Shows You Should Be Watching Now #3: ‘Big Little Lies’

TopFive_BigLittleLies
HBO

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Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley, Laura Dern, Zoë Kravitz, Meryl Streep

What it’s about: In the posh seaside enclave of Monterey, California, nothing is as perfect as it appears on Big Little Lies. Ever since Celeste’s (Kidman) abusive husband, Perry (Alexander Skarsgård), tumbled to his death last season, the core quintet of moms have been bound together by their cover-up of the crime. Now that a few months have passed, we’ll see how the uneasy accomplices cope with the pressure of their shared secret.

“It’s hanging out there,” executive producer Bruna Papandrea says. “We’ll be exploring the corrosiveness of lies and what happens when they take hold in a community.”

Naturally, the presence of Perry’s grieving mother, Mary Louise (Streep), will further ratchet up the pressure. What could go wrong? Absolutely everything.

(Jennifer Clasen/HBO)

Why you should watch: If the blinding star-wattage of the cast isn’t enough, the real estate should be. Simply hitting “mute” on the TV and letting yourself be awash in the spectacular aesthetics would be a worthwhile experience. But you’d be missing out, because while this drama is undoubtedly eye candy, it’s also a psychological feast.

Big Little Lies, Sundays, 9/8c, HBO