Big Love ongoing thread (1 Viewer)

[DeeF]

I've just watched Episodes 2 and 3.

It gets worse and worse. I'm done watching it.

 

[Jason_Els]

I just don't care. I don't like any of the characters and their lives don't intrigue me. So they're bigamists, big deal. It would be a better show if they had focused on Bill trying to get out from under a cult his father co-established. The characters on the cult-end are much more interesting. Why do I want to watch a bunch unhappy housewives with their (dull) kids?

Big Love, The Sopranos, Weeds, Huff, Desperate Housewives, and the current ilk are all about distracting the middle classes from their suburban consumerist desperation by implanting the suspicion that any of their neighbors in any one of the boxes next to theirs might actually be strange people leading lives far more exciting and adventurous than their own. I'm getting sick of this formula because it challenges us to think only as far as our front doors with unsavory, odd, unconventional characters displayed like dangerous zoo animals to be safely ogled to the TV screen.

Cable TV dramas have it made. They've got the better or best writers, directors, and actors in the business with fat budgets and no censorship. Right now Showtime and HBO are playing it way too safe. Big Love is just another take on the "normal appearing, but secretly strange suburban family" motif relying too much on the motif rather than on the characterization. I'm not yet seeing any great acting or fantastic writing to make this show rise any higher than it already is. I'll give it to ep. 3, but I won't be disappointed if it dies a premature death.

 

[Jeff Pounds]

With all due respect, Jason, is not the function of nearly all TV entertainment to distract people from their normal, everyday lives by entertaining them with drama and/or comedy?

While there are exceptions to this rule, the vast bulk of TV entertainment designed for consumer mass consumption -- by design -- distracts normal people from their every day lives. Whether it was showing impossibly happy and plesant families (Brady Bunch, Cosby Show, Family Ties, etc.) or showing screwed up and dramatic families (Dallas, Dynasty, Sopranos, etc.), this has pretty much been the norm over the years.

I at least give the producers/writers of these shows some credit for actually -- I don't know -- BEING CREATIVE, rather then just throwing together some flavor of the month reality show together with a bunch of pseudo-celebrities.

 

[ScottH]

I enjoyed epiosode 2 more than the first. I'll keep watching (with reservations).

 

[Alex F]

I've enjoyed Big Love so far, but I agree with this. It just makes me miss Carnivàle that much more.

 

[todbnla]

I don’t know, I watched epi 2 last night but every time I see Bill Paxton I still see him as the character in "True Lies" the whole story is catchy but how long can we drag out running from house to house...or bed to bed? :b

 

[Patrick Sun]

I'm more reminded of Paxton's "Chet" from "Weird Science" whenever I see Paxton in any role.

"How would like a greasy pork sandwich served in a dirty ashtray?"

 

[Andrew Bunk]

Nah.....always think of Aliens first.

"Game over man! Game over!"

"Why don't you put her in charge???"

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Definitely already tired of the petty squabbling between the housewives, the younger two in particular. Like almost everything else though, especially Bill's mom. I also like how integrated God is into these people's daily lives. Indeed, it seems like the only religious leader (Prophet Roman, Bill's father-in-law) is the least religious character on the entire show.

 

[Jeff Pounds]

Just three more reasons why Bill Paxton RULES! However, you guys forgot one of his more memorable roles... one of the three "punks" that Arnold takes out at the very beginning of The Terminator.

You know... come to think of it... James Cameron must LOVE Bill Paxton... roles in Terminator, Aliens, True Lies, Titanic... am I missing any?

 

[Jeff Pounds]

Weird...triple post

 

[Jeff Pounds]

 

[TravisR]

The documentary Ghosts Of The Abyss.

 

[JonZ]

Theres a funny line in Ep 3 where Bill says "I dont want him in my houses"

I dont think they can do more than a few seasons with this show.

 

[Adam_S]

Really like the first two episodes a lot, great family drama and character development in the first two episodes, and Bill's prayer and subsequent apology to Margie was the best writing in the series so far.

I really like the insight that Prophet Roman is the least religious character in the show.

I love what they're doing with the older children. Very interested in watching those plot threads develop.

Oral is moral.

Really dislike the second wife, Nicki, sniping and fiendish but understandable, I can't wait to hear the backstory of how the family expanded to include her (was she a friend of Barb's and 'escaped' to Barb and Bill when she was to be married off to some old coot? and after living with them for a while, they start to be a family together so they end up making it official? Was Barb in a similar situation since Bill was ran off?)

I think it's clear they're setting up the compound Juniper Creek as bad-non-mormon (but living like they are, and are the 'true believers') while the writers show us how good people might really try hard and make and live a life this way.

I disagree that the story of Bill being run off by his father would be more interesting. Such a set-up can only take one direction, towards bitterness, anger and rejection (he's a teenager). This way they're past all the infantile and adolescents one-note emotions and can really dig into the complexities and subtleties of relationships. And the show starts at the point of big change in their lives, Bill is going back to the Juniper Creek Compound for the first time in a long long time.

I don't know that Roman is poisoning Bill's father to get back at Bill, considering what Bill's father didn't tell him, the father seems to be playing both sides against each other. I think there's some sort of quiet struggle going on between Roman and Bill's father, and Bill's non-payment situation is getting caught in the crossfire.

 

[BridgetJZ]

Its been interesting reading the mixed responses about Big Love on this board. Some people seem to have really taken to it (mysel included) and some people just can't seem to get into it.

My take is this - Big Love presents an interesting look at family dynamic in general. About the ways in which people interact with eachother. The jealousy between the wives is unbelieveable.

I really enjoy Chloe Sevigny's character. She is perfect in that role.

I'm going to keep watching, though I'm totally bummed that I missed the third episode when it was on demand earlier this week. suppose i'll have to wait just like everyone else.

 

[mattCR]

I have this gut feeling he married wife #2 in part as a "bargain" for the loan of money from Roman for store #1. If they make it out that way, I'll be really dissapointed, but that's my gut interpretation right now.

 

[Carl_G]

They need to rename the show "Bill Paxton's Ass".

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Nothing about Bill makes him seem like he'd enter into polygamy just over his store.

 

[Alex F]

This was a GREAT GREAT episode! The best yet. This is officially a great show.

For such a big family that was the saddest little party I've ever seen.