This June, HBO premiered the second season of its original series Big Love. The basic premise of the show deals with Bill Henrickson (Bill Paxton) a Morman man who practices "the principle" and is husband to three different women. Together the four adults live in three separate houses in a suburban neighborhood in Utah. Bill's three brides are Barb (Jeanne Tripplehorn), Nickie (Chloë Sevigny) and Margie (Ginnifer Goodwin). Each wife brings different strengths and weaknesses to the family, which also includes 7+ children combined. The main story line hanging over from last year's premiere season is the volatile relationship between Bill and Nickie's self proclaimed prophet, compound-leading, creepy father Roman Grant (Harry Dean Stanton). As Barb was ready to accept a "best mother" award the rumored, but unstated fact that she is a polygamist surfaced in front of hundreds of people including one of her daughters. Shamed in public for the life she has chosen, Barb sank into deep depression and no longer was the anchor of the Henrickson household. It later becomes known that Roman was responsible for Barb's outing and this forces a wedge between Nickie, who idolizes her father, and Bill who despises everything Roman stands for. Complimenting story lines include Bill's family, which still lives on the Morman compound which Roman controls, and their continuing need of support from Bill who has made a successfully life for himself. The daily problems Bill's two oldest children must deal with, in addition to adolescent worries, their abnormal family life.
Anytime HBO releases a new original program, I tend to give them the benefit of the doubt. Their track record speaks for themselves: Oz, The Sopranos, The Wire, Six Feet Under, Rome, etc. Since the show began I quickly became a fan. Unlike many hour long dramas, the seemingly endless story lines were crafted well to incorporate one another. You are rarely finding yourself asking, "Well how does this fit in to everything else." With the exception of some of the younger actors, the entire cast does an amazing job, from Stanton's aging cult leader to Tripplehorn's angst ridden matriarch. As season two nears its end, the Henrickson family has seemed to overcome the possibility of exposure. The new problem rests with Roman being gunned down and hanging on to life (partially Bill's fault); they now must deal with the likelihood of Roman's bitter and equally creepy son, Alby, becoming the new leader of the compound.
So far, the entire cross connecting family in Big Love shows the sometimes eerie, sometimes normal life for polygamists. With help from an all-star cast and great script writing, Big Love will be remembered as one of HBO's success stories. I don't think it will have the ratings that the Sopranos or Six Feet Under received, which probably won't make a difference. I just hope that HBO allows Big Love (unlike John From Cincinnati and Carnivale) to finish out this great story for seasons to come.
