Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley and Reese Witherspoon in HBO’s “Big Little Lies.” (Hilary Bronwyn Gayle/HBO)
Both “Big Little Lies” and “The Night Of” were engrossing stories that could have continued. But the peak TV era has expanded viewing options to the point that it actually makes sense for some shows to have a clear end in mind. We all have examples of shows we loved in the first couple of seasons, but eventually stopped watching because the central story wore thin. “Big Little Lies” drew amusing comparisons to “Pretty Little Liars,” which will end after seven seasons later this year. Honestly, the Freeform drama should have ended already, having revealed the identity of its big bad (known as “A”) nearly two years ago.
As a number of reviewers have noted, “Big Little Lies” ended on a more ambiguous note than the book version of “Big Little Lies.” And, of course, there are shows that span multiple seasons and never overstay their welcome with fans: “Mad Men,” “Breaking Bad” and FX’s ongoing (and still wonderful) espionage drama “The Americans.” And in the peak TV era, a show originally presented as a miniseries might be tempted to go beyond one season — like “The Night Manager,” which the BBC and AMC are reportedly considering for a second season.
But why risk tainting what started out so strong?
As director Jean-Marc Vallee told the Hollywood Reporter the open-ended ending allows for debate. “‘Big Little Lies Two?’ Nah. The end is for the audience to talk about,” he said. “Imagine what you want to imagine and that’s it. We won’t give you a season two because it’s so good like this. Why spoil it?”
A firm ending also frees up the show’s cast to move on to other projects. “The Night Of” translated into a breakout year for actor Riz Ahmed, who was later seen in “Rogue One” and Netflix’s “The OA,” which has been renewed for a second season, but could have ended just as easily after its bewildering finale.
Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman, who optioned “Big Little Lies” and served as executive producers on the project, garnered particularly rave reviews. Their production companies have optioned the rights to Moriarty’s “Truly Madly Guilty,” which could presumably spawn another TV show. If we’re really lucky, it will be a binge-worthy miniseries.
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