A friend of mine asked me if I had seen "The show about the guy with three wives," and I had no clue which show he was talking about. He told me it was called "Big Love" and I should catch it. Well, now having watched the first two seasons, I can confidently say this is the best television show I've seen in years. The polygamy is not even close to what the show's all about-- even though that part is extremely interesting.
First off, Bill Paxton is charged with a tough duty-- he's really the backbone of the show, and he is flawless scene after scene after scene. The same can be said of Tripplehorn, Sevigny and Goodwin. Amanda Seyfriend also really shines in a quiet but emotionally conflicted role as the teenage daughter battling religious self-esteem and monogamy vs polygamy for a life path. Douglas Smith demonstrates great promise as a young actor whose character is in a state of constant awkwardness and whose introverted nature is taken to the backseat when a great personal challenge for him begins to arise in the second season.
The stories are fantastic, with wonderful characters at every level. Harry Dean Stanton as Roman Grant is an absolute masterclass in acting; his tiny, shriveled exterior does nothing to prevent us from fearing his powerful, commanding leadership role as the so-called prophet of the compound.
Boasting plot lines consistently intriguing and aiding in character development rather than mere shock value, it refuses to make overt caricatures out of characters easy to keep one-dimensional. For me personally as an atheist who is fascinated with the study of theology, it's rousing fun to cheer for the polygamist and his loving family. The part that sucks me in the most is definitely the "right" decisions characters make, albeit justified with religious convictions. Don't just "give it a chance"-- watch it and you will love it. It's smart, funny, emotionally impacting and extremely well-written.
