There was a lot of buzz coming into the second season of “Big Little Lies.” The series had just become a Golden Globe and Emmy juggernaut, with the high-profile cast getting huge raises for an unexpected new batch of episodes. However, there was always going to be one big change between Season 1 and Season 2 — the directors. And according to a new report from IndieWire, that supposed seamless change from Jean-Marc Vallée to Andrea Arnold was not as smooth as we originally thought.
The report says that after a successful production of Season 2 of “Big Little Lies,” with the cast and crew all supporting Arnold’s vision for the new episodes, HBO and the creative minds behind the series took it upon themselves to alter the footage and shape the series in their own image, effectively cutting the director out of the conversation. This was all in an attempt to make Season 2 feel more like Season 1.
Breaking it all down, the report says, “In other words, after all the episodes had been shot, take Arnold’s work and make it look and feel like the familiar style Vallée brought to the hit first season, which won eight of the 16 Emmys it was nominated for in 2017, including Outstanding Limited Series.”
The main issue is that this changeover of control from Arnold to Vallée was known by HBO and showrunner David E. Kelley, but wasn’t something told to the incoming series director. So, when Vallée came aboard and drastically altered the look and feel of what Arnold shot, tensions arose.
Obviously, the show doesn’t belong to Arnold, but the lack of communication is startling. The report says Arnold was never shown a “style bible,” which is a common document that shows use to keep a consistent look, and she was encouraged to hire her own crew, including a brand-new cinematographer. Clearly, you don’t need the deductive powers of Sherlock Holmes to see Arnold had no clue that her style and work would be shaped by someone else’s hands in post-production.
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Tensions were exacerbated in February when HBO ordered the series to go back for additional photography. Despite being unhappy with the post-production drama, Arnold reportedly felt “obligated” to finish the job. And according to IndieWire, Arnold was really only the director, in name only, with Vallée taking over a lot of the role, even though he is just listed as an executive producer.
Of course, even though there was clear disruption in post-production and reshoots, “Big Little Lies” remains one of the highest rated series for HBO and a critical darling. The show must go on, as they say.