The Bad Mother

## Navigation

"**The Bad Mother**" is the sixth episode of the second season of *Big Little Lies*. It is the thirteenth episode of the series overall. It was released on July 14, 2019 on HBO.

## Premise

Celeste is blindsided by Mary Louise. Renata learns that Gordon's missteps are more than financial. Bonnie contemplates a solution to her mother's suffering and her own ongoing guilt. Ed entertains an unusual proposition from Tori, before catching Madeline in an unguarded moment. The Monterey Five feel the pressure of increased scrutiny of Perry's death.

## Synopsis

Celeste and Mary Louise finally go to court, to battle for the custody of Max and Josh. Celeste is completely shocked and hurt when Mary Louise's lawyer, who is a "shark," asks her a wide array of personal questions. He mentions every one-night stand Celeste has had, asks her if violence arouses her, asked her if she has every hit Perry, Mary Louise, and her kids (which she admitted she had before). He tried to make Celeste look like a bad, unstable mother, who sleeps around. Celeste addressed the court and the judge directly, explaining that she is coping with grief and intends to improve herself and get better immediately.

Just before the judge announces the verdict, Celeste interrupts and says that Mary Louise never took the stand and that isn't fair. Celeste herself wants to question Mary Louise to show that she herself is not a proper caretaker for the boys. The judge agrees.

Ed meets with Tori, who comes on to him and tells him that she has fantasized about him. Ed looks flatters but doesn't say anything back. Madeline approaches Ed again and says that she wants to try to work it out.

Jane approaches Corey about his presence at the police station. She asks if he is a cop. He said that he was just called in for questioning by the detective, who asked him if Jane has ever talked about the rape (by Perry) with him. Corey claims that he told the detective nothing. Jane seems mildly reassured, but stops answering his calls and texts because she says she isn't ready for something new just yet.

Bonnie confesses everything (even pushing Perry and her resentment towards her mother) to her mom, while she is in a coma. She knows her mother is going to die and that this is her last chance to say anything.

## Credits

### Cast

* Reese Witherspoon as Madeline Mackenzie
* Nicole Kidman as Celeste Wright
* Shailene Woodley as Jane Chapman
* Laura Dern as Renata Klein
* Zoë Kravitz as Bonnie Carlson
* Adam Scott as Ed Mackenzie
* James Tupper as Nathan Carlson
* Jeffrey Nordling as Gordon Klein
* Kathryn Newton as Abigail Carlson
* Iain Armitage as Ziggy Chapman
* with Alexander Skarsgård as Perry Wright
* and Meryl Streep as Mary Louise Wright

**Also Starring**
* Becky Ann Baker as Judge Marylin Cipriani
* Darby Camp as Chloe Mackenzie
* Cameron Crovetti as Josh Wright
* Nicholas Crovetti as Max Wright
* Martin Donovan as Martin Howard
* Merrin Dungey as Detective Adrienne Quinlan
* Crystal Fox as Elizabeth Howard
* Poorna Jagannathan as Katie Richmond
* Denis O'Hare as Ira Farber
* Douglas Smith as Corey Brockfield
* Sarah Sokolovic as Tori Bachman
* Christopher Backus as Joe
* Nelly Buchet as Juliette
* Chloe Coleman as Skye Carlson
* Goreti da Silva as Clerk
* Grant Davis as Jason Raddick
* Eve Gordon as Dr. Danielle Cortland
* Lon Gowan as Robert Johanson
* Mykal-Michelle Harris as Young Bonnie
* Hartlyn Hilsman as Child
* Harry Irby as Detective
* Khalilah Joi as Young Elizabeth
* John Marshall Jones as John Davidson
* Chad Mountain as Bailiff
* Duvier Poviones as Daniel
* Amanda Reed as Diane
* Davin Ringer as Bailiff
* Travis Schuldt as Michael Something
* Larry Sullivan as Oren
* James Trevena-Brown as Brad Gorcey

#### Cast Notes

* Goreti da Silva (Clerk), Chad Mountain (Bailiff), and James Trevena-Brown (Brad Gorcey) make their first appearances and are billed as Co-Starring.
* Grant Davis (Jason Raddick), Lon Gowan (Robert Johanson), Hartlyn Hilsman (Child), Harry Irby (Detective), John Marshall Jones (John Davidson), Amanda Reed (Dianne), and Davin Ringer (Bailiff) make their only appearances and are billed as Co-Starring.
* Merrin Dungey (Detective Adrienne Quinlan) and Sarah Sokolovic (Tori Bachman) make their final appearances.
* Christopher Backus (Joe), Nelly Buchet (Juliette), Duvier Poviones (Daniel), Travis Schudlt (Michael Something), and Larry Sullivan (Oren) make their final appearances.

## Episode Guide

 **Season 2** | "What Have They Done?" **·** "Tell-Tale Hearts" **·** "The End of the World""She Knows" **·** "Kill Me" **·** "**The Bad Mother**" **·** "I Want to Know"

## References

1. ↑ *Big Little Lies* 13: The Bad Mother | HBO
2. ↑ Search Results | HBO