Big Little Lies HBO

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Can you shed some light on what those are thus far in the series? I know the Australia vs. California and Kindgergarten vs. 1st grade are some of the more significant changes. What else is different.

I'm not the pp but a big one is that there's no affair with the theater guy. Though there is preoccupation with lack of sex between Madeline and Ed. That's a theme in all of Moriarty's books. Elvis and country music always make an appearance as well. And that reminds me that the music in this show is off. I like it, but it's not realistic that moms and kids would all know the words to a 40 year old song that's not really part of mainstream culture.

Interesting. I read the book and watch the show and have missed any countr music reference (although funny aside if her being a country music
swayed Moriarty to sell the rights to Kidman). I think the soundtrack is really good. And I loved them singing Fleetwood Mac on the bus. My kid could absolutely sing along.

Was anyone else disturbed by Jane and Ziggy singing along to Jefferson Airplane's "White Rabbit" in the last episode? It's about taking psychedelic drugs and the music itself is utterly creepy. It was beyond bizarre that a 6 year-old knew the lyrics word-for-word. WTF.

no offense but white rabbit means zero to a 6 yr old. hell I didn't even figure out wha the hell it meant till I my late 30's sometime - maybe that's because I was sheltered. but still, a 6 yr old would not know what that reference is all about.

[Anonymous]

I love the HBO Celeste. There's such a warmth about her. But they certainly keep her and the other characters all as potential victims or suspects (actually in a way better than the book did, I think).

I didn't love Chloe in the first episode because they were making her so bratty. But after that she seems to just blend in. I don't know how you'd find her distracting, she doesn't seem to have more than 4-5 lines per episode.

[Anonymous]

My 9 year old likes the song American Pie because its about Pie. The White Rabbit thing is probably to make us all worried that Ziggy is crazy like his dad (but the psychologist put that to rest).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Can you shed some light on what those are thus far in the series? I know the Australia vs. California and Kindgergarten vs. 1st grade are some of the more significant changes. What else is different.

I'm not the pp but a big one is that there's no affair with the theater guy. Though there is preoccupation with lack of sex between Madeline and Ed. That's a theme in all of Moriarty's books. Elvis and country music always make an appearance as well. And that reminds me that the music in this show is off. I like it, but it's not realistic that moms and kids would all know the words to a 40 year old song that's not really part of mainstream culture.

Interesting. I read the book and watch the show and have missed any countr music reference (although funny aside if her being a country music
swayed Moriarty to sell the rights to Kidman). I think the soundtrack is really good. And I loved them singing Fleetwood Mac on the bus. My kid could absolutely sing along.

Was anyone else disturbed by Jane and Ziggy singing along to Jefferson Airplane's "White Rabbit" in the last episode? It's about taking psychedelic drugs and the music itself is utterly creepy. It was beyond bizarre that a 6 year-old knew the lyrics word-for-word. WTF.

no offense but white rabbit means zero to a 6 yr old. hell I didn't even figure out wha the hell it meant till I my late 30's sometime - maybe that's because I was sheltered. but still, a 6 yr old would not know what that reference is all about.

And I totally see a 20 yr old single, troubled mom singing it with him just because that's what's playing on her iPod and not thinking, like we might, that the lyrics to this song are inappropriate. In fact, I'm often amazed when I read the weird or twisted meaning assigned to song lyrics (most times not by the writer)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's a big change that won't spoil anything (and I could have forgotten it from the book) but I think the entire Avenue Q storyline is a David Kelley creation. Smaller things, I think Madeline and Ed also had a son. I thought Jane's encounter with Ziggy's dad was different but don't want to detail that because I see that that might be affecting other storylines later on. Also Jane's parents played a big(ger) role in her and ziggys lives.

Madeline and ED do not have a son in the book. Just Chloe.

Did you actually read the book? They do have an older son and that is actually how Maddeline knows Renata and where their issues stem from (interactions with that son's peer group).

Maddeline and Ed are both a lot happier, sunnier, and more laid back in the book. There is no real beef between Ed and Nathan, no affair, no Ave Q storyline. Madeline herself is much more relaxed and bubblier. Ed is a personable, fun surfer guy. All the other moms love him. I liked book Maddie but find her to be OTT in the tv series and borerline insufferable, a grown up version of Tracey Flick. In the novel, she is portrayed as gossipy and a busy body but ultimately lovable with a heart of gold. She's extremely extroverted and wears her heart on her sleeve, which sometimes gets her into trouble, but she's not this tightly wound creature constantly sniping at and exploding on the people around her. I'm surprised the writers went in this direction with the character. She's so unlike able.

Celeste is basically the same so far.

Hmm. I agree with you about the book version of Madeline, but I think it's one of those things that had to happen in a condensed version of the story. She was lovable and well-liked, which is why it was surprising to people that she lost her sh*t about seemingly inconsequential things. A girls' girl who nevertheless couldn't manage to get along with her own daughter or her ex-husband's new wife, though her (Maddie's) life was enviable in so many other ways. And those things bugged her more than anyone else and always made her feel like she still had to control and fix something.

Also, Celeste took an immediate liking to Jane in the book and they spent more time together one-on-one. The big breakaway from Perry wasn't with her career, it was a plan to actually leave him and steps taken to do it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love the HBO Celeste. There's such a warmth about her. But they certainly keep her and the other characters all as potential victims or suspects (actually in a way better than the book did, I think).

I didn't love Chloe in the first episode because they were making her so bratty. But after that she seems to just blend in. I don't know how you'd find her distracting, she doesn't seem to have more than 4-5 lines per episode.

Not Chloe herself that's a distraction, the songs she chooses. She's got a song for every occasion that she plugs into the wireless sound system in the house or in the car. Maybe it's to convey how intuitive she is about people and their emotions, which is a quality she had in the book. IIRC, she liked Ziggy right away and befriended him though he was an outcast - and not just because her mom was friends with Jane.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 9 year old likes the song American Pie because its about Pie. The White Rabbit thing is probably to make us all worried that Ziggy is crazy like his dad (but the psychologist put that to rest).

No- American Pie isn't about pie. You're joking, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 9 year old likes the song American Pie because its about Pie. The White Rabbit thing is probably to make us all worried that Ziggy is crazy like his dad (but the psychologist put that to rest).

clue me in....please

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's a big change that won't spoil anything (and I could have forgotten it from the book) but I think the entire Avenue Q storyline is a David Kelley creation. Smaller things, I think Madeline and Ed also had a son. I thought Jane's encounter with Ziggy's dad was different but don't want to detail that because I see that that might be affecting other storylines later on. Also Jane's parents played a big(ger) role in her and ziggys lives.

Madeline and ED do not have a son in the book. Just Chloe.

Did you actually read the book? They do have an older son and that is actually how Maddeline knows Renata and where their issues stem from (interactions with that son's peer group).

Maddeline and Ed are both a lot happier, sunnier, and more laid back in the book. There is no real beef between Ed and Nathan, no affair, no Ave Q storyline. Madeline herself is much more relaxed and bubblier. Ed is a personable, fun surfer guy. All the other moms love him. I liked book Maddie but find her to be OTT in the tv series and borerline insufferable, a grown up version of Tracey Flick. In the novel, she is portrayed as gossipy and a busy body but ultimately lovable with a heart of gold. She's extremely extroverted and wears her heart on her sleeve, which sometimes gets her into trouble, but she's not this tightly wound creature constantly sniping at and exploding on the people around her. I'm surprised the writers went in this direction with the character. She's so unlike able.

Celeste is basically the same so far.

Hmm. I agree with you about the book version of Madeline, but I think it's one of those things that had to happen in a condensed version of the story. She was lovable and well-liked, which is why it was surprising to people that she lost her sh*t about seemingly inconsequential things. A girls' girl who nevertheless couldn't manage to get along with her own daughter or her ex-husband's new wife, though her (Maddie's) life was enviable in so many other ways. And those things bugged her more than anyone else and always made her feel like she still had to control and fix something.

Also, Celeste took an immediate liking to Jane in the book and they spent more time together one-on-one. The big breakaway from Perry wasn't with her career, it was a plan to actually leave him and steps taken to do it.

Please don't give book details that might be spoilers for the HBO series. We don't know how HBO go, but I'd hate to have details ruined for those lucky ones coming to this story for the first time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love the HBO Celeste. There's such a warmth about her. But they certainly keep her and the other characters all as potential victims or suspects (actually in a way better than the book did, I think).

I didn't love Chloe in the first episode because they were making her so bratty. But after that she seems to just blend in. I don't know how you'd find her distracting, she doesn't seem to have more than 4-5 lines per episode.

Not Chloe herself that's a distraction, the songs she chooses. She's got a song for every occasion that she plugs into the wireless sound system in the house or in the car. Maybe it's to convey how intuitive she is about people and their emotions, which is a quality she had in the book. IIRC, she liked Ziggy right away and befriended him though he was an outcast - and not just because her mom was friends with Jane.

Aside from the song for Ed-dressed-as-Elvis, I completely missed Chloe choosing the show's soundtrack. I'm off to HBO Go ....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's a big change that won't spoil anything (and I could have forgotten it from the book) but I think the entire Avenue Q storyline is a David Kelley creation. Smaller things, I think Madeline and Ed also had a son. I thought Jane's encounter with Ziggy's dad was different but don't want to detail that because I see that that might be affecting other storylines later on. Also Jane's parents played a big(ger) role in her and ziggys lives.

Madeline and ED do not have a son in the book. Just Chloe.

Did you actually read the book? They do have an older son and that is actually how Maddeline knows Renata and where their issues stem from (interactions with that son's peer group).

Maddeline and Ed are both a lot happier, sunnier, and more laid back in the book. There is no real beef between Ed and Nathan, no affair, no Ave Q storyline. Madeline herself is much more relaxed and bubblier. Ed is a personable, fun surfer guy. All the other moms love him. I liked book Maddie but find her to be OTT in the tv series and borerline insufferable, a grown up version of Tracey Flick. In the novel, she is portrayed as gossipy and a busy body but ultimately lovable with a heart of gold. She's extremely extroverted and wears her heart on her sleeve, which sometimes gets her into trouble, but she's not this tightly wound creature constantly sniping at and exploding on the people around her. I'm surprised the writers went in this direction with the character. She's so unlike able.

Celeste is basically the same so far.

NP. I haven't read the book, but the bold is how I see.Madeline's character on the show. After the most recent episode, I was thinking I'd like to have a friend like her! I think her character is very warm and supportive and quite flawed and interesting.

On another topic, I don't understand the posts saying that there's no affair between Madeline and theater guy. The last episode made it clear that they had had . . . Something a year ago that was unresolved.

[Anonymous]

In the book there's no affair (or any avenue q as I recall).

[Anonymous]

PP who read the book but long ago so I forget everything

Was the AvenueQ storyline not in the book at all?

[Anonymous]

I have no recollection of any play, any community or mayor issues or any petition, no board meeting, no Celeste helping Madeline as a lawyer. The whole storyline is new. But pretty brilliant too. It really weaves a lot of issues and relationships and fast forwards a lot of story lines.

[Anonymous]

Didn't the first episode have Bonnie signing a petition to ban Avenue Q? That set up early animosity between Bonnie and Madeline that wasn't in the book. I think all the added character conflict keeps everyone a suspect, which the book didn't really do.