A Review Of Big Little Lies and Where to Watch

Just when you thought it was all over, Big Little Lies comes back for more intrigue, suspicion, in-fighting, and bake sales. The stellar 2017 HBO miniseries, based on Liane Moriarty’s bestselling novel, returns with a second season on June 9, and the series has just raised the stakes. 

How to watch Big Little Lies Online without cable 

Big Little Lies is produced by HBO, and available through HBO NOW, HBO GO, On Demand, and affiliated streaming platforms. 

While HBO GO is the mobile access point for streaming HBO with a cable login, HBO NOW allows fans to subscribe to HBO without a cable service. HBO NOW is available for $14.99 a month after a 7-day free trial. Both options have apps and websites that allow viewing via laptop, phone, or TV, as well as through devices such as Roku, Google Fire, and Apple TV.

It is also easy to get HBO as an add-on channel to many major streaming services, including Amazon Prime and Hulu, starting at $14.99 a month, plus regular service rates. 

Other ways to watch Big Little Lies include purchasing the series by episode or season subscription, from $2.99 – $3.99 an episode or $19.99 – $24.99 a season, via Amazon Prime, Google Play, Vudu, YouTube, and iTunes.

Review of Big Little Lies

The original Big Little Lies miniseries (now season 1?) focused on the unraveling of a group of upper-class moms in the quiet pampered seaside town of Monterey, California. Over the course of the first seven episodes, the story moves forward and back through time, slowly revealing the weeks leading up to the big school fundraiser that will end in a shocking and mysterious death. Was it an accident? Murder? Who died? 

Big Little Lies stars Nicole Kidman as Celeste Wright and Reese Witherspoon as Madeline Mackenzie, best friends and fellow moms who take newcomer Jane Chapman (Shailene Woodley) under their wings, along with her sweet if somewhat odd young son. Joining the trio are Laura Dern as Renata Klein, Madeline’s arch nemesis at the school, and Zoë Kravitz as Bonnie Carlson, Madeline’s ex-husband’s younger second wife. 

As Jane struggles to fit into this perfect pampered community, she tries to keep the ghosts of her past at bay. But it soon becomes clear that everyone in this town is fighting demons of their own, and some of them are very, very dangerous. 

Season one also costars Alexander Skarsgård, Jeffrey Nordling, Adam Scott, and James Tupper in supporting roles as the women’s husbands. In addition to the star-studded adult cast, the series featured an impressive line up of young actors as the children in the middle of all the drama, including a heart-wrenching performance by Ian Armitage (Young Sheldon) as Jane’s son Ziggy.

Big Little Lies Season 1 Trailer

The darkly comedic drama, created and written by David E. Kelley (Ally McBeal, Chicago Hope), was a critical hit and garnered multiple awards for both cast and creative team. Among the accolades were 8 Emmy Awards, including acting awards for Kidman, Skarsgård, and Dern, all three of whom also won Gold Globe Awards. 

Slight spoiler warning: it is hard to dive into the plot for season 2 without some references to the events of the first season—although we’ll try not to give away too much. Most of the original cast returns for the new season, including Kidman, Witherspoon, Woodley, Kravitz, and Dern, As the five women band together in the wake of what happened that night, questions are being asked, and in the days and months that follow, everyone is talking about it. The little lies and rumors that have spread through the community threaten to backfire. Husbands, wives, teachers, students, friends… can anyone be trusted? 

Added to the mix? Meryl Streep brings her powerhouse to the scene as the mother of the deceased, complete with prying eyes and too many questions.

Big Little Lies season 2 is gearing up to be another home run for HBO—and has fans’ curiosity piqued. With the original miniseries ending where the book did, where the show goes now is anyone’s guess. Watch on June 9 to find out. 

Season 2 trailer (spoilers for season 1)