Pitting two powerhouse performers against one another guarantees a gripping watch. Who wouldn’t want to see Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington (fresh off their respective stints in Big Little Lies and Scandal) go head to head? But Little Fires Everywhere is more than just a fiery soap opera. It’s packed with themes like race, motherhood, and womanhood. They’re brought to life by the two tremendous actresses, but the young actors are just as compelling, able to match their parents’ passion and theatrics. As in most soaps, the plot lines and details of the series can border on ridiculousness, and there are way too many time jumps than necessary, but its message is too important, and acting too heated, to look away from.

You can bet Reese Witherspoon will act her socks off as a Karen.