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After what many years-long fans considered to be an abomination in Game Of Thrones season 8 (I personally didn’t think it was that bad), HBO finds themselves on the precipice of a new era of dragonless broadcasting. Their other hit series Westworld will not return until 2020, and many are hopeful but cautiously skeptical as to which direction that series is headed after a complicated season 2. Curb Your Enthusiasm and Silicon Valley are likely to end after their next seasons, so I’m hoping that there are new productions that captivate audiences like so many of their series have for years. Another series of HBO’s that is likely to end after the current season wraps is Big Little Lies. Based on Liane Moriarty’s novel of the same title, Big Little Lies is a captivating story about abuse, family, and as you could guess from the title, keeping secrets from those close to you. I haven’t read the book yet, but from what I’ve read about it, the events in the novel conclude the same way they did in season 1 of the television adaptation. The show, however, is continuing into its second season and is being written in part by Moriarty to extend the original story. I was initially disappointed and extremely skeptical about there being a season 2 of this show just because of how well I felt season 1 ended, but now that the first two episodes have aired, I am completely relieved and excited to see which direction the show goes.

The performances this season are phenomenal so far and we are only two episodes in. My season 1 MVP, Nicole Kidman, is being rivaled by the legendary Meryl Streep who is new to the Big Little Lies universe, and so far is a force to be reckoned with. It’s apparent how seriously the actors involved here are taking their roles when listening to them discuss the process in interviews, such as when Kidman detailed how traumatic and humiliating filming some of the season 1 scenes were for her. Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern, and Zoe Kravitz are demonstrating their skills and ranges with these dynamic characters, and the rest of the cast seems fully committed to getting an authentic story to the screen by any means necessary. The soundtrack and editing for this series are superb as well, just as they were in season 1, and the hour that the show takes every week seems to fly by. Every time a new episode comes on, I feel fully immersed by the weight of the dynamics and circumstances in Monterey yet again.

If you haven’t heard of or given Big Little Lies a chance yet, I highly recommend it. I enjoy television shows with strong dialogue, a realistic and compelling story, and production that brings it all together. This series isn’t lacking in any of those departments. Now that I’ve gushed about my interest in this series, I’m going to go sit in a corner and wait until tonight’s new episode.