Big Little Lies, the acclaimed drama from HBO, is based on Liane Moriarty's mystery novel of the same name. With an all-star cast including Reese Witherspoon, Meryl Streep, Shailene Woodley, Zoë Kravitz, Laura Dern, and Nicole Kidman, the show immediately attracted many fans.

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The series garnered critical acclaim, winning numerous Emmy Awards and Golden Globes, but viewers also praised the series, giving it an overall rating of 8.5/10 on IMDb. Big Little Lies has been praised for its examination of domestic relationships, female empowerment, and the clever touch of humor it lends to serious topics. These are the ten best episodes, ranked according to IMDb.

She Knows (8.3)

The second season's fourth episode is a vibrant, energetic, and subtextual snippet of the Monterey Five's classy lives. Renata throws her daughter a disco-themed birthday party while Celeste is getting sick of Mary Louise and her lack of boundaries.

Renata also attends a court hearing with Gordon, and Madeleine attempts to heal her relationship with Ed. Bonnie continues to exhibit worrying behavior at the party and her mother isn't fooled.

What Have They Done? (8.3)

"She Knows" is tied for tenth place with "What Have They Done?" which is the second season's first episode. Abigail tells her mom that she doesn't want to go to college, and the two argue bitterly over the fact.

Bonnie starts to behave strangely, growing distant and reticent, and Mary Louise arrives on the scene. She questions Jane about her relationship with Perry and digs into Celeste's role in his death, which causes the five women to worry but also bond and work together.

Push Comes To Shove (8.3)

In the fourth episode of season one, Nathan invites Madeline and Ed to dinner so they can discuss better parenting options for Abigail. Celeste prepares for a city council meeting concerning Madeline's play.

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Jane meets with Ziggy's teacher after he exhibits some worrying behavior. The teacher suggests to Jane that perhaps her son needs medical evaluation, while Madeline pries into Jane's past and makes a few small but important discoveries.

Living The Dream (8.5)

The third episode of the series explores Celeste and Perry's relationship and their first visit to a relationship therapist. Meanwhile, Madeline tries to one-up Renata and get under her skin by organizing a trip to compete with Amabella's birthday party.

As a result, Amabella is upset when nobody shows up. Also in this episode, Jane opens up about trauma from her past, and the school principal announces the theme for the Fall Gala Fundraiser - an event that ends up being the centerpiece for the entire season.

Burning Love (8.6)

Madeline and Ed finally go to Nathan's for dinner, but back home they have a conversation about their passionless marriage. That's not the only thing Madeline's worried about after speaking to Bonnie and Nathan; she also learns about Abigail's secret project.

This project involves selling her virginity online. Naturally, Madeline blames Bonnie and Nathan for allowing her daughter such free reign. Jane confronts Renata after learning of a petition circulating to get Ziggy suspended from school.

Once Bitten (8.7)

Big Little Lies Celeste Jane Madeline Running Beach

Celeste is forced to confront the reality of her life, especially her relationship with Perry. She visits Dr. Reisman alone, who presses Celeste to be honest with her, and also with herself.

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Madeline continues working on her play with Joseph, the director, but his cold attitude towards her becomes a concern. Jane meets with the school principal and Ziggy's teacher, Ms. Barnes, to discuss an incident between her son and Amabella.

The Bad Mother (8.8)

The sixth episode of season two comes in at fourth place. Bonnie continues to withdraw, worrying Nathan. She spends most of her time at her mother's side in the hospital, where she considers possible solutions to alleviate her mother's suffering and her own guilt.

Meanwhile, Mary Louise continues dropping bombshells that rattle the Monterey Five - in this case, claiming that Celeste isn't a fit mother for her boys, which results in a drawn-out courtroom showdown. Meanwhile, Renata is dealing with her crumbling marriage and disappointing husband.

Tell-Tale Hearts (8.8)

The second episode of season two shares the same rating as "The Bad Mother" and introduces Renata's struggle for the season. Gordon reveals his irresponsible actions to her, which lands them both in legal trouble.

Celeste has little choice but to be honest with Mary Louise about her relationship with Perry, but the former refuses to accept the truth about her son's abusive actions. The Mackenzies are also feeling the strain on their relationship when Ed questions his wife about the secrets she's been keeping.

I Want To Know (8.9)

The season two finale sees Celeste continue to make a stand in court. Madeline, Renata, Jane, and Bonnie all support her as she turns the tables and questions Mary Louise about the way she parented Perry growing up.

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Meanwhile, Madeline fears that the lie they have all been keeping is only tearing them apart. This fear is only confirmed by Bonnie's elusive, distant behavior, and Jane's increasing withdrawal as she spends more time with Corey.

You Get What You Need (9.5)

Eclipsing every other episode's rating is the season one finale. Viewers finally learn what happened to begin all of the conflict and suspicion and how the Monterey Five were drawn together in the first place.

Jane also discovers that Ziggy is not responsible for hurting Amabella, and Celeste is stricken when she learns that her sons are guilty. Meanwhile, she's also planning to move out and separate from Perry, but before this can happen, the women get into an altercation with him at the fundraiser, where Bonnie pushes him to his death.

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