Big Little Lies (TV series)

Big Little Lies
Genre
Created byDavid E. Kelley
Based onBig Little Lies
by Liane Moriarty
Written byDavid E. Kelley
Directed by
Starring
Opening theme"Cold Little Heart" by Michael Kiwanuka
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes14
Production
Executive producers
Producers
  • Barbara A. Hall
  • David Auge
Production locationMonterey, California
Cinematography
Camera setupSingle-camera
Running time45–58 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkHBO
ReleaseFebruary 19, 2017 (2017-02-19) 
July 21, 2019 (2019-07-21)

Big Little Lies is an American psychological dark comedy drama television series based on the 2014 novel of the same name by Liane Moriarty. Created and written by David E. Kelley, it aired on HBO from February 19, 2017, to July 21, 2019, encompassing 14 episodes and two seasons, although it was originally billed as a miniseries. Jean-Marc Vallée directed the first season, while Andrea Arnold directed the second season. In November 2023, Nicole Kidman stated a third season would be made.

Big Little Lies stars Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Shailene Woodley, Laura Dern, and Zoë Kravitz as five women in Monterey, California, who become embroiled in a homicide investigation. Alexander Skarsgård, Adam Scott, James Tupper and Jeffrey Nordling also feature in supporting roles. For season 2, Meryl Streep joined the cast while Kathryn Newton and Iain Armitage were upgraded from season 1.

The series has received critical acclaim, particularly for its writing, directing, acting, production values, cinematography, and soundtrack. The first season received 16 Primetime Emmy Award nominations and won 8, including Outstanding Limited Series, a directing award for Vallée, and acting awards for Kidman, Skarsgård, and Dern. The trio also won Golden Globe Awards, while the series won for Best Miniseries or Television Film. Kidman and Skarsgård also received Screen Actors Guild Awards for their performances.