Shailene Woodley stars in "Big Little Lies"

Pants on fire: The life of a suburban mother: adorable little kids, wonderfully good friends, beautiful houses and a little bit of murder. That last one might not be typical (at least I hope not), but it does make for a great plot device, one that drives HBO's new miniseries, "Big Little Lies." Premiering Sunday, Feb. 19, the dramedy is based on Liane Moriarty's novel about three moms who become tightly knit after meeting each other on their kids' first day of school.

They may all have perfect lives on the surface, but soon enough all of that perfection starts to unravel -- and the little bit of murder that happens along the way might have something to do with that.

In the roles of those mums are three of Hollywood's top actresses. Academy Award winners Reese Witherspoon ("Walk the Line," 2005) and Nicole Kidman ("The Hours," 2002) star alongside Golden Globe nominee Shailene Woodley ("The Descendants," 2011) as suburban mothers Madeline, Celeste and Jane, respectively.

Alexander Skarsgård ("True Blood"), Adam Scott ("Parks and Recreation"), Oscar nominee Laura Dern ("Wild," 2014) and Zoë Kravitz ("Mad Max: Fury Road," 2015) also star in the deviously dark dramedy set in Monterey, California.

All seven episodes of "Big Little Lies" come from director Jean-Marc Vallée, who previously worked with Witherspoon and Dern on 2014's "Wild," which earned both actresses Oscar nominations.

With the critically acclaimed trio back together, viewers can expect a grim but funny look at suburban lives turned inside out in HBO's latest miniseries. "Big Little Lies" premieres Sunday, Feb. 19.

Unfamiliar territory: "Bates Motel" is introducing some familiar characters to White Pine Bay for its last season, but Hitchcock fans shouldn't get too complacent.

The fifth and final season of the creepy A&E drama kicks off Monday, Feb. 20, picking up two years after the last one left off: with Norma Bates (Vera Farmiga, "The Conjuring," 2013) dead and her son, Norman (Freddie Highmore, "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," 2005), living with her body and suffering from the delusion that she's still alive.

"Bates Motel" is a prequel to the classic 1960 Alfred Hitchcock film "Psycho," but it hasn't been afraid to tweak, move and outright change characters and plot elements to keep Hitchcock fans on their toes.

The introduction of Marion Crane is the final piece of the intricate puzzle that links the series to the film. Music superstar Rihanna ("Battleship," 2012) steps into one of the most iconic roles in cinema, although there's no guarantee that the details of Marion's fate will pan out the way fans expect.

In the film, Crane is murdered by a knife-wielding killer while showering in her room at the Bates Motel in a scene that has become one of the most memorable in Hollywood history. 

Another name from "Psycho" that is finally making its way to the prequel series is Sam Loomis. Austin Nichols ("The Walking Dead") takes on the role, which, again, might only share a name with the movie character; for "Bates Motel," the character is described as a "mysterious and charismatic newcomer to White Pine Bay," whereas, in the film, he is Marion's lover and the catalyst for her running away to the motel.

Regardless of how the characters are portrayed, the arrival of Marion Crane and Sam Loomis links up the timelines of "Bates Motel" and "Psycho," and signals the end of the series. The final season begins Monday, Feb. 20, on A&E.

A riotous revival: After months of speculation and rumors, the word is finally out: "Will & Grace" is coming back. The NBC sitcom ran for eight seasons -- from 1998 to 2006 -- winning 16 Emmys and earning legions of fans.

Eric McCormack ("Perception") and Debra Messing ("Smash") starred as the titular best friends, along with Sean Hayes ("The Millers") and Megan Mullally ("Childrens Hospital") as the other two members of their social group.

The revived series, which is scheduled to air during the 2017-18 season, will run for 10 episodes and reunite all four actors with the series's original creators, David Kohan and Max Mutchnick. Director James Burrows, who directed all 194 episodes of the original series, is also lined up to return.

Rumors of a potential "Will & Grace" revival have been in the air ever since McCormack, Messing, Hayes and Mullally returned to their old roles in an election-themed Internet video last September. It wasn't long after it went viral that negotiations began between the actors, showrunners and NBC.

"We're thrilled that one of the smartest, funniest and most defining comedies in NBC history is coming back," said NBC Entertainment chairman Robert Greenblatt. 

He may be thrilled, but for "Will & Grace's" many longtime fans, "thrilled" doesn't even begin to describe the feeling of the much-loved series returning more than a decade after it wrapped up.