There's already a thread running through this season of Big Love: coming out. But as in real life, the path to honesty doesn't always run smoothly. For viewers, these rough roads promise an excellent season.

There are many elements to the theme. Alby is coming out as a gay man, though he and his lover Dale are still struggling with their feelings. Sarah has "come out" as a monogamist, which flies in the face of The Principle her parents live by. Nicki is coming to terms with the fact that her emotional loyalties may lie elsewhere, with the now-departed Ray. 

We don't know yet how Ben and Margene's story will play out. We do know that whatever happens, it will involve painful reflection, a lot of yelling, and Barb looking hurt.

On almost any other show, of course, the Alby thread would be the main story. It's gotten a lot of buzz in the media, too. But on Big Love, the major "coming out" involves Bill taking steps to bring his polygamous brood into the light of day. By running for state senate, he risks exposing them to scrutiny, ridicule, and possible legal sanctions. But he's also hoping to give them the chance to live openly as the loving, though unconventional, family that they are.

Emotional struggle itself is not new to Big Love. Throughout much of the show's run, characters have grappled with issues from the profound to the prosaic to the downright preposterous. For example, how do you make a life for yourself when most of society would be appalled to know how you live? (This applies to both the polygamous Henrickson family and the cultish United Effort Brotherhood.) How do you make even one modern-day marriage work, much less three? How do you support your growing family in a shaky economy?

And let's not forget the age-old question: What do you do when your brother-in-law puts snakes in your bed?

But all these questions sidestepped even bigger ones--ones that have been on viewers' minds since the beginning. Can people live in the shadows forever? Can a person keep deep secrets without boiling over or cracking up? Is public or family scorn a price worth paying for living a life that's true to oneself?

Ironically, in a show full of secrets, it's no secret that the creators of Big Love, Mark Olsen and Will Scheffer, are life partners, not just business and writing partners. I hazard a guess that the concept of "coming out" has meaning to them well beyond entertainment. Yes, the show is entertaining on many levels. It's hard not to laugh or be aghast at the over-the-top actions of Bill's parents or Roman and his followers.

But it's the deep connection to the emotional lives of the characters that really keeps us coming back for more.