If you loved the gripping drama, complex characters, and stunning cinematography of 'Big Little Lies,' you're in for a treat. This article explores 10 movies and TV shows that capture the same essence of mystery, female camaraderie, and dark secrets lurking beneath picturesque surfaces. Whether you're craving more intense storytelling or powerful performances, these recommendations will keep you hooked just like the hit HBO series.

Desperate Housewives (2004)
Description: As a precursor to 'Big Little Lies', this show similarly blends dark comedy with suburban drama, exploring the secrets and scandals behind perfect domestic facades. Both feature ensemble casts of complex female characters.
Fact: Originally pitched as a drama about housewives. The narrator is a dead neighbor. One of the most successful TV shows of the 2000s.


Mare of Easttown (2021)
Description: This crime drama shares 'Big Little Lies'' focus on a close-knit community rocked by violence, with a complex female protagonist at its center. Both explore how trauma affects families and communities, blending mystery with deep character study.
Fact: Kate Winslet learned a Delaware County accent for her role. The murder mystery kept the cast guessing until the end. Filmed entirely in Pennsylvania where the story is set.


Sharp Objects (2018)
Description: Like 'Big Little Lies', 'Sharp Objects' is a dark, psychological drama that explores complex female relationships, trauma, and secrets in a seemingly perfect community. Both are based on bestselling novels and feature strong female leads with troubled pasts. The atmospheric tension and slow-burning mystery are key similarities.
Fact: Based on Gillian Flynn's debut novel. Amy Adams learned to play the piano for her role. The series was filmed in Barnesville, Georgia, standing in for the fictional Wind Gap, Missouri.


The Handmaid's Tale (2017)
Description: While more dystopian, this show shares 'Big Little Lies'' focus on female oppression and resistance. Both explore how women navigate patriarchal systems, with Elisabeth Moss and Nicole Kidman delivering powerful performances in both series.
Fact: Based on Margaret Atwood's 1985 novel. The red costumes are digitally enhanced in post-production. First streaming series to win the Emmy for Outstanding Drama.


The Flight Attendant (2020)
Description: While more comedic in tone, this show shares 'Big Little Lies'' focus on a woman grappling with personal demons while entangled in a criminal investigation. Both feature unreliable female narrators and explore themes of addiction and self-destruction.
Fact: Based on Chris Bohjalian's novel. Kaley Cuoco's first major dramatic role. Features fantasy sequences showing the protagonist's fractured psyche.


Little Fires Everywhere (2020)
Description: Another exploration of motherhood, class divides, and suburban secrets, this show mirrors 'Big Little Lies'' examination of how perfect facades hide complex realities. Both feature wealthy communities where racial and economic tensions simmer beneath the surface.
Fact: Based on Celeste Ng's bestselling novel. Kerry Washington was pregnant during filming. Reese Witherspoon's company Hello Sunshine produced both this and 'Big Little Lies'.


The Undoing (2020)
Description: This HBO limited series shares 'Big Little Lies'' focus on wealthy communities hiding dark secrets, with Nicole Kidman starring in both. The psychological thriller elements, marital tensions, and exploration of how appearances can be deceiving make it thematically similar.
Fact: Based on Jean Hanff Korelitz's novel 'You Should Have Known'. Hugh Grant's first major TV role. Filmed in New York City during actual winter months for authenticity.


Why Women Kill (2019)
Description: This dark comedy-drama shares 'Big Little Lies'' exploration of female rage and the secrets within marriages. Both shows examine how women navigate (and sometimes subvert) societal expectations, with murder as a central theme.
Fact: Created by Marc Cherry of 'Desperate Housewives'. Features three parallel storylines set in different decades. Lucy Liu directed several episodes.


Revenge (2011)
Description: This soapy thriller shares 'Big Little Lies'' themes of wealthy communities, revenge, and female empowerment. Both shows feature women confronting their past traumas while navigating high society's dark underbelly.
Fact: Loosely inspired by 'The Count of Monte Cristo'. Emily VanCamp did many of her own stunts. Originally planned as a limited series.


The Sinner (2017)
Description: Like 'Big Little Lies', this anthology series explores the psychological underpinnings of violent acts, often involving women in distress. Both shows peel back layers of their characters' pasts to reveal hidden traumas and motivations.
Fact: Based on Petra Hammesfahr's novel. Jessica Biel was a producer on the first season. Each season features a completely new mystery and cast.
