The episode opens as we are transported back in time to the night of the infamous school fundraiser. Madeline (Reese Witherspoon), Celeste( Nicole Kidman), Bonnie (Zoe Kravitz), Jane (Shailene Woodley) and Renata (Laura Dern) seem to be having a heated discussion. They are talking amongst themselves. But we can’t hear a works that they are saying. The Monterey Five all look down the steep flight of stairs and anxiously gland at Perry’s (Alexander Skarsgaard’s) lifeless body at the bottom of the staircase. The group continues to plot their next move. We see Madeline in bed as she wakes herself up and becomes startled. This was Madeline’s dream and based on what we just saw, her subconscious is very nervous about getting caught after Perry was killed on game night.
That day, Madeline hosts a pumpkin carving party at her house. All of the children are there including Chloe, Ziggy, Max, Josh and Bonnie’s daughter because the whole class is working on a school assignment. Madeline finds a way to get outside to puff on a cigarette, even though she doesn’t even like to smoke. She is trying to ease her stress and have a heart to heart conversation with Renata and Jane as she nervously drags away on the cigarette. She’s still working about the state of her marriage after Ed found out that she cheated. Things are so bad that she tells them that she doesn’t even know if she is still married to Ed. They’ve been trying in vain to save their broken marriage, but the couple’s counseling sessions aren’t working. Renata tries to soothe Madeline’s rattled nerves, but she shares that she has her own problems. She has to put the finishing touches on Amabella’s birthday party, while preparing to attend a bankruptcy hearing.
Jane expresses disbelief that Renata is still married to Gordon after he lost both of their massive fortunes due to bad business deals. “I don’t know how he’s your husband.” Jane says in disbelief. ‘They betray us and we stay. They cheat on us—we stay.” Renata confesses; while looking directly at Madeline. Madeline takes it personally and tells Renata that she just leveled an accusation at her out loud. Renata realized the error of her ways and apologizes.
Their conversation is interrupted when their party gets an unexpected visitor. Madeline goes to answer the door. She is greeted by Mary Louise who is carrying a bundt cake and grinning from ear to ear like the cat who are the canary. Mary Louise is the unexpected guest. But she knows that her gift is the way inside. “The boys told me you are having a pumpkin party. I can leave”, she states. Madeline pretends that she isn’t annoyed as she lets Mary Louise enter the house. Mary Louise immediately greets her grandchildren once she is inside. When she is hugging Max and Josh, she inquires about her third grandchild. “I see two grandsons. Somehow, I thought there would be three, ” she says. That’s when the twins point out Ziggy. Mary Louise turns on cue and greets Ziggy. He is fine with the attention that he is receiving from his newfound grandmother. But Jane and Celeste are both visibly shocked and obviously uncomfortable with this new situation.
Mary Louise says hello to Jane, but she can’t help but throw a suspicious cold stare at Bonnie, who she claims that she never met. Bonnie picks up on the bad energy and feels guilty that she was the one who was solely responsible for Perry’s death when she pushed him down the flight of stairs. Does Mary Louise know something that she isn’t telling everyone?
Mary Louise offers to take Ziggy for sleepovers at her new home in Jane’s apartment building. Celeste asks to have a private talk with Mary Louise after she introduced to Bonnie. Celeste tells Mary Louise that she is going too far to get Ziggy to be in her life. She explains that moving into Jane’s apartment building is another way that she is not respecting boundaries. Celeste tells Mary Louise that this is perverse, because Jane is Perry’s rape victim. But Mary Louise is not buying it. “I’m not as convinced as you are, perhaps that she is a rape victim.” Mary Louise then presents a theory about her son having affairs in his marriage. “ What was he seeking refuge from? How many other women did he go to? If there is one, then there are others.”
Celeste snaps at this statement. She gets so mad at Mary Louise that she loses her composure and smacks her in the face breaking her glasses. By the time Celeste realizes that she overreacted it’s already too late. Celeste hands Mary Louise back her glasses, but the irreparable damage has already been done to their relationship. “What do you call that, foreplay?” Mary Louise scoffs.
Madeline is cleaning up after the pumpkin party when she has an argument with Ed. He tells her that she is the reason to blame for their broken relationship because she never was passionate enough for it to work. She admits that she was the one to blame. We see that Bonnie is smoking a joint on the beach, while thinking back to the cold glare she got from Mary Louise. Celeste tries to reconcile with Mary Louise after their argument but it’s not going to be that easy. Mary Louise tells Celeste that they are all grieving Perry’s death. But she is worried about the boys because Celeste is unwell and unstable. We find out that Perry’s father abandoned Mary Louise after a family tragedy.
Madeline suggests to Ed that they should both go to a couple’s retreat to mend their marriage because counseling isn’t working. Ed is still being passive aggressive and says that he doesn’t want to go. Renata and Gordon go to bankruptcy court. They have to declare all of their assets worth 33 million dollars. Things don’t go well during their audit. Renata almost loses her wedding ring. Gordon makes a swap and they turn over their Tesla car instead that they drove to the hearing in and take a cab home. Later that night we see Renata staring at herself in the mirror and reflecting on what happened as she looks at her wedding ring. Madeline tries to make love to Ed, but he rolls away from her and remains in a deep sleep. She can’t help but think back to when she had a steamy affair with her former co-worker.
Renata hosts her 70’s themed birthday party for Amabella. Bonnie brings her mother along as her guest. Ziggy shows up dressed as Ziggy Stardust. Renata and Bonnie meet Jane’s new boyfriend and tell her that he is really cute. Celeste, Madeline and Bonnie have a heated discussion at the birthday party. Celeste tells Madeline that they can all get in trouble because of her lie. She claims to have only gone along with it because she was numb. Madeline can’t stand to be accused. Bonnie’s mother is watching their argument from afar. She senses that something is wrong. She confronts Bonnie and tries to touch her to get a psychic reading. Bonnie pulls away. She tells her mom that she is not going to let her read her thoughts. Jane dances with her boyfriend and then feels uncomfortable when she reflects on what Perry did to her. Madeline tries to make up with Ed, but he avoids her at the party because he feels like everything is fake. Ed and Madeline’s ex husband start to fight at the party. Renata breaks it up.
At the same time we see that Mary Louise is meeting with a lawyer and preparing for a legal battle. Her lawyer suggests that she calls all the best family attorneys in the area. Mary Louise is doing this because she is going to fight Celeste for custody of the twins. Mary Louise’s lawyer explains that she may eventually win custoday but her relationships will be damaged the moment she files the paperwork.
Back at the expensive disco birthday party Renata tells her husband that she will never forgive him for destroying her life and their daughter’s life. Jane tells her boyfriend that Ziggy’s father raped her and that is affecting her relationships. Everything seems to be going well when Bonnie’s mother gets a vision while looking at Renata. She is so startled by what she sees and suffers a massive stroke.
Madeline eventually confronts Ed and asks him if he is going to leave her. He claims that he’s not that through with their relationship yet, but Madeline is not so convinced. Mary Louise takes the twins for a sleep over. Jane decides to ask Celeste if Perry ever raped her while they are at a local bar. Celeste says she wasn’t raped which satisfies Jane. The following morning Mary Louise returns to Celeste’s house with the boys. But Celeste seems confused while wearing a bathrobe. Mary Louise is startled when the bartender emerges from Celeste’s room without a shirt on. We start seeing flashbacks that Celeste is now remembering that she had a hot one night stand with the bartender. She admits to Mary Louise that she took too much Ambien, which is the real cause for her confusion. But Mary Louise isn’t having it. She takes the boys to Jane’s place and return to hand over custody papers to Celeste.
Bonnie stays at her mother’s bedside. She remembers a time when she was a little girl and her mom touched her to have a psychic vision. Bonnie’s mother wakes up from her stroke. She can clearly see the images of her daughter suspended in water. Bonnie is traumatized by the fact that her mother suffered the stroke. She is happy to see her mother has awakened. She calls out to her mom, but her mother is now left unable to speak. Elizabeth is frozen having nightmares of Bonnie drowning under water. She appears helpless that she can’t warn her daughter. Is the vision of Bonnie’s death going to come true? Are we watching a foreshadowing of Bonnie’s drowning? Stay tuned.
Big Little Lies Airs Sundays on HBO.
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