Big Little Lies HBO

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I didn't love the Madeline affair storyline but I can see that it worked as making her character a little deeper and have more conflict. It also brought strength to her relationship with Abigail and actually potentially deeper with Ed.

I don't understand the lack of explanation of Bonnie's background in the series. But then I thought it sort of came out of the blue in the book.

I took that as Bonnie being this aloof zen person who doesn't seem to care about any of these people, but when it really mattered she was the only one who noticed Celeste was in trouble.

[Anonymous]

^^Yes, Bonnie picked up all the clues and put it together. But to be fair, Madeline and Jane were already outside (setting up the big scene) when Celeste come in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I didn't love the Madeline affair storyline but I can see that it worked as making her character a little deeper and have more conflict. It also brought strength to her relationship with Abigail and actually potentially deeper with Ed.

I don't understand the lack of explanation of Bonnie's background in the series. But then I thought it sort of came out of the blue in the book.

Out of the affair storyline came 2 great Madeline revelations. When she was talking to Abigail about being perfect and how she so was not. And when she was forced to say Adam the best guy she's ever know. So it wasn't for nothing.

+1
I think it was a useful plot device to deepen Madeline's character and draw her closer to her daughter.

I don't want this to become a parenting discussion, but if an affair with your husband draws you closer your teenage daughter then you are not a very good parent.

[Anonymous]

I don't want this to become a parenting discussion but making teaching moments out of crappy situations is parenting. Try parenting an Abigail.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I seem to be the only book reader who didn't mind the addition of Madeline's affair.

No, I appreciated it because Madeline's appreciation for Ed was extremely slow in the book and was only revealed in her internal dialogue. She's focused on a million and one things, especially the huge mistake she made with her first husband. She spent a lot of time mentally kicking herself for not recognizing what a complete f*ck up he is, and in the process forgetting to value everything she had in the present. Not easy to show that revelation in a shortened timeframe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I seem to be the only book reader who didn't mind the addition of Madeline's affair.

No, I appreciated it because Madeline's appreciation for Ed was extremely slow in the book and was only revealed in her internal dialogue. She's focused on a million and one things, especially the huge mistake she made with her first husband. She spent a lot of time mentally kicking herself for not recognizing what a complete f*ck up he is, and in the process forgetting to value everything she had in the present. Not easy to show that revelation in a shortened timeframe.

+1

Also, I think the addition of Madeline's affair went along nicely with the theme of "big little lies" that bind the three women on the show. It would be a little lop-sided if Madeline did not really have a big secret like the other two.

[Anonymous]

Yes yes the affair worked well for the series.

[Anonymous]

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

It was VERY CLEARLY the detective-- she clicked her lighter in the station when she expressed her suspicion to the other detective, then again when she was watching them at the funeral, and that was the last sound we heard as she was watching them at the beach.

[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??

It was VERY CLEARLY the detective-- she clicked her lighter in the station when she expressed her suspicion to the other detective, then again when she was watching them at the funeral, and that was the last sound we heard as she was watching them at the beach.

It's a SPECTATOR according to the director during a recent interview. He said the series is over but the ending is left to the viewer's interpretation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't want this to become a parenting discussion but making teaching moments out of crappy situations is parenting. Try parenting an Abigail.

I totally agree. But I don't think that telling your teenager you are cheating on her stepfather is necessarily making a teaching moment out of her selling her virginity on the internet. You can offer insights from a teenage foible of your own; you can talk about generalities from your own life to disputer her opinion that you are perfect. Using her as your confidante opens up so many problems in the future.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't want this to become a parenting discussion but making teaching moments out of crappy situations is parenting. Try parenting an Abigail.

I totally agree. But I don't think that telling your teenager you are cheating on her stepfather is necessarily making a teaching moment out of her selling her virginity on the internet. You can offer insights from a teenage foible of your own; you can talk about generalities from your own life to disputer her opinion that you are perfect. Using her as your confidante opens up so many problems in the future.

Ok

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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??

It was VERY CLEARLY the detective-- she clicked her lighter in the station when she expressed her suspicion to the other detective, then again when she was watching them at the funeral, and that was the last sound we heard as she was watching them at the beach.

It's a SPECTATOR according to the director during a recent interview. He said the series is over but the ending is left to the viewer's interpretation.

I agree that this series should not be continued for multiple seasons. It won't happen but I'd love to see an Epilogue episode. Especially because Kidman's portrayal as an abused spouse has gotten a lot of traction, it would be nice to highlight how Celeste championed the cause (as the way the book shows Celeste "after").

[Anonymous]

If you were to chose one or the other this week, would you (re)read the book or (re) watch the series ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you were to chose one or the other this week, would you (re)read the book or (re) watch the series ?

I'm going book first then series.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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??

It was VERY CLEARLY the detective-- she clicked her lighter in the station when she expressed her suspicion to the other detective, then again when she was watching them at the funeral, and that was the last sound we heard as she was watching them at the beach.

It's a SPECTATOR according to the director during a recent interview. He said the series is over but the ending is left to the viewer's interpretation.

No, in the HBO "Inside the Episode" segment it was clearly stated to be the detective, with the implication that the story isn't over. Anyway, agree with PP the clicking lighter made this very clear.