The six-part psychological thriller 'Little Disasters,' adapted from Sarah Vaughan's bestselling novel, delves into the harrowing aftermath when Jess (Diane Kruger) brings her baby daughter to the hospital with a serious head injury. The on-duty ER doctor, Liz (Jo Joyner), who is also a close friend, is faced with an excruciating moral dilemma: uphold her medical duty to report the injury or maintain loyalty to her friend. This decision sets in motion a chain of events that unravels friendships, exposes secrets, and scrutinizes the façade of perfect motherhood, all against a backdrop of perinatal obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

For Jo Joyner, who portrays Liz, the subject of perinatal OCD profoundly shapes the narrative, providing the thriller with its driving, uneasy tension. Liz, a dedicated professional who has climbed the ladder from working-class origins, finds herself in an unimaginable situation. She views Jess as the epitome of a perfect mother, a stark contrast to her own busy, complicated life. When Jess cannot provide a coherent explanation for her baby's injuries, and the medical science doesn't align, Liz, despite her personal affection for Jess, must follow protocol and call social services. Joyner described this as a "mind-blowing dilemma," reflecting on the challenge of suspecting a close friend of harming their child. Liz initially believed the situation would be easily resolved with an explanation from Jess, only to watch it escalate out of control, leaving her in a profoundly confusing state.

Joyner found Liz to be one of her most relatable characters, particularly identifying with her blunt, straightforward, and driven nature, which she describes as having a "masculine element." Unlike the more traditional relationships among their friends, Liz and her husband Nick share an equal, communicative partnership, operating as a "well-oiled machine." This steady bond provides a contrast to the fragile connections that fray under the weight of suspicion within their wider friend group. The emotional intensity of filming the hospital scenes, particularly those involving an injured infant, was challenging but easy to tap into, especially for a parent. Despite starting the official investigation, Liz never truly believes Jess is a bad person; her logical, medical brain compels her to act, but her heart resists judging her friend. Her guilt over the escalating situation leads her to offer Jess refuge in her home when Jess has nowhere else to go, fueled by a shared history of not having supportive mothers.

Diane Kruger's portrayal of Jess explored the devastating impact of postpartum mental health trauma. Kruger found the role incredibly challenging, admitting that playing Jess "almost broke her." She drew on her personal experiences of witnessing friends struggle with mental health issues after becoming mothers, noting how they distanced themselves and later expressed embarrassment about the details. The non-episodic shooting schedule, requiring her to switch between extreme emotional states rapidly over months, contributed to the immense difficulty of the role. Jess's struggle is intensified by her inability to definitively deny harming her child, knowing only that she stepped out for 10 minutes, a fact she feels too guilty and terrified to share. This self-doubt, coupled with her aversion to traditional medicine and doctors, makes the hospital environment particularly hostile and overwhelming for her.

The dynamic between Jess and Liz is complex, especially given their friendship. Kruger highlighted the difficulty of playing Jess in the early episodes, needing to convey intense internal anxiety and restraint before the viewer is privy to Jess's intrusive thoughts. She justified Liz's initial call, acknowledging that despite the pain it caused Jess, it was the right decision to make given the severity of the child's injury. This confrontation, though traumatic, ultimately forced Pandora's box open, allowing Jess to begin confronting her mental health struggles. Kruger also related to the dynamic of the broader friend group, which she described as a "new world" that emerges after becoming a parent, consisting of people with whom one might not otherwise connect. As a non-English character among her British co-stars, Kruger naturally felt an outsider status, mirroring Jess's own feelings within the group.

The series' ending, which notably differs from the book, reveals Jess's husband, Rob (Stephen Campbell Moore), as the guilty party. Kruger found Rob's actions, particularly his manipulation of their son Frankie, to be "horrible" and "unforgivable," a sentiment that solidified the cast's commitment to the chosen resolution. Joyner praised the ending as "brilliant," appreciating how Rob, while not a monster, was portrayed as someone whose lies escalated into a tangled web. The narrative cleverly bookends with Liz making a second phone call, this time to the police about Rob, a call she feels much less guilt over, bringing the story full circle. 'Little Disasters' is available to stream on Paramount+.