God Only Knows

Last year when HBO premiered Big Love, I did not intend on giving it a chance. I figured it would do well but wasn't curious enough of what they would do with it to watch. I thought it'd be a bore. It turns out that it is far from being a bore and is, in my opinion, one of the best shows on television.

The series centers on husband Bill Henrickson (played by Bill Paxton) and his three wives: Barb (Jeanne Tripplehorn), Nicki (Chloë Sevigny) and Margene (Ginnifer Goodwin). Together they have seven children with another on the way (Margie has a bun in the oven). While I have yet to watch the first season, this current one picks up where the first left off. The family's polygamy ways have been revealed at the Governor's ball and the family is attempting to cope with the exposure. The state (Utah, natch) is also mounting an investigation on the compound that Nicki is from after Roman's (Nicki's father and church prophet) son was poisoned. While Bill and his family are struggling to attempt to keep their family secrets a secret, they have all the typical family issues. Barb is questioning the path they have chosen and even leaves the family for a few days. Nicki has power issues and tries to take over whenever possible. Margie is young and naive. The older children have their woes, too. Sarah (Amanda Seyfried) has high expectations to live up to but isn't comfortable with their family's lifestyle. The eldest son, Ben (Douglas Smith), is in love with his girlfriend. He's also committing a big no-no by starting to have sex with her.

The acting is also phenomenal. Each sister wife is believable; however, I'm far more impressed with Ginnifer Goodwin as Margie. In my opinion, she so convincingly plays bubbly and child-like innocence so well that I often feel like she isn't playing a character. I'm least impressed with Douglas Smith as Ben, but he's a young actor.

Aside from some of the only-on-television story arcs, Big Love does seem to present the center family as "normal" despite multiple wives. I'd say it's a pretty fair representation of polygamy, as well. Not that I really know anything about it, though.

Catch the series Sundays on HBO at 9:00/8:00 central.