History Literature / BigLittleLies

It was adapted into an UsefulNotes/{{Emmy|Award}}-winning Creator/{{HBO}} series (created by Creator/DavidEKelley and directed by Creator/JeanMarcVallee) starring Creator/NicoleKidman, Creator/ReeseWitherspoon, Creator/ShaileneWoodley, Creator/LauraDern, and Creator/ZoeKravitz. Despite being originally announced as a limited series, the show's success prompted a second season renewal, with Creator/MerylStreep joining the cast.

* RomanticTwoGirlFriendship: Madeline with Celeste and Jane. She's incredibly close and affectionate with them.

* OneSteveLimit: Subverted. Jane's rapist told her his name was Saylon. She looks up a man with that name and it's not him. [[spoiler: Since his name was actually Perry]], it's a DoubleSubversion.

''Big Little Lies'' is a comedy-drama story by Australian author Liane Moriarty, first published in 2014.

* MistakenForGay: Madeline mistakenly thinks Tom is gay. This turns into a BrickJoke when he asks Jane out and she replies "you're straight?" - prompting a FlatWhat.

It was adapted into an UsefulNotes/{{Emmy|Award}}-winning Creator/{{HBO}} series (created by Creator/DavidEKelley and directed by Creator/JeanMarcVallee) starring Creator/NicoleKidman, Creator/ReeseWitherspoon, Creator/ShaileneWoodley, Creator/LauraDern, and Creator/ZoeKravitz. Despite being originally announced as a limited series, the show's success prompted a second season renewal, with Creator/MerylStreep joining the cast. Tropes specific to the series have been moved to [[Series/BigLittleLies its own page]].

* AdaptedOut: Fred, Madeline and Ed's son.
* AllAbusersAreMale: Though the story is clear that not all men are abusers and Perry, the abuser, turns out to be far more complicated and sympathetic than the usual examples. [[spoiler: Subverted in the end when Celeste meets a man who was abused by a woman]]. This detail however is left out of the series.

* ContrivedCoincidence: What are the odds that Jane would [[spoiler: move to where her rapist lives and become friends with his wife]]? In the book, however, it's explained that [[spoiler: Perry told her he was going to be living there and that she moves there in hopes of finding closure]].

* MistakenForGay: Madeline mistakenly thinks Tom is gay. This turns into a BrickJoke in the finale when he asks Jane out and she replies "you're straight?" - prompting a FlatWhat.

* TonightSomeoneDies: The murder victim is not revealed until the finale.

* BigSHUTUP: '''''"I SAID THANK-YOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUU!!!"'''''

It was adapted into an Emmy-winning miniseries on Creator/{{HBO}} starring Creator/NicoleKidman, Creator/ReeseWitherspoon, Creator/ShaileneWoodley, Creator/LauraDern, and Creator/ZoeKravitz. Despite being revealed as a miniseries, a second season was announced.

* AdaptationDeviation: Among the most significant deviations from the book is Madeline and Ed's marriage. In the series, Madeline has an affair and their marriages lacks much passion, while the book alludes to no such problems. [[note]]This is because Reese Witherspoon [[http://www.vogue.com/article/reese-witherspoon-big-little-lies-madeline-mackenzie felt Madeline's life]] was too perfect and [[ActorInspiredElement wanted the character to have some personal conflict]].[[/note]]
* AdaptationalHeroism: Renata's husband is very loving in the miniseries, while he's barely there in the book and [[spoiler: it's revealed he cheated on her for a long time with the French maid Juliette]].
* AdaptationalNationality: With the change from Australia to America, everyone except Celeste becomes American.

* AgeLift: The kids are first-graders rather than kindergarteners and Abigail is sixteen instead of fourteen in the series.
* TheAlcoholic: The series implies that Madeline is one, which isn't hard to see, since she's shown in nearly every scene drinking anything alcohol and gets absolutely smashed during the final episode.
* AllAbusersAreMale: Though the story is clear that not all men are abusers and Perry, the abuser, turns out to be far more complicated and sympathetic than the usual examples. [[spoiler: Subverted in the end when Celeste meets a man who was abused by a woman]]. This detail however is left out of the miniseries.

* BlondeBrunetteRedhead: We have the Blonde Creator/ReeseWitherspoon playing Madeline, the Brunette Creator/ShaileneWoodley playing Jane, and the redheaded Creator/NicoleKidman playing Celeste.

* CanonForeigner: Joseph Bachman is an invention of the series.

* DemotedToExtra: Juliette, the Kleins' nanny. She's introduced briefly in the series, but a subplot where she's sleeping with several of the fathers doesn't appear.

* TheEndOrIsIt: [[spoiler:The miniseries ends with Madeline, Bonnie, Celeste, Jane, and Renata sharing a beach play date together, bonded by their experience with Perry and moving on with their lives. However, Detective Quinlan doesn't buy their story and is watching them from afar]].

* ExpositoryHairstyleChange: Jane in flashbacks has longer hair. In the present she has a shoulder length, stereotypical 'mom haircut'.
* {{Fandisservice}}: The miniseries has lots of this, despite starring Creator/NicoleKidman and Creator/ShaileneWoodley; there's an intentionally creepy [[spoiler: and often physically violent]] tone to Celeste's {{Fanservice}} scenes. And Jane's butt gets an airing [[spoiler: as Perry's raping her]].
* FireForgedFriends: [[spoiler:The miniseries ends with the women sharing a play date at the beach together, bonded by their experience with Perry, especially Madeline and Bonnie settling their differences.]]
* {{Foreshadowing}}: An episode opens with the sounds of Celeste and Perry's violent lovemaking coming out through the air vents. [[spoiler: This shows that Max must have picked up on it that way]].

* GossipyHens: The interview segments from each episode are made up of these talking about the protagonists.
* HappyMarriageCharade: Celeste and Perry seem like the perfect couple, but there's domestic abuse going on behind closed doors.
* HeelFaceTurn: [[spoiler: After getting smacked by Jane, Renata realises just how petty she's been. By the finale, she's with the other women protecting Celeste]].

* RaceLift:
** Bonnie, described as fair-skinned in the book, is played by Zoe Kravitz in the series.
** Also a minor example with Madeline, who's revealed to have Native American ancestry in the show, something not in the book.

* SettingUpdate: A slightly unusual example in that the setting is not changed because of a difference in time, but rather of location. The book is set in a fictional town outside of Sydney, Australia, while the miniseries changes this to Monterey, California. Naturally this involves some AccentAdaptation.

* TelevisionGeography: The locals only drinking game for the series is a sip everytime another town on the Central Coast is used for Monterey, a shot everytime the viewer has to ask why these kids are going to a Monterey school while living in Big Sur (1-2 school districts away), and a drink everytime the show seems to really be better suited to being set in Carmel or Pebble Beach.

* UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom: Ms Barnes pretty much kicks off most of the plot in the first episode - when she makes the ill-thought-out decision to ask Amabella to publicly name the kid who attacked her. She spends the rest of the series as TheAtoner trying to fix the mess she started.
* VomitIndiscretionShot: At the dinner in Bonnie's house, Madeline takes a bad reaction the shrimp and vomits it up. All over Bonnie.
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: The series ends with [[spoiler: no resolution to the affair storyline between Joseph and Madeline]]. Possibly going to be addressed in Season 2.

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: The series ends with [[spoiler: no resolution to the affair storyline between Joseph and Madeline]]. Possibly going to be addressed in Season 2.

* AllAbusersAreMale: Though the story is clear that not all men are abusers. [[spoiler: Subverted in the end when Celeste meets a man who was abused by a woman]]. This detail however is left out of the miniseries.

* EvenEvilHasStandards: Celeste affirms that Perry would never hurt the children.

It was adapted into an Emmy-winning miniseries on Creator/{{HBO}} starring Creator/NicoleKidman, Creator/ReeseWitherspoon, Creator/ShaileneWoodley, Creator/LauraDern, and Creator/ZoeKravitz.

* AllAbusersAreMale: Though the story is clear that not all men are abusers.
** [[spoiler: Subverted in the end when Celeste meets a man who was abused by a woman]].

* ContrivedCoincidence: What are the odds that Jane would [[spoiler: move to where her rapist lives and become friends with his wife]]?
** In the book, however, it's explained that [[spoiler: Perry told her he was going to be living there and that she moves there in hopes of finding closure]].

* HappyMarriageCharade: Celeste and Perry.

* LastMinuteHookup: [[spoiler: Jane and Tom]]

* RaceLift: Bonnie, described as fair-skinned in the book, is played by Zoe Kravitz in the series.

* RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil: Madeline reacts this way when she finds out that Jane was sexually abused and impregnated, which derailed her future.

* ThereAreNoTherapists: Averted. Celeste goes to one when Perry's back is turned and gradually gains the confidence to stand up to him.

3. At the upcoming parents and teacher's party, someone will be killed.

* AlmightyMom: The wives and mothers have all the power. The only one who outranks them is Tom the cafe owner.

* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler: Celeste's conclusion is portrayed the most tragically, with her husband dead she can no longer afford to live among her friends and moves to a cheaper part of Sydney. Her sons and in-laws are all grieving for a man that they dearly loved. But Celeste is ultimately shown to be doing much better]].

* BigBadEnsemble: Renata and Perry are portrayed as the biggest antagonists, though the plot is too grey for either to be considered villainous.