(S01E12) Well, you just knew that the Henrickson family secret was going to be exposed. What makes it so surprising is that they all seem shocked by it. But I guess they deluded themselves into thinking that they were a "normal" family, at least in their own community.
The season finale of Big Love certainly had its share of twists and turns but, at its core, there's no getting around the fact that Bill Henrickson and his hypocritical lifestyle of polygamy was going to get him sooner or later. In a way, you almost felt sorry for Barb, the first wife, for being devastated about being disqualified from the Mother of the Year competition, but she does support the practice of polygamy, which doesn't give her much of a moral ground to stand on.
The battle between Bill and Roman spilled into nearly tragic consequences, with brother Joey's wife Wanda poisoning Roman's psychotic son Alby with antifreeze. In addition, we learned that Wanda was one who poisoned Bill and Joey's father early on in the season, and we also learned that Wanda has a penchant for poisoning people who come across as threatening. Obviously, the war between Bill and Roman is going to get a lot nastier and it looks like someone is going to get seriously hurt. The fact that Bill now has a seat on the U.E.B. Council will lead to Roman taking drastic measures to protect his turf.
It was also interesting seeing the storyline of young Rhonda, who is slated to become Roman's next wife, who at the age of 14 seems confused by the whole thing. It appears she wants out of the life she is about to lead, but no one is going the extra mile to help her.
It was almost poignant when Margene and Nicki went in to console Barb after the ceremony, but she put it in perspective when she said, "I got what I deserved." But it was Bill who probably should have made that statement. He's put all of his loved ones at risk, and it'll be interesting to see what he'll do next.
All in all, it was a good first season for Big Love. What started out as a bizarre story turned very compelling over the last 12 weeks, and the writing and actors have come into their own. I'm looking forward to the next season, and seeing how this whole thing shakes out.
Mike Henry and Daryl Hall on a Cleveland Show Thanksgiving
The TV Squad Podcast: The Prisoner, '80s TV, soap news and more
Let's talk about spoilers ...
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
6-05-2006 @ 2:12AM
RRE said...
So, the catholic cross in Barbs bedroom shows the direction for Bill to embrace the lifestyles of: "Secular and Secretive Catholic Bigamists."
Reply
6-05-2006 @ 8:25AM
Chris in Cincinnati said...
It was young Rhonda who got Roman to make hte fall call and out Bil and Barb, that sly little smile while he made the call gave me chills.
Bill withdrew from joining that exclusive business club. He made a sacrifice of something he always wanted in order to protect his family
But Barb, pride goes before the fall.
Reply
6-05-2006 @ 9:49AM
mj said...
To RRE: enough with the Catholic bashing already. Barb's cross had nothing to do with Catholicism. Does it make you feel better to bash it?
Reply
6-05-2006 @ 10:07AM
JOMA said...
Don't blame Bill. Don't forget it was Bill who pulled out of the Leadership League for the sake of the family.
Barb shouldn't have pursued Mother of the Year. Nicki was right, Barb was being prideful.
Okay. Back to work. Now I can get my life back until the season premiere next winter.
Reply
6-05-2006 @ 10:40AM
marie trainor said...
the writing & acting is amazing...afterall we feel all actually felt sorry for barb and family...who are kind of nut jobs if sharing one husband gets you into heaven...why dooesn't everyone start taking on more and more wives...we can all go on welfare, take in millions of immigrants this way, over burden adn bankrupt the healthcare system and have way moer children than nature ever planned...good message in BIG LOVE...disdgusting tom hanks acting like this is a normal alternative...
Reply
6-05-2006 @ 4:48PM
Christina said...
Come on, Marie--any adult should be able to realize that just because a TV show (or any other piece of art) is portraying something, that does not at all mean the creators are endorsing it. Anyway, I don't think the stuff that's happening to this fictional family is exactly making polygamy seem like an *appealing* alternative to anyone, do you?
Reply
6-05-2006 @ 8:53PM
mary said...
What was Niki's final comment to Barb at the end of the show? I couldn't understand her.
Reply
6-05-2006 @ 11:08PM
Susan Vogel said...
To be truly accurate, the dumpsters outside where the Mother of the Year ceremony takes place would have said "A-1" on the sides, indicating that they were owned by a polygamist group in Salt Lake, the Kingstons. Until recently the State of Utah contracted with them to provide dumpster service at the state capital!! How funny is that! They were taking hundreds of thousands of dollars from the federal government to "fight polygamy" and handing it over to the Kingstons by hiring them to pick up garbage. This is typical of the confusion in Utah regarding polygamy. And EVERYONE knows laws against polygamy will not be enforced, so come on, Nikki is not going to be worried about a raid!!
Read God's Brothel, available on Amazon etc.
Reply
6-07-2006 @ 8:57AM
RMTKV said...
RRE: A Catholic Cross bears an image of Christ (called a corpus), and is called a crucifix. A decorated cross is just a decorated cross, and has no affiliation with a specific denomination under Christianity.
Reply
6-07-2006 @ 8:57AM
Shari said...
Oh come on Christina! When did you become so naive? If a creator, producer or actor are willing to put his/her name on something s/he might as well be endorsing it. If a person is firm in his/her beliefs then s/he would not be willing to be affiliated with something so obviously wrong. I'm glad the family has been exposed. Polygamy is just a way to make extra-marital affairs okay. When you get tired of one woman, just bring on a few more. God made Adam and Eve, not Adam, Eve, Barb, Sarah.....to please Adam. I've given up on Tom Hanks, thanks to this show and the DaVinci Code, just as I've given up on Tom Cruise for parading his ridiculous beliefs around as well!
Reply
6-14-2006 @ 10:30PM
Linda said...
Great show, I love, BIG LOVE.
Tom Hanks was great in DaVinci.
More power to him for both shows.
Reply
6-15-2006 @ 1:23AM
Carrie said...
The lifestyle is fascinating and weird at the same time. I am addicted to this show!I lived in utah for 2yrs. those people are bizzare they got the prairie garb right on the nose. But did anybody catch that the BEE HIVE Mother of the Year award was also one of Roman's little industries? The company was brought up in the UEB meeting that Bill and Joey crashed. Does anybody else hate that little snot Rhonda! I can't wait to see the cumupins she gets,and maybethat sociopath closet fag Alby will learn a lesson too...one way or another.
Reply
6-28-2006 @ 10:08AM
Gordy said...
I just caught the entire season on OnDemand. Whoa. While Bill's cute cheeks kept me initially, before I knew it I had watched the entire season. Glad to see it's coming back for season two.
As far as what's next: The business is obviously destroyed. Roman hurt his own pocket with this move, since he got 15% of the first two stores.
Next season, I can see them moving back to the compound, eventually. Nicki will love it, of course, but Barb and Margene will absolutely hate it.
I can't believe how much I loved this show!
Reply
6-29-2006 @ 8:51AM
Megan said...
Mary, Nikki's last comment to Barb was "no, boss lady".
Reply
7-16-2006 @ 2:33PM
mara said...
Does ANYBODY know who plays Pam (nosey neighbor and MArgene's fomer friend) on Big Love? I have searched and cannot find any mention of her name.
ALSO - what is with the disappearing fence around the Henrickson's backyard pool? Now you see it, now you don't.
Reply
8-26-2006 @ 4:31PM
O'neil said...
The nosey neighbor on BIG LOVE is Audrey Wasilewski.
She'll be returning for Season 2. She's on a new series for ABC Family called "The Other Mall". I've seen her in many movies. Go to IMDB.com to see the full list of credits. She's amazing & adorable to me, too.
Reply
9-12-2006 @ 7:38PM
Casey said...
It's kind of crazy to think that just because Tom Hanks is the creator/producer of this show that he is endorsing polygamy. Hell if that was the case we can say that anyone who watches this show is endorsing it also. I mean come on this show is great television because a lot of us are very curious about this type of lifestyle and this show gives us a sneak peek into the world of polygamy. Tom Hanks is a genius to think about putting a show like this in tv. I mean hey he knows what to do to get paid, and that's what he's doing. I love the show. I find it to be very interesting, and it's some of the best programming that I've seen in a long time. I can't wait for season 2. I'm on pins and needles!
Reply
10-25-2006 @ 10:44PM
sharon said...
this show is a treasure.......and in no way do i feel that it endorses polygamy.......but it, for me, does put a human face on it........you just have to KNOW that not everyone in that lifestyle is a total P.O.S......it helped me comprehend how a woman could choose that way, even if she didn't personally believe it (like barb)....besides, i live in the bible belt where there are SO many effing lies perpetrated in God's name, i wonder sometime how the baptists and the methodists, etc.. are any worse, really, than the polygamists
Reply
1-27-2007 @ 12:45AM
Kristy said...
HELP! Does anyone know when season 2 starts? And is it being picked up for a 3rd season? I LOVE IT! I'm like a heroin addict, I CRAVE IT! Does anyone think they will ever add a 4th wife?
Reply
2-01-2007 @ 8:32AM
Sherryl said...
I started watching Big Love because it was interesting. But wonder if the polygamists really live in their community that looks like a dump.
I liked the show alot, but wish we didn't have to see Bills naked rear end. The show would be just as good without all the sex scenes. But, THATS HOLLYHOOD. i FEEL SORRY FOR THE TEENAGERS, having to try to keep the family secrets. And the toddlers that don't get enough of "DAD" time. I did feel so sorry for Barb when she was exposed at the mother of the year program. All she wanted was to feel normal.
Nikki is rediculous, and Margene acts pure stupid.
I agree with what Shari had to say.
Reply