Big Little Lies - Kill Me

So with “Kill Me”, Bonnie remembers abuse in her childhood and does confront her dad about the lack of protection (he did more to try to “diffuse” the rage, the anger, instead of eliminate it) while tending to her comatose mom still recovering from a stroke. Only able to eventually mumble, her dad does understand that the vision of Bonnie drowning before the seizure eventually is communicated from Elizabeth. When Elizabeth does get out “Kill me”, that is enough to encourage a despondent Bonnie to go to the police station! The very end would seem to indicate THE LIE will cease by the final episode of the season next week. Not good for anyone entangled in THE LIE. With Celeste about to fight against Mary Louise for custody of her boys, she does inform the ladies that they could very well be called to testify about Perry’s death. Madeline trying to keep all of them unified in THE LIE, I think most of us considered that possibility highly unlikely. Bonnie, among all but perhaps Madeline, is just sick of THE LIE. At this point, she just wants to get it off her chest. And with that, all the cards fall.

Madeline wants Ed to join her at a retreat where couples, I reckon, will work out their tensions and try to find balance, or whatever. At this point, after stopping the car on the way to talk out what is wrong with her, Madeline admits she fucked up, that her father’s cheating left a mark, and her own infidelity would stop once and for all. But the man she slept with, his wife, Tori (Sarah Sokolovic), appears interested in her own bit of seduction, meeting Ed at a party, being more than a bit cozy and touchy-feely! With Nathan attempting again to try and make peace with Ed (why can’t he just let things alone?), coming up only further enraged at Ed’s dismissive disinterest in a stalemate (Ed just wants them to agree that they won’t ever like each other and leave it at that), and Tori ready to get some revenge, Madeline’s life will only continue to increasingly grow more complicated. Especially if Madeline is fingered as the ringleader in THE LIE. Imagine an arrest of these mothers/wives in Monterey for the death of Perry, the shattered lives that result from it. Jane, with the inability to affectionately or romantically connect to Corey physically, tries to rebound from a fight that was initiated by a cruel bully on Ziggy as Celeste’s sons retaliated (resulting in the boy being hospitalized briefly), sure doesn’t need to be arrested. And Celeste contending with Mary Louise (who wants a compromise that involved having weekends with the boys, while Celeste will have none of it) for her kids, only to be hauled in for the cover-up, that is not a good sign in her favor. Mary Louise seems to come off best in this episode, actually. Renata will be losing her home, as her daughter even confronts her with being broke, and a conversation with Mary Louise (who has the uncanny ability to work in conversations blunt truth that startles those she talks with) about being a workaholic not always there for her daughter provokes a response for sure. While Renata was trying to sweet-talk Mary Louise out of her agenda towards gaining custody of the boys, Mary Louise instead rattles her cage, having her awestruck at the twisting conversation about her own supposed flaws as a mother. Streep should be a shoo-in for that Emmy…damn is she good. Seeing Dern and Streep opposite each other is just a highlight of any show…or film for that matter. The custody situation has Celeste on the defensive, feeling as if her reputable attorney is not working in her best interest, seemingly on the receiving end of Mary Louise’s cunning goading manipulation. Knowing Celeste will react emotionally to her tactics, which appear to convey genuine concern for her daughter-in-law and supportive of her getting help, Mary Louise looks to be setting up her trap beautifully. And with the homicide detective, Dr. Quinlan (Merrin Dungey), around to sort of remind the ladies of their lie, she very well could be on Mary Louise’s side. Quinlan wants the truth and hasn’t just settled on what was provided by them in regards to Perry’s death. The testimony of all involved was too rehearsed, too closely aligned without much difference. Bonnie continues to be a major character this season, and the memories that haunt her, how they are dispensed to us, we really get a good idea of why she is so estranged from her mom, and why there is obvious tension between them. 4/5