Big Little Lies HBO

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think they gave Madeline the affair so Reese could have more dramatic acting opportunities. i don't think they had to though. Her daughter's project and feelings about her ex could have done it.

+1
Though I liked the way she and her older daughter became closer after she confided in her about the affair. Their relationship took on a whole new dimension, more like two adults/friends. I liked Madeline's character. She felt very real to me.

With respect to your take, I did not like this. I don't like moms confiding in their kids, even teenagers.

I agree. I didn't like that she confided in Abigail. This was an adult issue and not one to involve a teenager. Also I liked the way the secret project was handled and shut down in the book much better than in the show.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did anybody see the quick interaction between Abigail and Ed at the funeral? It was sort of creepy again.

There's zero creepy going on between Ed and Abigail. Rather they share one strong commonality: Madeline. It was just Madeline and Abigail on their own for years. Then Ed comes along and soon Abigail is becoming teen through and through. In they end they can acknowledge that commonality again: love Madeline.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So was that view thru binoculars at the end supposed to imply that the theater guy's wife was still stalking Madeline??

I think it was supposed to be the detective watching them, no? They don't go into it (on the show) what happens so the detectives still know they're lying.

Yes, I think it was supposed to be the detective watching. There was the same sound she always made, the sound of a lighter or something being opened and closed. I figured that's why they made sure we could hear that sound in her earlier scene, when she was watching Nicole Kidman being interviewed by the cops and the detective was watching through the window .

[Anonymous]

Good for Bonnie for kicking his ass. It was really annoying to see all those women swatting at him while he beat the shit of Celeste. They should have been able to do some damage to him. Did Perry realize who Ziggy's mom was or did just react because he thought Celeste was telling everyone about the abuse?

[Anonymous]

This is a really stupid question: we did not hear the final interviews of the women involved in the death scene, just the clicking of the detective's lighter. I assumed this was intentional, but we weren't 100% sure that maybe our sound just didn't go out. Without hearing those interviews, just not sure what "lying" everyone is talking about. I have to assume they lied in the interviews and in fact, our sound went out for 1 minute. I read the book, so I knew what was going on and thought maybe this was some strange plot device so that we, as viewers, wouldn't know exactly what they said. I hope HBO is replaying this so I can re-record with sound.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is a really stupid question: we did not hear the final interviews of the women involved in the death scene, just the clicking of the detective's lighter. I assumed this was intentional, but we weren't 100% sure that maybe our sound just didn't go out. Without hearing those interviews, just not sure what "lying" everyone is talking about. I have to assume they lied in the interviews and in fact, our sound went out for 1 minute. I read the book, so I knew what was going on and thought maybe this was some strange plot device so that we, as viewers, wouldn't know exactly what they said. I hope HBO is replaying this so I can re-record with sound.

The women claimed Perry fell/tripped not that he was pushed. Bonnie pushed him really hard so he skipped over a few steps so it didn't look like a fall. The women covered it up so know one (Bonnie) would be known as the one that killed Perry, even if he deserved it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is a really stupid question: we did not hear the final interviews of the women involved in the death scene, just the clicking of the detective's lighter. I assumed this was intentional, but we weren't 100% sure that maybe our sound just didn't go out. Without hearing those interviews, just not sure what "lying" everyone is talking about. I have to assume they lied in the interviews and in fact, our sound went out for 1 minute. I read the book, so I knew what was going on and thought maybe this was some strange plot device so that we, as viewers, wouldn't know exactly what they said. I hope HBO is replaying this so I can re-record with sound.

It wasn't your tv. There was no audio when they showed the various women being interviewed at the end.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a really stupid question: we did not hear the final interviews of the women involved in the death scene, just the clicking of the detective's lighter. I assumed this was intentional, but we weren't 100% sure that maybe our sound just didn't go out. Without hearing those interviews, just not sure what "lying" everyone is talking about. I have to assume they lied in the interviews and in fact, our sound went out for 1 minute. I read the book, so I knew what was going on and thought maybe this was some strange plot device so that we, as viewers, wouldn't know exactly what they said. I hope HBO is replaying this so I can re-record with sound.

It wasn't your tv. There was no audio when they showed the various women being interviewed at the end.

Thank you for clarifying that. Then how does everybody here know what stories they gave? Because of the book? As I said, I figured it was just David Kelley's way of handling it (though I really don't get why), and the cop said enough to imply that their stories matched too precisely which let us know they were covering. But a PP said that their stories were that he tripped, but we never heard that, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a really stupid question: we did not hear the final interviews of the women involved in the death scene, just the clicking of the detective's lighter. I assumed this was intentional, but we weren't 100% sure that maybe our sound just didn't go out. Without hearing those interviews, just not sure what "lying" everyone is talking about. I have to assume they lied in the interviews and in fact, our sound went out for 1 minute. I read the book, so I knew what was going on and thought maybe this was some strange plot device so that we, as viewers, wouldn't know exactly what they said. I hope HBO is replaying this so I can re-record with sound.

It wasn't your tv. There was no audio when they showed the various women being interviewed at the end.

Thank you for clarifying that. Then how does everybody here know what stories they gave? Because of the book? As I said, I figured it was just David Kelley's way of handling it (though I really don't get why), and the cop said enough to imply that their stories matched too precisely which let us know they were covering. But a PP said that their stories were that he tripped, but we never heard that, right?

You can read everyone's lips saying "he tripped and fell backward down the stairs" and then the sounds comes back on Celeste says the same thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think they gave Madeline the affair so Reese could have more dramatic acting opportunities. i don't think they had to though. Her daughter's project and feelings about her ex could have done it.

+1
Though I liked the way she and her older daughter became closer after she confided in her about the affair. Their relationship took on a whole new dimension, more like two adults/friends. I liked Madeline's character. She felt very real to me.

With respect to your take, I did not like this. I don't like moms confiding in their kids, even teenagers.

I agree. I didn't like that she confided in Abigail. This was an adult issue and not one to involve a teenager. Also I liked the way the secret project was handled and shut down in the book much better than in the show.

Plus, doesn't Madeline say that she told Ed? Isn't that what got her upset at the party?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a really stupid question: we did not hear the final interviews of the women involved in the death scene, just the clicking of the detective's lighter. I assumed this was intentional, but we weren't 100% sure that maybe our sound just didn't go out. Without hearing those interviews, just not sure what "lying" everyone is talking about. I have to assume they lied in the interviews and in fact, our sound went out for 1 minute. I read the book, so I knew what was going on and thought maybe this was some strange plot device so that we, as viewers, wouldn't know exactly what they said. I hope HBO is replaying this so I can re-record with sound.

It wasn't your tv. There was no audio when they showed the various women being interviewed at the end.

Thank you for clarifying that. Then how does everybody here know what stories they gave? Because of the book? As I said, I figured it was just David Kelley's way of handling it (though I really don't get why), and the cop said enough to imply that their stories matched too precisely which let us know they were covering. But a PP said that their stories were that he tripped, but we never heard that, right?

Well my take it is for the viewer to decide on their own, it is inferred that their stories match up, no one seems to get arrested and at the end they are all on the beach together. In the flashback they just show Bonnie pushing Perry and him ending up on the landing of the stairs. So her push must have killed him. You see Bonnie and Madeline head to head whispering to each other. I assume from that they are agreeing to tell the same story. I am a lawyer so IMO this would clearly be a justifiable case of defense of other and Bonnie should get off, she feared Celeste's life was at risk and they only thing she could reasonably do was to push Perry to make him stop given his size vs hers and that at that point it was 4 women vs 1 man before Bonnie and he was still winning. BUT the author chose to go along with the story line of a group pact and saying Perry tripped. Why, maybe to show the strength of women coming together, it makes the story more interesting that this group, with all their differences and histories, would do that to protect Bonnie. BTW, the book ends a little differently.

I will add that my DH, who has never watched the show, watched the finale with me last night and really enjoyed it, but he had a completely different reaction to the ending. Yes, he was glad Perry died. But he didn't understand what happened with the women. He asked me "so what has happened, are they going to rat out Bonnie" and I said "no, I think all of them immediately agree to stick together with one story and they will keep to that promise, no doubt." DH said "really, I don't think a group of men would". I guess here is a big difference between men and women, because I do see IRL women coming together under these circumstances.

[Anonymous]

I was disappointed by the fact that Perry turned out to be Jane's rapist. It felt like a soap opera twist.

[Anonymous]

The female detective says to "turn it off" or similar words regarding the sound to the interrogation room as she watches the women trough the window as they're being interrogated. She doesn't want to hear any more because she says they're all lying. She "knows" they're lying because their stories are all "too similar". But doesn't the male detective respond something like "may be they're not lying. Let it go."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was disappointed by the fact that Perry turned out to be Jane's rapist. It felt like a soap opera twist.

Maybe I wasn't paying attention enough when listening to the book, but the Jane/Perry connection is much less obvious in the book. There was much more to this story in the book. Obviously Kelley couldn't write a script and keep 100% loyal to the book. But this part was one of the few weaker spots.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think they gave Madeline the affair so Reese could have more dramatic acting opportunities. i don't think they had to though. Her daughter's project and feelings about her ex could have done it.

+1
Though I liked the way she and her older daughter became closer after she confided in her about the affair. Their relationship took on a whole new dimension, more like two adults/friends. I liked Madeline's character. She felt very real to me.

With respect to your take, I did not like this. I don't like moms confiding in their kids, even teenagers.

I agree. I didn't like that she confided in Abigail. This was an adult issue and not one to involve a teenager. Also I liked the way the secret project was handled and shut down in the book much better than in the show.

Madeline's only secret in the book was that she was still out of her mind about what a dolt her ex-husband was and continued to be. I think the show did a good job portraying Nathan as a special kind of destructive stupid, but it didn't put Madeline in the same league with the other women as far as secrets go.

She was in a jam with Abigail because she worked hard to make sure her daughter didn't make the same or similar mistakes, but her effort just drove the girl further into the weeds.

And one thing I liked about the show that the book didn't do, was the way the women didn't confide in each other but found trust when it mattered most. To me, there's something poignant in the way Madeline opened up to her daughter in order to save their relationship, while it was too difficult to do the same with her husband.