The picture-perfect world of Monterey, California is completely upended when a school formal ends with someone’s death.

As Big Little Lies unfolds, the series flashes back to the weeks prior, introducing us to the Monterey Five – a group of unassuming school mothers whose lives may seem the middle-class dream, but is actually far from it.

But who’s the body and who’s to blame? That’s what viewers will have to figure out over the course of this season.

Based on the book by Liane Moriarty, the series launched in 2017 to rave reviews, earning a 93% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

It was described by Cosmopolitan as “maybe the best thing to happen to television in the past five years.”

Here’s what you need to know about the first season and how it played out.

All episodes of Big Little Lies are now available on Sky Atlantic and NOW.

Sky is the home of Big Little Lies in the UK and is only available on our services.

You can also watch the series on demand via Sky Go or by streaming on NOW.

Big Little Lies season one is made up of seven hour-long episodes, introducing us to the world of the women in Monterey, California.

An elementary school fundraiser turns to tragedy when a murder occurs on the school grounds.

At school weeks before the incident, the mothers are busy getting their kids ready for their first day of first grade.

Madeline, whose ex-husband is now married to a beautiful young bride named Bonnie, is not too happy that their child is in the same school as hers. She’s also struggling to bond with her teen daughter, Abigail.

Madeline’s friend Celeste’s twin boys are also in the same class, as is Ziggy, who along with his mother Jane is a newcomer to Monterey. Meeting at the school gates, Jane forms a connection with Madeline and Celeste.

However, Ziggy’s first day goes awry when he’s accused by Amabelle – the daughter of the overbearing Renata – of trying to choke her. He strongly denies it, but it doesn’t bode well for son or mother. Back at home, Celeste’s apparently perfect life is proven to be a ruse.

Celeste’s husband Perry is physically and mentally violent when he discovers he missed the twins’ orientation day.

Jane tries to find work in the town, while Madeline tries to help her out by confronting Renata for excluding Ziggy from Amabella’s birthday party.

Back at home, Madeline’s complaints about her ex-husband Nathan leaves her new husband, Ed, questioning their own relationship. She’s also left fuming when Abigail chooses stepmother Bonnie to take her to Planned Parenthood.

When Nathan and Ed try to broker peace, tensions ride even further.

When she’s called to the school after another incident involving Ziggy, Jane is left suffering a traumatic flashback from her own past.

Celeste debates leaving Perry when he’s abusive towards her again, prompting the pair to go to couples’ therapy.

Madeline takes Renata’s exclusion of Ziggy to a new level when she arranges a family day out with other kids in class to Disney on Ice.

Abigail makes a decision about her living arrangements that upsets Madeline.

Jane tries to help Ziggy get more involved with school activities – but the construction of a family tree prompts her to make a confession to Madeline about how Ziggy was conceived.

As Abigail moves in with Nathan and Bonnie, Madeline throws herself into fighting for the local production of Avenue Q to proceed alongside director Joseph, with Celeste representing them in a meeting with the mayor.

After their plea is successful, Celeste realises how much she misses work as a lawyer, but Perry forbids her from attending any more meetings, getting violent when she pushes back on his demand. However, he stops when one of their sons catches him in the act.

Madeline is revealed to have had an affair with Joseph as they kiss after their successful plea to get Avenue Q off the ground.

Jane is pushed to get by Ziggy’s teacher to get him psychologically evaluated, as Madeline tracks down the man she thinks may have assaulted her.

Jane is discovered to have a gun, which unnerves Madeline especially after tracking down the mysterious ‘Saxon Banks’.

Renata is incensed when she discovers her daughter was bitten at school, but Amabella refuses to tell her who did it – leading the worried mother to think it was Ziggy again.

Joseph tries to restart his affair with Madeline, but the awkward conversation results in a car accident and raises suspicion from both their spouses.

Celeste’s therapist asks her if she’s being abused, prompting her to finally speak out about what’s been going on, though she’s still hesitant to leave Perry.

Jane leaves to confront the man Madeline believes may have abused her – taking her gun with her.

Jane returns from her trip and reveals to Madeline that she got the wrong guy, prompting a worried Madeline to encourage her to let it go.

But her troubles are only just starting when she discovers a petition has started at the school to get Ziggy suspended, and a confrontation with Renata results in an injury.

Celeste’s therapist helps her lay down plans to leave Perry – with another violent incident just around the corner.

As Avenue Q celebrates opening night, Madeline is confronted by Joseph’s wife about having an affair with him.

Nathan and Madeline are forced to join forces over Abigail when a radical move to raise money is revealed, resulting in an argument with a bombshell confession.

After another vicious attack from her husband, Celeste lays down solid plans to leave Perry. Amabella’s school bully is revealed, with Ziggy telling Jane the truth – and the mother of the child involved getting a scary realisation about what this means about their son.

When Celeste’s plan is discovered by Perry, he confronts her enroute to the fundraiser, but they’re interrupted by Renata.

As drinks start flowing and Ed takes to the stage for a performance, Madeline’s guilt about her affair overwhelms her. She’s followed by Jane, Renata and Celeste, who comfort her, but their moment is ruined by the arrival of Perry.

As things get heated and more truths amongst the group are revealed, a violent attack results in the girls defending each other, with one of those involved not making it out alive.