Big Little Lies has been ultra dramatic so far this season, with no signs of these sensationalized theatrics slowing down. In episode 4 of the second season of the hour-long show, the title “She Knows” could refer to nearly any of the main characters taking part in a number of torrid situations.
Mary Louise (Meryl Streep) started yesterday’s 45-second spoiler video by talking about her dead son, Perry (Alexander Skarsgård) as the abusive character continued to loom large on the HBO program even after his passing.
“People are never gone. They live on in the hearts of those they leave behind.”
Those pearls of wisdom were delivered as the grieving mother’s daughter-in-law, Celeste (Nicole Kidman), took a shower. Her tortured face revealed that she had just been through something terrible. Perry also appeared in this montage sequence. He was seen in a mirror as he stealthily crept around the couple’s bedroom.
Then the scene switched to Celeste’s kids happily carving pumpkins while Kidman’s character took over the voiceover, saying, “There are boundaries, Mary Louise.”
She snapped back, “I’m not as convinced as you are,” after an incongruous shot of Jane (Shailene Woodley) flashed on the screen.
Following that, a flashback to a 1970’s-themed celebration pictured both Celeste and Jane. Celeste seemed concerned while Jane appeared to be enjoying the evening. Each of them was dressed in full-on retro garb as they were surrounded by other guests dressed in similar attire.
Suddenly, the gathering turned dark as another montage indicated danger, with Perry’s lost shoe in the forefront and the Monterey women looking down at his dead body after he had been pushed.
The voiceover became dark too, as Celeste stated, “Everything is unraveling.”
At that point, yet another montage revealed Renata (Laura Dern) and Bonnie (Zoe Kravitz) appearing perplexed. Another shot showed Madeline (Reese Witherspoon) in bed with someone other than her husband as he turned away from her to face a wall. After that, Jane slowly climbed the rickety stairs to her apartment.
Celeste’s voice came into the picture while Mary Louise stood by, appearing to look innocent. Her daughter-in-law commented, “I let her into my life. I let her into my house. I trusted her.”
Besides Mary Louise, Celeste herself was seen. So was Bonnie. And so was the police investigator looking into the reasons for Perry’s death.
But who was Celeste actually talking about? That’s an answer that should be revealed when “She Knows” airs.
Talk about drama.
Big Little Lies airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.
