Just saw Laura Dern on The Late Show. She's so annoying! More so in person than on BLL. Bleh.

I actually thought that 6 yo Chloe was pretty bratty. I'd have a hard time dealing with such a sassy kniw it all.

Reese's character certainly struggled with her teen daughter (though more thoroughly dealt with in the book I think).

IDK. Those kids had lots of problems inluding being a bully, innocent and being accused of bullying (and excluded based on those false accusations), victim of bullying, witnessing parental abuse, child of rape yet wanting to know your father etc etc.

Anonymous wrote:^^ agree. And the story was written around the stories of 4 women (plus Bonnie) and their life and struggles with other women and the men in their lives, and for Madeline, her teen daughter. How much more struggle can you add in? I didn't miss seeing 6yr olds misbehaving and bullying.

I'm not saying that I wanted to see the kids being bratty. I guess I just felt like it was presenting this dichotomy, where the marriages, friendships and professional lives were complicated and imperfect, but motherhood was this beautiful uplifting experience that made it all worthwhile. I feel like that's the stereotype that makes women feel like they just have to have kids or their lives aren't complete, and then feel crappy about themselves when it doesn't make it all worthwhile when they have kids. I just felt like the rest of the series was pretty realistic (assuming you're a super wealthy, super beautlful person), but the motherhood stuff felt like a hackneyed soap commercial with the adorable kids saying adorable things and the slow motion hugs. Sure the little kid hugs and kisses are adorable, but some days I feel more like (to borrow another HBO series) Samwell at the Citadel -- dump out poop, slop down dinner, rinse the plates, start it all again until the monotony is broken by scraping grey-scale (or lice or whatever) off someone.

I agree with the last few PPs. I saw nothing unusual at all about the late-40's ages of the mothers. This is par for the course in wealthy, highly educated areas.

^^ agree. And the story was written around the stories of 4 women (plus Bonnie) and their life and struggles with other women and the men in their lives, and for Madeline, her teen daughter. How much more struggle can you add in? I didn't miss seeing 6yr olds misbehaving and bullying.

Anonymous wrote:Just binge watched it. I did like it and the acting and dialogue was very good (although I always think nicole Kidman seems kind of stoned in her "serious" roles). But after all I heard about this portraying "real women" I was a little disappointed on a couple of fronts.

Mainly I felt like it bought into this idea of motherhood being this transformative thing that is a source of such joy and satisfaction. There were so many shots of adorable 6 year old kissing their mommies goodbye or running joyfully and in slow motion into their arms at the end of the day. Where were the 6 year olds screaming at their moms that they weren't going to school today because they made the wrong muffins or their shoe laces were too short or something dUmb like that? Maybe if you live on the beach and your kids go to a sweet school with only about 10 kids in the 1st grade class, your 6 year olds are never tired and cranky? there was the one scene in the car where Madeline and Celeste talk about how they needed something more than just motherhood in their lives, which was a nice scene, but I still thought the whole thing played into the idyllic notion of motherhood with the beautiful sweet children.

don't you have these kinds of nice moments with your kids though? I'm not going to pretend that we never have hard moments but over all, the good vastly, vastly outweighs the bad.

Anyway, I think the women were both struggling with their spouses so much (in different ways) that their kids were kind of an escape or outlet for them. You're not going to want to cuddle the man who you're cheating on or who beats you so you will cuddle your kids.

Well since we're getting technical about it. Nicole Kidman was probably closer to 47 when she optioned the book and co-produced the series with Reese Witherspoon. So, I'll give her a pass for casting herself in an Emmy-worthy role (both were nominated) and turning 50 last month. Also, as in the book, Celeste is older than Perry (who himself has an established, successful career), and she previously had an established, successful career, which she gave up to be a wife/mother, after having fertility issues. Its certainly 100% realistic that Celeste conceived the twins at 42 (and the series take place when she's 48).

Aside from all that, what a ridiculous fuss.

Another aside, at 50, Kidman had a 6 yr old in real life.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Binge watching the series since HBO is free this weekend, and I'm really struggling with two 50 year olds (Kidman and Dern) playing mothers of 6 year olds.

Reese is far more believable as a mom in this series.

? Kidman is a mother of a 6yr old IRL. And her character is written as older than her DH. I think it makes total sense given the massive wealth and careers of Celeste and Renata as well.

The 5 lead moms showed a great range of mom ages -- just like I'm real life! I hope you don't struggle in your kid's classroom when you realize the age diffence among the moms.

This is so true!

I have a 6yo, and in her class last year, I made good friends with moms who were nearly 50, 41, 30s, late-20s. I'm 34 myself. We all meshed.

There's a difference between nearly 50 and actually 50. Kidman and Dern are actually 50. Why did they make the kids 6? Why not 9?

49 is really that different than 50 to you? Okaaay.

I think once we are over about 25, you truly don't notice a difference in 5 year increments.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Binge watching the series since HBO is free this weekend, and I'm really struggling with two 50 year olds (Kidman and Dern) playing mothers of 6 year olds.

Reese is far more believable as a mom in this series.

? Kidman is a mother of a 6yr old IRL. And her character is written as older than her DH. I think it makes total sense given the massive wealth and careers of Celeste and Renata as well.

The 5 lead moms showed a great range of mom ages -- just like I'm real life! I hope you don't struggle in your kid's classroom when you realize the age diffence among the moms.

This is so true!

I have a 6yo, and in her class last year, I made good friends with moms who were nearly 50, 41, 30s, late-20s. I'm 34 myself. We all meshed.

There's a difference between nearly 50 and actually 50. Kidman and Dern are actually 50. Why did they make the kids 6? Why not 9?

I think it's weird that you're so hung up on how old the actresses are. I'm 44 and have a 6 year old. I am quite sure that I look older than Nicole Kidman. My stomach certainly looks older than Nicole Kidman's (I think mine looks about 90, but that's a different story...). The actresses did not look young, but, really, for uber-rich, highly-educated professionals, mid or late 40s with a 6 or 7 year is very realistic. My SIL just had a baby and she's 45. And she's not even as rich or high-powered as the couples in this story are supposed to be. (I guess...I don't really track how much my BIL makes.)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Binge watching the series since HBO is free this weekend, and I'm really struggling with two 50 year olds (Kidman and Dern) playing mothers of 6 year olds.

Reese is far more believable as a mom in this series.

? Kidman is a mother of a 6yr old IRL. And her character is written as older than her DH. I think it makes total sense given the massive wealth and careers of Celeste and Renata as well.

The 5 lead moms showed a great range of mom ages -- just like I'm real life! I hope you don't struggle in your kid's classroom when you realize the age diffence among the moms.

This is so true!

I have a 6yo, and in her class last year, I made good friends with moms who were nearly 50, 41, 30s, late-20s. I'm 34 myself. We all meshed.

There's a difference between nearly 50 and actually 50. Kidman and Dern are actually 50. Why did they make the kids 6? Why not 9?

Just binge watched it. I did like it and the acting and dialogue was very good (although I always think nicole Kidman seems kind of stoned in her "serious" roles). But after all I heard about this portraying "real women" I was a little disappointed on a couple of fronts.

Mainly I felt like it bought into this idea of motherhood being this transformative thing that is a source of such joy and satisfaction. There were so many shots of adorable 6 year old kissing their mommies goodbye or running joyfully and in slow motion into their arms at the end of the day. Where were the 6 year olds screaming at their moms that they weren't going to school today because they made the wrong muffins or their shoe laces were too short or something dUmb like that? Maybe if you live on the beach and your kids go to a sweet school with only about 10 kids in the 1st grade class, your 6 year olds are never tired and cranky? there was the one scene in the car where Madeline and Celeste talk about how they needed something more than just motherhood in their lives, which was a nice scene, but I still thought the whole thing played into the idyllic notion of motherhood with the beautiful sweet children.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Binge watching the series since HBO is free this weekend, and I'm really struggling with two 50 year olds (Kidman and Dern) playing mothers of 6 year olds.

Reese is far more believable as a mom in this series.

? Kidman is a mother of a 6yr old IRL. And her character is written as older than her DH. I think it makes total sense given the massive wealth and careers of Celeste and Renata as well.

The 5 lead moms showed a great range of mom ages -- just like I'm real life! I hope you don't struggle in your kid's classroom when you realize the age diffence among the moms.

This is so true!

I have a 6yo, and in her class last year, I made good friends with moms who were nearly 50, 41, 30s, late-20s. I'm 34 myself. We all meshed.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Binge watching the series since HBO is free this weekend, and I'm really struggling with two 50 year olds (Kidman and Dern) playing mothers of 6 year olds.

Reese is far more believable as a mom in this series.

? Kidman is a mother of a 6yr old IRL. And her character is written as older than her DH. I think it makes total sense given the massive wealth and careers of Celeste and Renata as well.

The 5 lead moms showed a great range of mom ages -- just like I'm real life! I hope you don't struggle in your kid's classroom when you realize the age diffence among the moms.