Big Little Lies

Series premiere. In the affluent beachfront community of Monterey, CA, a fundraiser for the local elementary school has gone horribly wrong--someone is dead, and school moms Madeline Mackenzie, Celeste Wright, Jane Chapman and Renata Klein may have had something to do with it.

Jane tries to keep it together as Ziggy queries why they moved to Monterey--a question for which she has no easy answers. Madeline gets news that her community-theater production might get derailed, and is outraged to learn that Renata is throwing a birthday party for Amabella and didn't invite Ziggy. Citing tensions from the night before, Celeste suggests to Perry that they see a counselor after he returns from his latest business trip. Nathan and Ed meet in hopes of smoothing out the tensions between their wives, and themselves.

Hoping to get under Renata's skin, Madeline organizes a trip to compete with Amabella's birthday party. After another argument, Celeste succumbs to Perry's charms before their first session with a therapist, Dr. Amanda Reisman. Madeline gets called for a meeting with Abigail's guidance counselor. Principal Nippal announces the theme for the Fall Gala Fundraiser; later, Jane seeks Madeline's help with Ziggy's family tree project, and opens up about her past.

Nathan invites Madeline and Ed to a couples' dinner to discuss a 'parenting paradigm' for Abigail. Celeste prepares for a city-council meeting about Madeline's play, and bristles at Perry's concerns about her returning to work. Jane meets with Ziggy's teacher, Ms. Barnes, who suggests Ziggy be medically evaluated in light of further evidence of classroom bullying. While Madeline is confronted by a skeleton from her past, her internet sleuthing reveals a key player from Jane's past instead.

Madeline receives encouraging news about the play from her director, Joseph Bachman, but is left concerned by his newly icy demeanor. Principal Nippal and Ms. Barnes share their conclusions about Ziggy and Amabella with Jane. Celeste has a solo session with Dr. Reisman, who tries to get to the bottom of Celeste's troubling relationship with Perry.

Madeline worries about the can of worms she's opened for Jane. Jane confronts Renata about a petition going around school regarding Ziggy. Dr. Reisman urges a resistant Celeste to start thinking about her exit strategy. Before their parenting dinner, Bonnie tells Nathan about a secret project Abigail has been working on. Meanwhile, Ed and Madeline have a frank conversation about the lack of passion in their marriage.