From Zap2It:

Damn Big Love, just...damn. I think that was the single best episode of its run so far. I was in tears by the end. When Adaleen lost it, so did I. And when Alby touched Sarah's hair, I cringed and started weeping.

What the hell was that? I'm only sure of one thing, Teeny's surely grown.

I cant be the only one who wants to drive Rhonda out to the country somewhere. Miniature horses, eh?

Wow, Mary Kay Place rocks my living soul.

Holy schmoly... that was some powerful acting to go along with some great writing. I'm going to have to watch that one at least once more to have even half of it sink in.

Good for Adaleen for doing something for Nicki by actually destroying that tape.

I was utterly speechless by the end. So many questions that I need the answers for!

So, how long before Margene starts drinking, too?

What was up with Pam, during the surrogate mother scene?

What is Alby after with Sarah?

God, I don't know if I can wait another week!

Great episode- this show keeps getting better and better, in my opinion. Mary Kay Place was amazing and Albee effectively creeped me out.

So much tension building ...

Loved how the sister wives were all huddled together at the end waiting for Bill. Reinforces what I think is the most compelling part of this series -- the ability of the writers and actors to make this most unusual of living circumstances seem like a rational and even understandable choice for these individuals.

Oh, the twists and turns! I love this show more with each episode, and I love that Rhonda keeps me guessing. Yeah, some would say she's evil, but I always take into consideration where and how she grew up. And where's she headed--back to the Henrickson's?

The whole thing with Joey's hearing kind of went *poof*, after the big build-up.

And Adaleen destroyed a tape, but disowned Nicki. Seemingly helping Bill, but shutting Nicki out.

And I think Scott would rather be dating Heather--he was lit up over the short conversation they had.

Well, Pam has infertility issues. I think she was pretty hurt that Margene would tell her that she's being a surrogate to a couple she doesn't even know for free, while Pam can't have children and Margene knows that. I think Pam is hurt because Margene didn't offer to surrogate for her, a friend, but is allegedly doing it for a total stranger.

That was a great episode, I just wish there was more.

I could not freaking believe that little heifer just running off like that... probably back to the compound, too.

I have never literally seen someone stiffen their upper lip before, Adaleen.

Wow. This show does not scimp on the action:


“I’m damaged.” Rhonda, dumplin’, may you be strangled you with your own hair.

“There’s no Arby’s in Meeker.” Bill, even BatShitCrazy Wanda can outsmart you.”

“He has to be a huge loser to be tht old and going out with someone our age.” Heather, I hereby forgive you for your Bobby McFarrin fanship.

“They’ll teach you to keep sweet and it won’t be pretty.” And you thought Flavor of Love Charm School was a fucked up finishing school.

”You’re hair’s so long!” Pam, thanks for acknowledging the fact that Margene’s hair has grown a half-a-foot in a month.

Roman, maybe next time you should rethink scolding Wife #6 for not helping your would-be child bride climb into the marital bed, especially when she’s in charge of your blackmail tapes.

Margene, don’t you think Pam’s going to notice when you keep baby #3?



I loved that moment when Bill touched Nicki’s wrist in solidarity after that cop who looked like ‘70s gay porn star spit on the carrot raisin salad. Although I still think Barb is the only wife he’s truly in love with, I am feeling a deeper connection between Bill and Nicki this season.

The hand-held camera work and lack of score during the Adaleen and Nicki confrontation was so effective, creating an atmosphere of realism and intimacy that almost made me want to look away. I also loved the quiet when Adaleen destroyed the blackmail tape and all you could hear was cracking plastic and Adaleen’s sobs. CS and MKP were both dazzling in tonight’s episode.

What I love about MKP's scene is that they totally could've gone over the top with the crying and the tape destroying but it was so relatively restrained that it made more of an impact.

For sure. For a moment there, I thought we were having a The Tudors sitch, with four years passing in between eps with no mention of it.

I thought Alby was going to pull a Thin Man and rip out a lock of Sarah's hair, sniff it and then proceed to scream crazily.

"Hey, you girls are cute, want to make out and I can take pictures?"

Am I wrong for not hating Rhonda? If I'd come from where she did, I'd lie, cheat, plot, manipulate and damn near kill to get out of there too. But WTF bitch, those sticky fingers will get you in trouble!

Thank you, RebeccaCP, I totally forgot about that! Wow, I kinda hope Margene can figure out some way to mend that fence. I'm really starting to like Pam and I think she might be Margene's only shot at having anything even remotely like a life outside of the homes plus.

MKP has skyrocketed in my opinion. I've always loved her in everything I've seen her in, but this was a pinnacle for me. I was amazed.

Thank you! Margene really should leave the job of coming up with lies for the neighbors to Barb.

What a powerful episode! It took my breath away.

Rhonda is such an evil little snot. When she sees something she wants, she just takes it -- the iPod last season, and now the other girl's Hard Rock Cafe jacket. I hope she's not going back to the Henricksons'.

Alby surprised me with his creepy caress of Sarah's hair. Is he considering her as a prospective wife? That would make him Nicki's son-in-law, and his own nephew. That's not quite enough to trump Adaleen's status as her own step-grandmother, but it's a start.

Was Lois trying to get Wanda to kill the DA? She was definitely ready to throw Wanda under the bus, after Bill told her, "I'll go to jail, and so will you." --Because Lois can't go to jail!

I thought she had the best line of the night... "Great movie you 2 girls kiss and I'll take pictures." LOL.



Damn Big Love... this show is actually real freakin' good now. There were so many things going on at the same time.

Barb was right! Margene does have an improper relationship... only it's with Brynn. Maybe she does know about the banging on the couch. That neighbor must be unable to have kids. At least that's my opinion based on the attitude she gave Margene.

I felt so bad for Nikki. Her pops is crazy pedophile. Her mom is drinking the Kool Aid (although she did a good thing by destroying the tape). Alby is out of his mind. Those thugs/cops are really pieces of ****.

Rhonda. is. pure. evil. Why is she stealing that black girl's coat? Why is there a black girl in Utah? Why am I asking so many questions?


The preview for next week's ep just got me sooooooooooooooooooooooo mad at Bill.

I got the feeling she had made plans to go clubbing with Brynn just as soon as she gives birth to baby #3! That scene reminded me just how young Margene is, and I'm sad she didn't finish growing up before becoming wife #3 with baby #3 on the way.

You said it. Wow, she was great. I didn't think she could top the "You're disowned!" -- with explosion of silence it brought -- but the look on her voice as she destroyed the tape was amazing.

Big Love may star Bill Paxton, but the roles for women are outstanding. They're bringing it this season.

I can't help but feel bad for Rhonda. With her upbringing, it'd be hard not to be a little bit evil.

I agree with those who think more will come of Margene's "surrogate mother" story. I'm thinking Pam and Carl will ask her to be a surrogate for them, down the road. I love how Margene tells these elaborate fibs without thinking of the ramifications--so "I Love Lucy-ish."

Alby, goddammit, just when I start to feel sorry for you and defend you because your own father didn't give a damn that you were poisoned, you have to go and be all creepy and sinister with Sarah, you puke. That being said, what an extraordinarily powerful and emotional episode. Mary Kay Place and Chloe Sevigny own me. They both just own me.

Roman--you fucking bastard. Does anymore need to be said than that?

Margene, honey, I love you but I'd have laughed if Pam had slapped your face. I realize she was lying, but did Margene say a "wonderful" or a "worthy" infertile couple that she's helping without being paid? As someone who ended up adopting myself because my reproductive system went kaput when I was 30, there's nothing that hurts more in life. Such emptiness. If you aren't infertile, there's no way in hell a person can understand, only try to sympathize. Margene, I hope Pam pounds you one day for your insensitivity. Does Margene know that Pam's infertile? If she doesn't know, that might make it a little better....of course Pam might get her hopes up and ask Margene to be a surrogate for her a year or two down the road. Oh, Margene, honey, you know how to open a can of worms. What's up with wanting to drink with Brynn? Margene, you're acting like Ben and Brynn's peer. That gets you into trouble, girlfriend.

Nicki, Nicki, Nicki, I felt for you. You're learning a bitter truth that sometimes parents are the bad guys. Are we sure Adalene didn't destroy the tape because she was mad at Roman for chastising her? Powerful scene, but it gave me whiplash after Adalene's cruelty to Nicki at the rescue house. So many complex emotions going on. Poor Sarah is falling apart as well. I did a double take when she said she hated her family. Sarah and Ben's emotions are going to blow up in both their faces. Those are two teens headed for trouble. A 28 year old man is just who an angry teenager like Sarah would involve herself with to get back at her parents in a passive aggressive way (that a too perfect teen who doesn't think she can speak up might choose.) Same for Ben with "wild" Brynn....or lusting after his "mother" Margene. I like how the writers are setting both teens up for realistic trouble. Teeny asking Ronda what was wrong with her was hilarious.

I love this show. That was Jim Beaver wasn't it?

I kind of got a vibe off Alby that he might be planning to kidnap Sarah and demand ransom in the form of Rhonda - all to get back into Roman's good graces. Creepy.

Like everyone else here, I had much love for Mary Kay Place's performance and I always love a Nicki-intensive episode. Plus, how awesome was Margene when it finally dawned on her that "sweet" little Rhonda was a genuine threat? "Give me the keys, I drive faster!" Margene is kicking ass this season!

You know, I thought something would happen with Rhonda reacting badly to having a black roommate. Last season there was some suggestion that compound people were racist--Bill's moms calling Condoleezza Rice "uppity" when she was on TV.

Dude, what was wrong with Sarah's new guy not just throwing the car into reverse (or something) when Alby reached in and starting touching her? It was obviously freaking her out. Way to ride the white horse there, buddy.

And cute as it was to see Bill helping Nikki's boys with the toy fire engine, I think I've seen him interact more with them this season alone than both Sarah and Teeny last season in its entirety. What's the littler one's name again?

Nicki's boys are Wayne and Raymond. I agree that Sarah's guy is a dud and a weirdo. I love Heather, though.

Couldn't agree more. In that last scene, she was defying the man she loved AND her prophet. To protect her child and her family. Yes, Nicki may be disowned. Maybe she can never return to JC. But Adaleen just made sure that she will always have a safe home in Sandy Utah. She pushed her daughter off the roof but gave her a nice place to land and she made it so believable.

I don't think Adaleen is mad at Roman for chastising her, per se. I think she knows Roman through and through. And that he won't hesitate before destroying Nicki. Blaming her for Rhonda. When she is the one who he leans on more than anything? Just further proof.

I kind of like Sarah's creepy 28 year old boyfriend.

Alby is so creepy.

I like that Margene was pissed off at Nicki the whole time. But the second she understood what was going on she was there fore her. And Barb's response to Nicki keeping secrets was to give her total support. I also liked her stepping with Adaleen. She will *not* have anyone mess with her family. We needed a reminder of how these women stand together in crisis. And Bill gets into trouble a lot because he refuses to allow himself that support. He is so caught up in being the protector that he refuses to allow these strong women to protect him. I think that is is his major flaw.



Loved that. And a little bit of wishful thinking on Heather's part??



I thought Pam told Margene last season when they were looking at the doll house?


That scene made me think that they were setting up a Brynn pregnancy. She and Marg are so much a like. And Marg wasn't so much older when she entered this life. I think Marg would be upset if that happened but on also she would love to have Brynn be a member of the family.

I wouldn't be surprised if Margene is in the dark about Pam's fertility issues since connecting the dots isn't really her forte. And even though she was all CoolNotMom about the booze, I still wonder if she knows about Brynn, Ben, and the Couch Of Love. It kind of felt like they were setting Margene up for a fall, like she might walk in on them a few episodes from now and be super offended that they assumed she would be cool with them using her house as a hook-up pad.



I am in love with you for writing this :)

I could like him if he wasn't so boring. He's so bland and just not interesting at all. I kind of think Sarah is just with him because he offers an escape from her family. Not sure how long they will date, but I'm thinking at one point Sarah is going to realize she's just using Scott as a distraction.

I'm so sick of Ben and Bill. Who can I write at HBO to request less Ben and Bill next season?

You know, I have doubts about Adaleen's faith in Roman. The way she's always a little sarcastic when talking about his predictions...I think she's very smart and very shrewd, and made herself indispensable to him as an administrative assistant. And the way she reacted when he said that to her, with surprise but not a trace of fear. A supporter, perhaps, but a true believer...maybe not.

I love Adaleen's sarcasm about Roman and the compound in general. I always thought she was both savvy enough to know that this is crazy but a true believer. Like when my mom makes fun of little things in the Catholic Church. But I think you may be right. She may love the man but it could easily not be based on any religious feeling.

I hope she is. I like Margene, and I don't like thinking she's so insensitive (yes, real life issues, my problem I know, but ouch poor Pam). I have to wonder myself if Margene knows about the Ben/Brynn sex. Margene's turning out more complicated than I originally surmised. She's sort of giving her implied consent. I'm thinking there's going to be fallout down the road because of her complicity, be it intended or not. Fallout with Barb and fallout with Ben.

Maybe I'm not paying enough attention to this show, but why would they name characters rhyming names? I get confused with Rhonda and Wanda as peripheral female characters.

It's only ep 4 and already I can start to see Emmy noms/wins. MKP really brought it, but so did everybody really (Matt Ross and Daveigh Chase notably).

Barb using the "a" word? Adopting Rhonda? I think of her as 1st Mother more than 1st Wife, but dayum....talk about a quick 180!

As for Margene and Pam, Barb was right....she should have left that one alone for real. I was amused that Pam took it even worse than the inital story, but poor Margie didn't have a clue why. She was SO proud of herself when she approached....LOL! So will Barb and Bill end up being the "surrogates"?

Well my dislike of Heather was reinforced by her awful judgmental political cant...........tho the bun on the floor that she picked up and blew on after her suffering chickens rant, really sealed it. She sucks.

Looks like Bill's planning on stealing the gaming deal out from under Roman....ohh, talk about drama.

Poor Sarah, the girl needs help quick, she's fading fast.

Gotta rewatch....so much action in so little time.



Maybe Hurricane Katrina or pioneer stock? Cool jacket? Rhonda seems to have a knowledge of pop culture, esp. music stuff...so Hard Rock Cafe would have appeal.

Heather's hilarious. I don't agree with her politics, but she has a lot of common sense. I agree with the earlier poster who said Sarah's creep older boyfriend lit up watching Heather, not Sarah.

And the boy's seem to be getting a new tree house thing. It's sad and subtle that he doesn't interact with Sarah and Teeny but realistic. He was raised like that. Doesn't make it right but I can see why. And even though Bill is an idiot I bet if someone pointed out that he ignores his daughters he would feel bad and try for about a day then go back to his old habits.

O Margie you dummy. Why not just say yeah I sleep around. I mean I know you don't want to be seen that way but it's easier then lying yourself into a box.

As much as I don't care for Bill that DA is an asshat.

Poor Nikki again I love that Barb backed her up against her mother. Does Nikki really think her family hates her. B/c all I see this season is there love for her. I guess she assumes since her Compound fam seemingly hates her the family she forced herself in hates her too.

I like Rhonda too and Alby still. Because though he is soo creepy and poor Sarah (my little girlfriend since Mean Girls) her "date" should have done something. I mean he looked only mildly bothered. I would have freaked out. I think Sarah was right that dougnut def thought he was weird.

And I thought I wasn't going to really be impressed with season 2. As a matter of fact, I distractedly watched the first episode. Boy was I dead wrong.

After the Mary Kay Place scenes I immediately thought...Emmy. She'd be robbed if she wasn't nominated. That's some stirring acting.

And Alby...just when you think he can't be more creepy he outdoes himself. I literally had goosebumps as he was caressing Sarah's hair. Gross. I thought Matt Ross had another show and wasn't returning this season, I'm so glad he's back.

I felt so bad for Nikki. Even with all of her flaws, this character is starting to really grow on me.

I don't get why everybody is creeped out about Sarah's bf. Isn't she 18?

She's in high school and he's 28. That's a world of difference in terms of life experience. That is too old to be dating her, and I believe she's really 17. Heather's right. A guy who goes after really young girls is a loser. Guys do that who want girls who are too young to realize their faults.

Well my dislike of Heather was reinforced by her awful judgmental political cant...........tho the bun on the floor that she picked up and blew on after her suffering chickens rant, really sealed it. She sucks.


I’m willing to cut Heather some slack—most teens go through an earnest, self-righteous phase.

And the boy's seem to be getting a new tree house thing. It's sad and subtle that he doesn't interact with Sarah and Teeny but realistic. He was raised like that. Doesn't make it right but I can see why.


I’ll have to cut Bill some slack, too. Most fathers are thoroughly confused by their daughters, as those daughters become teens.

This show rocks my socks. What a great episode.

Agree that MKP really brought it tonight. I'd never realized how conflicted she was about Nicki's living in the outside world--and despite the outward show of disowning her, Adalene really showed her loyalty to her daughter by protecting Bill, her daughter's husband. What a huge betrayal of Roman....very powerful.

Alby is the creepiest creep who ever creeped.

And I loved the total red herring with Wanda and the gun in the bassinet. That payoff was comedy gold. The whole family's really batshit crazy, aren't they?

It's not just you, lilarose6. Even though I haven't experienced inferitlity issues, I found myself cringing on Pam's behalf.



I'm unspoiled, so forgive me if I'm totally off base here, but last season Lois said that her father had been the one true Prophet of Juniper Creek before Roman staged a coup and stole the title. Maybe Adaleen helped him with that. In any case, it's clear that she's the power behind the pomp.

I am sort of amazed by the pace of this season, and am actually totally digging it. In my mind last season, I was sure they could have mined the "Who exposed them?" plot with the family for a good while, and even slowed down the Rhonda stuff to stretch it out. But they are just rocketing onward with this stuff, and actually doing it in a fairly controlled, mostly awesome way. Nice work.

It's cool that, while Wanda is clearly a bit nuts, they still have her as a shrewd kind of crazy. She knows better than Bill and won't say anything too incriminating on the phone, and and easily outwit him. And she just seems to think on an entirely different plane than other people, especially in how quick she was to turn Lois in to Bill.

With Albie stalking the Henricksons and creepily parking outside their houses, I think he may end up as the eventually target for that gun that Adaleen dropped off. And it'll probably be Nicki who fires.

Speaking of Adaleen: allow me to just echo everyone else and say that Mary Kay Place is kicking ass all around.

Exactly being that she's already has come close to and possibly in the process of losing two of her children behind this crazy Bill-Roman feud.



Adaleen's her own grandmother...and Alby and Nicki's great grandmother! Ain't it a hoot?!



I think he's intrigued by the whole polygamy thing...hence his interest in Sarah. Alby's definitely apart of that and I think his curiosity got the best of him. That or his intentions are about as honorable as Alby's were. (I didn't see him show any interest in Heather tho...he seemed more amused by her than anything else)

Initially he didn't know she was that young....I think he went after her and still continues to hang out (I can't tell where this is going, so I'll give the benefit of the doubt) because of her polygamous lifestyle. He's got some story that's gonna be weird...he's supposedly an ex Mormon and yet works for an LDS radio station? Something fishy there, but Sarah/Laurie DID say they were hiding from the Church...she listed that first, Anvil anyone?



She picked up a bun she dropped on the ground, blew on it, and fed it to someone. Sorry, but eww. Anyway, I don't think Heather's going thru a phase...she's just a reflection of the environement she's in.

I don't know if Adalene helped or not, equipoise. If she "climbed over the backs of 5 timid women" even though she was 6th wife, I'd say she's more than capable.

See, that makes me think that Roman's Prophethood was a message from Wife #6, not God. Methinks Adaleen may have been using her husband to realize her own ambitions. It's not like compound women can get that far on their own.

My impression was rather different--I thought that when Pam was told by Barb that Margene was pregnant with what would be an illegitimate child (they had been told Margene's husband was in the military and died), Pam was hoping to adopt Margene's baby. It's one of the few shortcuts to adoption--knowing a young woman with an absent father who wants to place her child with you. That's why Pam was doing the whole "You're so pretty" route--befriending Margene in the hopes that eventually she'd see that she could barely handle two kids, let alone three, and how wonderful Pam and Carl (?) would be as parents and all that.

Finding out that Margene was acting as a surrogate would put an end to that hope, and I thought that's what Pam's reaction indicated.

(Although there is great variation, some infertile women react very negatively to the idea of a surrogate, by the way, more so than to an adoption of an unrelated child. There's sometimes an irrational fear that mid pregnancy the husband will leave the infertile wife and just make a complete new family with the mother of his child. It's not valid, but these can be very emotional times, and some people will find surrogacy of a genetically related child more acceptable than adoption, some the other way around, and some are open to all possibilities for family building. The point is just that just about any reaction is possible.)

Hmm...Adaleen doesn't seem much older than Bill--10 years maybe? And he was a young boy when his grandfather was overthrown. She'd have to be a real Joan of Arc to pull that off. She's capable, but not THAT capable.

Anything’s possible (especially on this show), but I sincerely doubt that Pam was looking to bogart baby #3. I think she's lonely, and she misses Margene and wants to be friends again, but she probably would've skipped the part about illegitimate pregnancy being "a sin" if she was hoping to get her mitts on the kid. Not exactly the best way to ingratiate oneself with the mother. I doubt the adoption thing crossed her mind before Margene came to her with the surrogacy story. At that point, I have to agree with lilarose6's suggestion that Pam was probably hurt and offended that Margene would carry a stranger's baby when she and Carl were sitting right across the street, childless.

Pam's words--"You're having a stranger's baby?"--are what lead me to that conclusion. I just rewatched it. The emphasis was on "stranger's."

See, that makes me think that Roman's Prophethood was a message from Wife #6, not God. Methinks Adaleen may have been using her husband to realize her own ambitions. It's not like compound women can get that far on their own.

That's a truly intriguing idea, Equipoise! If Adaleen's 15 or so years older than Bill, she could have been a young wife at the time she pulled a Lady Macbeth. I love this theory!