Big Little Lies fans, rejoice! We’ve made it to the home stretch! The season two premiere is right around the corner, on June 9th. We hope that you’ve had a successful re-watch of the award-winning HBO drama and are up to speed on all things Madeline, Celeste, Jane, and the rest of the Monterey, California community. The team here at Atlanta Divorce Law Group is also eagerly anticipating the return of Big Little Lies. To help viewers understand some of the family law issues and themes presented in season one, we’ve created a weekly blog to accompany your re-watch. (Click here to read our previous recaps of episodes one through six).
For those who have not watched season one yet, please know there are major spoilers ahead! Also, because Big Little Lies addresses some adult themes that include violence and sexuality, the content of these blogs are for mature readers.
Big Little Lies Season One – Episode Seven “You Get What You Need”
PLOT: The episode begins at Celeste’s home as their children and the audience hear through the air vents horrific sounds of Celeste and Perry fighting. At the therapist’s office, Celeste says that she is going to leave Perry after tonight’s fundraising gala. The therapist’s comment about prioritizing a party over her safety sends Celeste out of the office. Celeste spends the morning setting up her new apartment while thinking about her latest fight with Perry.
Meanwhile, as Madeline is getting Chloe ready for school, she sees Joseph’s wife drive by the house. Madeline confronts Joseph at the theater; the two argue and Madeline leaves the building. Later, Madeline and Jane meet for coffee. Jane’s son Ziggy has admitted something startling – that one of Celeste’s twins is the real child to blame for bullying Amabella. Their discussion is interrupted by Gordon Klein (Renata’s husband, Amabella’s father) who threatens Jane with a restraining order. After leaving the coffee shop, Jane meets up with Celeste and talks to her about Ziggy’s confession about Max (Celeste’s son). Celeste returns home to talk to Max and confirm the news; Celeste hugs her sons and tells them that it is going to be alright.
Later in the day, all of the characters are getting ready for the big fundraising event. While Renata and Gordon are getting into costume, they talk about the pressures of being perfect – perfect parents, a perfect couple, and perfect business leaders. Madeline talks to Abigail (her oldest daughter) about her Amnesty International/virginity project and about Madeline’s affair. The coffee shop owner picks Jane up for the fundraiser, which is also their first date. At Celeste’s house, Celeste is getting ready and ignoring Perry’s attempts at foreplay. Perry happens to see a message on Celeste’s phone from the apartment manager – this triggers an argument that continues from their house, into the car, and at the fundraising event. Perry insists that things will get better and that they can fix the problems in their marriage, but Celeste is done with the argument and gets out of the car.
The fundraising event is all red carpet, Elvis and Audrey Hepburn costumes, karaoke, and alcohol. Joseph’s wife continues to glare at Madeline, while Ed (Madeline’s husband) is trying to figure out what is going on while deflecting verbal jabs from Nathan (Madeline’s ex-husband). The parents take their turns on stage singing Elvis and Audrey cover songs. Madeline, overwhelmed by the situation (and by the alcohol), runs away from the party, followed by Jane. Celeste finds Renata to tell her that Max is Amabella’s bully, and not Ziggy. Celeste makes a quick call to her nanny about relocating the kids to the new apartment before Perry finds her in the crowd to re-ignite their argument. Bonnie sees the couple arguing.
What happens next is a blur of action and the long-awaited reveal about the Monterey murder victim. Renata leaves the party area to talk to Madeline and Jane; she wants to apologize for the bullying mix-up. Celeste leaves the party to find Madeline, and Perry follows her. Bonnie follows Perry. Perry sees Madeline, Jane, Renata and Celeste – and tries to get Celeste to leave with him. At that moment, Jane realizes that Perry is her rapist, and the women share a silent and knowing exchange. Perry then rushes the group of women – the episode cuts to the police lights from the first episode. The detectives are examining Perry’s body; he is lying at the bottom of the stairs with a metal construction rod through his neck. Madeline, Renata, Jane, Bonnie and Celeste are being interviewed at the police station (there is only music, no dialogue) and the lead detective says that she doesn’t believe the women’s story that Perry tripped.
We next see the women at Perry’s funeral, followed by the women and their children playing on the beach. These scenes are intercut with their fight with Perry. Perry beats all of the women until Bonnie rushes in and pushes him down the steps, killing him. Then, back at the beach, the women look wistfully at their children playing while the audience hears the Rolling Stones’ song You Can’t Always Get What You Want: “You can’t always get what you want, but then you find sometimes – you just might find – you get what you need.” The episode pans out from the beach scene, and we see the lead detective watching the group. These women now share the biggest little lie of them all.
FAMILY LAW THEMES: The season one finale of Big Little Lies presents the audience with several themes related to family law. Some of these are issues that run through many of the episodes, such as custody, domestic violence, infidelity, marriage and family therapy, as well as separation and divorce. You can read our in-depth discussion of these themes by revisiting our earlier recaps.
The title of this series is Big Little Lies, and as the first season unfolds, the audience learns that each of the characters is holding onto their own lies – all for different reasons. Madeline is dealing with issues of custody and infidelity. Celeste is seeking counseling for her abusive husband and is considering separation. Jane is dealing with the trauma of rape, all while raising her son – who was fathered by her attacker. Characters Bonnie and Renata are also trying to handle life as stepmothers, bread-winners, and members of the Monterey, California community. The more these ladies try to hide these lies, the worse their situations become.
At Atlanta Divorce Law Group, we believe that family law is about helping individuals and families manage the emotional struggles of facing an uncertain future. Our legal team is sensitive and empathetic to these big changes that are occurring in our clients’ lives. For many couples, their “happily ever after” may not have been meant to be – at least not together – but divorce does not have to mean the end of your story.
When a family unit is threatened by a legal issue, Atlanta Divorce Law Group has the expertise to step in and help minimize the blow on the family’s well-being. We take a holistic approach in how we help a family get through this transition and are involved with all aspects of the family’s life as they deal with this challenging time. By protecting and securing a better future for our clients, we believe we can help our clients deal with their own big little lies and turn their personal challenges into positive changes.
OTHER OBSERVATIONS:
- Jane: “Kids. They bully. It’s human nature. They grow out of it.” Celeste: “Sometimes they don’t.” Wow, it sounds like Celeste has finally started to acknowledge the domestic abuse as well as share her big little lie with the other ladies.
- As Ed sings The Wonder of You to Madeline you realize that he communicates through music just like his daughter Chloe.
- When the therapist tells Celeste “It’s one thing, should he kill you… but God forbid you miss a party” the audience is reminded about the lengths these women go to keep up appearances and social calendars. In other words, to maintain the big little lies. The Monterey community is like another major character and begs the question whether this television series would have worked as well in another type of socioeconomic environment.
Thank you to everyone who followed along as we discussed the first season of Big Little Lies! We are so excited about the season two premiere. In the meantime, if you or someone you know needs help with your family law case, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at (678) 929-5719 or via our website.
