Big Love

Big Love, HBO’s series about polygamy, recently wrapped its fourth season, and it was its worst to date.

While at first I didn’t think I’d enjoy this show, I’ve come to love its intrigue, its fully-rounded characters, its rich story lines, and its high technical qualities.

The fourth season didn’t lack any of that, except for its basic seasonal arch, which this time around was fundamentally flawed.

In a nutshell, Bill Henrickson, the family patriarch, received something like an epiphany -- a sort of message from God -- that told him he had to run for political office and afterwards come out as a polygamist in order to show the world the “good side” of polygamy.

I didn’t buy it when they introduced it.  I didn’t buy it throughout the season.  And I didn’t buy it when the season ended with the family stepping into the light as a whole.

Why? Because the Henricksons had spent the previous three seasons trying their darnest to keep their secret from becoming widely known, all the while dealing with running a store chain, opening a casino, keeping their neighbors and in-laws at bay, and struggling to fend off the continuous influence, interference, and attacks of their religion’s Prophet and his compound’s followers.

And now, point blank, because of a vision (ok, Bill is very religious, but still he must realize what coming out could mean for him, his three wives, and his eight children), he bets all his chips on his state Senate run, throws his best friend under the bus, disregards his family’s fears and doubts, and keeps barreling down a path of destruction that can’t possibly bring him much good.

Nope.  Don’t buy it.

Anyway, I’m now curious to see what they’ll do next season, because, logically, Bill should get attacked by everyone, impeached, perhaps even removed from office.  His family business and ownings should be imperiled and suffer greatly.  His entire family should be ostracized.  And Margie should at least be investigated for trying to keep a foreign man in the country by marrying him when she was supposedly already married -- and therefore lied to the authorities.  If they don’t show us all that then they’ll totally ruin the brand.

My hope is that they will make the Henricksons fall hard till they hit bottom and then start picking up the pieces of their lives again, but I have my doubts.  I fear they’re going to try and make Bill’s stature as a politician not only work, but grow, which counters what would likely happen in reality.  After all, he broke the law, since polygamy is illegal, and flaunting it should have its consequences.

I guess we’ll have to wait and see, but the show is still great to watch and the acting is superb.  I’ll definitely be back for more.

Season 4 – Grade: 6