Friday, January 16, 2009

Big Love: God Only Knows What He'd Be Without Them...

I totally just put that Beach Boys song in your head, didn't I? Every time Big Love starts up, with the women skating around Bill, and that song chiming, I know I'll have that song in my head for days. But I love it, so it's OK.

Big Love begins this Sunday on HBO in the U.S., and on HBO Canada in Canada at 9pm. It's been off our TVs for 18 months, a REALLY long time in the television world, and the Writers' Strike delayed it by a year. And... Big Love doesn't believe in "previously on." So, consider me your reminder.

In season 2, Margene began a friendship with Ana, a waitress at the local pie shop, and she orchestrated a way for Bill to meet her, wanting her to be the fourth wife. Bill did meet her, and was smitten. Meanwhile, the compound is raided, and 15-year-old Rhonda takes her whiny self off the compound and into the media spotlight as the molested wife of Roman Grant, showing the seedy side of polygamy that makes something like Bill's arrangement look foul and horrid. Nicki decides to make a play for first wife, but loses, and admits her massive credit card debt. Barb finds out about Ana, and puts her foot down and says NO MORE WIVES, and in order to make it known that she and she alone is first wife, she outs them all as polygamists to the looky-loo neighbours who live across the street. Meanwhile, Sarah, their daughter, is hanging out with Max from Veronica Mars and it becoming sensitive about her family arrangement, and loses her virginity to her boyfriend, while her brother wants to give this whole polygamy thing a chance, much to Barb's chagrin.

And over at the disastrous Juniper Creek, Roman has waged war against the Greens, who shoot him and then he's arrested because of Rhonda's statements to the media. Alby takes over as leader, and sends his mother off the reservation because she'd been scheming behind his back. Meanwhile, Wanda and Lois become wackier and wackier.

Season 3 begins with a bang, and is a lot of fun. Bill is still trying to secure Weber Gaming, the company that he had to get Roman's hands out of, and the Ana situation comes back when Barb has a change of heart. Through Ana, we actually get to see what it's like for a new wife to be courted by a polygamist... and it's really funny. The kids continue to have their problems, and if you thought Nicki's credit card bills were a massive secret, wait'll you see what she's got up her sleeve in season 3. WOW.

So... if Ana becomes a fourth wife, will they have to reshoot that opening skating scene?

9 comments:

margosita said...

Not having HBO just breaks my heart! Why, oh WHY can't HBO put their shows online? I'd even pay for them!

(I'm more a lurker than a commenter on your blog, but I am eagerly awaiting LOST and other shows- and of course your commentary as well!)

Loretta said...

Not to nitpick, but Bill actually met Anna first, and Margene saw them together. She then went into the diner and struck up a relationship with Anna.

Nikki Stafford said...

Margosita: Good to hear from you! :)

Loretta: You are absolutely right. Bill was in there first and Margene did see them and wanted to find out who this person was, and then really liked what she saw. Thanks for the reminder!! I guess 18 months was too long for me. :)

Loretta said...

I only remember because I rewatched the DVD set 2-3 months ago. I can't wait! :)

Cedar said...

Thanks for this post. I didn't realize Big Love was starting again, and I would have been upset to learn that I'd missed it.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the "previously on" synopsis, Nikki, but on the US telecast, HBO did, in fact, summarize the key events leading up to the premiere.

Nikki Stafford said...

Anonymous: That's awesome. I can only go by what the screeners have on them that HBO sends me. It doesn't make sense that they don't provide that info to media. What about the journalists who've never seen Big Love but have to write something on it, and haven't a clue what's going on? Sigh. HBO needs to hire me. ;)

Jazzygirl said...

It would have been helpful if they re-aired last season though. If they did, I missed it completely. I looked for it in the weeks leading up to this weekend but nothing. Ah well.
I watched it last night and thought it was as brilliant as ever. The writers are masters at dropping bomb shells, especially at the end. LOL
I had to assume that they wrote some of the hiatus into the story since Margene was pregnant and now we see the baby. I know she had a blog online that talked about "life" in the house last summer. Luckily it wasn't hard to catch up though. Sunday nights are back!

Jazzygirl said...

Nikki, have you been watching this? It's SO good!