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Posted by: J▲hq 25th January 2017, 03:29 PM

Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley, Laura Dern, Adam Scott, Alexander Skarsgård, Zoë Kravitz - what a fab cast! And directed by Jean-Marc Vallée ("Dallas Buyers Club", "Wild")

Seven episode miniseries starting on HBO on February 19th, based on a novel from 2014. Will definitely be giving this a shot with all those names involved.

Posted by: PaulM1983 15th March 2017, 06:35 PM

I'm 4 episodes in and this is incredible. The best roles many of this amazing cast have played in a very long time.

Reese, Nicole and Laura are the standouts and Alexander is incredibly frightening. The child actors are absolutely superb too. The whole thing's really amazing.

Posted by: Tinasha 16th March 2017, 06:18 PM

This is indeed incredible. I can't wait for the next one.

Posted by: Mart!n 16th March 2017, 07:17 PM

The first episode really didn't do anything for me, but I'm going to stick with it for the time been, from what I gather by the opening episode, someone gets clogged off, hence the police involvement.

Posted by: jase. 16th March 2017, 10:49 PM

It's SO good I read the book a couple of years back so unfortunately I know everything which is coming

Posted by: Tinasha 23rd March 2017, 03:57 PM

Trying so hard not to look it up. It feels like there's a lot to tie up in the last 2 episodes. Who the rapist is, who dies, who kills them, who's biting Laura Dern's daughter, and then the whole investigation segment.

I feel like the show wants you to think it's all Skarsgaurd who's the killer but that's too obvious? I think it might be Reese's?

Posted by: Kye 24th March 2017, 02:01 AM

I read the book too so I know what's coming but I'm loving seeing it come to life onscreen. Reese just gives me life, I'm in awe.

I think it will be the last episode that we find out the answer to the majority of your questions Joe, that's if they follow the routing of the books (which they have thus far).

Knowing who dies and who kills them, I kinda thought they would have padded out Bonnie a little more just to make her more relevant to the story for the viewer.

Posted by: jase. 25th March 2017, 01:09 AM

This is the closest thing we've ever got to Desperate Housewives. It's such a shame that it's not going to be continuing

Posted by: PaulM1983 25th March 2017, 02:54 PM

No, no. That was Devious Maids. It was essentially the same show.

Posted by: Kye 25th March 2017, 03:10 PM

I agree, Devious Maids was definitely more Desperate Housewives than this. I can't really see the comparison to this?
There's nothing soapy about it. Desperate Housewives was outrageously camp and soapy.

Posted by: PaulM1983 25th March 2017, 03:39 PM

Yeah I don't think they're similar either, in look or tone. There is humour in this, but it's not because funny stuff happens, it's the delivery of the lines. But there's a really serious undertone to this. Alexander makes me feel alarmingly uncomfortable when he's on screen. Actually proper on edge and worried for Nicole. He plays it so well, it's frightening.

Posted by: jase. 25th March 2017, 08:59 PM

We must have been watching totally different shows - Devious Maids was outrageously camp and soapy, DH really wasn't They were only similar because of the female leads and similar castings.

Like BLL, DH was often amusing but at the same time it often dealt with some pretty harrowing issues

Posted by: J▲hq 25th March 2017, 09:47 PM

Don't Corrie and Eastenders deal with harrowing issues at times? Desperate Housewives was as camp as they come where American TV is concerned.

I need to catch up on this, only seen the first episode but I read a MAJOR spoiler about the end on another site, posted by some inconsiderate ass who didn't think.

Posted by: jase. 25th March 2017, 09:59 PM

Sorry but we're absolutely going to have to agree to disagree when it comes to DH being "camp" It had its moments but in general? Absolutely not.

Posted by: Regina 25th March 2017, 10:17 PM

How can anyone not think DH was camp? use your eyes. Even the darker stuff was done in such a waythat it was OTT and campy.

Anyway, this looks pretty decent. It always amazes me that Nicole can still give such emotional performances even though she's literally a human waxwork now.

Posted by: jase. 25th March 2017, 11:04 PM

Brb, re-using my eyes. Lynette's cancer was very OTT. Gabby coping with the grief of her dead baby was side-splittingly campy. Bree struggling with her sons sexuality had me rolling on the floor laughing!!!

Posted by: Kye 26th March 2017, 12:23 AM

It's the over-expressiveness, the melodrama, it's the situations, it's the soundtrack.. even the creator calls it camp. The actors know it's camp! It has its moments of depth and heart but it's a soap opera at the end of the day.

The only thing that Big Little Lies has in common with Desperate Housewives is that it is a predominately female-led cast.

I have such a hard time coming to terms with the fact that we only have 2 episodes left

Posted by: PaulM1983 26th March 2017, 12:37 PM

Yeah DH did deal with some serious issues, but honestly it's one of the campest, most over the top shows I've ever seen, and Devious Maids was basically the same show with different characters.

Tonally it couldn't be any further away from Big Little Lies, which is at times very sinister and dark.

Posted by: Tinasha 27th March 2017, 12:41 PM

Sorry Jase - No disrespect, but even though Desperate Housewives dealt with some very serious issues but it was very camp, melodramatic, tacky and often satirical. But it knew it was, and that was part of its charm. It doesn't mean you can't still find emotion in the sadder moments, because it did have some powerhouse performances.

I do see the comparisons to Desperate Housewives simply from its "rich(mostly) women involved in gossip and scandal" themes, but it's as if someone put that show in an HBO lamination and gave it a lot more gloss and grit. It's a lot darker and has a totally different pace.


Who's getting Emmy Nominations for this? I'm thinking...Nicole, Reese and Laura will get nominations and Shailene might miss out.

Posted by: PaulM1983 27th March 2017, 06:53 PM

I think you're probably right but I'm actually really impressed with Shailene in this. I've never rated her but she's good. Very natural and the scenes with her son are really great.

Posted by: Regina 27th March 2017, 07:07 PM

It's all irrelevant. Amy Adams is coming for Emmy glory with Sharp Objects.

Posted by: Jay 🙋🏻 27th March 2017, 08:29 PM

Posted by: Mart!n 27th March 2017, 09:56 PM

Just about getting into this now, I have an inkling on someone who probably gets killed off and who did it. I'm only on episode 3, I'm guessing some of you guys are far ahead as there are 7 episodes.

Posted by: PaulM1983 27th March 2017, 11:26 PM

Episode 6 just aired.

Posted by: Kye 28th March 2017, 12:26 AM

I've decided that I'm going to wait and watch the last 2 episodes together as I think it'd be more torturous to watch 6 and have to wait a week for 7!

Posted by: Tinasha 2nd April 2017, 09:00 AM

Is it true the last episode is feature length?

Posted by: lewistgreen 2nd April 2017, 09:29 AM

Currently scheduled for an hour

Posted by: Tinasha 2nd April 2017, 09:43 AM

At they unusually 50 minutes? At that even 10 minutes longer? HBO doesnt have ads does it?

Posted by: Neil 3rd April 2017, 02:22 PM

The one I downloaded was around 60 minutes long. Amazing finale!

Posted by: Kye 3rd April 2017, 10:19 PM

So I watched episodes 6 & 7 together tonight and I'm so glad I did.. The finale really was fantastic.

I'm a little perturbed about some of the changes from the book but overall it was the same story.
I think the book handled Jane finding out who Saxon Banks was a LOT better. It became very evident early on that they weren't going down the book route when she went to 'meet' Saxon. I wish that they'd kept it like the book because that could have been the most amazing reveal.

Posted by: blacksquare 3rd April 2017, 10:36 PM

This is one of the best series I have watched in years. Impressed, and give Nicole all the awards.

The Desperate Housewives comparisons are ridiculous and a lil sexist tbh

Posted by: PaulM1983 4th April 2017, 10:43 AM

The finale was fantastic and that was an absolutely outstanding little series. Seriously, how do you choose which of those women get the awards. They were all amazing.

I was so tense for the last 30 minutes of that finale. It built it up so well and I hadn't read the book so I had no idea what was going to happen. Alexander frightened me so much, he was truly awesome in such a hideous role. Nicole and Reese though - wow. Their best roles in a very very very long time.

Posted by: Tinasha 4th April 2017, 11:28 AM

Astonishingly good. The party was so well done, with me second guessing everything. It was almost a shock
that it was Alexander, because it was so obvious. It felt like a double bluff. Even though there's rumblings of a season 2, and how much I do want more, I kind of hope they leave it as it is, given it was so perfect. All the women deserve nominations for their work (Maybe not Bonnie).

Posted by: Alanna🐱 6th April 2017, 10:05 PM

just started this tonight! i have high hopes

Posted by: lewistgreen 8th December 2017, 09:33 PM

Second season officially confirmed

Posted by: PaulM1983 10th December 2017, 01:05 PM

I'm torn about this getting a second season. I'm glad because this cast was so good that I wanted to see more, but it doesn't feel necessary. It was a story told so perfectly in a short season, with no filler episodes, that I can't see it having the same impact next time.

Posted by: Jay ☆ 27th December 2017, 02:30 AM

This is back on Now TV as of yesterday! Joe recommended it to me a while ago, so I'll begin watching it asap.

Posted by: Spiceboy 29th December 2017, 09:05 PM

Yes Desperate Housewives was camp but it was dark too and had some very big issues dealt with in it. It was dark humour and very similar in style to American Beauty (the film). I adored it best TV show on telly since Friends.

Posted by: Joe. 31st December 2017, 03:21 PM

Desperate housewives was not really the same tone as American Beauty which wasn’t out and out bleak. American Beauty was like Six Feet Under in tone. I looooved Desperate Housewives, I have been rewatching lately but it’s basically a well made soap.

Posted by: ionderella 2nd January 2018, 10:43 AM

Watched this yesterday in its entirety and it was really good. Incredible cast!!! No wonder it's getting that golden globes hype.

Posted by: Klaus 24th January 2018, 09:51 PM

Meryl Streep joining for Season 2!

Posted by: lewistgreen 9th February 2019, 08:16 AM

Confirmed for June in the US!

Posted by: Jαsє 9th February 2019, 05:58 PM

June? Oh ffs

Posted by: Jαsє 14th April 2019, 09:04 PM

Premieres June 9th. H Y P E.

Posted by: lewistgreen 20th April 2019, 02:19 PM

And we’re getting it the day after! It’ll be simulcast at 2am on Sky Atlantic

Posted by: Theonix 1st August 2019, 09:15 PM

So I can't believe there's not been one single post about this entire season. It was nowhere near as good as the first, but still had all of the intensity, drama and humour but I just felt the stories weren't as strong. I loved Bonnie's backstory and history with her mother, and i didn't expect the final twists with Mary Louise and Perry in the last episode. I thought Madeleine was a lot less likeable though, which is a shame as I love Reese, but likewise I absolutely love Meryl Streep and I actually hated her character a lot, so it just goes to show how good the cast are

I liked Jane's new relationship and especially liked how close she and Bonnie became this season. Renata was an absolute queen throughout, a future gay icon for sure, although not as much as Mary Louise's scream which has now been immortalised in remix form by King Princess *.*



I'm not sure how a third season would work, I really liked the finality of the ending but tbh with such a strong cast that clearly work so well together, I would definitely be interested in watching one!