On March 18, 2020, Hulu aired a new drama miniseries titled Little Fires Everywhere. Based on the original novel by Celeste Ng, the series follows the lives and secrets of the seemingly perfect Richardson family and the mysterious Warren family, who have recently moved to Shaker Heights, Ohio. The novel was featured in Witherspoon’s book club and shortly after, was brought to the screen by Hello Sunshine, Witherspoon’s private media company. Little Fires Everywhere stars well-renowned actors, Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington as the series two female leads.
Witherspoon delivers an excellent performance as Elena Richardson, a part-time journalist and full-time mother of four teenagers. Born and raised in Shaker Heights, Elena Richardson is a well-known and respected member in her community. Her character is rule-obsessed and actively participates in the status quo. The pilot episode establishes a flaw in the Richardson household, an intense tension swells between mother and daughter. Megan Stott stars as Izzy Richardson, the youngest Richardson daughter. An outcast in the community and her own family, Izzy struggles with identity and self-expression. It is a dynamic familiar to many—an overbearing mother and a rebellious teenage daughter. The series zooms into the lack of communication and understanding between these two characters and produces incredible scenes that are both emotional and entertaining.
The Warren family brings another complicated mother/daughter duo to the series. Kerry Washington joins the cast as Mia Warren, a single mother and mixed-media artist. Mia spends most of her life on the road, moving to different towns to develop her art career. She shares her nomadic lifestyle with her teenage daughter Pearl, played by Lexi Underwood. Pearl and Mia have a seemingly perfect relationship. They express verbal and physical affection and communicate well. However, as Pearl becomes attached to Shaker Heights and the people in it, their relationship begins to suffer. When Pearl expresses a desire to settle in town, it becomes clear that art is not the only reason Mia likes to stay on the move and her demons begin to surface as the series progresses.
Little Fires Everywhere explores motherhood through a wildly entertaining and suspenseful plot. Conflicting personalities, familial relationships, racial tensions, and buried secrets make this show worth all its praise. The emotion packed episodes will shock you and touch you. It will have you reaching for the phone to call mom.
“For us the show has always been so much about being a mother but also about having a mother, trying to find your place with your mother” said Kerry Washington in an interview with EW. Both Witherspoon and Washington are mother’s themselves and you can see that in their outstanding performances in Little Fires Everywhere. If you enjoyed shows such as Big Little Lies, 13 Reasons Why, and Sharp Objects—Little Fires Everywhere is your next binge!
If you are interested in streaming Little Fires Everywhere, the eight-episode mini-series is available now on Hulu.