Big Little Lies!

Had I seen a preview of the TV show, “Big Little Lies,” and never heard of the book, I doubt I’d have been interested.  I would have thought it was a story about women, for women.  I would have been wrong.  Goes to show how limiting a narrow male view can be.

Once I began watching I was hooked.  Great writing and masterful acting transcend gender.  “Big Little Lies” quickly became my newest favorite show.  Usually in a seven episode series like this the quality will be uneven.  Not this time.  I am reminded of what a friend of mine once said about an actor we knew: “He’s not good or bad.  He just has varying degrees of excellence.”

That’s how it was with the lead actors in “Big Little Lies.”  Each in her own way was excellent.  If I had to choose a ‘best’ it would be Nicole Kidman.  But she would have only a narrow edge over all the others.  And hats off to David Kelley and Jean-Marc Vallée for brilliant writing and directing.

While I’m on the subject of brilliance I have to mention “Fences,” which I was late to see, but better late than never.  Denzel Washington and Viola Davis were outstanding.  The words of August Wilson were, as always, memorable.