# Big Little Lies (2017)

> A seaside California community's picture-perfect mothers are pulled into a murder investigation that exposes the violence hidden in their own homes.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/58469

## Facts

- Seasons: 2
- Episodes: 14
- Episode runtime: 52 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: drama, mystery
- Created by: David E. Kelley
- Network: HBO
- Cast: Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Shailene Woodley, Laura Dern, Alexander Skarsgård, Adam Scott, James Tupper, Zoë Kravitz
- TMDB rating: 8.4/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3920596/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: strong
- Complexity: layered
- Violence: moderate
- Tone: tense, melancholic, darkly satirical

## What critics say

Critics broadly praise the series as a gripping, emotionally grounded mystery carried by Kate Winslet's performance and its sense of place, though some find the central whodunit predictable.

## Synopsis

This prestige drama follows a group of mothers in the affluent, sun-washed coastal town of Monterey, California, whose children's school community is shaken by a death at a school fundraiser. Adapted from a bestselling novel, the series moves between the present-day police investigation and flash-forward interviews that hint at who was lost and who is responsible, keeping viewers guessing through a web of rivalries, secrets, and misdirection. Beneath the glossy surfaces of country clubs, playground politics, and luxury homes lies a sharper story about domestic abuse, the silence that surrounds it, and the cost of pretending everything is fine. The tone is tense and emotionally raw, with moments of biting satire about status and motherhood giving way to real grief and fear. Its ensemble cast carries the weight of the story, and the friendships among the women are tested and tangled as the truth emerges. Across its seasons the show balances suspense with empathy, asking how far loyalty should stretch when someone you love is hurting others. The result is a glossy, unsettling drama that rewards close attention and leaves a lingering sense of uneasy catharsis about the price of keeping up appearances and the courage it takes to break a pattern of harm.

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