User reviews

Big Love is a wild ride from beginning to end. The acting is amazing, the storylines captivating and always just shy of outlandish. The characters were well cast, well developed, and it's so easy to get invested in their lives. A show for the ages.

I was curious about this series because I like Paxton, Sevigny and Tina Majorino in particular, and also Harry Dean Stanton (whom I got to see play blues at the Mint, in L.A., a couple of years ago - got his autograph that night as well, which was very cool). I don't agree with 'the principle', but I do like the series.

They've taken a potentially combustible premise and managed to make it charming and almost 'normal' - after a few episodes, it didn't seem odd at all that Bill has more than one wife. I like the interaction between the characters, the women in particular, and the side-story involving Bruce Dern is hilarious and tragic at the same time. They're walking a fine line here, and I would say, after viewing 2 seasons' worth of episodes now, they're pulling it off magnificently.

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.

As a Mormon, I gotta say this show gets a lot of things right, at least cultural living in Utah County. While mainstream members do not practice polygamy, there are many similarities in belief and jargon here that are portrayed quite accurately. HBO clearly did their research. All in all, first-rate acting and writing and hardly a dull moment. Highly recommended for those who like to be challenged by their entertainment and perhaps even made a bit uncomfortable.

I cannot honestly remember when I enjoyed a television show quite so much. There are so many well developed characters in this show, yet there is still so much we do not know about them. We get a few hints each episode. I love the complex relationships these intriguing characters are involved in. The plot is intricate and moves at a fast pace without sacrificing believability.

There are a lot of insider references made to Mormon culture and religion. But you do not have to know a lot about the LDS church to enjoy the show.

Bill and his family live in nice suburban style Salt Lake City neighborhood. In many ways they seem so normal, they make polygamy seem normal. But when the story takes place in the polygamous compound things seem anything but normal. Two sides of polygamy, as different as night and day.

Bill and his family have a difficult time keeping their lifestyle a secret, this creates moral dilemmas as well as making the average nosy neighbor or coworker a very real threat. But Bill's biggest antagonist is Roman, the leader and prophet of the polygamist compound he was raised in.

Bill's wives are very different in about every way. His first wife is really the typical Mormon wife and mom, very down to earth, modestly dressed but fashionable and very kind. His second wife, Nicki, is from the compound. She dresses in the prairie style of the compound, she is very manipulative and self centered. She is the daughter of Roman and her allegiance to her husband is questionable. The third wife, Margie, is the youngest. She is ditsy and insecure. By the way she dresses it appears that she may not be Mormon. She also provides the comic relief for the program.

This show is definitely thought provoking as well as entertaining. I can hardly wait till next season. It is definitely worth catching up on the episodes if you haven't seen it, you won't regret it.

I don't want to spoil anything. This is one amazing show. There aren't many of any shows out there they are better done than this.

When I first saw the ads for this show I said, "huh. Really weird premise to base a show on. Not to mention towing the line on being patently offensive. How good can it possibly be?" Well not only is it good, it's beyond wonderful. This is a series of many layers. It is at different turns screamingly hilarious, poignant to the point of tears and thought-provoking. Most of all though, it is just... human.

Think it's easy to be Poly?

How do you satisfy three wives without taking viagra? What are the risks of losing your eyesight - especially if you're taking a teensy bit more than prescribed. Is it really cheating if you're meeting one of the wives on the side in a hotel room without the knowledge of the others? Is the prairie skirt still a fashion statement? Who gets the kids if one of the wives dies? How long will your neighbors believe that your "babysitter" never has a boyfriend and conveniently has a house bordering your backyard? Who controls the money?

This show takes a subject which many of us have often wondered about, polygamy, and looks at both the bad and the good. It turns it around and examines all of the angles. Then very quickly it twists it into a Rubik's Cube of a puzzle and let's us watch a very talented cast including Jeanne Tripplehorn and Bill Paxton as they try to work it out under a very unconventional set of circumstances.

A MUST WATCH of a new series and definitely another home run for HBO!

"The Sopranos", "Six feet under", and now "Big Love". Hbo offers us a totally new outlook of family, this time by describing the harsh quotidian of a successful polygamist. The family according to Hbo is always subject of greater afflictions than the regular family. In "The sopranos", the father's profession was the issue (the mafia), in "Six feet under", the father's profession was once again the issue (death itself), and in "Big love", the father chose to live against the rules of society, he chose to be a polygamist and that's a big problem because it takes a lots of responsibilities to have three houses, three wives and plenty of children. Somehow, in all these TV series, everything rotates around the problematic of being a father and in a larger sense HBO talks to us about MORALITY. The way of life of these men is really the main idea. "Big Love" is a really great and profound show. As always, HBO prefers the realistic treatment of his subject rather than the inner and comical sense of polygamy. The cast is unbelievable, and the score is great. In spite of the dramatic aspect of this show, I find it really entertaining. Anyway, if you like HBO's shows, you will love "Big Love".

My favorite TV series all-time! Excellent character development, plots and subplots. Constant tension but also great spots of levity. A very believable, enjoyable drama.

"Big Love" begins as a gripping exploration of a family that attempts to walk the tightrope between polygamy and normalcy. Bill Paxton stars as Bill Henrickson, a straitlaced family man with three wives: Barb (Jeanne Tripplehorn), Marge (Ginnifer Goodwin), and Nicolette (Chloe Sevigny).

Season 1 allows the audience to step inside the Henrickson homes (there are three, right next to one another). We see Bill struggle to please all three wives as he faces problems at work. We see Barb struggle to rise to her duty as "First Wife." We see Marge struggle to find her place in the family. We see Nikki struggle to cling to her conservative roots. At the same time, the show hints at doubts and serious questions concerning Sara and Ben, Barb's children. Season 1 works as a compelling dysfunctional family drama: 10/10 Season 2 doesn't flow quite as well. It picks up just as Season 1 ends, and it doesn't bring much new content to the table. Conflicts with Nikki's father, Roman Grant (Harry Dean Stanton) escalate, which pushes the show out of the house and into Roman's compound. The compound scenes are repetitive and bland, as well as over-the-top. Season 2 gets a 6/10.

Season 3 is a huge step up from Season 2. The show returns more to its roots at the Henrickson household, and it introduces new conflicts of exposure, family ties, and possible expansion. 8/10.

On the whole, "Big Love" is a solid show with one very weak season. It would do best to abandon the compound scenes altogether. Still, each character and performer gets his/her due. Paxton is solid as the patriarch, Tripplehorn shines throughout as the questioning mother, Goodwin shines in Season 2 as she finally gains some responsibility, and Sevigny carries the show in its third season.

There's no business like the religion business and the hypocrisy and hubris it oscillates between, and this series highlights and exposes it brilliantly.

Artfully acted in its not-too-suble dramatized exposé of the extremism, misogyny, and greed-fueled corruption that is as the core of all organized religions.

The writing wanes here and there but conveys strength, character commitment, and story arc that aims, hits, & bullseyes toward its obvious end - tragedy and those left broken in its wake.

An enjoyable binge-watch that enthralls as much as it shocks and repulses. Don't let the "happy" tune intro fool you; there's little to no happy endings & that is the message, the lesson, the moral.

I'm surprised no one has written about this great show yet! I've always liked HBO's original programming, from Video Jukebox back in the early 80's (before Mtv!), to Taxicab Confessions, OZ, Sopranos, and Six Feet Under. I really had little interest in watching a show about Mormons and polygamy in Utah, but I knew HBO would make it interesting. I love the cast! Bill Paxton is perfectly cast as the lead. He was always an underrated actor. Same goes with Jeanne Tripplehorn as his first (and favorite) wife. Chloe Sevigney is almost unrecognizable as the manipulative second wife, with her long hair and prairie outfits. I first noticed her in Kids. Newcomer Gennifer Goodwyn is quite good as the overwhelmed and lonely youngest third wife. She reminds me of a young Sherilyn Fenn. It doesn't hurt that all of the wives and eldest daughter are quite attractive!

One would think Bill's character would be envied, but the more we see into his everyday life, the more I say "No thanks!" Imagine dealing with three moody wives and children coming out of the woodwork! Everything has to be written in a daily planner, otherwise things get extremely chaotic. On top of dealing with his huge family, living in three adjacent houses with one back yard, he also has to run a growing chain of Home Depot-type stores, deal with the rest of his oddball family (parents and brother) still living on a polygamist compound run by an evil Harry Dean Stanton who keeps extorting money from Bill and harassing him and his family. Oh, and they also try to keep their polygamy secret from the nosy neighbors, and one of the wives has run up huge credit card debts! Plus almost everyone the family deals with is an over-religious meddler! I also like the relationship with the eldest daughter and her straight laced but good hearted friend, who played Napolean Dynamite's love interest. Overall, I really like this show and hope it becomes as popular as the other great HBO series.

I love pretty much everything about this show and every actor in it. Watched it many times and I enjoy it just as much each time.

I find myself rushing to put the kids to bed on Sunday nights so that I can watch all of Big Love without interruption. I love how some of the characters struggle with being a polygamist and come to terms in their own way. Also, Nicki's character is one of those you love to hate. She drives me crazy most weeks with her behavior and then makes me really respect her in others. My experience in life is that most people are this way, where they do really dumb or selfish things majority of the times and then they surprise you with something wonderful, which is why you keep them in your life. Although the main theme of polygamy is not something I deal with in my life a lot of the other issues they face are things that can happen to any of us.

Big Love is in my opinion a strong exploration on polygamy and how this form of marriage is negatively influencing the individuality of the people involved. Isn't it hard enough to have one wife, let alone having three totally different characters in one marriage? It also explores religious fundamentalism in the United States. But HBO wouldn't be HBO if they just made fun of their protagonists. All of the characters are humans of flesh and blood with their own flawed characters and morally ambiguous nature towards making choices in life. They are treated with the respect that they deserve.

Although Bill Paxton really shines as ''pater familias'' of the polygamist family, it are his three wives that definitely steal the show. I really love all three of them: wise and worldly control freak Barb, manipulative yet strong-willed Nicky and the innocent and youthful Margene. You start to love them during the first season, and hope that they can maintain their dubious relationship with Bill ( no matter what your personal views are about polygamous in general ).

I consider this show as being amongst HBO's best. Worth the watch!

Yes, it has a nice complexity of characters, who are ever being revealed to us. Yes, you really don't need to know much about the Mormons to get this show. But what I really love is how it points out how very few people in our supposedly "free society" are truly free to be who they are without fear of judgment, or worse, legal hassles and entanglements. Little by little, our freedoms have been whittled down by those among us who think they know best for ALL of us. If you don't believe me, go find a cancer patient who wants to smoke pot for their nausea and pain. Go ask the Californian who adores their pet ferrets but must hide them from the dept of fish and game. Ask the person who exclusively prefers the company of someone of their own sex yet fears losing their job if the wrong people find out.

This show is for anyone who enjoys great television, but it is mostly for those of us who know what its like to not be truly free to be who and what we are without fear.

I just watched this older series. Boy, did it start out strong. Such controversial issues. Such strong characters. You won't see this nowadays where everything is sanitized. Unfortunately, in seasons 4 and 5, I felt I was spammed with micro-dramas where the characters' personalities dramatically changed to something else. I still give it a strong score, though.

For season 4 & 5, It was kind of like The Walking Dead. You know, everything bad that can happen HAPPENS when you're running from a zombie just to provide additional suspense which gets old after awhile. Same thing happens with these seasons. Except you can replace walker with drama.

I really really REALLY did not like Nikki. That means Chloë Sevigny did an outstanding job portraying her character. I hope she received an Emmy nomination back then.

God bless Bill Paxton.

This engaging series is one of the zaniest soap operas yet offered by HBO -- which is saying something given their record to date. It adds plural marriage to a list of subjects including whimsical vampires (True Blood), dysfunctional funeral directors (Six Feet Under), and narcissistic Hollywood groupies (Entourage). What's next? Fundamentalist cross-dressers? The paucity of genuine drama on cable television is nowhere as evident as in these recurrently fun but trite exercises in topical one-up-man-ship. Each episode strains for originality only to sink under the weight of multiple off-beat characters and subplots that ultimately carry the classic message of theater: no matter how bizarre the overall concept, we always recognize parts of ourselves to the extent that it's hard to hit the "off" button. So we continue to look for and appreciate the really excellent work of veteran actors like Harry Dean Stanton and Mary Kay Place and the novel or nuanced interpretations offered by younger ones like Chloe Sevigny.

There are in fact no good guys or bad guys in soap opera, only conflicted protagonists and misunderstood foils. If there is a political message, it is that any virtue or vice carried to extreme lengths turns on itself and destroys the perpetrator. Serious theater on the other hand magnifies good and evil pitted against one another, often within the same character, employing a dramatic structure with finite limits.

In Big Love we have just an ongoing feast of delectable and endless possibilities involving sort-of good guys and sort-of bad guys that cause us alternately to boo or applaud with gusto. A real treat.

This show is very well written (to an extent), executed and acted. I appreciate the complexities of the dialogue and plot lines, but there is an inherent creepiness that I have trouble with. All the religious mumbo jumbo is hard to watch - especially against the hypocrisy of religious fanatics who have multiple wives. I know that's part of the point - part of the dynamic of the show, but still. One thing I don't get and I don't think is adequately explained is why would someone want more than one wife. The financial and other burdens are enormous, as the show illustrates. There are allusions to religious reasons, but that's about as far as it goes.

What is the upside? What would compel someone to do this? What is the motivation? What is the motivation for these women to enter into such an arrangement? These things go largely unexplored. What sane person would say I would like to buy three houses all in a row, make them a compound, have three wives (and then find three women willing to do this), have a bus load of children, and then spend most of my life trying to cover this up?? There certainly must be some serious mental disorders that accompany such behavior, but this is never addressed.

Ultimately, the "good" guys on the show are as despicable as the bad guys. With the Sopranos there is some acknowledgment of the hypocrisy they are living, here there isn't. It's incredulous.

I suppose that's part of the point - inject audacity - but even though the show is extremely well done because of the strange life style it is often difficult to identify with the characters. And it's not just because it's an "alternative" lifestyle, it's the hypocrisy of it.

On a completely different note, how could someone (the flaneuer post below) mistake this for a movie with an ending!

Great writing. Stellar performances. One of the best dramas by HBO, thanks to the amazing cast. Coincidentally finished watching the last episode on Bill Paxton's fourth death anniversary.

I have a HUGE problem with the show. Put the Hollywood gloss on it and try to make it seem OK. They have problems just like you and me, right? Only trouble is, polygamy was outlawed a long time ago and the only people still practicing it are fanatics using it as an excuse for being a pedophile.

Even in the show, the old guy has a very young wife and Bill Paxtons youngest wife "seems" to have married very young.

What they fail to mention is that the young "wives" are married sometimes at ages 12-14 by no choice of their own to some older man whose current wife is no longer young enough to feed his sickness.

By the time they are old enough to realize what they are in for, they have children to take care of and no where to run. They have to hide in fear of the law while their "husband" basically owns them.

I have no problems with consenting adults doing what they want behind closed doors as long as they do no harm to others. This is not the case with polygamy.

Saying this show is good even though it glamorizes pedophiles is like saying "Joe is a great guy except he molests children."