Big Little Lies Season 2 is coming to a television screen near you this summer, as fans of the first season are well aware. That was not always supposed to be the case, though. Initially set to be a standalone miniseries – or the currently popularized "limited series" distinction – Big Little Lies was supposed to be one and done.
As those who could not get enough of Season 1 know, the limited status did not remain the case. Big Little Lies is on the verge of returning for the previously unplanned Season 2. What made Nicole Kidman reconsider and decide to do a second season? At a recent panel (via BuzzFeed News), Kidman explained the thought process, saying:
I had a lot of people say to me, ‘No no no, that’s it. You did only one. It was fantastic as one season.’ And a friend of mine, a male, said, ‘Those women deserve their stories to be told beyond what was just that first season.’ I was so touched by that and I went, 'Yeah, that’s what we’ve actually got to fight for now.' We don’t have to just be shut down and told, ‘No, that was good and you did well and off you go.’ Now you actually get to go and explore them on a deeper level and see the consequences and see their lives unfold in a much deeper way, and that’s what was so exciting for me.
The opportunity to explore things after what happened at the end of Season 1 proved creatively intriguing to Nicole Kidman, considering the Big Little Lies novel also limits its character aftermath. That a male friend championed Season 2 also influenced Kidman to get back into Celeste Wright's mindset.
When Big Little Lies’ first season began, it was all about the lead-up to finding out who was dead and how that death came to be. By comparison, Season 2 has a much broader playing field. As Nicole Kidman points out, there is a chance to find out what happens next for the "Monterey Five," and viewers probably shouldn't hope for anything too nice and neatly explained.
Spoilers for Big Little Lies Season 1 are discussed below the image.
In Season 2, Nicole Kidman’s Celeste will be dealing with the repercussions of Season 1 in a significant way. Her abusive husband Perry was revealed to be dead after Zoë Kravitz’s Bonnie pushed him down a flight of stairs in an effort to save Celeste.
Perry may be gone, but he is far from forgotten. His mother, played by the legendary Meryl Streep, will be coming to Monterey to for a presumably uncomfortable visit with her daughter-in-law and twin grandsons. As the trailer showed, she is suspicious of Celeste after learning some details were left out of her story about what happened before his death.
As Nicole Kidman indicated, there is a lot of drama for Season 2 to sift through. The decision for the series to come back for a third season has yet to get officially made. Last year, Kidman sounded pretty open to the idea, acknowledging it would be challenging to get the whole cast together again before saying she would “love to do it.”
Big Little Lies’ first season was a massive hit with critics and viewers alike. If Season 2 follows in its footsteps, a third installment will likely be a topic of conversation. HBO should want it to continue for as long as possible.
As a fan, there is only one reason I can think of to fight against a show continuing beyond its original expiration date. That is if the plot does not allow for it. Otherwise, if it is popular with fans, and critics don't think the quality has slid, why not try for more?
Big Little Lies’ real test is arguably ahead. A series’ first season has the benefit of limited expectations, and the novel's popularity definitely helped. Season 2 is where are all the pressure tends to live as those involved hope to avoid the “sophomore slump.”
Find out if the drama can do it! Big Little Lies Season 2 will premiere Sunday, June 9 at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.
