Big Love

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.

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.

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.

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.

"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".