TVSquad

It only makes sense that the theme song for a series about a dysfunctional family is "God Only Knows," recorded by another dysfunctional family, The Beach Boys. (If you want details, read Heroes and Villains: The True Story of the Beach Boys.) Watching this latest episode with that song playing in my head definitely made it an interesting experience.

You certainly get the impression that a man with three wives may have a fantasy life in one respect, but for those moments of pleasure, he certainly has to deal with more tension in his house (or in Bill's case, three houses) than any other married man or woman would need to deal with. However, I don't feel any kind of sympathy for Bill's plight--he put himself in this position. No one said polygamy was going to be easy!

Let's review what was on Bill's plate this week. His youngest wife Margene, who is a bit loud in intimate situations, is begging Bill for a car so she can run errands. Barb and Nicki also continue to compete for Bill's attention, and he pops Viagra like Tic-Tacs to keep pace. (Is it too much to ask for less shots of Bill Paxton's bare behind?)

Roman Grant, as creepy a character as Frank Booth (played by Dennis Hopper) in Blue Velvet, comes across as a Mormon version of Don Vito Corleone and tells Bill's father, in a hospital after being poisoned with arsenic, that he needs to get his son in line and start paying him and the commune he runs the requisite 15% tithing from his home improvement stores.

If that isn't enough, how about Bill's friend Don coming over with his three wives for a dinner party? Plus, Don tells Bill he's ready to take on a fourth wife and asks Bill if he has any "expansion plans." Can this get any more surreal?

Despite all the chaos, Bill seems detached from everything. Even though he suspects Roman may sick his henchmen on him and his family, he seems to go through the motions when asking a business associate for help in securing his home(s) and family(ies). At the end, he asks God for guidance, but making his plea from the front seat of his expensive SUV may not be as sincere as he might think it is.

I realize the show is still finding its sea legs, but it all seems too disjointed. Maybe because we viewers are trying to make sense of how this family situation is deemed normal by those who are in it that we find it so weird. In any case, I think after an extremely fragmented first episode, this one seemed a bit more streamlined (if you can believe that) and there are a few storylines that bear watching--the ongoing business situation with Roman Grant, Bill's fractured relationship with his parents, and his struggle to balance quality time with his wives. Here's to next Sunday at 10 pm.