All this talk about Game of Thrones final season could make someone think this is HBO’s only series. It’s not, not by a long shot. HBO streaming offers many great original series, including one that’s set to return on June 9. I’m talking about Big Little Lies season two. That’s right, the “Monterrey 5” are back for a second season, which is something many though was impossible. Well, the folks at HBO made the impossible possible. And just when you might have thought that it couldn’t get any better, the show’s creators give us acting goddess Meryl Streep. Before we take another step, let’s watch the Big Little Lies season two trailer:
If you’re a fan the first season like I am, how can you not get excited after seeing that?
Big Little Lies Season 2: the Big Debate
There are more than a few reasons why many people are surprised to hear that this show is back for another season. The first of which is that there was no source material for a second season. To put it more plainly, the first season was based off the novel by Liane Moriarty. Everything that happened in the first seven episodes is covered in the book. No second novel was written so most people assumed Big Little Lies was a limited series.
There’s another good reason to believe that Big Little Lies was a limited series: HBO billed it that way. The channel never planned on a second season, which is why things more or less ended the way they did in episode seven, “You Get What You Need.” The show won the 2017 Emmy for Outstanding Limited Series, and a Golden Globe for Best Miniseries. So, if this show started life as a limited series, how is it that we get a second season?
Fans Loved Big Little Lies
Yup. It’s as simple as that. Viewers loved this original series about the intersecting secrets and lies of five women in Monterrey, California. The decision makers at HBO probably saw the numbers and decided to bring it back. It didn’t hurt that the shows stars and co-creators Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman were excited about reprising their roles. This probably came as a surprise to HBO, since stars such as Kidman and Witherspoon are often booked with projects years in advance. Well, they were available and the series is coming back. Aren’t you so excited?
Big Little Lies Season 2: What to Expect
As you already know, Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman are returning for the second season. So are the other three leading ladies: Shailene Woodley, Zoë Kravitz, and Laura Dern. The women’s husbands – Adam Scott, James Tupper, Jeffrey Nordling, and Iain Armitage – are returning too. There are some new names and faces coming to the show as well:
- Crystal R. Fox
- Martin Donovan
- Mo McRae
- Douglas Smith
- Poorna Jagannathan
- Denis O’Hare
A new director is coming aboard for the second season. That’s Andrea Arnold, best known for her work on TV show Transparent, as well as the films Fish Tank, American Honey and Wuthering Heights (2011). And of course, the biggest addition to the season two cast…
… The One and Only Meryl Streep!
This amazing and talented actress joins the cast as the mother of Perry Wright (Alexander Skarsgård). Streep’s character arrives in Monterrey looking for answers to the death of her son, who was killed in the last episode of the first season. In an interview with Reese Witherspoon, Streep’s involvement comes about as a result of her reading the season two script. When Streep emailed Witherspoon to say she would do the part, Witherspoon and Kidman instantly transformed into starstruck fan girls. Now that’s a powerful testament to Streep’s on-screen legacy.
More HBO Streaming to Enjoy…
… It’s more than just Big Little Lies. HBO and HBO Go are a great source for a variety of entertaining original series. Sure, Game of Thrones is one of them, but that series ends in about seven or eight weeks. I’m talking about shows such as Barry and Veep. Each of these series is unique in its own way but what they have in common is a amazing sense of humor. They also feature talented casts. For example, Barry has Bill Hader, Stephen Root, and the great Henry Winkler. (“Heyyyyy, Cunningham!”) Veep boasts Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Anna Chlumsky, and Gary Cole. (You might remember him as monotone Bill Lumbergh in Office Space.)
HBO and AT&T a Perfect Match
Maybe I’m a little prejudiced, but I’m a huge HBO fan. I was excited when the company (and its parent, TimeWarner) were bought by AT&T. Over at Solid Signal, we’re AT&T Preferred Dealers, so it felt like was rooting for the home team, so to speak. I’ve watched HBO when they were known as “Home Box Office” and played movies that already ran in the theater. No one was happier than me when HBO got into the original series business. (The Sopranos, Carnivale, and Deadwood are classics!) I’m glad to see the entertainment company has stayed the course with its highly-rated original programming.
If you’re looking for the best entertainment, we suggest adding HBO to your satellite or streaming plan. If you’re a Solid Signal customer, give us a call at 888-233-7563. Are you reading this over the weekend? Just fill out the form below and one of our knowledgeable reps will contact you in one business day or less.
