
What did you think of the episode?
Big Little Lies was always meant to be a limited series on HBO, and it only secured a second season because of its popularity with fans. And now, the possibility of a third season has come into question with Zoë Kravitz, who played Bonnie Carlson, weighing in on whether it would ever come to fruition.
In a new TikTok from her interview with GQ, the 33-year-old starlet answered a fan’s question about when the drama is coming back on.
Sadly, Kravitz didn’t have uplifting news, noting, “I don’t think it is.”
“We talked about doing a season three a lot, but unfortunately, Jean-Marc Vallée, our incredible director, passed away this last year and I just can’t imagine going on without him,” she explained.
She added: “He really was the visionary for that show. So, unfortunately, it’s done.”
Jean-Marc died suddenly at the age of 58 last December, and with him, any chance of getting another season, according to Kravitz.
The comment section of the post was very divided, but one fan suggested that the show worked better as a limited series regardless.
On the bright side, Kravitz and her co-stars, Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley, and Laura Dern, are all constantly taking on new and compelling projects, so we’ll at least get to continue seeing their incredible work on the big and small screen for years to come!
Reese Witherspoon is a culture icon.
The actress is responsible for bringing to life some of the most iconic roles in both movies and television. Her foray from the big-screen into television has been nothing short of enjoyable and impressive as it’s given her a blank canvas in which she can show off her incredible range.
No character is too big or too small for Witherspoon.
It would have been easy for Witherspoon to typecast herself or become boxed into the role of “ditzy yet ambitious blonde” following the success of Legally Blonde in 2001, but Reese never allowed it. Since stepping into the limelight in 1991, she’s continuously pushed and reinvented herself to become one of the hardest working actresses and executive producers in the business.
Everywhere you turn, you’ll see Reese’s moniker on something even if she isn’t starring in it!
Many of her TV shows are even produced under her own Hello Sunshine umbrella, which she developed when she found herself lacking progressive and aspiring roles.
Turns out, Reese always knew what was best for Reese, and we’re so glad she continues giving us that’s compelling, nuanced, and emotional.
Here are the Reese Witherspoon shows you have to watch!
Little Fires Everywhere (Hulu)
The Hulu miniseries is based on the 2017 novel of the same name and follows the intertwined fates of the picture-perfect Richardson family and a mother-daughter duo who upend the lives that they’ve become accustomed to. Not only does Witherspoon star as Elena Richardson opposite Scandal’s Kerry Washington, she also served as executive producer.
The Morning Show (Apple TV+)
The drama is an unfiltered look at the cutthroat world of morning television and the lives of the people who bring you the news each morning. Witherspoon stars as green reporter Bradley Jackson opposite Jennifer Aniston and Steve Carrell.
Big Little Lies (HBO)
The award-winning series is based on the bestseller by Liane Moriarty. The drama tells the story of helicopter moms, successful husbands, rumors, and a murder in the usually tranquil beachy town of Monterey, California. There’s a lot more to these women that meets the eye, and they all have their fair share of secrets they want to keep including Witherspoon’s neurotic Madeline. The show is filled with star power with Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley, Laura Dern, and Zoe Kravitz.
Friends
Before she could run, Witherspoon had to walk, but she did so on one of the most popular sitcoms ever. While she didn’t have the biggest role, she’s one of the most notable characters as she played Rachel Green’s (Jennifer Aniston) youngest sister, Jill. She was featured in two episodes of season six.
Get Organized with the Home Edit (Netflix)
Witherspoon, an executive producer on the series, appears in one episode, but if you log into Netflix, her episode is used to promote the series and entice you into watching. The reality series finds expert home organizers Clea and Joanna helping clients declutter their spaces! Get ready to feel inspired!
The calm before the storm.
It was the showdown of all showdowns on the Big Little Lies season 2 finale.
Seeing Celeste put her rotten mother-in-law, Mary Louise, in her place made this lackluster season all worth it.
Celeste came to court not only bearing receipts, but she also had videotapes.
And while showing video footage of Perry beating her while the boys secretly looked on questioned how she allowed them to stay in such a toxic and dangerous environment, it was all that was necessary to finally show Mary Louise what a POS he son was.
Seeing Mary Louise unable to deny what was being show was pure satisfaction.
“I had no idea,” Mary Louise muttered despite many attempts from Celeste and the Monterey Five to tell her the truth.
It’s not that she had no idea, it’s that she didn’t want to have an idea.
And even so, Mary Louise proved to be a horrible person by trying to spin it all in her favor.
Does this woman have no shame?
She sat there in a public court and tried to blame the victim for staying in an abusive relationship.
I almost stood up and applauded when Celeste assured her that she not only kept her sons alive, she kept herself alive.
Yes, the boys saw more than Celeste believed they did, which explains why they assume abuse equates love in many instances, but they have also turned out pretty good for growing up in that household.
The footage Celeste showed in court was painful, but it was only a fraction of the abuse; she’s been through much worse.
Ultimately, Celeste’s decision to question Mary Louise worked in her favor.
She was able to defend herself while putting Mary Louise’s parenting on the spot.
Mary Louise is delusional if she for a minute thought Celeste wasn’t going to air out her dirty laundry after she came for her boys.
If you point fingers, don’t be surprised when someone points them back.
Mary Louise accused Celeste of reckless driving, which is humorous considering her own son died while in the car with her.
Mary Louise’s concerns about the twins’ safety were always warranted, but if she thought it was of ultimate importance, she would have contacted DCFS and attempted other options before trying to gain custody.
And even so, what made her the best person to be there for the boys?
All she was trying to do was make up for lost time with her boys. Or as Celeste put it “replace” Perry and his brother with Josh and Max.
Celeste may be ill, but Mary Louise is right there with her.
Plus, it seems she’s never come to terms with her son’s death or accepted the blame for it.
She barely accepted her role in creating the monster that Perry turned into.
Violence breeds violence — no one just wakes up and decides to be an abuser.
Perry’s actions, despicable as they were, were learned and inherited.
Big Little Lies would have done us a disservice had they not shone a light on Mary Lousie’s flaws. Without addressing her relationship with Perry, her addition this season wouldn’t have held much weight.
It does seem that after Celeste won full custody, Mary Louise grabbed her things and made it out of town.
If there’s a chance at a season 3, which seems rather unlikely at this point, her return also doesn’t seem necessary.
She stirred up enough trouble.
As Celeste’s court case winded down, things started wrapping up for the other four ladies also.
Jane’s rape was finally acknowledged in court even if Mary Louise did try to deny it again.
With justice being served, in the only way it could be, Jane was ready to move on and gave Corey a chance.
Seeing Jane struggle with opening up to another man both emotionally and physically has been tough to watch, so I’m glad Corey allowed her to do it on her own time and made her feel comfortable.
He proved that he was interested in sticking around no matter how hard things got.
And Ziggy liked him, which was a plus.
Laura Dern had her Beyonce “Lemonade” moment, and it was everything.
After seeing that Gordon managed to keep his toys while she lost everything that she valued, Renata had a full-on, bat-swingin’ meltdown.
It was the best few minutes of the episode. Possibly even the best few minutes in television history.
The look on Gordon’s face as she destroyed him beloved train sets was amusing and priceless.
Take that Gordon, you prick.
What did he expect was going to happen when he gloated about screwing the nanny?
I’m surprised she held it together for that long. Gordon took away her value, her pride, her respect, and Amabella’s future.
This was Renata’s way of taking it easy on him.
If a season 3 does happen, I want to see Renata moving on as an independent woman and single mother who was able to rebuild her life from the ashes left by her worthless husband.
Peace, Gordon.
Madeline’s relationship with Ed worked out some of the kinks. When Ed sat her down to have the “talk,” I was sure that he was going to say they should break up because they’ve changed so much since they got married.
I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Ed forgave Madeline and wanted to renew their vows.
Ed’s always been such a great husband. He didn’t deserve any of what happened to him, but the fact that he can look past it and move on after holding her accountable for it makes him even better.
Hopefully, Madeline told him the truth before all the ladies made their way to the police district.
As for Bonnie, well, the good news is that she didn’t drown herself in the water as predicted by her mother’s random vision.
I truly don’t understand what the deal was behind all the psychic moments.
Sure, metaphorically, Bonnie was drowning under the big secret and the realization coupled with her mother’s death led her to that final scene.
But those visions weren’t’ necessary. Neither was her mother’s whole story-arc.
We watched Bonnie’s childhood trauma, understood why she was so triggered by witnessing Perry’s abuse towards Celeste, and why she pushed him, but her mother’s presence, and more specifically, her coma, didn’t do much for the storyline.
It was sad when she died, but we felt sad for a moment and moved on.
I also don’t really understand why we were supposed to think Bonnie would have been capable of killing her mom.
She may have dreamt about it because of the abuse, but she never actually considered it.
Following her mother’s death, Bonnie told Nathan she never loved him.
Nathan may be dumber than a rock at times but one thing I’ll credit him with is always loving and protecting Bonnie.
It’s not fair for him to find out this way but better now then never. He deserves better — a love that Bonnie won’t give him.
As Bonnie spoke her truth, she also gathered all the women together at the precinct.
The scene with them walking in together to likely confess the truth about Perry’s death is iconic and powerful.
Even Madeline said the lie had an expiration date. We’ve hit it.
They made a promise to keep this secret for as long as they could; they were forever bonded.
And when it was time, they supported each other in coming clean.
The screen went black as they walked in so we never know what they said or how they said it.
Again, if there is a third season, it’s possible the focus would be on their attempts to prove self-defense.
And even then, since they’ve already covered it up, I don’t think the argument would hold up or get them off without any time.
Seeing how some of Big Little Lies Season 2 almost seemed forced, I’m content leaving this storyline exactly where it is and not trying to make it something that it’s not.
Even if that does mean I’ll never belt-out the theme-song live on a Sunday night again.
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