On the old Netflix queue right now is season two of HBO’s Big Love. I got pretty instantly sucked in to the first season of the show, which follows the day-to-day life of a Polygamist family living in Sandy, Utah. It’s got Bill Paxton, Chloë Sevigny and the amazing Harry Dean Stanton as a corrupt “prophet” and lead antagonist to Paxton’s suburbanite wife collector.
Overall, the show is about interesting characters in interesting situations. It stays pretty apolitical about polygamy, with the creators setting out to make a show that would depict what it might be like for a modern-day polygamist. Turns out, it’s pretty rough.
Paxton has to deal with three wives, endless children, a crazy, cultish family and, of course, the Prophet, who has it out for Paxton something fierce.
By midway through the second season, though, I have actually found myself pulling for Paxton. Really, its a testament to how good the show is.
It paints a picture of polygamy I can understand, I can see how some buy into it, even though I don’t think it has very solid foundations. It’s a strange thing, though. And while you get close to Paxton and his family, the show does a good job of presenting the ego required to undertake something like having three wives — it’s critical of Paxton, and thus critical of polygamy.
Not for me, thank you. I’ll just watch.
Check out the following scene, in which Paxton’s third wife, Margene, “comes out” to a friend who Paxton happens to be courting to become his fourth wife.
So like…that’s out of the question then?
A little worried about you. Not because I know anything to be worried about, but mainly because there are no updates on your life so I am assuming your life has been suspended for the moment?
HBO does that to you. I never thought I would pull for a murderous mobster, and yet…
good luck with season two…you will never be the same.
yeah, i watched your video. it is interesting how they try to make it modernized and almost trendy…that is just what I get from the clip, I haven’t seen the actual show, so maybe you know better.
oh, well.