Big Little Lies Tell Tale Hearts

      

This episode of Big Little Lies is all about secrets coming into the open. From Madeline's infidelity to Perry's abuse of Celeste (and his rape of Jane), it's all starting to come out. I like that they're not waiting and dragging this out- I mean, there's enough going on that they don't need to. Mary Louise also hears the awful truth about her son this week, and I was kind of gritting my teeth a little as she denied that he could do such things. Although, to be honest, I think she knows what he was capable of. As horrified as she was to hear these things, she seemed to always hone in on Celeste, and what Celeste did wrong. Not going to the police, planning to leave him, believing Jane's story- everything Celeste did right is now being used by her mother-in-law to indict her. It's such a microcosm of what's going on in our society as well- how the victim gets blamed in a situation like this, even by other women! 

The other thing happening is that Chloe, having overheard her mom talk about Ziggy's parentage on the phone, has gone ahead and told Celeste's boys (and Ziggy) about it- so that secret is out in the open as well. I felt for what Jane must have been going through as she struggled with how much to tell. And I'll say again, as I did last season, I really like how Jane and Celeste stick together- a lesser show might use their history for cheap drama, but here when they get the kids together they have that moment when they just are for each other. 

Renata gets some room to shine as well, with Gordon being arrested for securities fraud. She is not happy to learn that he essentially bet the farm, and tells him in no uncertain terms that she will not not be rich! And her meltdown on the highway when he gets out on bail was priceless. Laura Dern is killing it without being too over the top. I felt bad for Madeline this week as well, especially the way Ed found out about her fling. Not that I'm condoning what she did, but... for him to find out like that. Ouch. And Bonnie's mom is a trip. Her intervention, instigated as it was by Bonnie's husband, is not welcome, to say the least. 

The really alarming thing for me though is Mary Louise going to the police. Nothing good is going to come of that, I fear. Watching the wheels turn in her mind, as she put things together in her conversation with Celeste- about the timing of events at Trivia Night, that Celeste was preparing to leave Perry, that she found out about his assault of Jane literally right before he died- is she going ti suspect Celeste?  

Random Thoughts 

Celeste on Ambien driving a car! Yikes. I like how she and Madeline lied to Mary Louise about it, though Don't need that drama! And we got one of the better scenes between Madeline and Mary Louise out of it. When Mary Louise asks her what kind of emergency they had, Madeline replies

"The kind short people have"

Which is of course a callback to ML's calling Madeline short last week. 

Not to be outdone, Mary Louise has this zinger when Madeline incredulously asks ML if she's calling her a bully. 

"On your awesome days, I suspect you are a godsend. But on your bad days decidedly less so."