Unfortunately don't have HBO so was unable to watch it. I'll see if it comes out on DVD. Remember the book was originally set in Australia and I enjoyed the it very much.

It was great! I read the book and the series kept to the book very well. I don't know who is going to read the book now, but I will say that the closing scenes & the ending weren't quite like the book, but close enough. Loved the setting and the houses were gorgeous. Very well cast.

ETA: May contain spoilers but probably not since I am bad at interpreting so probably not.

I also enjoyed it. I am not the best interpreter but curious what the meaning of the ocean could be? There were so many shots of the water that there must be some significance.

I think there will be a second season. It may have been nothing but I thought I saw something with Ed and Abigail? At the funeral, he rubbed her back for comfort and I thought I saw her step away (just a little) and looked uncomfortable. Given they put a few scenes in past episodes where he was watching her...

And even between Nathan and Maddie? Like he is the one actually hanging on to her? Like he was playing games with Ed signing the lyrics right to him, messing with him? What was that? The look Maddie and Nathan gave each other at the end? The knowing nod of yeah, there's going to be a season 2, haha.

I am fine enough with the series ending but am curious about the Ed and Abigail story line, if there even was one.

I didn't read the book but I might, just to see how they compared. I read another book by the author Truly, Madly, Guilty and wasn't too fond of it. The actors in this series made it work big time.

Bossman is watching it and suggested it. I don't have HBO though.

I'm glad those that saw it like it as much as I did. Did they try to make it seem like Perry was the rapist? Or was that just like a bad flashback that Jane was having? I would definitely watch a season 2!

I also loved it, and have been waiting for a thread like this! Throughout the series I wondered about how they were going to manage an ending that appeared to be murder that would not severely damage any children emotionally. But they did it! Perfect, clever conclusion. And I too gained a new appreciation of Nicole Kidman, a great actress and an elegant beauty.

We live on the Monterey Peninsula (which contains three towns, Monterey, Pacific Grove, and Pebble Beach), so I hope that no one is disillusioned when I say that Monterey itself, the actual town, does not have one single private home on the beach, except for that small apartment complex where Celeste prepared an escape place. All beachfront property is either public parkland or commercial property. I read that those gorgeous homes were filmed in Malibu, and that Jane's cottage is in Pasadena.

Still, it might be fun to come here and in addition to everything else there is to do, look for some of the places where filming took place. Our city hall - where Celeste went as an attorney - really is that lovely, in a little park, and contains the room where she actually represented the interest group. And the area has some very good restaurants. You can dine and have drinks on the veranda that overlooks that spectacular Pacific Ocean view across the water to the Bixby Bridge. Unforgettable!

I never read the book, but wish I had!

I LOVED this series. Agree Kidman was superlative. The portrayal of her relationship with her abusive husband was haunting and painful.

I really wish there was more programming like this.

sableincal- How do you think your area was represented? The general 'gist' of the people and lifestyle?

Is that bridge scary to drive across?

I've wondered about it but haven't watched (yet). I have never cared for Nicole Kidman. I always thought she looked more scary than pretty. Maybe if I watch the show I'll form a different opinion.

I read the book but forget the plot except it involved kids and took place in Australia.

I guess in the book Perry is the rapist. I read that on another comment section. I have been to Monterey before, it is a very lovely place. Interesting to know that the homes were not there, I didn't know the shoreline was all public. I had read that Jane's home was in Pasadena, valued at 500,000. The other homes shown were valued greater than 10 million.

Jane's cottage may have been filmed in Pasadena, but it's a perfect example of what you find in Pacific Grove and in some area of Monterey. Here's one such little house, listed for $849K (Actually two tiny houses).. We moved East from Monterey County last year, and the beautiful scenery makes me more than a little nostalgic.

Mimi - I haven't found the Bixby Bridge to be scary to cross, but I am terrified of the Big Sur road that begins heading south immediately after you cross it. Going south, the road seems to hang out over the ocean, with very steep, long drops. So I have never been on it in that direction. DH has driven us twice from the south going north, while I dug my nails into the dashboard; at least you are against the mountains when driving north. But many people drive it daily without even thinking about it. The bridge, by the way, is about 12-15 miles south of Monterey, and there would be no way that parents with children in the Monterey school system would be crossing it to and from school. Those many driving scenes were just for the effect of the view!

However, we often go to the Rocky Point Restaurant that sits just north of the bridge on a very high up little peninsula, with absolutely spectacular views, both downhill and out to sea and across to the bridge. That definitely is worth doing! The food and drinks are fine, not gourmet, and it's not expensive.

Everyone I know here who watched the program loved it; we all talked about places we recognized and how realistic it was. And everyone said "Where are those people?" There are wealthy folks in Monterey and Pacific Grove, but they don't really advertise their money. Pebble Beach, though, is another story - some there are pretty ostentatious. When DS2 was in high school here he had a friend who had a friend living in Pebble. Her father was a tech gazillionaire. She invited them both to a party at her house. At one point she took DS out to the garage to see two of the cars, both Lamborghinis, one black and one yellow. He came home from that party all goggled-eyed!

One of our greatest problems is the price of real estate, simply unbelievable. It is not quite as ridiculous as the house that Sushipup posted, but it's close. Our sons, e.g., will never be able to live here. A very modest Monterey home is going today for at least $650,000 - $700,000, under 2,000 sq. ft., 3 beds, 2 baths. The only reason we were able to buy was because we did so a long time ago, before the market lost its mind.

Sable- I love the Monterey Bay area! I want to retire there someday, but the prices.... you can live like a king in other parts of the country for a TINY home in Monterey so my husband sais no. I felt like the show didn't reflect the California that I know. The cinematography was beautiful and that made me want to go for a visit. When we lived in California the people were too busy trying to make ends meet and didn't act snobby. We still own a rental property in CA and everyone imo is laid back and doesn't act like the people portrayed in the show.

Sleeperblues, Perry was definitely the rapist. It was brought out more in the book on how Jane figured it out. In the series of course, she just recognized him at the party. There was more to it with his name. Remember, she had been doing a lot of research to try to find him.

Cookie8, I wouldn't read too much into the other relationships. That was not a part of the book at all, and would add too much complexity to the story that is not at all necessary. And yes, the original story took place in Australia. But I loved the scenery in this one.

I would recommend reading the book for anyone who is interested in some of the finer details. You could zip right through most of it. I also just finished Truly, Madly, Guilty, and found it pretty good, but nowhere near Big Little Lies. I could see it being a fairly good TV story though.

I wasn't sure about that, Outside Playing, because of the way it was filmed. It seemed like it was a dream sequence with the gun and the beach. Thanks for explaining.

Here's an article about what's real in the show and what you can visit.

There's a cafe on Wharf #2 that looks a lot like the one on the show, I knew that wasn't on Fisherman's Wharf. And the Bixby Bridge? The characters would not be routinely be driving over that. It's 13 miles (slow miles, at that) south of Carmel, and there are few homes down thataway. Jane's cottage is a good representation of cottages in Pacific Grove. And yes, there are ocean-access homes in the area, just not in Monterey.

We borrowed the DVD from the library and just finished watching. Am hoping there will be a second season.

I don't have cable, but after seeing the cast on the Emmys I was inspired to buy a used copy of the book. Haven't started it yet, but I like the author, Liane Moriarty.