We all have those TV shows we feel the need to binge-watch. We also have those we wish we had time to. Luckily, binge-watching in the Nonahood has got you covered and does it for you first! Read about the shows reviewed here and find your new favorite show!

*** WARNING: Big spoilers lie ahead for those who haven’t seen the first season of Big Little Lies!***

I had heard great praise about the HBO comedy-drama series Big Little Lies since it premiered back in February 2017. I always had it on my list of shows to watch since it won big at different award shows like the Golden Globes and the Emmys, but it was one of those shows I just always put off. Once I heard that a new season was coming up this year, I realized I had kept it on the back burner for too long, and it was time to binge-watch before I got even further behind.

Adapted from the mystery novel by Liane Moriarty, Big Little Lies focuses on five women in Monterey, Calif., who are the main suspects of a murder investigation. These women all have sons or daughters in the same first-grade class, and the story centers around the troubles they encounter with their family life, eventually leading up to a death in the trivia event at school.

When I began the first episode, I noticed the way it was creatively filmed to tell each woman’s story while weaving in testimony from the murder investigation. The testimony is full of extremely petty gossip, mostly coming from other parents who have kids at the school, making it quite amusing for viewers to see the stark contrast in the other parents’ claims versus what really occurred with these women.

Each woman faces heavy challenges throughout this season. Madeline Martha Mackenzie comes to terms with issues in her marriage and strives to push her teenage daughter in the right direction. Celeste Wright and her husband, Perry, are verbally and physically abusive to each other, but Perry takes it to the point of no return. Bonnie Carlson tries to be a good stepmother to Madeline’s daughter while struggling to maintain a good relationship with Madeline and her own husband. Renata Klein deals with her daughter getting bullied at school. Jane Chapman copes with her son being a product of rape and uncovers the father of her son. Then, at the end of the season, we find out Perry Wright was the person murdered at this event, while all five women were present at the crime scene.

But after all of the difficulties these women endure, they come out better on the other side. They’re tied by an unspeakable bond, ready to move past this chapter of their lives. The entire series works as a beautiful metaphor for life. The lows can be so low at times, but in the end, we rise above them and cherish the highs in our lives.

After finishing this season, I was upset that it took me this long to watch such an empowering show, but I’m excited that I don’t have to wait much longer for more Big Little Lies. The second season premieres June 9 on HBO. In the trailer, “The Monterey Five” are back, now ushering their children into the second grade. Viewers get to see how their lives have progressed since Perry’s death and how they have managed to keep the truth of his mysterious death under wraps. The show has another huge name joining the cast – Meryl Streep as Perry Wright’s mother, who comes to Monterey to determine what truly happened to her son.

I highly recommend watching this show for its gripping story, complex characters, and the overall message that we, as humans, can overcome the worst. I can’t wait to see how life in Monterey has continued in this upcoming season and whether the Big Little Lies will ever be uncovered!

Demi is currently a senior at UCF, studying creative writing. She is a lover of the arts and always eager to discuss films, TV and music. Send in shows to be binge-watched at demi@nona.media!