A ‘gripping’ drama based on a best-selling book is now available to watch in the UK for free.
Released in 2020, Little Fires Everywhere was based on the novel of the same name by Celeste Ng which reached number 1 on The New York Times fiction best-seller list.
The story follows ‘the intertwined fates of the picture-perfect Richardson family and an enigmatic mother and daughter who upend their lives’.
‘The story explores the weight of secrets, the nature of art and identity, the ferocious pull of motherhood – and the danger in believing that following the rules can avert disaster,’ the official synopsis explained.
The eight-part series stars Reese Witherspoon as Elena Richardson, a journalist and mother-of-four, while Kerry Washington is Mia Warren, a single mum and artist who moves around regularly with her teenage daughter.
The story is told between two time periods – in 1997 when the Richardson’s house is set alight from inside, and four years earlier, from Mia’s mysterious past live to when she starts working as a housekeeper for the wealthy family, who live in Ohio.
It also explores the family’s opposing views when a custody battle erupts over the adoption of a Chinese American baby.
After initially being released on Amazon Prime, this week the show dropped on Channel 4, where UK viewers can now catch up for free.
The series was both a critical and commercial success, being nominated for 3 Emmy Awards.
‘Writer Liz Tigelaar explores a lot of interesting questions about motherhood and racial appropriation, and the supporting actors are all excellent, even as their characters are, by design, eclipsed by Elena and Mia,’ Rolling Stone wrote in its review.
‘At just eight episodes, it doesn’t demand a huge commitment, and while it’s highly bingeable, it has plenty of real substance, too. Each episode ends so enticingly poised that it’s hard not to let the next one play,’ The Sydney Morning Herald shared.
‘This Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington co-production ticks many boxes, thanks to its ability to meld comedy, teen drama and a stark portrayal of class inequality,’ The Irish Independent added.
Meanwhile viewers called it an ‘absolute masterpiece’, ‘gripping’ and ‘compelling’.
Ahead of the show’s initial release Reese, who was also an executive producer, explained: ‘We strive to shine a light on female-driven stories that are rooted in inspiration, emotion and truth—all of which form the bedrock of Celeste Ng’s ingenious work…we are confident that [Hulu’s] talented team will use this story to spur a long-overdue dialogue around race, class, and what it means to be a mother.’
Speaking to Metro in 2020, she also explained: ‘I felt like it was a challenge that we took on, I mean definitely [it was] one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.
‘It does tackle so many different issues, you know we talk about motherhood from so many perspectives, but also race, American privilege, homophobia, the immigrant experience.’
‘We wanted to do that in a way that was genuine and honest. It was an incredible experience to be able to talk about those things so freely with a group of women who were leaders on this project.’
Little Fires Everywhere is streaming on Channel 4.
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