Binge watching vs. weekly watching Big Little Lies
Big Little Lies first premiered in February 2017 on HBO. I didn’t jump on the bandwagon until January 2019. Then, I binge watched all seven episodes over the course of a weekend. Being late to the game meant that I didn’t need to wait nearly as long as other fans for season 2 to premiere. But six months was a long enough wait to find out what transpired after season 1.
There’s definitely a difference between binge watching a show and following along week to week one episode at a time. Even with a recap added at the beginning of each episode of Big Little Lies, you tend to forget little details. And the recaps at the beginning of each episode show moments from multiple episodes, not just the previous episode.
But its focus doesn’t just pick up where the last episode left off either. Side plots disappear and pop back up throughout the season to keep viewers watching. It connects the events in interesting and unexpected ways. Here are my thoughts on Big Little Lies Season 2.
Should there have been a season 2?
From the beginning, season 2 has been regarded as a kind of bonus season. The final episode of season 1 pretty much ends where the book ends. This makes a second season unnecessary in terms of completing the original story line. But the emergence of a follow up novella by author Liane Moriarty provided a compelling argument for second season.
The original cast was on board as well. Add in heavy-hitter Meryl Streep, and season 2 could not only provide fans with additional content but also tie up the loose ends that remained at the end of the first season.
This series has been good about changing course and ending up miles away from its expected destination. It doesn’t try to be like anything else on TV. It also isn’t devoted to the events in the book. The actors too bring so much personality to the characters in their performances, making each one well-rounded, interesting, and unique. This may be for better or worse.
Season 1 taught audiences to just go along for the ride and absorb every detail so that the final moments pay off once they are revealed. Not every story line is resolved. Had there been no season 2, it would have remained that way. I’m glad there was a season 2. While it didn’t hit every mark or finish up neatly, it was satisfying enough to have made it worth the watch.
A mixed response
I’ve seen a lot of mixed reviews about season 2. Maybe it’s because HBO is still on a short leash after the backlash from the final season of Game of Thrones. But Big Little Lies is not Game of Thrones. It has never catered to its audience, laying everything out on the table at its own pace and unapologetically refusing to rearrange anything to please its guests. That approach tends to polarize viewers in any genre, and fan response is usually predicated on how they take to that approach.
Check out my review of Big Little Lies Season 2 on HubPages, and let me know what you thought of the show. Is fan service crucial for you to enjoy a show, or does it not matter as long as as you are entertained?
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My wife and I were torn about this season – you are correct that it wasn’t needed, but these are great characters and I’m glad I got to follow them further on their journeys, although I may not be a huge fan of where they all headed…
They definitely didn’t take the straightforward route in terms of continuing the story. Everything was hit or miss, but when you have so many A-list actors and a compelling premise, you’re willing to stay with it longer than the average show. Thanks for the comment!
I did not watch previous season but feel compelled to binge-watch to catch up. I love streaming options.
It is a nice option, especially with seasons as short as this show where you can catch up in no time.
I’ve been thinking about watching this. I’ll have to make time to start from season. Sometimes jumping in without knowing this history can be a bad deal for me as a viewer. Thanks for the context.
Definitely in this case. The big reveal in season 1 will be ruined if you start with season 2.
I was actually really disappointed with the end. I feel like some main characters were left short in the development and it ended on a cliffhanger. Every episode was fantastic, I was hooked and then it ended. If there was going to a season three I’d say fair enough but I also read that that’s the end and I just feel like that wasn’t an end. It’s funny you should mention GOT because even though I know they are different, (though I like them for the same reasons, characters and the settings/aesthetic) the first thing I thought when Big Little Lies finished was, well that’s the last HBO series I will watch.
Hopefully the fan response is an eye opener for HBO to start taking the audience into consideration. It’s one thing to push the envelope, but it has to work in telling a complete story and to stick the landing.
I never got into this show. I’ll have to do some binge watching 🙂