There have been tons of unique families in TV history, but none quite as interesting as the Hendricksons of Big Love. Before Sister Wives, this was television’s most riveting examination of plural marriage. For me, it’s one of television’s most underrated dramas and I’m still a little annoyed that it ends its run tonight having never received the high ratings or critical acclaim of HBO’s other series (No Emmy wins?!? Really?!?!).
While Bill Paxton’s Bill was the patriarch of the family, I’ve always felt the series was truly about the sister wives: Barb (Jeanne Tripplehorn), Nicki (Chloe Sevigny), and Margene (Ginnifer Goodwin). I’m not sure there was another show on television that featured such complex, layered female characters or a more sterling trio of actresses. Sevigny was always the revelation, in the way she took an initially abrasive character and somehow turned her into the heart of the show, particularly in her struggle to balance her home life with her ties to the compound. But then Love was also blessed with a heaven-sent cast of supporting characters, including Harry Dean Stanton’s terrifying Roman and Amanda Seyfried’s rebellious Sarah.
The series hit its creative and emotional peak with its season 3 road trip episode, “Come, Ye Saints.” It climaxed with one of Big Love’s most moving and powerful moments, delivered without any dialogue: the Hendrickson family comforting daughter Sarah after she lost her unborn baby. Tonight, Big Love airs its final episode and I will definitely miss being part of this family.
I thought one of the most moving moments was when Bill realized when they were in Mexico, that he was going to banish his son, just like had been done to him many years ago. I was glad to see Bill’s realizing how close he got to destroying his Son and family
NO! It can not end! This is my favorite show! I am another BIG fan!
I’m also disappointed that it’s the end. Watched every ep, sometimes twice! Maybe a ‘goodbye’ emmy this year?
Ok. Niki was an interesting character who just got old after a while. She rarely shows true love for her sister wives but more for herself and her agenda and claims it’s love. Look at Cara Lynn, a daughter who needs HELP. All nikki would do was push to marry Bill so he can adopt a girl who legally will be free in 2 years all because she claims she’s afraid of something happening to her and Cara Lynn having no one (in a will she can name Bill, Barb, or Margene). The entire time Cara Lynn doesn’t really care or want it to happen so why was Nikki so surprised when Cara Lynn turned out almost just like her. Not caring about everyone and the consequences so long as she gets what she wants?
I am ready for this show to end and I do think Bill should go to jail or all the wives leave him because his ambition ruined them, every season he wanted more and more, ultimately it was like he wanted to be Prophet even though he kept saying he didn’t
This will definitely be a series I will buy on Blu-ray when they all come out together. I just started watching the show last year, and now I’m so sad to see it go!!
One of my all time fav shows. And a joy to watch Mary Kay Place & Grace Zabriskie’s acting chops.
Oh Alby, I think I’ll miss you most of all…
Maybe HBO will spin off another series with him in jail. That actually might be a winner.
I think Tripplehorn was always the heart of the show to me.
I totally agree!
I kinda agree – though I saw Lois as the heart of the show. The scene where she was telling Sarah about how it came to be that she always kept her hair short was so moving.
It is disapointing that it never got the attention that the Sopranos, Sex and the City, and Six Feet Under had. It kept the dramatic fires burning opposite Entourage (whose having their final episodes this summer). I’ll miss them. They’ve been a fun ride.
One of my favorite moments of the show was when Bill accepted Sarah’s marriage and surprised the whole family. It was just too sweet. I rarely get teary during this show but this was one of the moments where I did
My top two favorite episodes are when Nicki finds Roman in the freezer and when Adaleen burns JJ and the sister wife alive in the clinic. This show was insane but I liked it. I just wish Nicki would get hers, because her manipulation needs to be called out.
Nikki! Go. Get. The. Bacon.
I wrote Bill Paxton off for doing this. Maybe the rating weren’t there because too many people have heard too much about the abuse that goes on in this system. Why should men be allowed multiple wives but women only allowed 1?
Um, Adora, apparently you don’t know this but men aren’t legally allowed multiple wives. And women aren’t legally allowed to have ANY wives in most states, but they are allowed one husband. If you want more than one husband, feel free to line ‘em up, if you can. Who’s stopping you?
Seriously. I don’t know why people get all hysterical about polygamy, like it’s the end of the world. Polygamy is actually the most common form of marriage in the world. It’s only gotten a bad rap in the States because of a couple of groups of psychos that abused their power over their cult.
Even though I like the series and care for the characters (even Nicki), I’ve never actually emotionally invested in this vision of family. For me there’s always been a disconnect because even though I want them all to be “happy” I don’t really think they can be happy together. Nothing about this family seems functional to me, no one is ever getting enough of anything. Every time I try to get onboard with their vision of themselves as a “normal” family I imagine the suffering Barb must have endured when Bill married Nicki (spiritual AND legal). That he would cause his beloved wife, who has sacrificed so much for him, that suffering makes him fundamentally unlikeable and unheroic as a character. I’m interested in this show and enjoy the drama, but I’ve just never gotten over the initial ick factor. There are so many interactions when you can see Barb hasn’t gotten over it either.
Tracy, you totally hit the nail on the head with this comment. I didn’t what I didn’t like about it, but this is it. Thanks.
The finale of the first season was the best for me…that’s when you knew it was special. Nicki and Barb’s reactions when was almost outed during the “Mother of the Year” awards was heart-wrenching. The way they sister-wive’s embraced each was admirable.
I will dearly miss this show. It had great acting and great writing. It brought up issues new to television and connected with problems all families can relate to. I thank HBO for giving us this truly wonderful show.