Big Little Lies season 2 renewal changes designation for one awards show

Big Little Lies season 2 is going to be airing on HBO in the future, and its creation seems to be already having a surprising impact.

For one, the Nicole Kidman – Reese Witherspoon drama is no longer being considered a limited series (otherwise known as a Long-Form Program) by the Producers Guild of America for the upcoming PGA Awards. According to Deadline, the Guild is resetting all voting for the upcoming television portion of the award and moving the show to a different category. Here is what the Guild had to say in an email to its members:

“At the time of the release of the ballots, HBO’s series Big Little Lies qualified for the Guild’s Long-Form Programs category … However, with today’s announcement that HBO has ordered a second season of the series with the main characters continuing into the second season, the series no longer qualifies within that category. In accordance with our rules, we have determined that the most equitable course of action is to adjust the ballots – placing Big Little Lies in the Episodic Drama category for which it now is qualified – and re-start the voting afresh… Please take a moment to re-cast your votes as all ballots submitted to date for television for the 2018 Producers Guild Awards have been voided.”

The site reports that HBO is not altogether in agreement with this decision, arguing that season 1 was created with the intention of being a limited series and should remain designated such. Yet, that’s clearly not what the Guild thinks.

Will this impact other major awards shows?

It doesn’t appear so. Voting is already done for the Golden Globes and for now, it doesn’t seem as though the SAG Awards are going to change anything. From our vantage point the renewal shouldn’t take away from what the show first was — if we’re going to allow Sherlock episodes to be submitted as TV movies, taking away a designation potentially for a show like Big Little Lies just because of a decision after the fact seems like splitting hairs. Also, it creates a tricky spot where you’re left to wonder about network’s intentions at the time in which a limited series is created.

What do you think about the Big Little Lies season 2 renewal impacting the show’s designation? Should the first season be considered a limited series at all anymore? Share below, and check out what HBO had to say about the renewal over here.

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