Category: Big Little Lies

I really liked the “previously on.” It brought together so many of the key points we had discussed in our season 1 recap and a lot of the things from my notes that we just didn’t have enough time to discuss.

(First off, I’ve got to say that I am not a fan of Jane’s new hairstyle. I actually Googled to see if it was a wig. I didn’t want to go too far down a rabbit hole, mostly because I want to provide my own take here, but I did skim over most of one article. Apparently her bangs were the talk of Twitter, with many being of a similar mind to me. I can see why Jane would want to do something drastically different after the events of last season, but dying her hair black AND adding those dreadful “baby bangs” was a bit much for me. When her hair was in a ponytail it wasn’t as odd looking, but I really disliked the look on her when she wore it down. It was just very distracting for me to look at.)

Bonnie on the beach, remembering when they took the kids to play after Perry’s death. Renata on the beach, remembering the fight that led to Perry’s fall. Madeline in bed, remembering the passion she shared with Joseph, which quickly shifts to Perry and Jane in the bar the night of Jane’s rape, and current-time Jane looking out over the ocean, also remembering Ziggy’s anger. Celeste looking down at the ocean, remembering her police interview, then her and Perry at her ultrasound when she got pregnant with the twins, flashes of many memories, suddenly culminating with her mother-in-law, Mary-Louise waking her from the nightmare. As Celeste rushes to get the boys going for school, Mary-Louise asks her what the nightmare was about. Celeste tries to blow her off, but M-L persists, telling her, “You said ‘rape.’”

Jane and Ziggy getting ready for the first day of school, dancing around and having fun.

M-L takes Celeste, Max and Josh to the school. The boys are screaming and yelling at one another in the backseat. Celeste tries to get them to behave, but it just takes one harsh, “Quiet” from their grandmother to get them to settle. She gives them a mini-lecture on being “fine young men,” saying that their mother works hard for them, “that’s why the sun shines on her so.”

Madeline in the car with Ed and Chloe, discussing all the ins and outs of being a parent in this town and how they are all judged, especially the moms.

The women show up and all hug one another, other than Bonnie, who Celeste kisses on the temple, but Bonnie remains very reserved. The weird school assembly. We see more of Bonnie seeming like she’s not really “there.” After the assembly, Madeline approaches the principal, Warren, and introduces herself to the woman next to him, then states that it was a “beautiful service.” He responds “…I like to think of it more as an assembly. A *service* is for when someone dies, like at a school fundraiser.” OUCH! They’re interrupted by cupcake lady, who Madeline tells she’ll take one for each thigh and that she likes to just shove them down there. “Maybe you can give one to Warren, so he can shove it.”

Madeline approaches Nathan and Bonnie. Bonnie makes quick small talk, but walks away after one exchange, saying she needs to go find Skye. Madeline reminds Nathan about the meeting with the college counselor for Abigail and he quickly makes his exit. Renata talks to Amabella’s new teacher, telling him that A has an IQ of 152, genius level, so she expects special attention, and that she was bullied last year.

Madeline mentions to Celeste and Jane that there’s something not right with Bonnie, and drives like a crazy person with Celeste in the car. They stop for a seaside coffee, Madeline sees Mary-Louise, who shows herself to be an increasingly odd bird. She comments on Madeline’s short stature, saying that she finds “little people to be untrustworthy.” She carries on further, saying she wants to know what happened to her son. Madeline states, “He lost his balance and fell.” M-L says, “Yes that seems to be the company line.”

Ed runs into Tori (the wife of Joseph, the guy who had an affair with Madeline) at the grocery store and mentions that she’s had her breasts done, and that it pisses Joseph off. Celeste meets with her therapist, mentioning the nightmares and that perhaps they’re coming up due to the start of the school year. Celeste says that she turned into a monster in her dream. Therapist asks her if she sees herself as a monster. Celeste says it’s her fault Perry died, because if she hadn’t chosen to tell him that night, none of it would have happened. Her therapist says, “Even in death his message lives on… That you’re to blame, that you’re always to blame.”

Bonnie running, remembering. Shutting Nathan out. Jane at her apparent new job at the aquarium, talking to a group of kids about an octopus’s method of killing its mate after the act is finished. A kid astutely asks, “Why is it, the prettier something is, the more dangerous? Like with snakes and spiders.” Jane’s co-worker steps in with an answer. Nathan approaches Ed and asks him to talk to Bonnie for him, that he’s always been better at talking to women. Bizarre conversation. The conversation ends badly as is usual with these two.

Renata in the car, pulling up to her house. Madeline, showing a house, but on the phone with what seems like Celeste, talking about how oddly Bonnie is behaving and then saying, “I’m beating myself up for telling Jane that I liked her bangs.” Lol I’m not the only one, it seems. Lol Back to Renata at her power-mom photo shoot. Gordon on the stairs, questioning what’s going on before retreating to a train room and a LOT of whiskey. I found this, with Gordon, to be a little odd. Last season he also had a powerful job. They had sex in his office when she came there to tlak with him about Amabella’s bullying… But suddenly he’s this train-collecting whiskey-swigger???

Madeline, Nathan, and Abigail at the meeting with the college counselor. Weird when Nathan shuts her down, calling her “honey.” Once again, Abigail talks about how she doesn’t want to go to college. She said this last season and Madeline refused to accept it. Madeline claims this isn’t about her, but it really is, it’s about her having control. I don’t know why Madeline is acting like this is some kind of surprise. She shoves Nathan.

Celeste remembering having her face pushed into the couch cushion by Perry, then sex with him. Madeline shows up at her real estate office to find Mary-Louise sitting there with a coworker. SHe points out that Madeline is wearing heels. Madeline tells M-L that she doesn’t appreciate the way she had spoken to her at the cafe. M-L brings up a roommate that she had in college who betrayed her and that Madeline reminds M-L of that person. Madeline turn M-L back over to her coworker.

Jane dances on the beach with her headphones in. Her coworker from the aquarium shows up to surf and asks her if she’s on the Spectrum. He also points out that weird-dancing on the beach is probably not in her best interest with the way people talk in that town.

Meeting of the Monterey 5 minus Bonnie in Madeline’s car. Madeline shows up at Nathan and Bonnie’s, confronts Bonnie about not having shown up and asks her if she’s ok. Bonnie asks her if she even cares. Bonnie tells Madeline that she’s angry with herself for not having told the truth in the first place, that she lied because they all fell in line behind Madeline after she lied. Bonnie feels that had she told the truth in the first place, she would have gotten off with nothing anyway, but now she can’t say anything and she can’t even talk to her husband about it. Nathan interrupts and Madeline goes in to talk to Abigail. Again. About college. Sigh…. Keep beating that dead horse, Madeline. Ugh…

Jane and Celeste having wine together. Celeste asks Jane why she isn’t cashing the checks. Jane calls it “rape money.” Celeste points out that Ziggy is entitled to it as part of Perry’s estate. Jane asks why Celeste doesn’t hate her for having slept with her husband. Celeste has more memories as she arrives home. Dancing with Perry, Perry playing with the boys, etc. The boys ask about KFC as they start dinner, M-L gets a dig in about not being able to have fast food EVERY night and that they have banned some fast foods in places in San Francisco. She asks the boys if they remember visiting the Golden Gate Bridge, Josh says that it’s red, Max says something about dad saying he was going to swim to Alcatraz. Josh states that “sharks would’ve eat him, stupid.” Max says, “no they wouldn’t, idiot.” Josh sticks his fork in Max’s arm. Celeste tells them the behavior is unacceptable. Josh says that he misses his dad. M-L’s chat about them being angry and her being angry and that all these other dads are still out there living when her awesome son isn’t and that it isn’t fair. Then she gives her primal scream and scare the shit out of the boys. She seems very offended that Celeste doesn’t feel angry…

Jane remembering the footprints on the beach. Drawing a picture of Perry being smothered by octopus arms. Bonnie standing outside a police station. We finally get to see a clip of Madeline’s police interview with sound. Last season, some bits of the interviews were shown, but we heard none of what the Monterey 5 actually *said* to the police. We see the women in a police lineup with Perry the one who needs to identify his killer. Celeste wakes from her nightmare screaming “I’ll kill you!” At which point, M-L walks in the room to comfort her, then asks “Who are we planning to kill?”

So we’re seeing a lot of aftermath of the events of last season.

Bonnie is struggling to deal with the consequences not only of what she’s done, but having covered it up.

Madeline is still trying to gain control over everything in her life. She wants to have passion, so she’s throwing herself into her real estate work.

Jane has made huge changes, which she’s showing outwardly with that “hairstyle,” but also in her complete change of careers, from being a bookkeeper to working at the aquarium.

Renata seems to have largely carried on as before, though I think Gordon is having some sort of crisis. I think you’re right in that it seems as if Ed probably knows about Madeline’s affair.

Nathan is spiraling, as his wife has changed drastically and he has no idea why or what to do to try and fix it.

We don’t see much with any of the kids except Max and Josh, and they are having a rough time dealing with their dad’s death, understandably. Their violent behavior toward one another is probably going to lead to something later in the season, I would guess.

Mary-Louise is definitely an interesting addition to the cast of characters. She’s already stirring things up so much and causing issues for Celeste and Madeline. Looking forward to seeing what particular brand of crazy she’s bringing, as I don’t think she’s playing with a full deck. It seems very likely that she’s a large contributing factor to what made Perry the man he became. In the scene in the car when she yelled at the boys, it seemed similar to Kathy Bates’ character in the adaptation of Stephen King’s Misery.

I think she firmed that up for me with the screaming scene at the dinner table. I can’t tell if she was truly being honest with Madeline about her past and why she feels that way she feels about her, but I kind of hope that we get to see some flashbacks to when Perry was young and she was raising him and how he became the person he was. Also, I would love to know what you think about the change in directors this season. I’m clueless as to the technical details of filming but I always find your takes very interesting and I feel like I notice different things going forward as a result.

Big Little Lies is  based on the 2014 australian novel of the same name by Liane Moriarty.

It premiered on February 19, 2017, on HBO.

Created and written by David E. Kelley ( Picket Fences, Chicago Hope, The Practice, Ally McBeal, Boston Public, Boston Legal, )

the series’ seven-episode first season was directed by Jean-Marc Vallée (CRAZY, Young Victoria, Dallas Buyers Club)

All seven S2 episodes were written by Kelley and directed by Andrea Arnold ( Red Road(2006), Fish Tank (2009), and American Honey (2016))

Big Little lies tells the story of 5 women and their families in the affluent seaside enclave of monterey california.

Over the course of 7 episodes and about 2 weeks time we are introduced to the characters through a major plot point – renata’s daughter Annabella is being bullied at school and the teacher and annabella point to ziggy, the new kid at school as the culprit. Ziggys mom is jane, a young woman who just arrived in monterey and was befriended by madeline on the first day at school. We later find out ziggy is the product of a rape by an unknown man that Jane has never told anyone but madelien about.

Madline is a super driven stay at home mom who is having an affair with the director of the school play (avenue q) while dealing with her teenage daughter Chloe and her ex husband nathans and his beautiful young wife bonnie.

Over the course of the show Madlien and Renata battle over birthday parties and the content of the play while all along it was actually david the young son of celeste, madeleines closest friend who was the bully. It seems he has learned from his dad perry who abuses celeste. They have been trying to work though it with a therapist to no avail and celeste is about to flee perry when he finds out on the night of the big fundraiser.

Perry accosts cleste in front of madeline, jane and renata and jane realizes perry is her rapist. As they try to stop perry from kicking celeste, bonnie appears and pushes him down the steps.

The police do not buy their story and spy on the women as they are on the beach together.

Reese Witherspoon as Madeline Martha Mackenzie – Adam Scott as Ed Mackenzie, Madeline’s husband

Nicole Kidman as Celeste Wright – Alexander Skarsgård as Perry Wright, Celeste’s husband

Zoë Kravitz as Bonnie Carlson, Nathan’s wife – James Tupper as Nathan Carlson, Madeline’s ex-husband

Laura Dern as Renata Klein with Jeffrey Nordling as Gordon Klein, Renata’s husband

Shailene Woodley as Jane Chapman

Episode 1 Somebody’s Dead

Let me first say that I love the theme song. https://youtu.be/nOubjLM9Cbc

It’s been a while since I first watched these episodes. I had forgotten how it opens on a crime scene. The first main character shown is Madeline, Reese Witherspoon’s character. Her younger daughter is hilarious and so much like her that it’s uncanny. We get to see, right from the start, the different dynamic between Madeline and both her daughters. Her meeting with Jane (Shailene Woodley) is a little odd…

Then we’re back to the “present” and a press conference on the crime. Nicole Kidman (Celeste) and Alexander Skarsgård (Perry). Good onscreen chemistry. Back to the school, where Madeline is mildly sickening with her saccharine behavior, faking it with almost everyone she sees.

More murder talk.

Cafe with Madeline, Jane, & Celeste. Jane, “You’re so nice.” Madeline, “This is Monterey, we pound people with nice.” Celeste, “To death.” In retrospect… Very odd terms used there.

Flashes of footprints on the beach & Jane in a pretty blue dress as she runs.

Bonnie (Zoe Kravitz) and Nathan (James Tupper) talking after yoga class. This was interesting as well, in light of having watched the first season previously. They’re talking about picking their daughter Skye up from school, and I’m assuming the hostility from Madeline he sees coming. Bonnie says “none of us really see things as they are. We see things as *we* are.” I like that Bonnie goes straight to Madeline to discuss the petition in regards to her play.

The whole teacher group confrontation in regards to someone hurting Amabella is bizarre to me. That seems like a very inappropriate way to deal with what happened. It also starts things off very rough for Jane & Ziggy as he’s already just starting a new school. And Laura Dern’s character Renata is over the top. I get being protective, but she’s a bitch and then some.

(I have no belief in that Chloe, Madeline’s younger daughter, has the musical taste the show gives her, BTW. Though it would be cool if she did.)

Skarsgård (Perry) making a gun shape with his hand & fake firing it at the twins was a bit creepy.

Madeline trying to talk to her husband Ed about her frustration over her teen daughter’s relationship with her step mom Bonnie & backhand calling him a consolation prize… Ouch.

Jane’s phone convo with her mom and then subsequently with Ziggy. Sounds like she definitely needed to get away from her parents but is seeing how hard it can be doing it all alone.

Madeline confronting her daughter Abigail about going to college didn’t go over very well. Abigail had some good points but it seems like it’s all about control for Madeline.

Celeste & Perry talking about Amabella’s assault and how crazy he became over it was especially weird considering how Perry treats Celeste.

(I feel like we should discuss John W’s comment on FB, about how 15 minutes in he wasn’t sure he could continue, that they were all such horrible people.)

Episode 2 Serious Mothering

I must say again, the theme song plus all that beautiful scenery in the opening, while the credits play, is awesome.

This episode opens on Jane’s recurring nightmare, memories of what we eventually find out to be her sexual assault, then quickly shifts to Madeline. As she stands looking at the beautiful vista outside her door, Chloe comes out and startles her, asking what she looks at in the ocean. Madeline refers to it as the “big out there” powerful, vast, mystery, and the great unknown. Ziggy doesn’t want to go to school because of the whole episode with Amabella. Madeline has more issues due to her play. Perry and Celeste take the twins to school. Perry apologizes for his behavior with Celeste; conceding, then asking to go to counseling. Perry is super annoyed about not getting to meet the teacher, because he’s an out of touch asshole. Oops… Did I say that? Lol

Chloe introducing Skye to Ziggy, stating that they’re half-sisters (which of course they aren’t, but kids don’t always understand these things) because her mom used to be married to Site’s dad. Then Amabella walks up, saying hello to Chloe, but proving that she’s not afraid of Ziggy right off the bat. Madeline tries to convince Celeste to practice law again in yoga class… Then seeing that Nathan and Bonnie are in the class. Ugh! Lol

The whole Harry the hippo scene in class with the kids was odd. Ziggy & Chloe give one another looks like “this is so juvenile, we’re far above this” then Amabella asking if Harry *wants* hugs… That question seemed odd to me, but then the look that passed between A & Z was super weird.

Celeste & Perry. He’s such a piece of shit. Everything is all about him all the time. (Honestly, I’ve been in abusive relationships before, but I never had a guy who immediately apologized and then turned it to sex. Maybe my personality was too strong, I honestly don’t know. But I DO know that this is one seriously fucked up relationship.)

Renata and her power-mom phone call, as she has makeup applied professionally, and yells at the nanny.

Jane & Madeline picking the kids up with M yelling at the kid directing traffic. Ziggy didn’t get invited to Amabella’s party, of course. More flash-forward bits of the police interviews, talking about the invites. Dinner at Madeline’s, more talk about the invitations. Ed questions Madeline setting up playdates with Ziggy. Madeline argues with Abby, then winds up going out to look at the ocean. Ed follows her out and questions M about her ex husband and how it seems she’s not over Nathan, 15 years later.

Celeste and the twins, who seem to be scared at something on the TV. She asks them about Ziggy, they tell her no, they don’t think he hurt Amabella; that they think he’s nice and they want to have him over to play. Madeline calls and asks her to meet her for drinks.

Jane at the cafe. The guy is chatting her up, though she seems semi-oblivious. When he asks why they moved there, Ziggy pipes up with, “The schools are great. To build a better life for her son. That’s all you’ll get.” Ziggy smiles and waves at a cute little blonde girl (that wasn’t Amabella, was it? I wasn’t sure, but didn’t care enough to rewind and check it again.), who waves back. 😊

Flash forward to press conference about “trivia night.”

Madeline & Celeste chatting and drinking. Madeline tries to excuse her behavior with her husband Ed, while Celeste asks a few probing questions. Celeste asks her if she perhaps had more passion with Nathan and recommends counseling, Madeline just blows her off and says she and Ed are just fighting, then asks Celeste if she and Perry fight. Celeste admits that they do sometimes, but that they usually wind up having sex after they fight and that she thinks maybe Perry likes to fight because it leads to sex and she worries that maybe she sometimes likes it too. Madeline points out that it sounds kinda twisted, but maybe a little “great.”

They’re interrupted by Renata, who brings up a local VA hospital closing and how she has “dedicated a lot of (her) life to them, specifically PTSD” so she’s holding a fundraiser and invites Celeste & Perry, then as an afterthought, Madeline & Ed. (I hadn’t remembered this little bit, but watching it through a 2nd time really made me notice it. Celeste and Jane both have reason to suffer PTSD of a sort by this point in the story and by the end, ALL of the women do!) Then M confronts R about A’s birthday party and calls R a cunt as she walks away.

Madeline & Ed fight about Chloe not being able to go to Amabella’s party, and she points out that it’s her resentment of Nathan for not having been around when Abigail was little that lingers, not a “passion.”

Celeste returns from her evening with Madeline, having flashes of memory of her last fight with Perry, to find roses from him and both twins still awake and wanting to sleep with her… And Harry the hippo missing a leg.

Madeline confronts Abigail about having birth control pills. Of course when she finds out that Bonnie took her to Planned Parenthood, she confronts her immediately. Jane tells her she could never talk to her mom about that stuff. Celeste tells her to let it go. Madeline says she likes her grudges, Jane admits that she’s the same way. Celeste says, “never forgive, never forget.” (Yuck! Personally I’m all about letting things go. It might take me some time to let it go, but I feel no need to hold onto things (grudges) forever. All it does is make you bitter and unhappy and what kind of life can you lead if you’re bitter all the time? Granted, abusive situations need to be changed, but I’ve still found that letting things go is key to moving on in life. Anyway, I digress…) The cafe guy gives Jane a referral. He’s so sweet. 😊

Nathan ambushes Ed to discuss Madeline’s talk with Bonnie. Ed tries to explain Madeline’s position to Nathan, but he’s definitely not hearing any of it and excuses all of his past behaviors. Ed brings up having been bullied in the past, pointing out that he’s through with being bullied.

Madeline meets with they guy who’s in charge of the play she’s been working on. At the end, she sees his tickets to “Frozen.” Then we see more flash forward police interviews, where a woman talks about Madeline inviting all the kids in Chloe’s class to Disney on Ice, which is the same day & time as Amabella’s party. The woman told Renata, who thanked her, but then when she keeps talking, Renata turns around and SCREAMS at her, “I said thank YOUUUUUUUU.”

Cut to Jane screaming at the ocean on her run, then dancing, and cuts to Ziggy & Amabella in class, smiling at one another. Jane gets a phone call from the school. Renata, Jane, Madeline, Nathan, & Bonnie are called to the school because apparently Chloe & Skye were involved in an attempt to make things right between Ziggy & Amabella.

Perry calling Celeste to get him off over video chat was just another example of his controlling behavior. When she stops as soon as she sees the bruises in the mirror, it’s almost to be expected, though him not demanding she continue anyway was mildly surprising.

Renata’s husband telling her that the easiest route would be to just put Amabella in a different school and that legal action isn’t the answer was refreshing. It seems we have a person with common sense here. While I understand that you shouldn’t have to take your kid out of their school as a result of something like this, Renata has completely jumped the gun and gone over to the cuckoo for cocoa puffs side on this issue. She seems immune to seeing reason. I’m glad she has her husband to try and keep her grounded.

Jane & Ziggy at bedtime, as he tells her that he overheard a mom saying that he’s a little monster. 😥 Jane strangely (at this point in the show) loudly affirming to Ziggy that “there’s NOTHING wrong with you” is almost a little TOO much. Then stabbing the random knife into the counter…

Madeline & Abigail, as she wants to have the sex talk… And Abby walks away, stating that “this is awkward now.” Ed & Madeline discussing Ed & Nathan’s chat. Ed tells her that it basically came down to Nathan having Bonnie’s back and him (Ed) having hers. Abby walking down & seeing Ed & her mom embracing on the patio.. She seemed sad.

Celeste & Perry have another sexual video chat to end the episode.

Episode 3 Living the Dream

Jane is remembering the scene from the past again, when she’s interrupted by ZIggy reminding her that it’s dinner time.

Renata & Amabella, as the time for her party approaches and A finds out that many of the kids won’t be there. R making a big deal about it to her husband. Then R’s comment, “I want to kill her.”

Perry & Celeste, on their deck, talking about the next day’s party vs Disney on Ice. Perry tripping about not being invited to the ice show. Celeste, as Perry chokes her “You’re hurting me.” Perry, “Oh I’m hurting you? Can we talk about how much you hurt me?” (Discussion point here if you want. This dude is a complete narcissist. Everything that happens, he turns back to being only about himself. Makes me ill…) Celeste tells him to take his hand off her, she flinches as he does something with his hand away. Then telling him she will leave him, but in a super weak tone of voice. As he turns and looks at her, she strengthens and tells him, “You touch me like that again, I will FUCKING leave you!” I felt proud of her in that moment, even though she still looked scared shitless.

Police press conference in present day, saying something about many injuries and many broken bones.

Madeline & Ed working with Chloe on a family tree. Madeline gets a call from Renata, apologizing for the issue with Ziggy and trying to get things worked out for Amabella’s party. Literally going overboard, offering to take all the kids for a weekend at Disneyland. Then Renata threatens M, saying, “You’re dead in this town. So is your fucking puppet show.” I don’t remember all the death stuff being so blatant on my first watch, do you? Lol

Dreams by Fleetwood Mac on the trip to Disney on Ice. Cuts to police interviews in the present, then to Amabella’s party. R is pissed at her husband for getting high. The police interviews show the women were jealous of Bonnie while she was dancing and that the men enjoyed it.

Ed & Abby, where she asks him what happened between him and her dad, Nathan. Also about how her mom has been acting lately.

Ziggy asks Jane if she has Harry (the hippo) as they get home and she loses it a bit. “Why does this fucking shit keep happening to me?!”

Abby gets called to the office at school.

Madeline arrives at play practice to argue with the director about the issues the play is having with being able to open.

Madeline gets called to Abby’s school. M doesn’t want to hear anything Abby or the teacher/principal says. She seems shocked that Abby wants to go live with her dad and Bonnie. Ed tries to console Madeline. Celeste in the shower. Perry shows up and brings her a diamond necklace. Renata and her husband at his office, talking about moving Amabella to a different school.

Celeste and Perry at counseling. Celeste tries to use to most PC terms possible in referring to their fights, then denies the physical aspect. Perry only admits to the sex after the fights. After quite a bit of time, he admits to the physical abuse, and Celeste admits she lashes out in turn.

Meeting at the school, where Madeline is approached by Nathan about Abby’s decision. Nathan also brings up Ed’s “threat” toward him. Bonnie affirms to Madeline that she will never try to replace her. Jane at ZIggy’s T-ball game, gets a call from Madeline. Ziggy hits a home run. Madeline & Abby, as she packs her things. Chloe expressing her confusion over whether Abby will ever be back.

Jane & Ziggy, after the game. Ziggy reminds her he needs to do his family tree and Jane tries to blow it off, until she realizes that it actually *is* due. She asks Madeline for help, but things get bad when Ziggy continues to insist that he needs his dad’s name. Jane’s recurring memory of herself in the blue dress, running on the beach shows again. Then she tells her story to Madeline.

Jane having a PTSD-moment where she thought someone was breaking in when nothing was happening at all. Police interviews, talking about each of the women in derogatory terms.

Perry & Celeste. She tells him she’s hopeful for the first time in a long time. They dance to Neil Young. Madeline goes home to Abby’s empty room.

Jane takes her pistol out of the locked drawer and puts it under her pillow. Flash back to her memory/nightmare and she’s walking into the ocean.

Episode 4 Push Comes to Shove

Madeline meets Nathan to talk about Abby. She’s already on the defense, mostly because she is still super upset about Abby going to live with Nathan. He’s just as angry and bitter as Madeline is.

Celeste and Madeline talk on the phone, mostly about the work C is doing for M in regards to getting the play to be able to open at the community theater. Perry acts like the genuine douchebag that he is, complaining about her practicing law, how they should have had a conversation about it. The goes to, “Do you want me to hit you, Celeste?” C, “Here we go again.” P, “Sometimes I wonder.”

Ed surprises Madeline with his Elvis plan for Trivia Night. Madeline complains about Bonnie, winds up saying, “…If she so much as… I’m going to go for her fucking throat.” All this before Chloe shows up in the room with song suggestions for her dad.

Jane in the blue dress/Jane in running clothes/Jane in bed/Jane almost running right off a cliff/Jane in bed, suddenly startled by Ziggy. She takes him back to bed. He asks what happened between her and his dad.

Celeste and Perry. I’m glad she called him on his behavior, told him that she’s just trying to help a friend and that she doesn’t like him trying to control her. Then turning it into “I wanna have another baby.” Manipulating her into having sex.

Jane and Madeline’s convo at the cafe. It seems Jane is making some slight headway with her PTSD. Though she *does* say, “I’d kill him if I could.” (Man, all these women have said something about killing someone, haven’t they? All except Bonnie…)

Bonnie and Ed at her workout class. Ed telling Bonnie that Madeline was abandoned by her dad and brothers, then Nathan, and now by Abigail, was kinda not cool. I mean, he shouldn’t be talking about things like that from his wife’s past with her ex’s current wife. Bonnie seems to take it in stride though, telling him “We all have baggage, Ed.” He points out to her that the two of them need to be the ones to make sure to keep things civil at the upcoming dinner and then advises her to not give Madeline advice.

The kids’ classroom. Ziggy and Amabella seemed to be looking at each other, A wasn’t singing, and the teacher singles her out when the other kids go outside. A tells her that she and Ziggy are friends and that he’s nice. The teacher asks if someone is still hurting her.

Madeline tells Celeste that she found Ziggy’s father. They go into the meeting with the mayor. Madeline is tense, Renata acts like a flighty, bitchy uptight matron. Celeste keeps it together and wins in the end. In the car, Celeste loses it a little, but realizes that she really wants to go back to having her law career, in spite of everything.

That teacher is a piece of work. Amabella TOLD her that she’s friends with ZIggy and that he’s nice, but she just assumes that she’s right and the only culprit could be Ziggy. Makes me angry the conclusions people jump to. Yes, Amabella is clearly displaying signs that she’s still having an issue, but don’t just assume you know who it is. Ugh…..

Madeline’s telling of what happened with the play producer. :::eye roll:::

Jane and Ziggy at the zoo/aquarium with “Go Ask Alice” playing. (Love that song. This show has a really great soundtrack. Lol) Then the drive, then the beach with pizza… All to tell him that he needs to see a psychologist.

Bonnie and Nathan. I really don’t like Nathan. He seems like a total ass. Bitching about Madeline and Ed, bitching at Abigail as she leaves, saying they should move…  Bonnie, I *do* like. She’s a little granola for me, but she’s sensible and logical.

Madeline and Ed. She calls him on going to see Bonnie. He tells her he just wants the dinner to go well. She gets defensive.

Celeste looking at the ocean, in bed with Perry, on the deck in the morning. Perry asks her why she’s dressed as she is. She tells him she has another meeting with the attorney for the city. He bitches, chokes her, then one of the boys walks in.

Ziggy’s psychologist meets with Jane. She tells Jane that she does not believe that he has ever bullied or that he’s lying. Madeline and the play guy meet up in a parking lot. We find out they had an affair about a year ago. Madeline wants no more of it, he does. Celeste at counseling, trying to figure out how she can tell Perry that she wants to go back to work. Madeline and Celeste showing Jane the guy she they believe assaulted her. Jane shooting at targets, running, singing, crying.

Episode 5 Once Bitten

The way the first scene opens, on Madeline’s nightmare of Renata attacking her on the cliff with the puppets and pushing her off, led me to believe (the first time through) that maybe *this* was the murder that everyone’s been talking about… Until Madeline woke up.

Jane sees Nathan at the shooting range, while she was doing target practice. Madeline mentions that she used to fight with him about guns, that he was obsessed with them. So then we have to wonder if *Nathan* is the culprit. Then one of the police interviewees walks into the cafe and says hi to M & J and M says, “Yeah, I should get a gun. There’s more than one person I’d like to shoot in this town.” Why do the people in this town/show all talk about killing people so frequently???? I don’t feel like that’s normal and I have to wonder if the author was so heavy-handed in the book(s?) or if this is just a show thing.

Renata discovers a bite mark on Amabella’s shoulder. Madeline finds out that the play can proceed “only for now,” like the song the puppets are singing. Renata yells at Amabella for not speaking up for herself. A’s dad, Gordon, tries to appeal to her in a different way. Celeste and Perry. Of course he came home to try and “catch” her doing something wrong.

Madeline tries to spice things up with Ed, but they get busted by Chloe. Then M sees something Abigail posted on her FB page and calls Nathan to find out what the secret project is. Madeline tells Ed the plan for her, Celeste, and Jane to go check out the guy they think assaulted Jane. Ed tries to be the voice of reason, but M doesn’t listen.

While on her run, Jane gets a call from the school. She screams in frustration, throwing her phone, then continues her run, where M & C catch up with her. They get to the cafe, where Jane vents some more frustration over the school assuming that ZIggy bit Amabella. M tells the ladies that Ed is insisting on going to San Luis Obispo with them. Then they’re interrupted by the guy from the play (still have no clue what his name is) wanting to talk to M. JOSEPH! That’s his name. Lol (I only know this because Madeline said it in the scene right after I typed that.) He takes M out for a drive to talk to her about running off together. He doesn’t want to take no for an answer, isn’t paying attention and a truck plows into his car. Lots of uncomfortable situations at the hospital.

Family dinner with Celeste, Perry, and the twins. The boys won’t mind her at all, they listen to him, but then he sabotages dinner and takes off playing with them, undermining her authority even more, and even encourages them to gang up on her.

Ed questions why Madeline was with Joseph when the accident occurred. She makes an excuse. Her girls are both worried about her. Jane has a memory of a dead animal, then gets freaked out by Ziggy’s heavy breathing as he sleeps.

Perry bitches about the boys’ toys all over the house. Says he doesn’t want to live in a pig sty. C tells him to clean it up himself, but immediately regrets it as he begins picking up.  

Confrontation in the principal’s office between Renata and Jane. Jane and Madeline talking about it afterward. Madeline talking to Joseph in the hospital. That was awkward. Very risky bringing all those things up out loud when anyone could walk in at any time.

Celeste in the counselor’s office, remembering the morning. “We made love this morning before he left,” as she remembers him beating her on the couch then roughly taking her from behind, then *she* winds up consoling *him* after. When things get too hard for Celeste to keep talking about, she tries to use lawyer-speak to get out of the conversation, saying it’s unethical to be talking about the abuse since Perry isn’t there. Madeline, remembering the accident. Jane calls and gives an excuse to get M to pick Ziggy up as she drives to San Luis Obispo. More talk with the counselor. C lies to her, saying she’s never been afraid she would die. She doesn’t think that the fighting has any impact on the boys, swears that they never see anything but a happy home and family. The doctor tells her to come up with a plan for next time.

Jane loads her gun and exits her car. She meets the designer, goes into his office, thinks it’s the guy… Everything is confirming it for her. She gets super close. She runs out of the office, driving like a maniac, screaming. Flash to the kids all being picked up, Celeste driving somewhere with the boys, Madeline taking Chloe and Ziggy to her place, Celeste showing up at the airport… to pick up Perry. And police lights come up behind Jane as she’s driving.

Episode 6 Burning Love

The kids are having a great time at Madeline & Ed’s. Jane gets a ticket. Madeline feels guilty for looking to find the man who assaulted Jane. Jane lies about having taken the gun with her. Perry tells Celeste, “You’re going to kill me. I have to go to Phoenix…” Celeste mentions that It’s Madeline’s opening night. He tries to get Celeste to go with him to Phoenix, says that Madeline is pissing him off.

Nathan bitching to Bonnie that he doesn’t want to have the dinner with Madeline and Ed. Nathan asks Abigail what she’s been up to. She doesn’t tell him yet, other than it won’t be secret for much longer. She thanks him for having the dinner with her mom, tells him she’s happy he’s trying to make things work.

Celeste tells Madeline on the phone that her life isn’t perfect, that bad things have happened to her. The teacher calls Jane in, once again, about a petition going around to have Ziggy suspended. Jane confronts Renata about the petition. Jane shoves her, then when Renata came at her, Jane pushed back, “injuring” Renata’s eye.

Madeline & Jane talk at the cafe. M tells her that what she did was fine and that many others would love to hit Renata and that she won’t let them run Jane out of town. Jane admits that she had the gun with her when she went to confront the man.

Celeste in counseling. She talks about how loving Perry has been lately, how he’s always like that for a while after they’ve had a bad incident. The doctor tells her to get things set up for herself and the boys, an apartment, food, furniture, utilities, etc. Have everything ready for when she’s ready to leave. She tells her that she needs to let a friend know, so that when she does leave, she has someone who knows about what has happened to her. For legal purposes, for the divorce and custody issues that will come.

Jane shows up at Renata’s house to apologize. She’s definitely taken the high road. Celeste and the boys, one of which spoils the tooth fairy for the other. Then Perry shows up unexpectedly. Ed gives Madeline roses. Jane has an unexpected quick sex talk with ZIggy after he asks her about the puppets having sex, which Chloe told him about. Celeste is trying to finish getting ready to go to the play, when Perry won’t leave her alone. She tells him he’s being ridiculous, he pulls her hair, she grabs something and hits him with it in his dick. He definitely deserved it.

Switch to the play scene, where Joseph’s wife shoots Madeline evil looks and Madeline recalls having sex with him. Madeline looks sad as the show ends. Bonnie graciously tells Madeline how great the play was. Joseph’s wife confronts Madeline asking if she was the one he’d had an affair with a year ago.

Madeline and Ed chat in the car, Celeste calls and breaks the news about Perry. M and E talk about their lack of passion. Bonnie and Nathan… Bonnie tells Nathan what Abigail’s secret project is, that she’s auctioning off her virginity. M & E try to talk more about what their issues are. M tries to admit that she had an affair, but E stops her before she can say it. Nathan goes ballistic on Abigail. Bonnie tries to be a mediator, keeps getting between the two as they shout at each other, until Skye shows up in the doorway and screams and everything stops.  

Perry tells Celeste that she’s lucky he didn’t kill her. Jane explains sex/where babies come from to Ziggy in a very adult way. Z asks where his dad is. Celeste starts looking for rentals online while the boys eat cereal. Nathan eats cereal and tries to talk to Abigail before she leaves for school. She’s hostile and walks out. Chloe and Ziggy play. Renata asks Jane for a play date. Jane puts that Harper bitch in her place. Celeste checks out an apartment.

Madeline is very over-the-top at the dinner. It would appear to me that she’s drunk. When Madeline brings up Abigail’s project, it’s a wrap. We all know the path this is headed down. The shock in addition to the apparent drunk level M is at…. Yuck! And then I swear she PURPOSELY puked on Bonnie. Lol

Celeste just leaving Perry with the boys while she “went to dinner with Jane” was AWESOME.

I can’t believe, still in this second time watching, that Madeline told Abigail that she cheated on Ed.

Episode 7 You Get What You Need

Celeste on the floor in the bathroom, gasping for air.Perry runs to catch the twin who’s coming in. Funny how he calls himself “the monster.” He definitely is that. Celeste cowers in fear as he comes back.

Joseph’s wife stalking Madeline is a bit weird. And Ed definitely noticed it. Madeline confronting Joseph didn’t go over well.

Celeste at the counselor’s. C tells her that she got an apartment, that she just needs to get through the school event that night and she can leave. The doc tries to tell her to just leave, but she’s not listening and storms out.

Ziggy tries to get out of going to school. Jane knows he’s not sick and tries to get him to tell her what’s wrong. She finds out that Ziggy knows who’s hurting Amabella. He’s promised Amabella that he won’t tell, so Jane comes up with the idea to point at which child it is. He points at one of the twins. Jane tells Madeline what’s going on and she encourages her to let Celeste know. Gordon, Renata’s husband, comes into the cafe and threatens Jane. The cafe owner, Tom, throws Gordon out. Jane & Madeline thank him. Tom asks Jane out.

Nathan tries to talk about Abigail’s “cry for help” with Madeline. She shuts him down and tells him she’s glad he’s taking parenting seriously. He also tells her than Bonnie is going to sing at Trivia Night.

Celeste works on prepping her apartment, as she remembers the last beating she took from Perry. Jane calls and asks her to meet. She tells Celeste that it was Max who’s been abusing Amabella and that Ziggy has been keeping her secret. Jane tells her that it’s human nature, that kids bully, that they grow out of it. Celeste responds, “Sometimes they don’t.” She goes home to talk with Max about what’s happened.

Madeline talks with Abigail about her issues with Joseph and Ed. Abigail says that she has given up on her project. Renata tells Gordon that she wishes he hadn’t confronted Jane and Madeline. He tries to get her to just not go to the event. Perry is his most complete douchebag self while Celeste is in the shower. Ziggy tells Jane that she looks really pretty. Tom comes to pick her up.

Party arrivals. Very tense with Joseph and his wife Tori meeting with Ed & Madeline, Madeline seeing Nathan and Bonnie arriving. Celeste talks with Max before they leave. Perry hands her her phone saying she has a message from Tracy, the property manager, something about smoke alarms and access on Monday morning. Celeste initially tries to play it off, but looks very afraid when he finishes.

Madeline and Tori keep staring at one another. Ed asks M about it, she says nothing. M looks like she’s trying very hard to get drunk very quickly. Tense ride with Perry and Celeste. Perry speeds up and keeps driving as they pass the event venue. Celeste tells Perry about the issue with Max. (Nicole’s accent slips quite a few times in this episode, especially in these moments with Perry in the car, but kudos to her for a mostly very good American accent throughout the season.)

Bonnie’s number starts. Madeline is annoyed by Ed mentioning it. Jane and Tom arrive. Ed is called up as the next performer. Perry makes more excuses in the car. Celeste tells him why she can’t stay. When some people tap on the window, she is able to escape.

Ed does well with his performance. Madeline has a strange look while he’s singing, and she keeps looking over at Tori and Joseph. Bonnie comes over to Madeline to compliment Ed and M runs off. Jane follows. M tells J that she cheated on Ed.

Celeste arrives and can’t find her friends. Ed finishes his number to accolades. Perry comes stomping in. Celeste tells Renata that it was Max hurting Amabella. Perry comes up and interrupts her, asking what she told Renata.

Ed looks for Madeline, asks Nathan if he’s seen her. He tells Ed that Bonnie said she stepped away and that he should go “tend to her,” that she drank too much, no offense. Ed took offense. Ed spills his drink on Bonnie. Nathan gets called up to perform. Bonnie sees Celeste and Perry fighting.

Renata comes upon Jane and Madeline, apologizing for her behavior, as a result of Celeste telling her about Max. Tom & Gordon raise glasses to one another across the way. Celeste arrives at the group of women as Madeline apologizes to Renata. Bonnie heads toward the women, following Perry. Jane realizes in that moment that Perry is the man who raped her. She imagines shooting him. Madeline and Celeste seem to realize that from the look on Jane’s face. Flash forward to police lights and a disheveled Celeste. Dead Perry. Madeline talking to the police. Renata talking to the police. Jane talking to the police. Bonnie talking to the police. No sound on any of these. Celeste talking to the police. Sound turns on here, then back off.

Chloe on the piano, looking at her mom. Funeral. Kids all playing on the beach with the moms.

Death scene. Perry rushes, throws Madeline down, beats Celeste, hits Renata. Bonnie rushes at him and shoves him to his death.