Big Little Lies season 2, episode 3 recap: The end of the world

Big Little Lies explored the notion that kids aren’t prepared for the disappointment and horrors they experience in life.

For as amazing as last week’s Big Little Lies was, this week’s “The End of the World” was just unexceptional.

That’s not to say there weren’t shining moments delivered by Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern.

But I can’t help but feel a bit slighted. When the show suddenly turned to black, and the credits appeared at 44 minutes, I said aloud, “That’s it?”

It just seemed as though nothing happened to move the story forward, which, quite frankly, makes it hard to write a recap.

For the story overall, all you have to know is Perry’s mother is still suspicious, and it seems as though they’re moving towards her figuring out the Monterey 5’s lie about his death.

But here’s what happened with each of the ladies.

Photo Credit: HBO

Madeline

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Ed hasn’t officially left Madeline… yet. They’re seeing Celeste’s therapist together, and she’s trying to get to the crux of why Madeline strayed. Could it be her past and insecurities, or could it be his indifference and enablement? “Adultery is one form of betrayal; indifference is another,” the therapist tells them. Ed doesn’t look moved by this notion.

Madeline tells Celeste that she accidentally walked in on her father having sex with another woman, although her parents were married for 40+ years. “Marriage can’t be trusted,” she tells Celeste. That’s such a sad notion, isn’t it? To not be able to trust love and a relationship like that? Maybe she thought because there were no consequences of for her father, that she could get away with it, too. Or perhaps she’s self-destructive and punishes herself for not going to college, failing at one marriage, and feeling the weight of her secrets.

I’ve always believed the person who cheated is one hundred percent in the wrong. But because I’m so invested in these characters, and because I like Madeline, I’m giving her the benefit of the doubt. She for sure has more profound things going on, and Ed has probably been disengaged without even realizing it because Madeline can’t let anyone see her sweat. I just hope they can find a way to work it out.

Reese’s shining moment in this episode was when she fell into giving a speech at the school during an “emergency” assembly about including climate change in the kids’ lesson plans.

She speaks to how by protecting kids from the scary things in life, they’re not preparing them for when the crap really hits the fan. “I think part of the problem is we lie to our kids. We fill their heads full of Santa Claus and stories with happy endings when most of us know most endings to most stories f***ing suck. Right?” She’s talking about their kids collectively, but also about her own life.

She even points out the song “Rainbow Connection,” that we believe that “rainbows” exist but they’re only illusions. But what she’s forgetting is that the song is hopeful, that even though we know these illusions exist, we still search for rainbows. I hope Madeline finds hers.

Photo Credit: HBO

Celeste

Yes, Celeste’s abusive husband is dead. Though she may be relieved, she’s not happy about it.

Life seems dull, flat, and colorless. She thinks she was a better mother. She had joy. These revelations do not amuse her therapist. She tells Celeste that she “misses the war.” Like how soldiers come back from overseas and want to be sent back.

But Celeste ensures her that she misses what was good about Perry and in their relationship. He’s like an addiction that she has to overcome.

Celeste also officially “kicks” Mary Louise out of her house after she catches her snooping through her medicine drawer. I’m not sure what has taken her so long.

Photo Credit: HBO

Jane

While Mary Louise is playing detective at Celeste’s, she’s also trying to figure things out with Jane and Ziggy.

Naturally, she wants to know her grandson but wants to make sure Ziggy actually is Perry’s son, so she politely asks for a paternity test. Jane refuses. She eventually relents and at least enough to meet with Mary Louise. Jane sees childhood photos of Perry, and they look eerily similar to Ziggy.

But what is unsettling about this is that Jane, a survivor of a sexual assault, has to reassure and prove that she was actually attacked. I guess I can see where Mary Louise is coming from because she’s still struggling with her son’s death, let alone digesting the possibility he was a sadistic monster.

But something dawned on me during this exchange. Could it be possible that Perry’s father, who died when he was young in an “accident” has abused Perry? Could Mary Louise have killed him to protect her son? Did the father kill the other son? This show is very big on patterns. Perry and Celeste’s son Max became violent with Amabella, and it’s probably because Perry raised him. Ziggy is gentle and not violent. This could be the whole nature vs. nurture principle.

In other Jane news, she’s getting closer with Corey and even introduces him to Ziggy. But when he tries to kiss, she recoils, which made me so sad for her. Will she ever be able to have a healthy relationship? Corey is understanding, though he doesn’t know why she reacted the way she did, and he respectful embraces her at the end of their second date. They dance in the moonlight, and she finally feels some peace.

God, I hope he’s a good guy.

Photo Credit: HBO

Renata

Poor Amabella can’t catch a break. She’s having anxiety attacks now.

In true Renata fashion, she’s ready to burn down the hospital – hello, it’s NOT Stanford – and the school, and dance on the ashes. We find out from some strange child psychologist fairy that Amabella is terrified about climate change, her father going to jail, and that something is wrong with her mom, but mostly about the end of the world.

I love Renata and Laura Dern in this role. Though the issues that plague her on the show are very real and really sucky, she still provides the much-needed comic relief. Her best line of the night was in the principal’s office when she threatens, “I will be rich again, I will rise up, I will buy a f***ing polar bear for every kid in this school.”

And I believe it!

Photo Credit: HBO

Bonnie

After weeks of disengagement, Bonnie seems to be getting better and back to herself. She takes s a dip in the ocean and flashes back to a traumatic experience she had as a child with swimming. Alright, if that’s what brings her back to life, so be it. I’m still worried about her and nervous about her mother’s premonition from last week.

Photo Credit: HBO

Bonus tidbits

We saw the immediate aftermath of Perry’s death and how the lie was hatched, even though there was no sound.

It was hard to watch Madeline so emotional during her assembly speech and Ed have no reaction, no feeling.

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Mary Louise meets Renata. And even though she tries to shake her hand, ML is having none of it since she knows Renata was at the scene of her son’s death. Madeline and Renata’s reaction and side comments walking away, “she’s so weird,” was pretty funny.

What did you think about Big Little Lies this week? Drop your thoughts in the comments.

Read last week’s recap.

Watch Big Little Lies any time.

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