Polygamy loves Company: Big Love on HBO: New Episode Tonight

There's not much info on this show yet since it doesn't premiere until March 12, but I'm getting a jump on the hype because it looks like and interesting show, in the vein of Six Feet Under. It stars Bill Paxton as a man with 3 wives and, apparently, lots of issues. Jeanne Tripplehorn, Chloe Sevigny, Ginnifer Goodwin, and Harry Dean Stanton fill out the rest of the main cast.

http://www.hbo.com/events/biglove/

The two minute preview suggest this show will be another dark suburban dram-edy, much like Six Feet Under was in it's first few season before it got all serious.

I really like Bill Paxton, and have to say I'm really looking forward to seeing something new on HBO. With Carnivale, and Six Feet Under gone, The Sopranosâ?? upcoming final season and a half, Rome's hiatus until 2007 (if it comes back at all), and my general lack of interest in The Wire I'm kinda counting on Big Love to be able to fill some big holes on Sunday night. HBO always does quality work, so I'm convinced I'll like the show to some degree and it should get good ratings with The Sopranos as its lead in.

I'll do my best to keep this thread updated in the weeks leading up to the premiere if there are any updates to be found.

 

It seems to have an interesting premise. 1 man...3 wives. How long will it go? Unfortunately I don't have HBO. Another question is how much can you twist romance to fit into a reasonable show, not that this show will by any means fail.

 

I don't either, which is a pain. I've always wanted to watch "Deadwood."

 

Im game for any HBO programming.

 

Same here. I dont know much about it but Ill check it out, if only because HBO puts it out.

 

As a polyamorous person who's seldom seen any kind of mainstream media representations of "people like me," I'm half-anticipating and half-dreading this show. I kind of expect it to be infuriating crap, but I'll bite my tongue for now.

 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10511139/site/newsweek/

This is a nice short artice on Big Love. It gets a little more into the show's plot than the HBO site.

 

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/article/ds29114.html

This short article mentions that Big Love is being produced by Tom Hanks. That certainly lends the show a bit more credibility (as if it didn't already have enough by just being on HBO).

 

All right, I just saw the series pilot and I have to say that I really liked it.

I though the acting a writing were top notch (as per usual on HBO), and find the whole cast pretty likable. I thought the fact that they seem to have been members of a very messed up religious sect was an interesting twist. I really liked the ominous nature of the scene where Roman, the sect's leader, confronted Bill and tried to pressure him into paying the sect more money.

All in all, I thought it was a strong pilot and I'm looking forward to see where this show goes.

 

Eh, I'll watch it again but I didn't think it was a very strong pilot. In fact, way overhyped at this point. But we'll see as the show goes.

A random point of interest is that both the two female stars of "Waterworld" are in it.

 

Ive been reading mixed reviews on Big Love all week, some that said it was great and some that said it was mediocre at best. I wasnt able to watch it last night but Ill catch it On Demand probably later in the week and Ill post a review.

 

What's 'On Demand'?

 

It's kinda like pay-per-view for HBO subscribers. You can order certain shows, specials and movies movies for free. It's included in many digital cable packages now.

 

Speaking of On Demand, I was flipping on it last night and happened to see that theyre previewing episode 3 of Big Love a week before its supposed to air. I remember they did the same thing with Rome last year, but I didnt have On Demand yet so I wasnt able to check out the sneak preview. Anyway, now that they have next week's episode on early Ill probably watch 2 and 3 back to back.

BTW, I watched the pilot last week and I thought it was... interesting. Hard to judge the show off of one episode, but it seems like HBO is trying to go for the whole SFU vibe, with the whole wacky family and all. Ill give it a few more episodes before I reserve judgement, though.

 

I've liked both episodes so far. Sure, it's very soap-operaish, but so was SFU. Big Love at least has a good villian - Harry Dean Stanton's Roman Grant who is the leader of the Juniper Creek sect. They're a bit like an organized crime family. What a horrible group to be born into. We learned that Bill was run off when he was 14. His father, whom Bill didn't even know at the time, dropped him off in town to live on his own at 14 because the young men are forced out so the old men can have their choice of the young girls. That's really twisted.

 

There's a talented cast of actors here, but the writing is majorly lacking. It's surprisingly uninteresting. Viagra jokes, the "loud" wife, the bar needs to be raised, big time, if this show's going to last.

 

I agree. I watched both 'Viagra Blue' and 'Home Invasion' earlier this afternoon On Demand, and while I wasnt bored to tears I wasnt all that interested, either. 'Home Invasion' was better and was slightly more interesting than the previous episodes, if only because we got to the Juniper Creek families out of their element, and there was a scene between Roman and Nicki that was just plain creepy. Aside from the whole conflict with Bill and Roman it is kind of hard to see where all of this is going, but I guess that's to be expected so early in the season. Im willing to give it a couple of more episodes before I jump ship, though.

 

I hear Harry Dean Stanton is in this one; I wish I had HBO...

 

So, is anyone still watching this show? I really like it. It gets a little more interesting each week. I just wonder what sort of multi-season arcs the show will be able to develop since they are usually what drive HBO's series. Aside from a really creepy villian, I wonder what else they can do.

 

The show is great. Im starting to expect nothing less from HBO. Margie is a piece. Id love to have her as my only wife, never mind my third.

 

I agree with you about Margie 100%. Of course, she only 21. This, and her two kids by Bill, seem to indicate she was barely out of high school when she was taken in by Bill as wife number 3. Now I don't have any problems with Bill's lifestyle per se, but I can't help but wonder if Margie really understands what she has gotten herself into. It would seem that she is insulated from the realities of polygamy since she has her own house and gets Bill all to herself 2 or 3 nights a week. I don't even think she's a mormon. According to Margie's profile on HBO.com she's from Colorado and started out as just another employee at Bill's first store. That didn't work out, but Bill liked her, so he made her a live in Babysitter for Barb and Nickie. The fact that she is maybe not invested in the principles of Polygamy (at least it seems that way on the surface) makes her the most interesting character on the show right now.

I also think that they need to really build on the rekindled feelings subplot between Bill and Barb. The fact that he has to, essentially, have an affair with his own wife is a great idea. It's a good reworking of the old "forbidden love" theme. He's not allowed to love Barb the most, but he does. Maybe he'll begin to question his polygamous lifestyle at some point. I think that would be a good direction for the show to take.

 

I like the show for the totally opposite reason. I think Bill begins to questionthe sanctity of organized religion in general and the irony being that polygamy is the only thing he invests in.

 

I just finished watching all the episodes on "HBO: In Demand" ...

It's an 'okay' show... The acting is pretty decent, but it does get kind of slow at times.

 

I find it interesting that my parents find it to be a great show. After all, we're all mormons and polygamy no longer exists, but is being mocked/exploited in that show.

 

I'm looking forward to the season finale on Sunday. For anyone interested, there is an interview with Harry Dean Stanton, who plays Roman, in the newest Entertainment Weekly. It's the one with Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn on the cover.