Big Love is BAAAACCKK!!!

[_beastie]

I watched it again, and you all are right, Albie DID use a stone in the hat. The first time I missed the stone in his hand. LOL!

Part of what I love about this show is the background music, too.

Oh, and I agree that Albie may have been "letting" Nikki have access to the money.

[_Bond...James Bond]

Nobody in my house could understand why I flipped out so much over this episode. I was yelling, "Head in the hat! Head in the hat! Blood Atonement, Blood Atonement, Head in the Hat!" like it was school cheer.

Meanwhile, DH was saying, "wait a minute, shut up, why's he, what's he doing with that hat? Shut up! What's he putting in it? A rock?!!?? Joseph Smith put rocks in a hat????"

And if that alone wasn't good enough, what about Alby "reading" his revelation bit by bit whilst it was being transcribed (again ala Joseph Smith), being corrected when he repeated a sentence slightly differently (again, a hint at Smith) and the capstone of the scene? Adaleen rising up and testifying that she saw Alby's face turn into Roman's and then into Joseph Smith's!! The very same trick Brigham Young pulled to clinch his taking control of "the church!"

Yeah the head in the hat was quite funny.....I was laughing the whole time as Alby BS'ed his way through that crap....anyone with a lick of sense would know he's lying....but I guess Mormons are born to swallow lies like Alby's.


Interesting idea with Alby allowing Nicki to "steal" money for whatever reason....he covers his butt by being at the hat in rock seance....and if he has to he can always throw his sister to the wolves. He's currently operating like Michael Corleone during the last half hour of The Godfather. Kudos to him.

Following up on one thing - I think the reason Barb wants Sarah to go back to the Mormon church is because she really doesn't want her to grow up and become polygamous. I think Ben's summary of how he understood polygamy (it's ok if his first wife doesn't turn out to be "the one", and he falls in love with someone else, he'll just marry her as number two) really shook her up. For her to reach out to the man who accused Bill of molesting their children (that was the insinuation at least) when she was so angry at him for doing so indicates some level of desperation to get Sarah out of the lifestyle. It is also a betrayal of Bill.

Barb has continued to slide down my Big Love favorite characters list.....maybe it's because she's about 3 steps away from backsliding back into mainstream Mormonism.....is being a total wet blanket a pre-requisite for being a "Molly"? She needs to realize that Sarah is doing fairly well (considering the craziness that is their daily lives)....and should just leave her alone. If she doesn't......Season Three may see Sarah moving out (isn't she like 18 in the show?).

[_Bond...James Bond]

Episode 2.10 Thoughts

Thanks to the return of my laptop this is basically a running dairy....on with the show...credits:


1) Nicki is a self centered brat....ordering stuff for herself with stolen tithing money....aren't these people supposed to be Holier than thou?

2) Ben's a little ass wipe...he's really looking forward to polygamy isn't he?...but I love the line "you can't chose which part of the principle to live....plural wives, plural mommies"

3) Margene if possible is hotter now than she was a second ago....and now she's hotter....and now she's hotter....and now she's hotter....her hottieness is exponentially great and continues to grow.

4) Nicki has been banished? LOL....Alby kicking his sister's ass is hilarious. Nicki needs to be involved in a serving of humble pie. Alright....why take Nicki the uptight prairie wacko when Margene the hot little cupcake of joy is available.....why doesn't Bill lock Nicki in the basement?

5) Rhonda.....god how I hate her...but Sarah....honestly slap that little bitch. Oh crap....Rhonda insinuating that Sarah's friend is lesbian....Rhonda is HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE....this weeks list of evil doers sees Rhonda moving up the list nicely:

1) Rhonda Voelmer
2) Nicki
3) Satan
4) Hitler
5) Genghis Khan
7) Frank
8) Rhonda and Nicki in any combination
9) Karl Rove
10)Pol Pot

6) Totally awesome divorce by Lois....honestly Frank...a real man pumps his own gas.........bad polygamist (PS: NICE CAR FRANK!!!!)

7) Geez...Nicki is truly dollar foolish....didn't she say the word "frugal" earlier in the show?

8) Margene....can you shut up please and be pretty? Why not just carry a background dossier....

9) Alby outmanuvering Nicki like Julius Caesar running rings around the Gauls from BC 59 to 50....two big thumbs up

10) Bill....alright how about digging up a better game plan than "let's wing it!" at the gaming convention...Honestly you're dealing with Margene here!! Nice to look at, but not the sharpest knife in the drawer.....tighten the leash Bill!

11) LDS owning sports bars..sounds a bit hypocrical..a few letters to HBO from someone in Utah will be forthcoming...

12) Rhonda.....bitch bitch bitch bitch bitch.....bitch bitch bitch.....although she operates like Karl Rove on Red Bull....I might soon have respect for her...if it wasn't that she is a manipulative lying bitch who outs people as polygamists and lesbians....alright she's a bitch....I hope she gets hit by a UPS truck and goes into a coma for Season Three.

13) Bill playing poker like Johnny Chan....he must have got a poker face somewhere (possiblt through the Veil?)

14) Marg and Barb....cool lilttle bit...Margene totally rules the Honeymoon sweat...and I'm not much of a Barb fan, but I loved her throwing Bill out of the honeymoon sweat to the room down the hall....*did I just have a dirty mental image??? I believe I did*

15) Frank demanding his son's shackup gal from Alby....exactly how I imagined polygamy working back in the day...

16) Nice mention of Mariott and the porn issue....and Margene with the note..."I told them I'm your mistress" totally awesome...take that Bill and Barb!!!

17) Is Ben the luckiest SOB in history...culty twins....oh and Alby showing up once again to show Nicki who wears the pants in the compound.

18) Alright so is Sara going to sell her family out....I'm doubting it...

19) Bill grew a pair....hallelujah!!!!! Way to man up...I love it....now if you'll just get rid of...

20) Holy Shnikey....did you see that getup on Margene....my freaking lord.....I'm two steps away from stalking Gennifer Goodwin on a fulltime basis...holy cow she's hot

21) Let us pray...dear Jesus who I love so well...please please please drop a boulder on Rhonda Volmer...or a bolt of lightning..anything...please Santa Jesus....I've been a good boy this year

22) Holy crap...did I call Alby drugging his father or what....jeez...these people are messed up.....let the coup begin! But is Roman going to die or what?

23) Nice montage...and Rhonda has a decent set of pipes (but I still want her to be ran over by a semi)

24) Ha ha....Bill sleeping alone....funny...

25) Interesting previews for next episode....although I don't know how this show could top the climaxes they've already had....unless they kill off a major character or if the family splits up....I wanna know what happened to those rival polygamists...

[_neworder]

I Love this show! It keeps getting better and better.

16) Nice mention of Mariott and the porn issue....

This is one of the reasons why it is so fun to watch. I think the writers must lurk around on the Mormon boards because they seem to pick out stuff that gets talked about from time to time on the boards. I thought it was great when the other LDS couple justified owning sports bars because the "marriots" allow porn and bars in the hotels. You know this stuff has to happen in real life.

Long Live Big Love!

[_beastie]

If I recall correctly, BY also didn't mind making money off of selling evil items to Gentiles, or am I misremembering?

So did Alby set Nikki up by "allowing" her to steal the money, or did he really not realize what she would do?

In regards to Nikki being so judgmental towards others and yet so hypocritial herself: I think this is a very common trait among the self-righteous in general. It's almost like they're trying to deflect attention from their own behavior by pointing out the foibles of others.

[_TAK]

15) Frank demanding his son's shackup gal from Alby....exactly how I imagined polygamy working back in the day...

Yea that has me confused .. suppose its a way to nulify his marriage to Lois?

by the way is it just me that thinks Albys wife (at least the one we see...) looks like Rhonda - or do they all look like that?

I predict Bill assumes his Grandfathers mantle of authority and takes over the compound .. and the $200m

[_Bond...James Bond]

15) Frank demanding his son's shackup gal from Alby....exactly how I imagined polygamy working back in the day...

Yea that has me confused .. suppose its a way to nulify his marriage to Lois?

I think he just wants to screw with Joey.....he thinks Joey and Bill are operating together (where as Bill has actually pretty much cut ties with Joey)

by the way is it just me that thinks Albys wife (at least the one we see...) looks like Rhonda - or do they all look like that?

I think they all pretty much look the same based on same hairstyles and dress.......although I'm sure they have bubbly personalities under that Prairie 1807 clothing :roll eyes:

I predict Bill assumes his Grandfathers mantle of authority and takes over the compound .. and the $200m

Really....I figured that for the series finale....that would be the coolest series finale in history I think.

[_skippy the dead]

Awesome episode!

Nicki is totally reckless. Kinda hard to hide the fact that you stole a wad of cash when you're throwing extravagant "hosted by Nicolette Grant" parties.

I guess I was wrong that Alby was trying to send the cash Nicki's way. He seemed kinda pissed about it.

Rhonda is a total assbite. Was Heather trying to explain the Rhonda blackmail to her mom in the control booth at the end? I don't see Heather as wanting to be held hostage forever by the conniving little bitch.

"I told him I'm your mistress" Niiiiiice.

Each week I feel even more sorry for Barb. I don't think she's experiencing some major buyer's remorse.

I guess there's no way Ben reverses course now - he's on his way to polygville.

Hate to break it to Lois, but community property only covers property jointly acquired by spouses after the date of marriage plus income earned thereafter. If Frank owned lots of his stuff before Bill paid him to marry Lois, she sees none if it. Of course, who wants to allow reality to intrude in on a juicy plotline!

Funny how Bill "cleans up" to deal with the LDS bar-owning couple, and then "dirties up" as a polyg to close the deal with the other dudes.

Yes, Margene was totally hot. Especially in that little red number. Isn't she supposed to be pregnant??

I think Sara may feel extreme empathy for her mom. I know I would. I don't know if she'd "sell her out" or feel like she has to leave her mom behind for good.

So are they gonna just keep Old Roman heavily medicated, or are they gonna do him in? Seems like Alby may want the "security" of having daddy's return as a threat in case people would want to usurp him.

Frank is icky.

I like how the discussion of the Marriotts excused the hotel bar owning, but it was the adult movies in the rooms that was so naughty!

Overall, a totally enjoyable hour.

[Anonymous]

Rhonda is a total assbite. Was Heather trying to explain the Rhonda blackmail to her mom in the control booth at the end? I don't see Heather as wanting to be held hostage forever by the conniving little bitch.

Agreed.....god I hate Rhonda. If Heather committed a vicious homocide of Rhonda I'd advocate her recieving Medal (well not really.....I'd just love to see Rhonda taken down a few pegs...possibly to the level of Singapore hooker with 11 STDs and 3 children)

I guess there's no way Ben reverses course now - he's on his way to polygville.

Yes...and I can't wait for him to realize that he's in over his head with one wife...much less more.

Hate to break it to Lois, but community property only covers property jointly acquired by spouses after the date of marriage plus income earned thereafter. If Frank owned lots of his stuff before Bill paid him to marry Lois, she sees none if it. Of course, who wants to allow reality to intrude in on a juicy plotline!

And you ruined it for me too....skippy.

Yes, Margene was totally hot. Especially in that little red number. Isn't she supposed to be pregnant??

Totally agreed....yeah she's supposed to be pregnant.....but I geuess Margene running around in little teddies is better for ratings.

[_Blixa]

Second to the last episode of the season and I'm absolutely gutted. This episode, maybe a bit soft on the laughs and action-drama, moved me more than any one yet. It pretty much ripped my heart out. I've watched it three times already (ok, didn't watch it entirely on broadcast because one of my brothers called me drunk from a party, so I finished up later and then watched it again all the way through with DH this morning) and I've cried every time. Before I get to the stuff that really upset me ala Schmo and his reaction to the opening, here's my "lesser" commentary.

1) I don't mind little accuracy glitches. I'm not so geeky nor pedantic to care if a few minor details are slightly off. But this episode had the first bit of "not right" that bothered me. Why must they call The Day's of '47/Pioneer Days "Pioneer Howdy Days?" There is no reason for this change and as dumb and dorky as Utah culture is, it doesn't include anything "howdy." No howdy. NO HOWDY.

Why did this bother me? I don't know except maybe that one of my favorite kitsch possessions is a cloisinne pin from the year my dad was grand marshall of the Days of '47 Rodeo. And I love rodeos. I wanted to be a rodeo queen as a girl and ride around in gold lame on an appaloosa named Quinta---and I was never saying "howdy" in this fantasy.

Also...there is NO, N. O. Joseph Smith worship involved in the Day's of '47, HE WAS NOT A PIONEER, thus no float with him on minus his wives. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN BRIGHAM YOUNG!!!! And then Bill could then have had an every bigger wife count to make his hipocrisy point with!!!

2) I loved Alby's creepy "got your nose." My creepy grandfather (as opposed to my good grandpa) used to do crap like this all the time.

3) I think I'm going to start saying "Very Truly Yours," at the end of every phone call ala Hollis Green. It's kind of genius.

4) Speaking of the Green's I love that Hollis gave the classic definition of Blood Atonement in his "spin call" to Alby when he claimed that Bill had told "our sisterwives" that "their love for him (Roman) was best expressed by spilling his blood to cleanse his sins.." I think the Greens are responsible for the snakes, too.

5) Nikki's f****ed up advice to Sarah, to stay a virgin but use sex to manipulate and "get" her boyfriend, was pretty much the same kind of f****ed up advice my mother gave me!

6) Anybody else notice that one of peices of music at Barb's mother's reception was "I Don't Know How To Love Him?" from Jesus Christ Superstar? Anybody else remember the stink "the church" raised about JCSuperstar back in the day?

7) Who's up for a "wild unsupervised compound party?" I'm bringing the 25 lbs bag of potatos!!!

-----------------

Now for the serious stuff. The portrayal of Barb's painful relations with her smug, holier-than-thou, cruel and vindictive family is the best portrait of Mormonism (or Mormon culture) that I have ever seen. This is the stuff that broke my heart. I know this s**t so well and have seen it go down so many times, seen this kind of terrible destruction of families in the name of family.

My ex-babysitter (who I've posted about here before) made a perfect point about this over on RfM: what makes this especially ugly is that for all their differences they are all Mormons! That's right! They all believe in Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon, personal revelation, all of it right down to polygamy. That's the kicker: they are all polygamists. Barb's mother Nancy, completely destroying her relationship with her daughter and grandchildren, ostensibly over polygamy, has just entered into a celestial polygamous marriage spelled out all the more clearly by the temple unsealing/sealing nonsense she has consented to. Irony? Hipocrisy? It's beyond that, way beyond that.

Cindy and husband (loved his line about warning Barb not to try to get them to "read any unapproved literature") are people I grew up with. So are Nancy and her new powerful husband (who is also the very kind of mover and shaker Bill aspires to be and maybe even a bigger hypocrite than Bill over gambling), are also people I grew up among. I've been to that kind of lavish second wedding reception with its pretend champagne toasts.

Nancy's line, "I'm responsible for your eternal salvation," chilled me to the core. And the final knife twist was the revelation that Nancy was for all intents and purposes, a "Sunstoner:" a liberal Mormon whose life has been broken and limited by the impossible demands of both trying to serve and change her church.