April 10, 2006

A new take on the old having-an-affair-with-your-wife concept.

"Big Love" took a good turn last night. (Spoilers ahead.) We see that Bill Henrickson lusts after monogamy. With his Viagra supply deleted, he feels real attraction to Barbara, the only wife who was once an only wife. This favored love violates the system of morality the polygamous family has adopted for itself. The married lovers must tryst in a hotel or a car, the sex heated up by the fear of discovery and the knowledge that it's wrong. And yet it's not wrong, this monogamy, in the context of the larger society that is, in fact, about to discover the polygamy and ruin poor Bill. Meanwhile, the other two wives are going to find out about the monogamy in their midst and take revenge. What a complicated and exquisite dramatic conflict!

5 comments:

Bruce Hayden said...

I just don't see how they can keep it going for an entire season.

Peter Hoh said...

If pop culture has taught us anything, it's that "you can't always get what you want."

It's good to know that there's illicet sex among the polygamists.

Laura Reynolds said...

I just can'r get past the image of polygamy as some middle aged man in rural Utah with a 40 year old wife a 30 year old wife and a 20 year old wife. They have 8 kids between them, are poor and get assistance from the state by being deceptive.

I suppose there are ways to make a story with appeal but I'm just not intriqued by the idea.

Unknown said...

If you like Pina Coladas... and getting caught in the rain...

paul a'barge said...

I am so right there with John Henry's comments.

Now, if wife two were not Chloe and wife three were not a ditz, maybe, but probably not.

xldtwale