Big Love S04E07 'Blood Atonement'

As much as I love this show, it feels as though it has just become way too busy. Maybe this is because it’s season has been shortened by an episode. I think all these storylines, as dramatic as they, may have benefitted from revealing them at a slower pace – if for nothing else than to give the viewer a chance to breathe a little.

It was obvious that the dominant storyline within this episode was going to be the fallout between Lois’s smuggling and the Green’s. It did take up the majority of the episode, as Joey and Bill made their way down to Mexico to rescue them. We find out, however, this isn’t Joey’s sole intention. He wants to go down there to exact revenge against Hollis for the part he played in Kathy’s death. We see Bill’s fear that Ben could possibly already have been killed, a fear that is perhaps exacerbated by the distance has been between them both of late.
Hollis puts the three accused before a mock trial, although it’s clear that he’s never going to find in favour of any of them, as he believes he is muscling in on his own business. However, he does agree to put a halt on proceedings until Bill can get there. This isn’t to be nice; it’s because he has since found out that after Dale’s death – Bill has now been elevated and is the head of the UEB. As Hollis has his son, they both have something the other needs.

Things take a turn for the even more strange when Bill does get there. He pulls a gun on his brother, telling him he can’t join him as he is too hell bent on revenge and may put them all in jeopardy. Of course this does little to deter Joey, and was a bit foolhardy of Bill to think that it would. Joey follows him down anyway, ‘guns a-blazin’ shouting out for Hollis Green.

By this point Bill has already located and retrieved his family (as well as Joedine, who was essential to the operation). Bill tells Joey to leave it be and to get out of there, that the heavenly father will take care of it, just like he did Roman. This is where Joey tells him that it was in fact he, who took care of it. There was no divine intervention. Bill, although shocked, does stand by his brothers side when people pull guns on them.

Bill then offers himself up, as long as they let their family go. However, Lois’s maternal instinct kicks in. Although this might not have been the best course of action ... she grabs the nearest weapon a slices Hollis’s arm off. It may not be the greatest ideas in terms of revenge and future ramifications the action will have on both her and her family, but it’s quite clear she just wanted to save her son.

And there we have it. They are all free to go back to Salt Lake, and will no doubt have to deal with the fallout of this in the remaining two episodes.


We find out this episode that Nikki is having trouble conceiving. So much so, that she has seen a doctor about her qualms who confirms her suspicions. This issue is only made more interesting by the fact that Adaleen, her mother, has found out she’s pregnant. As improbable as this seems, it is confirmed by a home pregnancy test.
The part that Jay Jay’s son, who is a doctor, has played in this is yet to be determined. Adaleen sings her praise of him, and instructs Nikki to go see him as well. From what we’ve seen of Jay Jay, and from Wanda’s horrified reaction (‘What have you done!’) it will be interesting to see how this proceeds. I may be reading way too much into it, but I think the doctor is completely suspicious, and the ‘hormones’ he prescribed Nikki may be something else entirely...
Also from the way Adaleen has said she’s never had so much energy etc ...

And finally we come to Margene’s storyline. She got married. To Ana’s fiancée, in order to keep him in the country. This way Bill and Barb can keep their baby, Ana and her fiancée actually get to stay in America, and perhaps the underlying reason ... Margene has her own front for when Bill announces that they are all polygamists. Margene can hide behind the fact that she is in fact married, and hopefully it will have no impact on her business at all. Another consideration could be Margene potentially gaining two allies. It’s clear that she is still a little bit on the out with the family, so with Ana behind her she at least has somebody on her side.

FURTHER THOUGHTS

- Still believe something is being built up between Tommy and Barb. The way that she asked him about his background, and the way he was concerned about her safety when the bomb was found in the casino.
- It would seem that Bill was right about Marilyn. No sooner have they signed, they already can’t contact her for help, and in fact, discover that she may be in bed with the organisation that is after their casino.
- Again no Sarah. Definitely phasing her out. She could have really left this season and it wouldn’t have made any difference.
- Was disappointed that the aftermath of Dale’s suicide hasn’t really been explored yet. Was really hoping to see Alby’s reaction, and whether or not he finds out Laura was behind Dale’s family finding out...
- I like how Ana has sort of been setup to point out just how difficult the whole family is. In a way, her character got to know the family just as we did. Through fresh, innocent eyes who knew nothing of polygamy or the lifestyle. She is usually the voice of reason, in many ways – pointing out just how difficult they all are to deal with etc
- Am wondering if there’s something between Joedine and Joey...?
- Was also interesting to see Frank admit to Lois the real reason for Bill’s banishment. The will of Roman Grant and the threat of relocating his wives. And although he did let Bill go for perhaps selfish reasons, perhaps we got a glimpse of how much Lois had meant to him. However, he now knows that this decision essentially ruined her.
- Was also nice to see Adaleen apologising to Nikki for her sealment when she was only fifteen. You could see just how much that sentiment meant to Nikki.

QUOTABLE QUOTES

“I’m not going down without a fight.” Lois
“I’m not that person you think I’m becoming.” Bill
“No, I don’t even know who you are. Not really. I was just, pretending I did.” Lois
“You people can’t be reasoned with.” Ana
“I’ve come to see, I’ve really let you down.” Adaleen
“I had my childhood taken from me. I refuse to let my womanhood be taken too.” Nikki
“If you can’t share in my joy, then let’s just add it to the growing pile of things you and I are unable to discuss.” Adaleen








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Big Love S04E06 'Under One Roof'

There’s action packed episodes, and there’s episode six of this seasons Big Love. Wow, I don’t even really know where to begin, but I will try to condense the commentary down to make it more readable.
One of the opening shots was a return to last seasons unfinished story. We finally get to see Ana again, and realise straight away that she is pregnant. It is assumed it’s Bill’s, and Barb goes to speak to her. Barb seems happy about this development, perhaps because a new addition to the family hasn’t been added for awhile (although Nikki is supposedly trying to rectify this).


However, it all turns sour pretty quickly. Ana makes it clear that she wants nothing to do with any of the wives, or for the most part, Bill. When she does finally concede she needs help (as she has to quit her waitressing job) she immediately brings up lawyers. Bill is of course horrified, not because he will only have seemingly limited visitation rights for his child, but because he is running for a seat in the senate, and cannot have any dirt sticking to him right now.

We also find out that Ana is happily engaged to a man that loves her regardless that she is carrying another mans baby, and that the child wasn’t conceived before the wedding. This changes things for Barb, and actually gets her angry with Bill – something that isn’t a common occurrence. And for once, someone finally questions Bill’s intention in regards to his political aspirations. He has claimed in the past that he’s doing it for them, because they shouldn’t have to be ashamed of who they are – but Barb floats the question as to whether his intentions are purely selfish.


The Adaleen/Jay Jay sealment also took a drastic turn in this episode. Nikki is clearly not coping with the knowledge of what is about to happen, and we see her truly vulnerable when she is laying on the couch next to Bill, asking him not to leave. She doesn’t rarely question or berate her family or the way she is brought up, so the fact she does in this episode tells us it is going to become much more of an issue. She also brings it up with the wives, stating that Margene should more or less count herself lucky that she did in fact have a childhood, and Nikki was never afforded that luxury.

We also see Nikki go to the location where the sealment is to take place. She is dressed in a short dress, with high heels – a completely different look to what we’ve ever seen her in. It is almost at this point, like she is rebelling like most teenagers do. This is where she finds out that CaraLynn is also intended to be sealed, and bursts into every room at the motel until she finds her and gets her out of the situation.


The casino was also a big part of this episode, where we see the tension between Bill and Barb mounting further. Marilyn is to make a proposal, basically telling the partners that she can help the casino when it comes to certain bills in the senate etc that may directly affect it. But Barb is not invited to the presentation, and Marilyn, ever the politician, preys on her insecurities of the casino just being one big boys club. They later share icecream together (with Sarah, who once again was seemingly under utilised and had perhaps one or two lines the entire show) and Barb seems to actually bond with Marilyn.

It’s clear that Bill doesn’t want Marilyn involved in the casino. He views her as a political shark who he should be wary of, but Barb, Tommy and Jerry seem to want her involved. Bill is afraid that people at the casino know who he ‘really’ is, and doesn’t want her to find out. However, Barb signs the contract to get her on board.


We also seen Ben getting actively involved in Lois’s business venture. He is in the car with Joedine, Frank and Lois going to Mexico to retrieve the birds. We see Ben and in particular Lois, perhaps the happiest we have seen them yet. Dancing around on the streets of Mexcio, happy to take in their surroundings, and happy with the development of the business and what exactly it could mean for them. Frank and Lois also propose the idea of building an extra room on their house so Ben could stay with them permanently. Ben, in turn, floats the idea of getting a house in Mexico, which they all seem to like. This adventure of course all goes wary, when the Green’s turn up and take them away – to somewhere that is not explored any further. Will have to wait for episode seven ...


Relations between Margene and the family still seem a little strained. Nikki explains that things between Margene and Barb won’t return to semi-normal until Ben is back at home. So with the capture of Ben, it may strain relations even further (although technically Bill should be blamed for Ben’s leaving).


And finally, probably the most touching storyline on this show for awhile was that between Dale and Alby. We have seen how much Dale struggles with who he is, and the lengths he has gone to in order to ‘cure’ his homosexuality.

Alby has organised an apartment, that is just theirs. A place where they can meet. However, this may be their undoing, as Alby’s wife follows them there, and instantly knows what they are up to when she sees them leave one after the other. The rumour on the compound has always been rife that Alby has had sexual dalliances with men (remember back to ‘drip drip drip).

Laura is outraged at the situation, and obviously has power through Alby’s standing on the compound, and is perhaps afraid of losing it. She intimates to Bill the connection between Alby and Dale. Bill confronts Dale, and seemingly feels sorry for him as it is so obvious how much he is struggling with his own demons. Bill acknowledges he know how hard it must be for him, and perhaps this is in direct correlation with Bill having sexual intercourse (with both Margene and Ana) before marriage.

Laura, unsatisfied with the ruining of Dale’s career, also goes to his home to presumably tell his wife. In the closing shot of the scene, we see Alby on the phone telling Dale he loves him, before walking into ‘their’ apartment and finding that he has hung himself. Alby breaks down in tears, and for one of the first times ever we see Alby as a human being, who is genuinely grieving for something he loved and lost.

FURTHER THOUGHTS

- In the meeting of the board, when Tommy asked a question about religion, even though it’s clear Bill would know about it, it was if he only directed the question towards Barb. I’m not quite sure what the writers are trying to set up between these two characters, but I’m definitely enjoying it.
- With Sarah’s about ... minute role in this episode, it could be said that the writers are just phasing her out as she is leaving at the end of the season anyway. If we hardly see her this season .. we won’t miss her next season?
- Margene in her public speaking role talked about how women should be there for one another. She obviously doesn’t feel that connection at home anymore. This might also explain why she was so happy to see Ana, as she thought perhaps she could gain an ally.
- There was a lot of phone throwing in this episode.
- Was also interesting for Bill to finally question about Margene’s resistance towards them being exposed. It has been clear she values her business, but Bill calls her on her intentions. However, really both of their intentions (her business, his political career) are both being done purely for themselves, not for the family. It seemed a little rich for Bill to be calling her on it....
- Although it’s clear Nikki doesn’t agree with homosexuality, her calling Alby and telling him she loves him regardless, I thought, was a touching moment. Alby seemed genuinely upset, and perhaps happy to talk to someone as he admitted more to his sister than he had to anyone else.
- But why then does he go ahead with the JayJay/Adaleen sealment? He knows how much it hurts her ... will be interesting to see if this is explained. It was almost like he’s doing it to put on a facade, as he immediately became cold toward Nikki when Laura walked in the room. Perhaps Laura has the real power after all.

QUOTABLE QUOTES

“The marriage lasted forty eight hours. Conceiving in forty eight hours is hitting a real bulls eye.” Nikki
“You people are so damn complicated. There’s no half way with any of you.” Ana
“I’m an imperfect person, I know that.” Bill
“Sometimes I get so angry at the things we can’t change.” Nikki
“I think I’m damaged.” Nikki
“This hotel is the place where my soul was killed.” Nikki
“Behind every man, there’s an exhausted woman.” Marilyn
“I like your wife. I respect her. Heaven knows what she’s doing with a horses ass like you.” Marilyn
“He’s good. He touches my heart. He’s my destiny.” Alby
“I don’t want our marriage to be a weapon that stifles your growth. But it’s not just something you can throw away when you want to either.” Bill
“We are the women behind the woman.” Nikki
“I went straight from being a little girl to being a married woman.” Margene
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Big Love S04E05 'Sins of the Father'

What to say about the fifth episode? My problem is, I always say too much, so am going to try and condense this analysis down a bit. Again, I find the political storyline a little dry, but it’s so infused into the family’s storyline now, that it’s completely unavoidable.

So more or less, Bill is running for senate. His political opponent has some insight to his past – although he has made it public that he grew up on the compound. But with the recent new headlines involving ‘lost boys’ who have been exiled and have had to turn to crime in order to be able to simple eat, the campaign turns a little ugly. A photo gets dug up of Bill’s mugshot from when he too was outcast from the compound – which is a revelation to his children.
And while everybody thinks this is essentially a death sentence to his campaign, we find out the end of the episode that he has in fact won the nomination.


And of course, this ties in nicely with the Ben storyline. We saw last week that Bill thought it was a good idea if Ben left the house for awhile. And maybe there is a bit of a difference between that and getting dropped off somewhere and told to fend for yourself – there are some similarities between the two. Ben was essentially left behind by his dad, just as Bill was with Frank. The only difference in this instance is that people are speaking out against it. It is made clear that women on the compound can’t do much about this sort of behavior for fear of the ramifications. But all three of his wives are openly against this move when they eventually find out, as if Bill’s mother and brother – as they have seen the first hand effects that it had on Bill. And although Bill does extend an offer for him to come back home, Ben declines. Sarah explains that he has gone off with Lois.

I think it’s easy to see why, Bill can be like a dictator at times – and has never really had that much time for his son. But if he’s not careful, he may have to go through something similar that Frank did in the previous episode. Listen to Bill’s speech where he essentially credited his mother for his upbringing, and didn’t even mention Frank. Although the audience knows Frank to be a pretty ordinary person at the best of times, you can hear the lament in his voice.

It was good to see Margene stand up for herself in this episode, another reminder of just how much the character has grown. Barb is angry, and blames her for Bill sending Ben away. Margene’s later confrontation of both Nikki and Barb was quite a comedic moment, where she almost shouts at them she is just more sexual than they are, and may in fact need one of their nights. She’s earning enough, she can buy one off them. Toward the end though, after Bill’s impassioned speech where he reveals his errors of his past and how he got through it by finding love, he tells her that they will work through their problems. He doesn’t want to lose Margene. And although she looks satisfied with this statement, it’s still hard to say which direction this character is heading in.

There’s an underlying storyline with Nikki in this episode that isn’t as obvious. We have seen previously that she has been struggling with her faith, and with her marriage. Her and Bill are trying to get their relationship back on track so to speak, and have committed to trying to have another child together. But Nikki is still questioning certain aspects of their relationship. She wonders why she is always the one that has to essentially do Bill’s dirty work. Is it a respect thing? I actually really felt for Nikki’s dilemma in this episode.

Another important relationship storyline, was between Barb and Tommy. They have had some sort of chemistry on screen since they first shared a scene together. And it is unclear (to me at least) just where this is going. Although they do fight, she really does seem to respect him. And we also got an insight into his personal life – losing his wife and two children to a drunk driver two years. Although the circumstances are no way near the same, there are parallels. I believe that Barb may be starting to feel that she is losing Bill (not only to the other two wives but also the political campaign), she lost Sarah as it is clear she is never going to truly accept their way of life (particularly as she is leaving at the end of the season) and now she’s losing Ben.....
Are there romantic intentions here? She has been through a massive transition in her life from being in a loving monogamous relationship, and the idea of polygamy came up when she was ill with cancer. Has she truly accepted sharing her husband?

FURTHER THOUGHTS

- I think there may be an arc for a flirtation and possible relationship between Ben and Nikki’s daughter, CaraLynn. She brought him his clothes over and they got to talking, and it seems as though they genuinely seem to enjoy each others company. It probably helped matters when Ben told her she looks nice.
- There’s going to be a massive fallout between Marilyn and Bill as she found out the meeting with Tommy was a set up. She has a lot more power and influence than he does, so it will be interesting to see what trouble she can stir up for him
- Still keeping an eye out for any sort of sabotage coming from Joey. It’s clear that he’s being forced into bed with Jay Jay, and it seems as though Bill is Jay Jay’s target – so keep your eyes peeled.
- While Bill made it clear that he and Margene will make it work, it will be interesting to see the interactions between her and the other wives (particularly Barb). This is probably the most irrational we’ve seen Barb – when she expressed her anger and knocked down her jewellery stand.
- I don’t know why they even bothered putting Sarah in this episode. She seemed a little wasted really. She barely even spoke.
- Also keeping an eye on future Tommy/Barb interaction. I actually really like it when these two share the screen.
- No word on the fallout between Bill and Don. Was actually looking forward to seeing Bill show some sort of remorse for selling out his friend....

QUOTABLE QUOTES

“Bill and I are aggressively pursuing another baby, and yes, I am an active participant in the endeavour.” Nikki
“You’re a flirt Margene. And that’s the polite way of putting it.” Barb
“Maybe I have more needs than you.” Margene
“I ask a lot of my whole family. I should be held to the same standards.” Bill
“No, I’m Daphne. No, I’m Roman Grant’s daughter. No, I’m Bill Henrickson’s wife .. sort’ve, sometimes but not in public. Now I’m Colburn for senate. Where’s Nikki?” Nikki
“You’re on the wrong path, brother. What more do you need to see that?” Joey
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Big Love S04E04 'The Mighty and Strong'

This is most likely going to be a long post, because so much happened in episode four of Big Love, that I’m going to find it hard to whittle down the commentary. And all of it seems pretty essential to the five remaining episodes. While I was watching this particular episode, it has to be said, I did question how Bill managed to get one wife, let alone three (or four, if we include the m.i.a Ana). As each episode goes on, I find it is harder and harder to view him as a sympathetic character. This feeling was heightened when he let his oldest friend, Don, take the fall for him and open him up to all sorts of ramifications in order to protect his political aspirations. Not only is he a bad friend and a bad husband, he is also foolhardy. He must have known that all of his dirty laundry would be closely scrutinised, and for him to run at all, is perhaps proof that he values himself more than the wellbeing of his family.


I must admit, I wasn’t loving the political angle of last weeks episode. It was interesting enough, but as I’ve previously stated, it is the family dynamics and the almost voyeuristic looking into these peoples live, that we as viewers get to see, is the reason most people tune in. However, the political storyline did spice up this week as we saw. One of Bill’s competitors running for the senatorial seat, Colburn, has not only sent the INS on Homes Plus to check if there was anyone of illegal status working for Bill, but he also has wind that Homes Plus is part of a polygamist front. As we’ve seen in previous seasons, Bill had given Roman Grant a percentage of what Homes Plus made, so it will be interesting to see what kind of information Colburn can dig up.

Bill finds out through Nikki, who seems to be working the phones at Colburn’s campaign to gain insider knowledge, that a reporter is going to show up at Bill’s announcement that he is running for the senate to question him about these allegations. This is where Bill decides to sell Don down the river. Although Bill called polygamy a misdemeanour in a previous episode, and seemed sure that he would receive no more than a slap on the wrist for the practice of the principle, it still seems unfair that not only is he opening up Don’s private life for the entire world to see – he is also opening him up to legal ramifications. It still seems inconceivable that Bill could not see this coming. Surely he is not that blind by his own ambition?


I was most interested to see how the kiss between Ben and Margene would be resolved. Barb saw her son being called Mr. Margene Heffman live on air, and we see her confront Margene about it early on in the episode. Margene admits to an ‘accidental’ kiss between the two, although we all know it was more than that. Barb advises her to sort it out before Bill finds out, because he won’t be too happy about it.
We do see Margene tell Bill about the Mr. Margene Heffman comment, although she doesn’t go into details of the kiss. It is here that she states she was so happy that someone was supporting her, and her desire to have a husband she can actually be public with. This is particularly important, as it seems Margene is almost outgrowing this family, and its need for secrecy. It makes sense, as she would have been quite young when she was sealed to the family, maybe too young to realise the implications of what she was getting herself into. And now in particular, as she has had the freedom to go out into the world and make somewhat a success of herself, rather than being confined to home – her sole task to make and raise babies – perhaps she has realised she can actually do it. She is no longer that naive young wife we saw in season one, she has grown enough to realise what she does want. And perhaps it is no longer this life.

The tension between Ben and Margene is clearly evident. They later discuss what transpired, and although she originally says it was an accident, she does admit to Ben that it meant something to her. And it is clear it meant something to him. And one can’t help but notice when he leant up to get her down the coco, the lingering glance Margene had with his body.

Margene does set the record straight on the Mr. Margene Heffman comment, on the advice of Barb – however she may not do so in the most practical way. She admits on air that Ben is not her husband, that her real husband abandoned her. And although this is not true in the most literal sense, it does seem to be true on some level. He was not there for her when she needed him, he only seemed to take an interest in her business when he realised the money she was making, and it’s almost like she’s only around to satisfy him – this refers back to the ‘I wasn’t finished’ comment she made the other week. She breaks down into tears, and tells the TV audience about her father and mother, which might not go down so well with the executives at the station. I for one, however, hope this doesn’t affect her career in anyway, because no story this season has been more satisfying than seeing Margene come into her own.
Bill does have a ‘talk’ to both Margene and Ben together. I think there was an extra element in this, as they Bill was standing above them, almost acting like they were children who had misbehaved and needed to be scolded. This also spoke volumes of how he and Margene don’t seem to really be equals in the marriage. Ben takes the blame for the kiss and the love letter written last season and says none of this is Margene’s fault. When Bill asks Ben to apologise to Margene, I almost found the moment awkward to watch, it was so hard to look at both the hurt on Ben’s face, and the guilt written all over Margene’s.

At the end of the episode, Margene does admit the truth to Bill. She tells him that the kiss meant something to her. Bill looks more shocked and hurt, and the last scene of the episode we are left with is Ben packing his suitcase. Bill walks in and Ben says he thinks it’s best that he’s not around for awhile. Bill agrees. His own father, more or less, admits to not wanting him in the house. Is it because he sees Ben as a threat? Because he’s afraid of losing Margene? Or because he feels emasculated? Having seen Bill Henrickson for the last four years, my guess would be the latter. He seems to be a man that puts his own thoughts, feelings and needs before all others.


Another interesting plot development that took place in this episode, was Alby granting Jay Jay’s request for sealment with Adaleen, he and Nikki’s mother. An almost devilish smile overtook Alby’s face when Jay Jay brought this up with him, as it has been no secret that the two don’t like each other. It would seem that this is a move to purely upset Nikki, who he clearly wants to get back at, and perhaps still loves (in his own, very warped way). It’s clear the anguish Adaleen feels about the situation through the phone call she makes to Nikki, but perhaps her faith in the principle will win out – as Adaleen and Nikki argue when she is essentially ambushed by the news at Jay Jay’s house.

A scene also took place which almost humanised Alby. He explains to Neil (his sometime lover) how his wish is to make the compound a better place. He wants to do a better job than his father did, who hurt too many people. But by placing his mother with Jay Jay, he is countering this argument – as he seems to be doing this purely out of spite for his mother. And he definitely hurting someone by doing so, perhaps Alby’s comments need to be taken with a grain of salt.


It’s a touching moment when we see Joey and Wanda in bed together, talking about their dreams. They, at this point, believe that they have destroyed all the evidence of the murder of Roman Grant. It is actually Joey, who I think is the most sympathetic character in the show. Although he does love Wanda, it is clear that he also is somewhat of a carer towards her. I almost felt his relief last season when he found Kathy. But to have her ripped away so suddenly was heart wrenching to watch. And although his actions afterwards are not condonable, they are understandable. But it seems they are not to be left in peace yet, as Jay Jay shows up with photographic evidence of the two burning Grant’s body. When Joey asks what he wants, Jay Jay intimates his vendetta is against Joey’s brother, Bill, and it is clear that Joey is going to have to take part in his take down if he wants his secret to remain that way.


The last storyline involved Sarah and Scott. We see Sarah caring for Layla’s baby, and it is almost evident straight away that Layla has abandoned her child in favor of perhaps going out to get high. However, Tommy expresses grave concerns, telling Barb that there are rumors going around on tribal land, that Sarah had in fact bought Layla’s baby, which of course would touch some nerves. And this, in turn, would affect the casino.

Bill and Barb go over to talk to Sarah about her keeping the child. It is clear that Sarah is mostly concerned about the safety of the child, whereas their interests are more predominately in the casino. Scott interrupts the conversation, and the juxtaposition between him and Bill as husbands almost punches you in the face. You immediately see the concern and love Scott has for Sarah, how he will stand beside her through whatever she decides is best, and how he will not tell her what to do. He is almost the opposite of Bill, as I’ve mentioned many times in this entry, he does not always treat his wives as equals. He seems to care about himself more than he does about his family, even opening them up to exposition, merely in order to satisfy his wants. Her care for the baby of course brings back the pain of her miscarriage, and she does eventually decide that she needs to take the baby back.
What an exhausting episode, it was so action packed and full of unresolved issues that I can barely wait for episode five.

FURTHER THOUGHTS

- Interesting to see the morals and values that are instilled in Bill’s two eldest children, seem to speak to the opposite of Bill. They both put other people before them, and truly believed in doing the right thing. It is clear that Bill doesn’t seem to have that moral compass, and will go to extremes to achieve what he wants. Just ask Don.
- It seems that Teeny may differ between Sarah and Ben in this aspect, as she seemed to worsen the problem for Ben just because she could. We have seen this in the past too, that she is a little vindictive. Perhaps she takes after her father.
- It was interesting to see Don’s face in the crowd just as Bill was saying that he was raised with a sense of purpose, and integrity. This is clearly not the case.
- Surely Barb will be upset that Bill essentially saw Ben out of the house over his pride.
- With Ben gone, and Margene admitting what transpired, it begs the question what will happen to Bill and Margene’s relationship?
- Am I the only one that felt a little satisfied when the long suffering Joedine let go of Lois and Frank’s birds? The little smile of accomplishment seemed to make the moment all the more sweeter.
- Nikki was really a background player this week. She has quite a knack for gaining employment purely to attain inside information.
- The plot Jay Jay has against Bill really needs to be clarified. Is it merely because he married Nikki and he is just being spiteful? Or is there something more between them? This hasn’t really been explained enough, and I appreciate the writers revealing little by little, but they really need to give the viewer something they can use with this storyline.
- Alby’s break and enter was a little creepy. And to cook Neil dinner no less, while he waited for his return added to the aforementioned creepiness. But I guess he did bring him a jar of grape jelly, so all should be forgiven, right?

QUOTABLE QUOTES

“Barb, why is everyone so tense? I know it’s not out of concern for me.” Nikki
“If he finds this out, sugar will really hit the fan.” Barb
“I’ve had to grow up. Why not you?” Ben
“For someone that is about to be your father, I will not allow you to address your mother in that tone.” Jay Jay (not the most welcoming words from an ex husband)
“It is a little, petty man that won’t stand by his son. Br proud of what that boy has accomplished. Be a good father for once, costs you nothing.” Lois
“My life began with you Joey. Nothing that came before matters.” Wanda
“I believe in the principle, Neil. And I believe that my people have to stay strong to defend it. But I want to undo my fathers misdeeds. He was cruel, he hurt too many people.” Alby

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Big Love S04E03 'Strange Bedfellows'

So I’ve just watched the third episode of this great series, and have started to worry that it may be losing its way. I think the thing that makes this show so great, is the dynamics of the family. But the more this political storyline continues, I worry that the family screen time will be sacrificed to allow Bill to pursue his ambitions. I may be alone in thinking this, but it feels like the political storyline is the most forced and I enjoyed every other story arc this episode much more. But let’s not forget, this show is one of the best on HBO, and HBO is the best on TV. So let’s keep the faith.

Bill and Nikki in Washington was interesting. It’s a place where they didn’t have to hide, or so was the reasoning behind Nikki’s attendance. However, it seemed a little strange she would have frequented the trip, as the two are still trying to reconcile their relationship – and with the whirlwind trip, and Bill trying to get Clarke’s endorsement of his campaign, it just seemed like it was destined to be a fail for them. Of course with the present of CaraLynn on the trip, it is even more apparent that the weekend will not end well. And this was proven on the first night, where Bill bought her sexy lingerie (with no bottoms, much to Nikki’s amazement). Now he has been married to Nikki for years, and it just seems so blatantly obvious that sexy lingerie is not her scene. She is the most conservative of all the wives, and to gift her something so raunchy, suggested to me that either he wasn’t really thinking, or that he was possibly thinking with something other to his brain, or the third option; he simply just doesn’t know her.

CaraLynn’s presence on the trip allows the viewer to get to know her a little better, as she has previously fallen under a cloud of mystery. She clearly likes the protection that the very compound chic clothes and hairstyles offer her, although this assessment could merely be based on the fact that she wouldn’t really know any better. It is evident that she feels uncomfortable in the clothes that Nikki bought for her. When she was first introduced at the end of season three, I wondered if she would be somewhat devious. There was a chance she would be, as Nikki has proven to be in the past. We find out that CaraLynn lied to her Nikki, by telling her that she had asked Jay Jay if she was allowed to go to Washington with Nikki and Bill – and that he had given his consent. We find this out to be a lie, as we see Jay Jays blind rage when he finds out Nikki took her without asking, as he confronts Margene back at the house, which of course leads to later, very important events, in the episode. This also brings into question a statement made in a previous episode where she tells Jay Jay she doesn’t really like it with Nikki, and will return with him to Kansas when he goes.

So not only do we find that CaraLynn lied about that, but after an argument with her mother in the lobby of the political soiree being thrown which Bill so vehemently needed to get into, CaraLynn announces to the security guard that Nikki has a gun. She showed it to CaraLynn earlier in the episode, and told her it was for protection. Nikki seemed really vulnerable in this episode, almost afraid of being in a big city. The quote below which she delivers in the later part of the episode does a lot to explain Nikki’s fear, and brings to the forefront that perhaps she doesn’t really know what she wants. She was horrified when Bill told her to take the metro, and we see her giving CaraLynn safety advice upon their arrival. Growing up in the compound, I guess it’s safe to say she’s not exposed to large amounts of violent crime that cities often see, and she’s just trying her best to protect both herself and her daughter. However, her undoing here is her innocence in the matter. She draws her gun to show the security guard it’s not even loaded and is swiftly arrested.

And while Nikki and Bill are trying to reconcile their relationship in the time Bill can spare from pursuing his political career, the two main stories at home are much more engaging.

What can be said about Margene’s career? It is so often dismissed by the family, that it is barely acknowledged at times. That is until they found out how much money she is making. Perhaps Margene sees the inevitable demise of the family, and is saving for her own future away from them. Or perhaps she just wants something of her own, and to be taken a little seriously by the others. She discovers at work that she is to be thrust onto centre stage; going on the shopping network in a prime time position, and to top it off, it’s a live performance. She’s excited by the prospect, and asks Barb to come for support. However, Barb is too busy with the work at the casino, so turns down the invitation, crushing Margene. With Bill and Nikki out of town, it seems as though she has to go it alone. But then there is Ben, who we know to have a major crush on Margene. Who may actually see Margene’s demise in terms of her position in the family. He rearranges his commitments, and makes it to the studio in a show of support. And she kisses him. She looks shocked, and perhaps a little apprehensive about the ramifications after the fact. The kiss was misconstrued by one of the shows producers, and they put the camera on him, announcing him to be Margene’s partner. This doesn’t go down well with Barb, who is watching the telecast from home, and will surely be given massive mileage over the coming weeks.

The other major storyline of the episode was Sarah trying to reconnect with Barb. She does so by going to the casino with her, for a sensitivity training session run by her mother. As it would turn out, it is shown through one of the workers having an outburst, that Barb doesn’t know much about the native Indians culture at all. It has been shown in a previous episode, the almost masked contempt of the native workers towards Bill when he was making a speech about how both groups (mormons and native Indians) have been oppressed. Surely Barb had this coming, and as someone that has had training in psychology, it seems like it would be a priority to research basic facts around their culture in order to identify with differences, and to see things from their point of view.
This is magnified while on the drive home, Barb accidentally hits someone. While the young native, Layla, is not badly hurt, she has broken her leg. Tommy’s advice to Barb is to leave, because while she is barely tolerated at the casino, things would surely become worse if the community were to find out she hit one of their own, and this would of course have ramifications for the casino. Barb is out of her depth here, and relies on Tommy’s advice and leaves, much to Sarah’s incredulity.

A minor storyline which is likely to have large affects on how the season plays out is the relationship between Alby and Dale. As Dale was appointed to oversee Juniper Creek by the state, the fact that they are quite literally, in bed together, is going to cause some massive drama. It’s been shown that both are very uncomfortable with their homosexuality, but Dale struggles with it as he is not only married, but is a man of great belief. Alby, on the other hand, seems to be encouraging it – it would seem his reasoning for this is to get what he wants. And this seems to be the case, as Dale suggests they work together to fix Juniper Creek, and to give Alby the reputation of being a great reformer and making Juniper Creek a better environment. The fact that Alby took a picture of them together in bed while Dale was asleep will surely come back into play later in the season.

FURTHER THOUGHTS

- It seems like everytime this series focuses more on the external forces that guide their world, rather than the internal family unit, it seems to lose its way a little bit. I can appreciate what they are trying to do, but the writing is really at its best when the three wives and Bill are at its centre
- Although brought up in a throwaway comment by Leigh, someone advising Bill on the world of politics, it still seems strange that he believes he will not get caught...
- Jay Jay is a very haunting character, and brilliantly portrayed. He has that air of creepiness about him. What his plans are though, are still unclear – although it would seem his wife (who is very possibly not sick at all) wanted to leave them alone. He however, dismisses the idea.
- Teeny is back from camp, with a new actress inhabiting the role. She does look markedly similar to the original though, good casting
- If Barb has time to watch the live telecast at home, it would seem that she might have been able to make it in to the studio to support Margene
- Will Ben try to protect Margene? It’s a theory not to be discounted, as he does seem to have a genuine affection for her. As it was shown last week, with the very minimal interest everyone feigned in the delight that his band had landed their first gig, they are both somewhat dismissed by the family. Maybe there is a natural kinship between the two
- It was nice to see Jodine, Kathy’s twin, on the screen. She seems violently unhappy, perhaps she feels guilty for the goings on with the trial – although it was done out of necessity...
- Did Bill seem really cheap this episode? I know the money they were asking for the event was a bit steep, but when he told Nikki that she couldn’t catch a cab because they were so expensive ...

QUOTABLE QUOTES

“Yeah, well you’re lucky, if things go bad with one, you’ve got two more on the bench.” Leigh
“I just realised, I don’t like you.” Marilyn (expressing most people’s sentiment)
“Homosexuality is a sin. We were just fooling around. I like fooling around.” Alby
“This burden, it’s only for a lifetime.” Dale
“I’m trying to do everything I can so you don’t become like me. I don’t want you to be afraid of yourself. To be afraid of the world.” Nikki

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Big Love S04E02 'The Greater Good'

Big Love is back with a bang. The story arcs are getting set up to run season long, and if nothing else it will be an hour filled drama every week to say the least. I do believe that this season is going to be fairly action packed, as we already have an abundance of storylines to keep track of, the most significant of all would be the plight of keeping the family together, when it looks uncertain as to whether it can be achieved.

The main story coming out of episode two of the HBO heavyweight, was Bill’s plans to run for office. Just the thought, of course, runs contrary to what we have seen in previous episodes, where we’ve constantly seen the family having to hide who they really are. The thing about political campaigns are, your dirty laundry is normally aired. So to run that risk, and expose everybody, seems to not really parallel the values and motives behind previous story lines.

But this has certainly set up some conflict between all three wives and Bill. It’s quite obvious Margene in particular, does not want Bill to run. And within reason. Her business has just started taking off, she has made $9000 in the last month alone, which is no mean feat for the wife that everyone considered to be a little .. ditzy. For the first time, we see Margene as the most level headed wife, even if her reasons are to protect herself, they are still no less valid. But the past few seasons have seen Margene mature, and I think this trend is going to continue, as she’s really found her calling. Although bringing up the matter in the middle of having sex with her husband, may not have been the best idea.

Margene’s business is beginning to create conflict between the three wives, and between herself and Bill. Nikki finds evidence of how much money Margene has actually been making through her jewellery venture, and is outraged that the family has been left in the dark about it, as is Barb when she finds out about it. Bill later asks her how much money it is that she’s making, and when she tells him he chides her for not putting it in the communal pot – a comment which she side steps and it is not mentioned again on this episode, but it is sure to be the centre of further unrest in the future.
Bill’s motives behind running, are of course noble. He wants to save Juniper Creek in a certain aspect. After all, it’s where he grew up, what he knows. And his belief is he has to defend the principle, and its way of life. The entire notion of Bill conceiving to run comes from a meeting where he is present, where the current administration is calling for the court appointed trustee, Ray, to bulldoze the compound and prosecute people involved in the illegal act of polygamy.

Nikki doesn’t have as many qualms about it as both Margene, and to a lesser extent, Barb do. However, she believes with her father no longer residing on the compound as prophet, that the position he held rightfully belongs to Bill. That being a prophet is his calling. Bill is adamant that he doesn’t believe this to be the case, and goes so far as to say that he believes he can do a better job running for office and being able to help the people of Juniper Creek by having influence and say in the persecution of the group, rather than residing over them as prophet. He wants Juniper Creek to become a community, and is going to do everything in his power to make it happen.

The other major storyline of the episode revolved around Sarah and Scott’s relationship. We heard last week, that they were looking for a church that felt right for them to get married in. Barb tentatively suggested their own church, with Bill conducting the ceremony. But how things change in a week. Scott seems fed up of waiting, and hasn’t seen a church he feels in anyway affiliated with, and suggests they get married straight away at the Justice of the Peace. Sarah agrees to this, and the next scene brings back a welcome face. Her former best friend, Heather, who Sarah messed around with choosing colleges etc. It would seem that Heather has not forgiven her for this, and even when Sarah informs her she’s marrying Scott in a couple of days, Heather remains stoic. Sarah will not take no for an answer, as she wants Heather to be a witness. After finally saying yes, the two hug, and we hope the reunited friendship lasts longer than an episode.
She also requests her brother Ben’s presence as a witness, and although he is originally reluctant, he seems to come around after Scott asks him to be there for his sister. However, he does seem to take issue with the fact that Sarah is doing this behind their parents backs.

Nikki’s story arc, following on from the previous season, shows the outfall of her dalliance with her former boss, Ray. It was clear at the time she liked him, as she took his phone calls even when she was standing near members of her family, and even tried to dress Bill up to look at him at one stage. He again makes an appearance in the second episode, when Nikki goes to see him, and we realise just how much he did, and still does, mean to her. To the point where she is questioning her beliefs, and is entirely unsure of her relationship with Bill. This is an interesting angle, as Nikki always seemed to be the most certain of the principle, and what it was exactly, that she believed in. And although Ray was clearing out of town, I don’t think somehow, that we have seen the last of him. Nikki brings up later on in the episode, that she now knows what love is. This doesn’t bode well for the mending of her relationship with Bill, as she is obviously stating that her feelings for Ray are stronger than any feelings she’s ever had with Bill. She goes so far as to admit she doesn’t know what she feels for Bill anymore, to Margene, of all people. But she also admits to Bill she is unsure of where this marriage is going if he does not become prophet, which unsettles him considerably.

Although not overly explored this episode, the conflict between Bill and his partners in his casino is still present. A throw away comment was made about having to do a perimeter search to check for dead bodies was made toward Barb, as she seemed to be in charge of the business side of things for this episode at least. There is a very interesting dynamic between barb and Tommy, one which I hope will get explored further on. I like watching them on the screen together.
The audience is also exposed to Jay Jay for longest amount of time we’ve seen him yet. And it doesn’t make him any less creepy. Besides the fact that he has no fingernails, the whole family is subjected to awkwardness throughout the dinner, before they each make their excuses and leave him alone with Nikki and one of his wives, where a short and sharp exchange takes place, where Nikki makes the aforementioned love statement, although doesn’t allude to whom she is referring to.
Another welcome return stems from Wanda and Joey. I have always really enjoyed these characters, and something else has been added to the element as we know that it was in fact Joey, that killed Roman Grant. Wanda, is paid a visit from her brother Jay Jay, which seems to frighten her greatly. He tells her he knows Joey’s great secret, that he is the murderer. And he also alludes to something he has of Wanda’s, which scares her more and she requests his immediate departure. Meanwhile, Bill’s brother Joey, is expressing similar sentiments to Bill as Nikki has been. That he believes that he is Juniper Creek’s next prophet, even though Bill does not agree and tells him of his plans to run for office.

In a call back to last weeks ‘hike’, involving Alby and the court appointed trustee that’s overseeing the financial management of Juniper Creek, Dale – they share a scene this week. Alby has followed him to a meeting which Dale is running, which involves talking to other members on how to suppress their homosexual urges. We find out Dale is a religious man, and is also married. He confronts Alby after the meeting, asking if he followed him there. Alby tries to kiss him, before Dale walks away. Again, this storyline obviously has to be going somewhere – but in which direction? And what is Alby trying to achieve?

The final couple of points I’ll make on the seasons second episode, is Nikki’s attendance at her fathers funeral, even though she was adamant she would not go. She admitted to her mother she believed Roman Grant to be a false prophet, and Adaleen tells her not to go to the funeral to say goodbye to the prophet, but to say goodbye to her family. Even though, in many ways Roman Grant was a conniving human being, we have seen evidence of Nikki’s affection for him, and perhaps it is for this reason she wishes to say goodbye to him.

Another major story arc that is setting up the entire season, is Bill’s decision to definitely run. More interestingly though, he states that after he is elected (assuming that he is), he plans to come clean about his polygamous lifestyle. This is obviously going to cause a world of problems for the wives, in particular Margene’s business. And what about the poor kids, that are trying to maintain a normal life, without everyone having to know their parents business? It seems in a large part, a massive turnaround from previous seasons. It seems as though, that Bill was influenced by something his daughter said about not wanting to hide who she is anymore, that he realised that he should do the same, in order to most help his plight.

The show finishes up with Sarah and Scott getting married, surrounded by her family. And although it didn’t have quite the emotional impact it could have, seeing Nikki crying at the end, was quite touching as we now know her inner turmoil – she has loved and lost.

FURTHER THOUGHTS

- What exactly is it that Jay Jay has on Wanda? And what exactly does he plan to do with the very valuable info of how Roman actually died?
- Does Scott have no family that would have liked to have been present at his wedding...
- Get ready for some massive conflict. Margene fighting for her business, Nikki perhaps having conflict within herself and what she thinks her marriage means – and a lot of conflict at Bill for exposing the entire family.
- I’m not from America, so am not entirely familiar with the political system, so I may be wrong about this – but could this possibly be grounds for impeachment? Being elected under false pretenses? It is mentioned that they’ll probably convict them, but that polygamy is merely a ‘misdemeanor.’ At any length, he’s not exactly endearing the public toward them.
- Will they be found out? It would seem likely that they would, even going back to the season where Barb was going to be award mother of the year, it was found out then – so I don’t see why it would be so different now.
- Why would Bill want to expose them at all? The kids especially, who don’t have a choice, and try their best to maintain normal lives amongst school friends etc. It seems harsh to put them in the limelight like that.
- Is Alby trying to buy Dale's affections in order to be able to run Juniper Creek to how he sees fit?

QUOTABLE QUOTES

“Someone has to defend the principle, someone has to fight back.” Bill

“We have to defend our most monumental beliefs Marge, whatever the consequences, whatever the sacrifice” Bill

“This is just all there is” Barb

“I just don’t want to have to hide who I am anymore” Sarah

“Don’t you have any pills to take? You just seem so cheerful today.” Tommy

“It so happens I do have feelings, I am a warm.” Nikki

“He didn’t love me, i was just daughter number eight, a commodity to be traded” Nikki

“Its really brought me back to life, you know?” Margene

“My daughter, I don’t know what she believes in. Certainly not me” Bill

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Big Love S04E01 'Free at Last'

All hail HBO, the network of all that is great. It really does bring a smile to my face, to know that one network at least, is dedicated to airing groundbreaking television. And Big Love is no mean feat. The major content of this show is religion and polygamy, a highly taboo subject for most networks to even hint at. Yet Big Love does it in such a way that it is handled not only with sensitivity, but with class.

I was introduced to this show when it was airing its third season, by a friend that has almost identical taste (save a large disagreement about the merit and legacy of The Wire). I find it a fascinating exploration into the lives where , for all intents and purposes, would be defined by their way of life by anybody who is not involved in it. But as we have continued to see, the four major characters; Bill, Barb, Nikki and Margene are far more complex than simply being polygamists.

The opening scene reveals that all three wives are still in Bill Hendrickson’s company, which is a relief to all of those who are fans of Chloe Sevigny’s portrayal of the more traditional Polygamist wife, and the only wife of the three that grew up on the compound and has been exposed to the lifestyle her entire life. Those who watched the third season saw that Nikki had more or less ‘stepped out’ on her marriage with her ex – boss, who she did have genuine feelings for, even if her predominant reason for working for him was to undo the case he was bringing forwards onto her father, Roman Grant. As we see the family and some friends present, Nikki asks for forgives of her family for her actions and ‘disseminations’, and it becomes apparent that her family is having trouble getting over what she has done in both aiding her father to walk free when the case fell down around him, and gaining the affections of her boss.

Amanda Seyfried’s Sarah, too, is still on the scene, however brief her appearance may have been. If you follow entertainment headlines at all, you will know that this is going to be her last season, as her career is really beginning to take off. Scott is also briefly mentioned in relation to their impending nuptials – which Barb thinks they should have done in their own church, and although you can sense some tension between the mother and daughter, it is clear to see that Barb has at least come to terms with Scott’s presence in her daughters life, and is finally letting her make her own decisions. Perhaps the writers are gearing up for Barb to have to say goodbye to Sarah?

Let’s face it. Alby has always been a little odd. And although the audience are aware that some people know he is more inclined towards men than he is women, its unknown how widely this knowledge is known. As he sits, looking through his binoculars at various different males that are in the park, he is approached someone, asking what it is he is doing. A fair enough question, I would have thought. Although he is claiming to be bird watching, looks are exchanged between Alby and this mystery man, one that suggests he is invited to follow this stranger for a ‘nature walk’ in the woods with him.

The FBI are still actively seeking Roman Grant for his past discretions. They barge in the house where Adaleen and the other wives claim no knowledge of where he is, although we later find this is untrue. As we saw Roman die in the finale of season three, at the hands of Bill’s brother Joey, as he is seeking retribution for the part Roman played in his almost-got-to-be-sealed-as-the-second-wife, Cathy. He was suffocated on his bed, and as the police are looking for a live Roman Grant, it begs the question – where’s the body? We do also see a reappearance by Nikki’s ex boss – with Bill accusing of him as making the Roman Grant case and the harassment of his daughter, for whom he did use to have feelings for, his personal vendetta. Which, you can’t really blame him for really. She did manipulate him, lie to him and bring his career case crashing down around his feet.

Another significant development in the season premeire, sees the UEB accounts have been placed in the hands of a court appointed trustee, as Roman Grant harbours a fugitive status, meaning that he is unable to see the assets of the UEB. But wait! Doesn’t that trustee look familiar? Oh wait, he is the man that Alby followed into the woods to have a rendezvous with! Now on opposing sides of the fight. As this plot unfolds, I only expect it to get more and more interesting.

There is a lot of conflict in this episode. We see Lois being reunited with Frank after her foiled attempt at killing him. This leads to Frank wanting to seek retribution, and later in the episode we see him coming back to seek it. Although, it inevitably fails, and Lois instead proposes a business venture. Another conflict which was seen throughout, was that between Bill and his partners (Gerry and his son Tommy). By association they are getting harassed by the FBI on the whereabouts of Roman Grant, and it’s even been suggested that they may be laundering money through their tribal accounts. The partners also have problems dealing with Barb, who is somewhat of a control freak and have a beef over the all important questions of salmon vs crab legs. Bill sees this situation for what it is, and realises that he needs Margene’s help in the matter, as Gerry has always taken a liking to her. And this in turn, leads us to the third bubbling up conflict. Although it has not come to a head, it has been made clear that Margene’s own business venture, her jewellery line, is beginning to suffer due to all the time that is being devoted to the casino. I believe that this will be explored further in the coming weeks, as Margene will have to make a choice between her dreams, or her husbands.

The main reveal of the episode, however, is learning what exactly has become of Roman Grant. Nikki sees her mum on the pretence of delivering a new generator. However, Adaleen demands to make her daughter a BLT before her departure, and as Nikki looks for the bacon in the walk in freezer, she instead discovers the frozen corpse of her father. Adaleen explains to Nikki that she didn’t know how to tell her what had happened, but you would have to believe that it would be easier to hear about it before seeing the frozen body.... Anyhow, Nikki is upset, and tells her brother, Alby, that Roman Grant is in fact dead. Rather than being sad, he and his main wife are overjoyed, as he was their main obstacle in taking over Juniper Creek.

They drive the body to Bill’s newest business venture, the casino, perhaps as payback for the heated conversation at the meeting of the trustee. However, there has never been any love lost between the two. This is inevitably going to cause more conflict between Bill and Gerry, as Gerry’s son Tommy had heard that the body had been dumped there, but Bill insisted that it was merely a hoax. Both he and Nikki drive back the body to Adaleen’s house, although the reasoning behind this is not fully explained, and it sounds as though a plan is being hatched as Bill seeked clarification that Nikki remembered what to say to her mother. On this car ride, Nikki breaks down, because we do know that Nikki did love her father, despite all the going ons and trouble that he had caused for Bill in the past. Despite who he was, he was still her father – and the audience got to see the emotion she felt upon losing him, endearing her to us .. and hopefully to Bill. The final dialogue exchanged in the episode however, is Gerry and Tommy confronting Bill about Roman Grant’s hat that had been found on the property, revealing that they now know that he was lying when he dismissed their information as merely a hoax, all the while giving him a look of ominous distrust.

FURTHER THOUGHTS

- Barb’s parenting has changed dramatically. Her youngest wasn’t even in the entire show, although she was referenced as being away (and ultimately being replaced by a new actor to her previous). She is still having trouble accepting Scott into Sarah’s life, and she gave Ben’s news of his paying gig an air of indifference. I guess she did use the band to save the casino’s opening night though

- What is going to happen with Cara-Lynn? Although she seemed to be enjoying her time with Nikki, and especially relishing the fact that she gets to go to school, a grade above what she should be due to her test results, does she really want to stay? She did tell her dad she doesn’t really like it there, and will return to Kansas with him when he decides its time to go. So who is she playing?

- The Alby/Dale story arc is hopefully going to develop into some deliciously juicy viewing, as Alby is going to battle it out for his place of top dog on the compound.

- We do see Bill trying to reach his brother Joey, who we knows is responsible for Roman Grant’s death. The brothers are caught up in a rift, but at this stage, no one suspects murder – so we wonder how long it will be before questions are asked.

- A congratulations to Chloe Sevigny for winning a Golden Globe for best supporting actress for her wonderful portrayal of Nikki! I’ve long loved Nikki, and Sevingy deserves kudos for bringing both her flaws and her more endearing qualities to life.

- Just as a sidenote, I hope to see more of Lois this season as well. I believe she steals every scene she’s in.

QUOTES

“We thought you were the sunny face of polygamy.” Tommy

“Mormons don’t eat salmon, we like crabs legs!” Barb

“I was wrong in attempting to hasten your demise” Lois

“Heaven forbid we should upset Bill” Nikki

“God will surely punish thee that block my path to glory” Alby

“I don’t want to hurt you, I just want to kill you” Frank

“Tonight we share a new beginning. Tonight a ghost that has haunted us all through these years has passed, and we are truly free” Bill

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