Big Little Lies returned for its second season this past Sunday. The star-studded series kicked Season 2 off with its returning cast and new addition in the form of Meryl Streep. How did the premiere do in the ratings? Well, they were an improvement over the series premiere.
The one-time limited series returned with 1.4 million linear viewers, per TVLine. That marks a 27% increase from the number that watched the series premiere. It is down from the audience that watched Big Little Lies’ Season 1 finale. That installment pulled in an audience of 1.86 million.
Things get even better for the Season 2 premiere’s ratings when you total in HBO Go, HBO Now, and a replay. Armed with those numbers, Big Little Lies’ season opener gets a lot bigger. It jumps from 1.4 million to 2.5 million viewers, easily besting the Season 1 finale. Not bad at all. In fact, it means that the HBO hit is going in the right direction.
It definitely hints that the series has had some staying power in the pop culture conscious. There was a considerable gap between Season 1 and Season 2. Big Little Lies made its debut more than two years ago in February 2017. Buzz definitely died out for a while.
Initially planned to be a single-season limited series drama, Big Little Lies ended up making a return. Due to the expectation of it being one-and-done, it led to a significant issue when Season 2 was given the go-ahead. Season 1 was a success with critics and viewers alike.
The high-profile cast led by Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon returned. Kidman recently opened up about why she decided to do Season 2, and I think her reason was a good one. Meanwhile, the critics have had a lot to say about the sophomore season. Whether they will end up chatting about Season 3 remains to be seen.
Last year, Nicole Kidman seemed open to the possibility. She also acknowledged how challenging it would be to get the cast together again to do one. Better savor this season while you can! Big Little Lies’ second season will be comprised of seven episodes. Following the premiere, only six are left.
Now, some spoilers ahead for the Season 2 premiere. In the season opener, Madeline worried about Bonnie’s behavior. Celeste's cruel mother-in-law (a.k.a. Meryl Streep’s character) showed up and Jane learned about the "Monterey Five" moniker. If you thought all of that was eventful, just stay tuned. The teaser for the season hinted at more posh parties and vigilant secret keeping. End premiere spoilers.
Stay tuned to find out if many more big lies will come to the surface. Something tells me that the Monterey Five will manage somehow. New episodes of Big Little Lies Season 2 will be airing this summer on Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.
