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March 09, 2006 Big Love By Barry Garron
Sunday, March 12 HBO Mention the subject of polygamy and you're likely to get responses that range from revulsion to sexual fantasy. "Big Love" stays away from both extremes as it depicts with a very straight face what "Father Knows Best" might look like if Jim Anderson lived in the suburbs of today and, of course, had three wives. It is a series that boasts more than a few terrific performances, and yet it is surprisingly mellow, nearly devoid of the kinds of dramatic moments that resonate after the final credits roll. An advisory that precedes HBO's much-awaited series declares that, as of July, the attorney generals of Utah and Arizona estimate the number of polygamists in their states to total 20,000-40,000. Given all the complications dramatized in "Big Love," it's hard to believe many of them practice multiple marriages the way it's done by Bill Henrickson (Bill Paxton), the focal point of the series. Bill and his three wives and seven children occupy three adjacent houses in a new suburban development. Even in Utah, that's not cheap. Bill owns a giant home center and, in the premiere, opens a second store. Still, he barely can afford three households. Finances are only one problem; the risk of exposure is another. His prominence in business -- going so far as to appear in his own TV commercials -- makes it almost inevitable that someone is going to sniff out his illegal domestic arrangement. Avoiding suspicion and discussing how to avoid suspicion are part of each episode. Bill's three wives are no Stepford spouses. First wife Barb (Jeanne Tripplehorn) is mature, well-mannered and best suited to be the first among equals. Second wife Nicki (Chloe Sevigny) is insecure and a compulsive shopper, but her temperament shifts drastically depending on which episode you're watching. Third wife Margene (Ginnifer Goodwin) is impulsive and playful as she makes the transition from girl to woman. As if the demands of privacy, business and family aren't enough, Bill also has to deal with the financial extortion of Roman Grant (Harry Dean Stanton), father of Nicki and the leader of the polygamous compound from which Bill was expelled when he was a young teen. His parents (Bruce Dern and Grace Zabriskie) still live in this backwater feudal fiefdom over which Roman presides. Director Rodrigo Garcia and his crew endow the series with an undeniable sense of place. It's hard to single out exceptional performances in a cast that works so well together, but it would be unfair not to cite the work of Paxton, Tripplehorn, Goodwin, Stanton and Zabriskie. The characters they and the others create, even more than the stories that are told, make this a rewarding show to watch. Initial tune-in should be strong. HBO has given "Big Love" the best launchpad it has to offer, the spot immediately following the much-anticipated return of "The Sopranos." Big Love HBO HBO Entertainment in association with Playtone and Anima Sola Prods. Credits: Executive producers: Tom Hanks, Gary Goetzman, Mark V. Olsen, Will Scheffer Co-executive producers: David Knoller, Alexa Junge Producers: Bernie Caulfield, Karen Sprecher, Jill Sprecher Consulting producer: David Manson Supervising producers: Jeanette Collins, Mimi Friedman Creators-writers: Mark V. Olsen, Will Scheffer Director: Rodrigo Garcia Directors of photography: Jim Glennon, Russ Alsobrook Production designer: Dan Bishop Casting: Junie Lowry Johnson, Libby Goldstein Cast: Bill Henrickson: Bill Paxton Barb Henrickson: Jeanne Tripplehorn Nicki Henrickson: Chloe Sevigny Margene Henrickson: Ginnifer Goodwin Roman Grant: Harry Dean Stanton Frank Henrickson: Bruce Dern Lois Henrickson: Grace Zabriskie Rhonda Grant: Daveigh Chase Joey Henrickson: Shawn Doyle Don Embry: Joel McKinnon Miller |
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