Big Little Lies is a drama television series based on Liane Moriarty's novel. Created and written by David E. Kelley, it stars famous actresses Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman and Shailene Woodley as the main characters, Madeline, Celeste and Jane. We can also see the extraordinary Meryl Streep (The Post) as Mary Louise Wright in the second season.
The story follows the three women living in the town of Monterey, California, whose lives connect in unexpected ways.
With supposedly perfect homes, everything changes after their children get involved in a bullying and assault case from within the school, revealing each family's dark secrets.
Madeline is a woman resentful because her daughter wants to live with her father and his new wife, while Celeste is physically abused by her wealthy banker husband, Perry (Alexander Skarsgård).
Meanwhile, Jane has been abused and left to raise her son Ziggy, who is accused of bullying Amabella, his future classmate, during orientation.
Big Little Lies is a darkly comic tale of murder and mystery, which mirrors a supposedly perfect society, yet everyone has a side life of well-hidden secrets.
If you're looking for more shows like Big Little Lies, check out our list of eight equally good alternatives we've put together for you.
Catch the drama of The Morning Show on Apple TV or check out Safe, the hit suspense thriller from Harlen Coben.
Don't miss our list, where you will find excellent quality series that promise hours of entertainment. Please leave us any more suggestions in the comments below.
OUR LIST OF SHOWS LIKE BIG LITTLE LIES
The Morning Show
The Morning Show is America's number 1 but when co-host Mitch Kessler is accused and fired for sexual misconduct, the whole production is thrown into chaos and the fallout is far more reaching than anybody expected. Superb drama that is worth its wei...[Read More]
Physical
Rose Byrne takes the lead in Physical, an Apple TV+ original, about a housewife in the 80s who discovers aerobics as a way to escape the frustration and drudgery in her life. Brilliant dark comedy drama.
Nine Perfect Strangers
Nine people arrive at a remote health resort in the hopes of transforming their lives. But all is not what it seems at Tranquillum House and soon our Nine Perfect Strangers are wondering if they will ever get out. Drama starring Nicole Kidman and Mel...[Read More]
Safe
When Tom Delaney's daughter goes missing he quickly realises that their gated community is anything but safe in this fast paced, suspense thriller from Harlen Coben. Along the lines of Broadchurch but better.
Under The Banner Of Heaven
Under The Banner Of Heaven is the true story of the investigation into the murder of Brenda Lafferty in 1984 and the fundamentalist Lafferty family that she married into. A superb drama available on Disney+
Pieces Of Her
Pieces of Her follows Andy Oliver whose life is forever changed when she witnesses a mass shooting. But when her mother Laura saves the day and the footage goes viral, she must escape as her past comes back to haunt her. Starring Toni Collette.
Unbelievable
An astonishingly true story about two detectives that discover they are chasing a serial rapist who leaves no trace of his crimes. Unbelievable is just that. Unbelievable. It is an outstanding limited series that should win a tonne of awards.
Good Morning Veronica
Good Morning Veronica is an intense, dark, and brilliant Brazilian crime show that follows police officer Veronica Torres as she finds herself embroiled in trying to solve two unrelated crimes.
How Many Seasons Does Big Little Lies Have?
Big Little Lies started filming in January 2016 and was released on February 19, 2017. The second season's production began in March 2018 and premiered on June 9, 2019.
With only two seasons, the series has a total of 14 episodes. The last episode ended in July 2019, with a natural finale to the story, without any official announcement of a sequel for the time being.
How Many Awards Did The Show Win?
Big Little Lies has received high critical acclaim, particularly for its writing, directing, acting, cinematography and soundtrack.
It was nominated for 16 categories of the Primetime Emmy Awards, winning eight, including Outstanding Limited Series.
Jean-Marc Vallée received the award for best director in a limited series. At the same time, Nicole Kidman, Alexander Skarsgård, and Laura Dern won the best actress in a miniseries and the best supporting actor and actress in a limited series, respectively.
The trio also won Golden Globe Awards and an award for Best Miniseries or Best Television Movie for the series. Kidman and Skarsgård also won Screen Actors Guild Awards for their performances.
Is Big Little Lies A Real Story?
As we mentioned, Big Little Lies is a drama series based on the book by Liane Moriarty. Although much of the plot comes from the writer's imagination, some storylines are based on true stories.
An example is the domestic violence drama, performed by Alexander Skarsgård as the abusive husband, who received an Emmy for his role.
Portrayed in an authentic and traumatic way, Moriarty explained that the character was based on a real person. “It came from a really horrible ex-boyfriend,” she said.
Nicole Kidman played the victim, the wife Celeste, stating, “It affected me more than anything I've ever done”, considering the realistic nature of the performance.
Are you're looking for a show like Big Little Lies that is based on real life? Try Under The Banner of Heaven, available to stream on Disney+ (UK) and Hulu+ (US).
Where Was Big Little Lies Filmed?
Big Little Lies became a worldwide success, not only for its storyline and performances but also for how it was produced and filmed.
Jean-Marc Vallée directed the first season, which was filmed with an Arri Alexa digital camera, preferring natural light and a handheld shooting technique so that the actors could move freely around the set.
Most scenes were shot on the Monterey Peninsula, Big Sur, Pacific Grove and Carmel Highlands. Although the neighbourhood in the series is fictional, the city of Monterey is real, and quite visited by tourists, with several attractions and is now a little more famous with Big Little Lies.
