After it was recommended in the Radio Times, we took a look at the first two episodes of Big Love, a new drama produced by HBO, and now showing on Channel Five in the UK.
The story revolves around Bill Henrickson, a polygamist who lives in a suburb of Salt Lake City with his three wives and seven children. Also playing a big part are his parents, who live in a fictional colony of the also fictional United Effort Brotherhood, and the leader of the colony known as the Prophet – who also happens to be the father of Bill’s second wife. The programme not surprisingly has proved controversial amongst mainstream Mormons who are concerned that despite HBO scrupulously placing a disclaimer on the end of the programme, are concerned that the controversial topic of polygamy will reflect badly on their organisation. However the practices portrayed at the colony are similar to those practised by the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
One of the things that attracted us to the show was the pretty impressive cast and backing. Bill Paxton takes the title role, with Jeanne Tripplehorn in the role of his first, legal wife. Also included in the cast are Bruce Dern as Bill’s father, and Harry Dean Stanton as the Prophet. The show is also backed by Tom Hanks production company, with the man himself getting an executive producer credit.
Moving on to the drama itself, there are a number of parallel threads that make up the drama. Firstly there is the domestic drama, revolving around how Bill copes with managing his three families. Each mother and her children live in separate but adjacent houses, with Bill moving from house to house according to a rota. However, the whole family comes together for meals, and although in some ways the three houses operate as separate entities, in others it is very much one household. Barb, the first wife seems to very much be in charge, trying to keep the other two in line, and keep the household running smoothly. Nicolette the second wife comes across from the first two episodes as fairly calculating and a schemer, and certainly with some secrets. Whilst Margene, the third and youngest wife seems very insecure and unsure about her position. In general there is a lot of tension between the three wives trying to share the one husband.
Alongside the domestic thread, is the relationship between Bill and the colony on which he was brought up. Nicolette, his second wife is the daughter of the Prophet – the person in charge of the colony. Whilst Bill and his family live outside the colony, he has previously borrowed money from his father-in-law in order to start his business, but in return, the colony expects an ongoing share of his profits. There are definite similarities between the way the Prophet behaves, and some sort of Mafia Godfather. As a result of Bill’s decision to stop paying the money, this highlights a third thread, how the family relates to the rest of society.
In some ways, this thread is the most interesting. In general, the family try to keep the polygamy quiet. For example at the big opening of Bill’s new store, it is only his first wife and her children who are on the stage, the second and third wives remain in the crowd. Although the Prophet is effectively extorting money from him Bill won’t involve the Police for fear of drawing attention to the family. Also when his father falls ill, and is found to have arsenic poisoning, he is taken to a sympathetic doctor and hospital who will keep the polygamy quiet. Polygamy has been illegal in the United States since 1862. In terms of the family in the programme, only the marriage to the first wife is legally recognised. What appears to happen in the programme is that the family try to keep the situation relatively low profile, but have a network of sympathisers who allow them to live a relatively normal life. One sub-plot in the first two episodes sees one of the daughters making friends with a girl, but being very careful to try and establish the potential new friends position on polygamy before letting her guard down. It seems that even though the family isn’t imprisoned by living on the colony, the situation still imprisons the family from a truly normal life.
We certainly enjoyed the first two episodes, and will be tuning in for the next episode to see how the story progresses. News from the US is that the programme has been renewed for a second season too.