Big Love

Episode Overview: Bill is attacked from all sides, professionally by Roman and the Greens, personally by his three nagging wives.  He also discovers his son is having sex.  Believe it or not, it all works out quite nicely for him.  Not so much for Roman.


It's the day before Christmas on Big Love and Bill is swamped with scheming.  His plan is to pit Roman Grant against the Greens, then reap the spoils of that war.  His wives are nagging him for spending too much time on work, so he proposes taking the seventh day off to rest.  Margene is naturally fine with this, Nicki blames Barb's anal retentiveness, and Barb is worried for him.

Bill's dad Frank is enjoying some peas and discovers the money hidden in the can.  His wife Lois rushes to the laundromat and her business partner and brother Eddie, eager to get some of his cash.  Unfortunately, he invested it all in Bill's video gaming operation.  When Lois goes to Bill to get some money, the truth comes out, and it's hilariously bad for everyone.  Eddie got (or stole) $1.2 million from a woman dying of cancer, and they're using the business to launder the money to avoid paying taxes.  Laundering money through a laundromat?  Priceless.  Bill calls Eddie over Lois' objections, and she storms off, refusing to let the men conspire to take everything away from her.  You go, girl!

The bishop Ben confessed his sex to stops by for a house call, and tells Barb to talk to her son, all but spilling the beans.  Margene busts in and suddenly the bishop understands why she doesn't go to the church any more.  Ben gets the third degree later on, and after he refuses to talk, Bill sits down for a nice father-son talk.  It's hilariously uncomfortable hearing Bill ask "what base" his son got to.  Ben rebels, saying how much he loves sex and how he won't stop, getting grounded for the way he destroyed his holy temple.
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That night, Bill's women go nuts.  While sleeping with Barb, she grills him about the night off, trying to get to the bottom of it.  They argue and she agrees to give him space, by taking the sheets and sleeping downstairs.  Bill is angry and goes to Margene's house, but that turns ugly when she thinks he only comes to her for some sex because she's the youngest and prettiest.  He denies it, and, like the naive person she is, Margene buys it and proceeds to engage in some off-night sex.  While doing laundry, Nicki looks out her window to see Margene giving Bill a Lewinsky followed by some reciprocation, and yes, it's quite gross.

Lois has plans of her own, lighting the candles trying to seduce Frank.  To get her money, she offers him what she thinks he wants - entry into the back door.  It's so disturbing it's hilarious, mainly because of the fine acting of Grace Zabriskie and Bruce Dern.  He laughs her off, saying he doesn't want that "old caboose."  She turns hurt feelings into rage, telling him where the money is, namely in the hands of their son.  Frank uses this information to blackmail his son into getting some money, but gets thrown out for his troubles.

The morning after, Bill's wives gab about the night before.  Nicki is angry at Margene, who she deems a sex addict.  Barb shows up, and Margene tries to tattle about Nicki peeping, but it's turned around as Barb naturally wonders if there was anything worthy looking at.  The plan is no sex for Bill until he caves on the seventh night notion.  Instantly, Margene turns around to tell Bill about the plan, easily spilling that it's Barb's idea, but Nicki can be turned around if he goes downtown on her.  Please, whatever God these polygamists worship, strike down Margene soon.  That night, the collusion is revealed, and the women team up to hen peck the crap out of him. 

Bill pits Roman against the Greens, but that backfires when the Greens discover his betrayal and threaten him to submit to them.  Bill's plan is to call in the feds to take down the Greens and solve his problem.  Nicki offers a solution to another problem, agreeing to let Bill sleep alone on their nights together.  This gets him hot and bothered, so he tries to go downtown on her, but she really doesn't want it.  They have awkward face-to-face sex with disturbing sex talk.

Ben decides the only way to have sex and keep his parents at bay is by proposing to Brynn.  He drops the bomb on his parents, who are vehemently against it.  Ben explains she's the one for right now, and if he meets another, he can take a second wife.  Barb is devastated, because deep down she hates polygamy and doesn't want it for her son.  The next morning, Barb tells Brynn about how horrible polygamy is, and it's unclear whether she's saying this just because she believes it (which she does), or if it's a tactic to stop the relationship Brynn is having with her son.  Later, Brynn gives back the ring.

Bill's plan works, and the feds take down the Greens.  Well, that was easier than expected.  Barb gives him two nights off, but only if he spends them with the kids.  Then he bonds with Ben.  All is good.

Then what look like women involved with the Greens shoot and, most likely, kill Roman Grant outside a diner.  Well, that certainly cleans up everything quite nicely for Bill, with both enemies vanquished.


-John Kubicek, BuddyTV Senior Writer
(Image courtesy of HBO)