The television show Big Little Lies was compelling because of its cast of dynamic characters. The show, which centers around a murder, jumps back and forth between the murder night and the events leading up to it. Fans enjoyed guessing which character could have committed the crime, but one thing was clear, anyone could have done it.
Though these characters are flawed, fans generally found themselves rooting for them. That is because while they all had negative traits, they also had positive traits as well. So let's check out some of the best things about the main characters and some of the worst things about them.
Bonnie's Worst: Withdrawn
Bonnie is one of the more reserved characters on the show. For most of the first season, she wasn't in the core group of friends, influencing the story from the sidelines instead.
Though Bonnie originally appeared to be spiritual and free-spirited, it became clear that Bonnie was actually hiding a great deal of information about herself and her past. In the second season, Bonnie becomes even more withdrawn and her inability to open up and express herself proves to be one of her biggest challenges.
Bonnie's Best: Acknowledges Individuality
Bonnie is not a conformist. She doesn't care if she is being judged by others. This mindset also allows Bonnie to accepts others for their individuality, appreciating some of their quirks and differences.
This is one reason why Madeline's daughter Abigail is drawn to Bonnie as she feels Bonnie accepts her for who she is, unlike Madeline who tries to influence her daughter's decisions. Bonnie is also shown bonding with Madeline's husband Ed, seemingly appreciating aspects of him that Madeline does not appreciate. Bonnie's love of individuality is what keeps other characters from hating her, even if they want to.
Renata's Worst: Judgemental
Renata has a bad habit of jumping to conclusions. This is because she is extremely judgmental. Renata has a clear vision of "the way things should be" and if anyone doesn't fit within her vision, she is quick to write them off.
Though she blames her loneliness on her commitment to her work, the truth is that she has difficulty connecting with others because they can tell she is constantly judging them.
Renata's Best: Driven
Renata is a forceful and powerful character. When she wants something, she will stop at nothing to achieve her goals. While this sometimes has negative impacts, such as when she believes Ziggy is harming her daughter Amabella (which fans really can't blame on Renata), this skill has also led to Renata's success.
Through her hard work and determination, Renata has moved up in her career and built a life for herself. When her husband loses everything Renata has worked so hard to get, it is clear that Renata will find a way to rebuild. Seeing such a strong and intelligent female character on television is rare, and that is why fans love this character.
Jane's Worst: Doesn't Stand Up For Herself
Jane has been through a lot and is still coping with the trauma of her past. This seems to have had a major impact on her self-esteem. Jane is eager to please those around her and often doesn't stand up for herself.
This leads Madeline to step in, constantly advocating for Jane. Though Jane is a sympathetic and her lack of confidence certainly isn't her fault, fans would have loved to see her learn to be a more forceful character.
Jane's Best: Good Mother
Jane's relationship with Ziggy is one of the most sincere relationships on the show. It is clear that she loves her son and wants what is best for him. Out of all the parent-child relationships on the show, these two seem to be the closest.
When making a decision, Jane always considers the impact it will have on Ziggy and does what she thinks will be best for him before considering what is best for herself.
Celeste's Worst: Temper
Celeste is dealing with a lot. The abuse she suffers at the hands of her husband Perry is hard to watch. This leads to feelings of anger. While this anger is understandable, Celeste often blames herself for the abuse because of the anger.
Though she tries to contain her anger in front of her children, there are moments where they witness Perry's abuse of her as well as her anger over dealing with the abuse. When Celeste learns that one of her children has harmed a little girl at school, Celeste loses her temper and grabs her son hard, shaking him and screaming at him.
Celeste's Best: Perseverant
Fans struggled to watch Celeste's abuse during season 1 of the show. They were rooting for her and wanted her to escape her abusive husband. But even as Celeste was living with Perry, she was proving how perseverant she was. She pushed through her pain and tried her best to and care for her children. She maintained relationships with her friends and was actively involved with the boys' education.
In season 2, Celeste really got to shine. When Perry's mother tried to take Celeste's children away from her, Celeste proved that she is the wrong person to cross. This clever attorney represented herself in the courtroom and proved that she had the tenacity to thrive.
Madeline's Worst: No Theory Of Mind
Most of the time, Madeline has good intentions. Many of her problems stem from the fact that Madeline has no theory of mind, which is to say that she can't think from the perspective of others.
Madeline wants to help but often crosses lines and upsets those around her because Madeline does what she believes is best instead of helping those around her achieve their own goals. If she were able to better understand the motivations of those around her and hear their desires instead of operating on her own assumptions, Madeline would have much better relationships.
Madeline's Best: ionate
Madeline is incredibly ionate. This causes her to become attached to several causes and she works tirelessly, pouring herself into these causes and projects.
This ion is what immediately draws her to Jane and what helps her relationships with the other Monterey 5 grow in season 2. Though she is sometimes misguided, fans have to appreciate the way that Madeline gives her whole heart to the things that are important to her.