"Big Love" (2006) TV series 2006-????

User Rating:

8.4/10   

Creators:

Mark V. Olsen
Will Scheffer

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Polygamy Loves Company

Plot:

Big Love centres around a polygamist (Bill Paxton) and his relationship with the three wives, all whom he is married to.

Plot Keywords:

Polygamist | Multiple Wives | Sex In Car | Debt | Sex With Multiple Partners

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Golden Globes. Another 1 win & 14 nominations

Cast

Bill Paxton	...	Bill Henrickson / ... (34 episodes, 2006-2009)
Jeanne Tripplehorn	...	Barb Henrickson / ... (34 episodes, 2006-2009)
Chloë Sevigny	...	Nicolette Grant / ... (34 episodes, 2006-2009)
Ginnifer Goodwin	...	Margene Heffman / ... (34 episodes, 2006-2009)
Douglas Smith	...	Ben Henrickson / ... (34 episodes, 2006-2009)
Amanda Seyfried	...	Sarah Henrickson (34 episodes, 2006-2009)
Joel McKinnon Miller	...	Don Embry (32 episodes, 2006-2009)
Harry Dean Stanton	...	Roman Grant (32 episodes, 2006-2009)
Grace Zabriskie	...	Lois Henrickson (32 episodes, 2006-2009)
Melora Walters	...	Wanda Henrickson (29 episodes, 2006-2009)
Keegan Holst	...	Wayne Henrickson (29 episodes, 2006-2009)
Daveigh Chase	...	Rhonda Volmer (28 episodes, 2006-2009)
Matt Ross	...	Alby Grant (28 episodes, 2006-2009)
Garrett Gray	...	Raymond Henrickson (28 episodes, 2006-2009)
Jolean Wejbe	...	Tancy Henrickson / ... (26 episodes, 2006-2009)
Mary Kay Place	...	Adaleen Grant (26 episodes, 2006-2009)
Shawn Doyle	...	Joey Henrickson (20 episodes, 2006-2009)
Bruce Dern	...	Frank Harlow (18 episodes, 2006-2009)
Tina Majorino	...	Heather Tuttle / ... (18 episodes, 2006-2009)
Audrey Wasilewski	...	Pam Martin (15 episodes, 2006-2009)
Mireille Enos	...	Kathy Marquart / ... (15 episodes, 2007-2009)

Runtime:

60 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

USA:TV-MA | Finland:K-15 (DVD) | Australia:M | Australia:MA (some episodes) | Australia:PG (some episodes) | New Zealand:M (season 1) | New Zealand:R13 (season 2) | Portugal:M/12 (DVD rating)

Filming Locations:

All American Home Center - 7201 East Firestone Boulevard, Rockwell Defense Plant - Bellflower & Imperial Highway, Downey, California, USA

Company:

Anima Sola Productions

Trivia:

Sarah is the oldest of the Henrickson children but in real life Amanda Seyfried is 6 months younger than her co-star and character's younger brother Douglas Smith.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: You often don't see the time on any of the stoves or microwaves, as though they are not plugged in.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "Saturday Night Live: Tracy Morgan/Kelly Clarkson (#34.18)" (2009)

Soundtrack:

God Only Knows

Very original and well done

I'm surprised no one has written about this great show yet! I've always liked HBO's original programming, from Video Jukebox back in the early 80's (before Mtv!), to Taxicab Confessions, OZ, Sopranos, and Six Feet Under. I really had little interest in watching a show about Mormons and polygamy in Utah, but I knew HBO would make it interesting. I love the cast! Bill Paxton is perfectly cast as the lead. He was always an underrated actor. Same goes with Jeanne Tripplehorn as his first (and favorite) wife. Chloe Sevigney is almost unrecognizable as the manipulative second wife, with her long hair and prairie outfits. I first noticed her in Kids. Newcomer Gennifer Goodwyn is quite good as the overwhelmed and lonely youngest third wife. She reminds me of a young Sherilyn Fenn. It doesn't hurt that all of the wives and eldest daughter are quite attractive!

One would think Bill's character would be envied, but the more we see into his everyday life, the more I say "No thanks!" Imagine dealing with three moody wives and children coming out of the woodwork! Everything has to be written in a daily planner, otherwise things get extremely chaotic. On top of dealing with his huge family, living in three adjacent houses with one back yard, he also has to run a growing chain of Home Depot-type stores, deal with the rest of his oddball family (parents and brother) still living on a polygamist compound run by an evil Harry Dean Stanton who keeps extorting money from Bill and harassing him and his family. Oh, and they also try to keep their polygamy secret from the nosy neighbors, and one of the wives has run up huge credit card debts! Plus almost everyone the family deals with is an over-religious meddler! I also like the relationship with the eldest daughter and her straight laced but good hearted friend, who played Napolean Dynamite's love interest. Overall, I really like this show and hope it becomes as popular as the other great HBO series.