The Televangelist: ‘Big Love’ Season 4, Episode 6

All season (tragically truncated as it has been), we’ve seen the wives spiral away from Bill and from each other. Perhaps it really began last season with Nicki’s ill-fated affair and realization that Bill is not the love of her life, but it has continued with crises of faith that Barb and Margene have only recently fully experienced within the marriage. “Under One Roof” ended with, (as one might have guessed if they weren’t looking so hard to the metaphorical meaning), the possibility of the Henrickson’s own Big House, where all three wives would live together in assumed harmony.  Long-time viewers will recall this was the original arrangement when Margene joined the family, but it was the cramped quarters that lead Bill to giving each wife her own eventual residence (which seems to have truly worked out - and it’s not just a suburban polygamist living arrangement).  With the wives going in all different directions, can they, with only three episodes left, end up ‘living the life of Riley’ in the Big House?

The “Big Love” blogsphere has been abuzz this season with predictions - will Bill end up with two wives? One wife? No wives? How are any of the wives putting up with “a donkey’s ass” (to quote Marilyn) like Bill?  I won’t rule out any possibilities, but it doesn’t seem like Barb, Nicki or Margie are headed anywhere outside the marital bed soon.  I predict instead that they will end the season together, but in a more honest place - here’s why: