Big Love Watch: Straight Edge
HBO photo: Lacey Terrell
Big Love had kept us wondering for a while whether it was actually going to go the whole Brady-Bunch-forbidden-love route with Ben and Margene, and last night the show finally showed us that we weren't the only ones who had noticed what's been going on. I was glad, though, that their relationship, so far anyway, was more innocent than our dirty minds were imagining. And seeing Margene growing a spine and calling Barb out over her suspicions was beautiful: "You're wrong! And you're gross! And that sweater thing was my idea, just like the nursery! Knit your own sweater, Boss Lady!"
Speaking of Ben, I love that this is a show in which kids rebel against their parents by saying things like, "You think your dad's leading you down an unrighteous path?" The scene with Jason Embry getting the Straight Edge sXe tattoo--rebelling against one subculture by joining another--is a reminder of the odd moral and religious universe this show has constructed, as was the resolution of the Roman-Bill conflict.
You have the compound polygamists, who rationalize thieving and cheating the government on the grounds that they're doing it to promote a Godly way of life. You have Bill, deciding--in a variation on Roman's sophistry--that it's OK to go into the video-poker business because he's trying to follow polygamy in a less exploitative way. (Speaking of which: loved the exchange about how the media never shows the "normal" polygamists.) You have the teenage kids, who are working out their own problems with polygamy by flirting with Straight Edge or mainstream Mormonism. You have the mainstream LDS Mormons, who to much of the rest of the country would seem fairly religiously conservative, but from this perspective are practically flaming secularists. And then there are the rest of us, who are--well, we're just kind of out there somewhere. We don't really figure in.
My favorite episode of the season yet, and solidly acted episode all around, from the little funny notes (Mary Kay Place power-sawing a hog, or explaining how she became her own step-grandma) to Chloe Sevigny's moving performance in the last few minutes, as she realized that her father betrayed her and her family, and that--because of his choices and hers--she can never really be at home at the compound again. But perhaps the best scene was the last, when Rhonda shows up at the Henricksons' doorstep. Jeanne Tripplehorn did a great job of portraying Barb's multifaceted reaction--surprise, genuine sympathy, and an obvious wish to click her heels and be shut of these baby-marrying freaks--in one wordless expression.
Daveigh Chase, by the way, was also a great choice as the enigmatic, iPod-stealing, vaguely creepy Rhonda, and I'm glad she's getting more attention. ("Being sealed to the prophet is a great honor. You'd better be intact.") She has a way of making you wonder, with one unsettling expression, what exactly she's up to. Here's hoping we find out soon.
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1
Best episode of the season and maybe the series. It opened up so many avenues of interesting plot lines: Rhonda's escape from the compound; Poker!; Alby's rebellion and Nikki not-so-subtle allusion to Alby's so-far-hidden homosexuality. It was great episode.
This is were my wife and I disagree: She prefers more of the soap-opera elements surrounding Bill and his juggling of the three wives, where I prefer more of the intrigue involved in the Roman/Bill stuff. This episode was a great mix of the two.
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2
One thing I've learned about the Straight Edge crowd is that, even without the impairments of drugs and alcohol, they still listen to really, really bad music.
I agree that this was the best episode of the series so far. But I realized last night that I'm actually rooting for bad things to happen to Bill Henrickson. I see a lot of similarities to Tony Soprano: He's a good guy, basically. He loves his family. Loves them so much he'll get involved in shady business deals to provide for them. And he acts so self-righteous about "living the principle" that polygamy is the only true path to eternity, but it wasn't until after Barb's cancer (and inability to conceive) that he took on a second wife. And how creepy was it when he was singing Jesus songs while seducing Nikki?
I like that we're seeing more of smaller characters like Adaleen, Rhonda and Alby. If Bill is this show's Tony, then Alby is obviously Vito Spatafore. I love the subtle hints at his homosexuality -- like last week when he was driving the Hummer, blasting "Tainted Love" on the radio.
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3
I'm wondering where Wanda was during this episode? Pretty well every single character made an appearance except for her. Bill even said to his mother that she can't be running around unsupervised but she was nowhere to be seen.
Did anyone else notice how embarrassed Joey looked to be praying in jail?
Loved how all of the white clothing on the compound residents really underlined their hypocrisy.
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4
Was an excellent episode - and showed that Margene has a deeper understanding of the three-wives, three-mothers relationship than does Barb - at least, regarding Ben ... http://paullevinson.blogspot.com/2007/06/big-love-2-episode-3-sons-and-mothers.html
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5
Roman's "angels will sing for us..." comment to Rhonda... that's some mega-creepy stuff. No wonder she flew the coop (camp). Was there some foreshadowing -- particularly in that furtive glance between she and Bill -- that there might be an exploration of her being Bill's fourth wife?
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6
That Rhonda is a piece of work. It looks like she had an unfortunate experience in Mexico and is not "intact." She flew the coop to Bill's to get the cover that Bill is the one to blame and not herself. Or not. It is fun to guess where they are taking the storylines.
So there will be more calumny for Bill. BTW, Paxton has commented that Bill Hendrickson is like Job.
I am really pleased that the writers understand that their job is to keep us off balance and a little uncomfortable with what is going on with the story lines. -
7
Wow! So many questions! I am curious now as to Alby's fate. Will he be ostracized like Lois, or totally kicked off of the compound and his wives "reassigned"? Also, what now for Joey?
When will Margene actually start showing? LOLJust when I think this show can't get any better, they outdo themselves again. I agree that this episode is the best thus far. I thought the new season got off to a slow start with the first episode, but now I see that they were just dipping our toes before taking a plunge in the deep end. And that Rhonda! I am excited to see what tricks she has in store for us. Also, the last episode showed that we maybe haven't seen the last of Nikki's money troubles, and I am curious to see where that goes.
Big Love is the best series on TV at this point in time (with Lost running a close second!). Thank you, HBO, for continuing to give us quality entertainment.
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8
Also, if anyone gets the chance, check out some of the "mini" episodes on HBO.com. They are unaired clips of life before the first episode, such as the introduction of Margene and life when they all lived in one house. Not as much information as I would like, but interesting just the same.
- poniewozik Loved the season. Mrs Tuned In wd have put u on the main list RT @boredtodeath Thank u for incl us in Time's Top 10. We'll take hon mention. - 5 hours ago
- poniewozik @carr2n Virgin is the best, LAX-JFK - 6 hours ago
- poniewozik Did NPR interview abt multiscreen multitasking. After, automatically reached for iPhone in pocket. Like don draper wd have for cigarettes. - 7 hours ago
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