Big Love

Ok, I've become completely obsessed with this show.  I never watched it before this season.  I still don't know all the characters (there's dozens, and half the women look alike, all dressed up like pilgrim people).  And I obviously despise the religion stuff (although I'm beginning to believe that the writers do too).  I just can't get enough of it.  Along with fellow HBO show True Blood and Showtime's Weeds (both of them finished for the season), there will be a huge fight upcoming with defending champion Lost for the Vague Space TV show of the year.  And right now, I'm thinking Big Love has the edge.

Here's just one scene from tonight's episode... which has set off a chain reaction that will reverberate through the rest of the season (only 2 episodes left, damn!).  Bill is the main character (played by Bill Paxton, who's come a long way from getting turned into a giant turd on Weird Science), whose three wives on the show are Barb (Jeanne Tripplehorn), Nicki (Chloe Sevigny), and Margene (Ginnifer Goodwin).  Ray is the District Attorney, who was prosecuting the "prophet" of the "compound" (Roman Grant, played by Harry Dean Stanton) for statutory rape and other crimes for forcing the young women of the compound to enter into marriage with much older polygamists.  The prophet got off by intimidating and paying off three of the four witnesses for the prosecution, whose names he acquired with the help of his daughter, Nicki, the second of Bill's wives.  Nicki worked for the prosecutor in secret (from everyone, since Bill wanted his father-in-law to go to jail and was working with the district attorney to help them).  But Nicki fell for the D.A. Ray, who was probably the first man in her life who ever treated her with respect as a woman (sorry, Bill, I know you're the hero of the show and supposed to be "good" and all, but you're still pretty sexist).  Anyway, she used Margene's name to get the job, and when Ray came to her house with flowers, all hell broke loose.

Bill: "Ray, what are you doing here?"
Ray: "Well I thought that I was coming by to bring some flowers to Margene (points to Nicki)"
Bill:  "I don't get it."
Nicki:  "Please just go."
Ray: "You know -- Margene (points to Nicki again) -- who worked so hard for me in the Roman Grant trail."
Bill:  "Nicki worked for you?  She had... flowers?"
Ray: "Yeah, you know, because we'd been dating."
Nicki: "No!"
Ray: "But I just found out that Margene is actually Nicki, Roman Grant's daughter.  And Barb is the real Margene... and you just happen to be married to both of them.  (looks over to Barb, who he's never met)  And who are you?"
Barb: "I'm Barb."
Ray: (stares in disbelief and walks away)

Side note:  Charles Esten, who played Jim's boss when he moved offices in season 3 of The Office, plays Ray, and his look of complete shock and anger in this scene is absolutely brilliant.

Bill: "Nicki, tell me this isn't true."
Nicki: (runs to Ray's car) "Ray!"
Ray: "I don't know who you think you're messing with, but you got the wrong guy."
Nicki: "Wait."
Ray: "Don't say another word.  It will be used against you in a court of law."
Bill: "Ray, we need to talk."
Ray: "Are you crazy, huh?  Is this some kind of ongoing conspiracy here?"
Bill: "I didn't know about any of this."
Ray: "Guess what?  I don't believe you!  But if it's true -- (points to Nicki) she's turned you into a bigger fool than me."

Just a great, great scene in a great, great show.  By the end of the episode, Nicki pretty much gets tossed out of the house and tries to find refuge in Wanda's house on the compound (I'm not sure how they are close, but they are friends and/or related) but of course, Wanda's husband (Bill's brother) blames her for his other wife's death at Roman's hands and throws her out of the house.  So Nicki ends up at her brother's home -- the big one on the compound, since Alby has taken over in their father's court-ordered absence -- and Alby takes her in, possibly so they can plot against their father.  Ok, yes, that whole paragraph sounds like a soap opera and admittedly, all the twists and turns might seem like a soap opera to an outsider, but the acting and writing is so absolutely perfect that none of this plays remotely like melodrama.  And I'm pretty sure the writers are purposefully portraying devoutly religious people as evil murderers, manipulators, liars, and cheats, because well, they're not exactly suggesting that deeply religious people are any more saintly than you or me. 

Anyway, by the end, Bill is accosted in his office by the "Greens," a bunch of inbred looking freaky polygamist types that run their own compound (I think) and threaten to kill him if he doesn't turn over the "letter" that his brother-in-law acquired for the Mormon church that details how the Mormons back in the 1800s never intended to really outlaw polygamy.  So there was violence, drama, conspiracies, threats, infidelity, gambling, and high crimes and misdeamors.  All in one episode.  Oh, and a funeral.  No sex though.  For all the multiple marriages and multiple children flying around this show, these people don't exactly have a whole lot of sex.  In fact, other than Bill and the Eastern European Anna (who Bill tried to make his fourth wife until she wised up and moved on a few episodes ago), I don't think we've seen any couples actually copulate.  Which is strange for HBO.  But very good for this show.  Because believe me, you really don't want to see the people on this compound naked.

Comments

[Bells Palsy]

This show sucks. you have the worst taste.

[Belinda]

I absolutely Love Nicki and Ray. I have been a fan from the show from the beginning but this by far is the best season. I just cannot imagine the show without Ray since he has been introduced. I really want Ray to forgive Nicki and they have something meaningful togehter.

[olympic games accommodation]

I have seen this movie "episodes" before. But, think to take some rest with them. Enjoy the rest of the show.