In the second season, after the first day of school, things change and Madeleine is concerned about Bonnie's behavior, which is still increasing day after day. On the other hand, Madeleine tries to get over it because of the shock I felt when Abigail said she did not want to go to college at that time. Meanwhile, Mary Louise is once again trying to make a firm assessment of Madeleine's character, while Jane discovers through her new colleague, Corrie, that there is something new about her celebrity.
Sporting vaguely rodential teeth, Streep is effortlessly dominating as Mary Louise, the dead man's grieving, slyly aggressive mother, who doubts the official version of her son's death and refuses to believe he was a sexual thug.
Those who love this series are likely to love these new hours just as well. As for we few who weren't entirely swept up, one can't quite say there isn't enough of a story to merit a new season of this drama.
If you're looking for a rigorous, credible storyline, maybe Big Little Lies isn't for you. If, however, you are interested in watching six of the greatest actresses alive swing for the fences, get ready for a very enjoyable seven episodes.
The show appears to be exchanging an all-consuming, incendiary mystery for a tale that's less mercurial but no less hearty, and it's still an absolute pleasure to watch.
The characters' inner emotional lives still drive the story, abiding by another old show biz rule, that if the characters are true to themselves, then the story will be true to them.
It's harder now to ignore, watching the early episodes of Season Two, that Big Little Lies is offering up some of the best psychological storytelling on television.