‘Apples Never Fall’ Is Trying To Capture Some of That ‘Big Little Lies’ Magic

Australian novelist Liane Moriarty has published nine bestselling books, and two of them have already been adapted into award-winning television series. Now, a third adaptation, Apples Never Fall, is joining HBO’s Big Little Lies and Hulu’s Nine Perfect Strangers.

The show premieres on Peacock in March 2024, and as is the case with its predecessors, the cast is to die for! Melanie Marnich of The OA and The Affair adapted Moriarty’s novel into a seven-episode series. She also serves as executive producer and showrunner, guiding the production through location filming in Queensland, Australia and Florida late in 2023. In a press release, Marnich called Apples Never Fall a “riveting and twisty mystery” centering on the Delaney family.

“It was thrilling to write about the truly grown-up issues the Delaneys are grappling with, like the sometimes brutal sacrifices parents make to keep a marriage and family together,” Marnich continued. “We also take the gloves off when capturing what it takes to be a working mother and wife as we follow Joy into the mystery at the heart of this show.”

What’s the plot of Apples Never Fall?

On the surface, the Delaney family appears to be the perfect, loving family. Joy (Annette Bening in a rare television appearance) and Stan (Sam Neill) have recently sold their tennis academy and seem ready to enjoy their hard-earned retirement. The couple enjoys spending time with their four adult children, played by Alison Brie, Jake Lacy, Conor Merrigan-Turner, and Essie Randles. Then, a wounded young woman shows up on their doorstep, and Joy disappears soon after. As they unravel the mystery of who the woman was and where Joy went, dark family secrets come to light and threaten everything the Delaneys hold dear.

Some familiar themes

Like many of Moriarty’s books, the idea that things are not always as they seem is at the forefront of the action. Stan and Joy’s children must uncover truths about their parents’ relationship that force them to re-evaluate their entire lives. With Apples Never Fall, showrunners are likely hoping to produce the same kind of family drama that made Big Little Lies such a resounding success. The HBO series has netted dozens of award nominations and achieved enviable critical and viewer acclaim.

If Apples Never Fall turns out to be a success, it’s just a matter of time before Hollywood comes asking Moriarty for the rights to adapt one of her other books, because her work seems to be a treasure trove of good TV! We’ll know for sure whether this latest series lives up to the success of its older peers when all seven episodes hit Peacock on March 14, 2024. We can’t wait to binge them all!

(featured image: Vince Valitutti, Peacock)