Monday, February 8, 2010
News The Televangelist: 'Big Love' season 4, episode 5
Posted by Allison Keene @keeneTV on Mon, Feb 8, 2010 at 4:15 PM
All members of the Henrickson clan should know by now that nothing stays under the rug long. Kissing your quasi-son, taking a Native American baby, killing and burning the prophet - you know, all of life's little problems that are better left forgotten - the more any Henrickson attempts to conceal a truth, the bigger the fallout on the other end.
In last night's exceptionally tense episode, aptly named "Sins of the Father," Bill, who makes for one slick politician, continues to triumph politically while his family falls apart around him. Though the plot held close to Bill and the wives, it can never drift too far from the shadows of Juniper Creek. Last week, Bill more or less banished his own son - a nearly unforgivable transgression that he himself was subjected to as a young boy. The issue was juxtaposed with another so-called "Lost Boy" from a compound who had recently been killed in a convenience store hold up after shooting at a police officer, helping to make Bill come to terms with his own past and the mistakes he more recently made with Ben.
This season, Bill has unquestionably become the biggest villain of "Big Love." His infinitely expanding hubris and struggle for increasing power on a hypocritically righteous platform has had regular viewers in fits. As one message board commenter called out, "Kill Bill!" This episode, for the first time, really delved into the complicated world Bill has constructed for himself, and the conflicting forces that drive him.
If one were to tally Bill's sins versus virtues in this episode alone, the scale goes heavily in favor of Hades. Bill's most redemptive act was to own up to his past transgressions and current failings. Unfortunately, it may be too late. Was his assault on his father toward the close of the episode really about Frank ... or Bill himself?
Meanwhile, the wives remain in crisis, particularly Barb. Nicki, typically the most unstable of the trio, has found herself a surprisingly normal niche (as she proudly tells Margene, "we're aggressively pursuing another baby ... and I'm a willing participant this time!"). Margene continued to deal with the fallout of her Ben kiss, the true extent of which Barb found out only after role playing as Margene in a LDS counseling session with Bill, which contributed to Barb's utter meltdown. Barb has now more or less lost two children this season, is estranged from her "flirt" sister wife ("just like your floozy mother!"), is ex-communicated from her church and barely able to contain her rage against her husband's antics. For all the talk of Lost Boys, what of the Lost Wives? All Barb seems to have now is her ironic "Boss Lady" mug and her little Casio on which she plays sad tunes in the office alone.
Despite Bill's cathartic speech at the debate that lead to his winning the party nomination (his heartfelt yet still entirely hypocritical and self righteous speech, that is), there are still plenty of skeletons piled up in his closet. Not the least of which is Roman Grant's flaming corpse. Bill's feelings that "I ask a lot, and I should be held to the same standards," may soon turn out to be a promise he'd rather not keep.
Next Week: JJ comes to play, Ana reappears, Bill discovers Dale and Alby's secret meetings, and Barb's meltdown worsens
Musings and Miscellanea:
- "Bill, how come I'm always called upon to do the morally ambiguous things?" - Nicki a.k.a Daphne. To each their own strengths, Nicki!
- More Bill being stupid: why make an enemy out of Marilyn? Do you need any more bad juju right now? I likened Bill to the Titanic last week, and Marilyn echoed that this week saying he hit the iceberg and might go down with the ship. I don't doubt it!
- Barb really laid into Margene this week, and her kicking out her table leg was a low blow and not at all characteristic. Yet is it surprising that not a moment later, Margene was the Clark Paley's "little girl lost" interest?
- New Couple Alert 1: Anyone else feel the sweaty sparks between Tommy and Barb?
- New Couple Alert 2: Cara Lynn looks nice without that hair poof and those old compound clothes ... don't you agree, Ben? (I asked my viewing partners Martha and Jeff "do I sense something?" about these two, to which Martha relied, "yep, more incest!")
- Lois line of the night: "Red Pepper bird farm this is Marcy how may I help you?"
- Was there ever a more awkward car ride than the one to the casino that included Marliyn, Bill, Nicki/Daphne, Paley and Margene?
- "I need another night with Bill. I'll buy it from you. I can afford it!" - Marg "Sexually Underused Moneybags" Henrickson
- Hmm, it seems Jodean also knows that Joey killed Roman ... Jodean appears to be a secret weapon just waiting for the right moment to strike this season. Who will set her off?
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