- HBO's "Big Little Lies" returns for a second season on Sunday at 9 p.m. ET.
- Meryl Streep is joining the cast as Perry's mom, Mary Louise Wright.
- The second season will be composed of seven more episodes following the repercussions of season one's murder, with a new story from creator David E. Kelley and input by the original book author Liane Moriarty.
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HBO's Golden Globe and Emmy winning "Big Little Lies" returns on Sunday for its second-season premiere. This year Meryl Streep joins the already star-studded cast as the "Monterey Five" deal with the fallout of a death they all categorized as an accident — even though the truth is much more complicated.
Keep reading for a look at everything you need to know about season two of "Big Little Lies."
Season two will have seven total episodes.
Season one also had seven episodes, each about 50 minutes long.
All your favorite leading ladies are returning.
Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley, Laura Dern, and Zoë Kravitz will return.
"I'm thrilled to be bringing back this talented team of artists," star and executive producer Reese Witherspoon said in a statement. "It gives us the opportunity to delve deeper into the lives of these intriguing and intricate Monterey families and bring more of their stories back to the audience who embraced and championed them."
More conflict is in store for the cast of characters on "Big Little Lies."
When the season two pickup was announced, HBO said in a statement:
"The subversive, darkly comedic drama 'Big Little Lies' will explore the malignancy of lies, the durability of friendships, the fragility of marriage and, of course, the vicious ferocity of sound parenting. Relationships will fray, loyalties will erode … the potential for emotional and bodily injury shall loom."
The women involved in Perry's death will become known as "The Monterey Five."
As seen in a preview trailer shown at the TCA panel, "The Monterey Five" will be under scrutiny from both investigators and the community around them as school starts up again.
The story picks up at the start of a new school year, when all of the kids are in second grade.
As seen in the official trailer, the parents in Monterey will be dealing with new grade school dramas as we pick up at the beginning of the school year.
Meryl Streep will play Celeste's mother-in-law.
Streep will play Mary Louise Wright, Perry's mother and Celeste's mother-in-law, who arrives after her son was killed on season one. This tie-in pretty much guarantees that her role will be huge, though little is known about her character arc.
"I do love [Celeste]," Streep said at the TCA panel. "That's the only thing I'll tell you. But that's the truth."
Read more: Meryl Streep reveals why she was eager to join 'Big Little Lies' season 2
Streep will be the third Oscar winner on the show, joining former winners Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman. This isn't Streep's first time doing TV for HBO. She starred on the 2003 miniseries "Angels in America," and won an Emmy and a Golden Globe for her performance.
In addition to Streep's role, there will be several new characters.
In addition to Streep's role, there will be a few more new characters.
- Michael Perkins is a new second-grade teacher at Otter Bay Elementary School played by Mo McRae.
- Bonnie's (Zoë Kravitz) mother, Elizabeth Howard, is played by Crystal Fox.
Andrea Arnold will direct every episode.
Arnold directed a 2011 adaptation of "Wuthering Heights," the 2016 film "American Honey," as well as several episodes of Amazon shows "Transparent" and "I Love Dick."
David E. Kelley, who wrote all of season one, wrote the second season as well.
In 2017, Kelley won an Emmy when "Big Little Lies" nabbed the best limited series category. He was also nominated for outstanding writing for a limited series.
Liane Moriarty, the author of the book season one is based on, is working with Kelly to make sure her story goes in a direction she approves.
Moriarty was asked by HBO to come up with a potential storyline for season two that will help continue the stories of Madeline, Celeste, Jane, Renata, and Bonnie.
When asked why the limited series will go on, star and executive producer Nicole Kidman said, "I believe their stories warrant it and I don't want to abandon them. We don't want to sell them short, either. But I'm hoping we can find it if we take the leap."
A teaser from HBO promises more from the night of the murder.
A quick teaser clip HBO shared in January shows the women in a lineup on the night when Perry was killed.
"My son is dead. I want to know what happened that night," Mary Louise Wright says to Madeline in a teaser shown at the TCA event. "I'm very tempted to ask you, but… I don't think I would get the truth, will I?"
"Big Little Lies" season two premieres at 9 p.m. ET on Sunday, June 9.
Carrie Wittmer and Anjelica Oswald contributed to an earlier version of this article.
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