Hey Big Love fans! Sorry that I’m starting the latest season a little late, but I’m all caught up now, so I shouldn’t miss too many more weeks. I won’t go back and do a full review of the first three episodes, but I’ll just say that the last two weeks have made up for the weak premiere. In just those few short weeks, we saw Bill decide to run for state senate, Barb take over the casino, Margie continue to grow in her new TV host life, and Nikki struggle with Carol Lynn and J.J. Oh, and Sarah got married and Margie kissed Ben, and Frank and Lois are together selling illegally obtained rare birds. Sounds like it’s going to be a good season.
That brings us to episode 4, “The Mighty and The Strong.” Going in, there were several issues at hand for the Hendrickson clan. Bill was preparing for his announcement speech, Sarah was saddled with the baby of the Native American woman Barb hit with her car, and then there was that whole little misunderstanding where Margie kissed Ben, who was then referred to on TV as her husband. All three threads in one way or another lead back to Bill. Last season it really started to become apparent how selfish and hot headed he was, and it’s only grown this year. His state senate run has nothing to do with an ambition for politics, but more attaining a new kind of power. When Joey asked him to return to Juniper Creek as prophet, he refused, seemingly because the job was tarnished by Roman. He’s deluded himself to thinking that becoming a state senator would allow him to stop hiding his polygamy, but thinking of what he can do has blinded him from what is actually going to happen. The Hendricksons are going to get ripped to shreds, but Bill is too short sighted to realize it. Further, it was absolutely crushing to see what he did to poor Don. The guy has been down and out for a while, losing his wives and kids, and as he said, always seeing Bill succeed in one way or the other. But Bill doesn’t care. When his opponent starts sniffing around Home Plus, Bill goes straight to his best friend and asks him to not only give up his job, but out himself as a polygamist and face public scorn. It’s perhaps the most selfish thing Bill has done, and I can’t imagine that Don is just going to fade away quietly.
As for Ben and Margene, their romantic tension has been building since Season 1, and last year, Margie’s harsh rebuke of Ben in the wake of his love letter seemed to signal an end, but their kiss brought that all back up. Margie began to handle it in her typical way, not telling the whole truth to Barb and Bill, and overdoing it in her break down on air, one of the more painful sights on the show. Teeny sort of opened the flood gates on the issue (hey, she’s back from “sports camp!”), telling Bill and Barb about Ben’s love note. But Ben takes the fall for it, and while Bill is angry, he’s too distracted by his announcement to let it get in his way. Margie can’t stand it though, and she tells Bill the truth right before his big speech (hilariously, in an elephant costume), that she meant the kiss. Ben protected her from J.J. when he came storming in and then he showed up for her show when no one else would. Bill has ignored her TV show from the start, and at times even seemed jealous. He kiss with Ben was a misguided feeling of gratitude for the only one of the five people in the house that could have been there (sorry Teeny and Niki’s twins, you can’t drive). We’ll see how it all plays out, but I think that’s really what’s going on. Bill kicking Ben out of the house at the end was a little harsh. Again, he’s too hotheaded and selfish to think that Ben isn’t “another man” trying to steal his wife, but his confused 18 year old son that more than anything, just needs his father to give him some guidance.
Meanwhile, back on the compound, Alby has stepped up the creepy factor big time with his affair with Dale. This isn’t going to end well, we all know that, but sneaking into the guy’s house and delivering jam to him? Why isn’t Dale running for the hills? It’s an interesting story, because both have more to lose than just their careers should they be discovered, but like I said, it’s not going to end well. Speaking of messed up things Alby does, how about giving his mother to J.J. to be sealed? J.J. is delightfully creepy, with his lack of fingernails and exploitation of his poor sister, but marrying the mother of his ex-wife? Nikki’s right, people should be more upset about that. I’ll take it for now if that means that Mary Kay Place will stick around for a little longer.
More than anything else, “The Mighty and Strong” showed how many secrets and lies the whole Hendrickson family tells each other constantly. I’ve lost track of the number of times Bill has been blown away by some secret of one of his clan. That’s not to say it’s lazy writing, but more that it’s a family that claims closeness and reliance on one another, but actually clings to its secrets and individuals. Everything one of them does they do for themselves, dealing with the fallout when their actions are discovered. It’s compelling to watch, but I can’t imagine it will last much longer. Someone is going to have a big fall, it’s just a question of who.
Michael’s Score: 77
Tangled Up In Wires Grade: B+
Michael
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