Big Love
- Thread starter cornutt
- Start date
RhumbaWaltz
New Member
cornutt said:
I've watched the first two episodes as well, and I have the same reaction - I can't make a decision about it. The premise is interesting because it hasn't been done before. But to me, the overall feeling is too "Desperate Housewives". I don't have a benchmark for evaluating how real it is because I don't know any families like those on the show. I've seen documentaries about compounds of polygamous families, and their stories seem light years away from those of Bill Paxton and his wives. Of course, maybe the show isn't trying to be completely true to life.
I guess my overall take is that it's a little too "Hollywood", but I'll still watch because the actors doing a good job and the storylines definitely have my attention.
cornutt
Forum Master
pygmalion said:What's the show about? A polygamous family? Hmm. I have a bunch of HBO channels on my cable lineup. When does Big Love come on? I'll check it out.
Yes, it's about a polygamous family. The man is a successful businessman. He has three wives. An interesting twist is that one of the wives apparently had children by a previous marriage. The family lives in two adjacent houses that share a back yard. Apparently the man grew up in a compound in an atmosphere that bordered on being a cult, and some of the compound elders (including his parents to an extent) consider him a traitor even though he's still mostly living according to their beliefs.
Now, I'll say up front that polygamy is not the sort of thing I approve of. But the show's creators have done a fairly good job of filling out the characters so far (it's hard to tell for sure from just two episodes). They have mostly managed to avoid playing to the obvious stereotypes. I do see RhumbaWaltz's point about the show edging on Desparate Housewives territory; that is something they are going to have to be careful of. But the situation, and the way the characters work within it, stirs up emotions that aren't easily categorized or labeled. (The show's oddly moving opening sequence is absolutely killer in this regard.) It's the first drama I've come across in a while that has managed to hold my interest.
First run for new episodes is Sundays at 10:00 Eastern. I've been catching the repeats on Thursdays at 10:00.
I'll definitely check it out. My ex grew up in a similar situation (for real, not for TV.) As many as five wives, one husband/dad (the ex's dad,) and a bunch of kids, all in a compound house. Actually, two large houses that were enclosed within a large gated area. Must've been interesting, to say the least.
Hehe! Good point. I'm not sure I can snuggle up to the term "manage," but I see what you're getting at. Building a marriage with one person is hard enough. Why in the world would one want to build a marriage with three people at the same time? Eeek. The term "glutton for punishment," takes on a whole new depth of meaning. :lol: