335 replies to this topic

[sobell]

Was it an affair to remember? Discuss here.

[Cubanita]

Barb: And Um, Margene? The Gulf War was 15 years ago... BWAH!! Poor Margie.... those chicks are so lonely.

Alby: You were only collateral. BURN....

Did we HAVE to see Bill Paxson's butt AGAIN? Yikes.

[jjj343]

It strikes me as odd that someone would call the Attorney General's office with an anonymous tip from their office. I think the government probably has caller ID.

It was so wonderful to see Barb getting the love that she so richly deserves!

[crystalsage]

I thought the affair was sad really. Sneaking around with your own spouse, while Nikki Drew, Ace Detective is skulking around, trying to catch Bill courting his fourth wife. While the whole episode moved slowly, it was filled with background and character development. It will take a second viewing to see all the nuances. What part did Tom Hanks's old Bosom Buddy Peter Scolari play? I completely missed it.

[bowsit]

I think Margene meant the present Gulf War....not the 1st one. She would have been about 6 then.

[franabanana]

I loved Nikki's face-off, but otherwise she has me totally creeped out. She's a spying, conniving, maniupulative psycho. But she's got ovaries, and apparently they're in good working order.

[meredithand]

Yay for Margene finding a friend. I really like the beginnings of that storyline.

I was so hoping Alby was going to smack her.

I'm not sure I believe Nicki that she's pregnant.

I liked the look of concern Bill showed Barb over Nicki's announcement.

[growsonwalls]

My god. Poor Barb. Just as she thinks Bill's heart is hers again, she gets a huge wake-up call. That look on her face when Nicki announced she was preggers was heartbreaking.
"The gulf war was 15 years ago." BWAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now the question is: is Nicki really pregnant? Or is she just using this to stop the Barb/Bill "affair"?
I thought this was a good episode. It built to a heartbreaking conclusion. For Barb anyway.

Edited by growsonwalls, Apr 9, 2006 @ 10:07 PM.

[tristyn]

Hey, Deseret Village! As soon as Barb said the street I realized where Bill was headed (either that or the zoo across the street). It's an actual living history village in NE Salt Lake, up in the foothills. It's pretty cool.

The garment line check is totally accurate. I've heard my own mother comment on this: "I notice that D-- isn't wearing garments anymore! Did you see how sheer her blouse was?" I've gotten my own share of g-line scrutiny since becoming an ex-LDS godless heathen.

The seminary thing is, I think, inaccurate. In Utah, the seminary building is next to the school, and seminary class is taken during the school day - it can be during any one of your class periods, and it's release time from school. For LDS kids in Utah, it's basically just another class period in a different building.

I'm sorry, but was that compound girl named Levolor? As in the window blinds?

I'm sure there are some people who are uptight about polygamists, but I think most Utahns take a live and let live approach - I guess maybe it's harder for what's-her-name the accountant because she knows them personally?

Margene is lucky - if her neighbor is dumb enough to buy the Gulf War story, maybe she won't notice anything odd!

So is Nicki taking her immediate family's side against her father? I actually liked her for the first timewhen she stood up to Alby. After my heart dropped into my stomach when Teeny switched on the light, that is. Maybe it's just that I hate uncovered windows at night because I always imagine that happening to me, but that scene kinda got me.

Edited by tristyn, Apr 9, 2006 @ 10:11 PM.

[ghetto hood rat]

Peter Scolari was Ben's seminary teacher-he was only there for a few seconds.

How could no one in that neighborhood not notice two big Hummers with lights blazing in the middle of the street?

I don't think Nicki is pregnant. Or more to the point, I really hope she isn't-Sevigny is a great actress, but I am disliking Nicki more and more.

Edited by ghetto hood rat, Apr 9, 2006 @ 10:10 PM.

[Cubanita]

We get it. He wants her.

I think he only really "wants her" more, because that other guy was checking her out. I think he realized then that she was his only equal, if not superior of the wives...

[sbkasha]

I'm pretty sure that Nikki isn't pregnant- Yet. She was announcing that she wanted to bring another baby into the family to stop Bill's affair with Barb.
Kinda passive-aggressive. She learned well from Barb.

[RainbowRat]

Did we HAVE to see Bill Paxson's butt AGAIN? Yikes.

I did love his big dopey face when he was putting on the Foreigner song, though.

What passion they had for each other. I was thinking at first that maybe it had to do with Barb working outside the home--she's getting brainfood from interacting with other people outside the family, and that made her more interesting and sexier because she was happier. And then of course the "affair" side of things. Would they be as lustful if they weren't cheating on Nicki and Margene?

Speaking of outside stimulation, poor Margene! When I heard Gulf War I was thinking the current Iraq war, anyway. And for Barb to talk about how "lonely" this life is, I was like, hypocrite! You're out of the house with other people 7 hours a day!

Who did Peter Scolari play? I remember him from Bosom Buddies way back when, and then Newhart. My brother and I always liked him better than Tom Hanks... ETA: Oh, thanks Ghetto Hood Rat

Edited by RainbowRat, Apr 9, 2006 @ 10:12 PM.

[shortpplfedup]

All marrieds should have affairs with each other! I can't think of a better way to spice things up.

I felt slightly sorry for Nicki when Alby said what he said, but then she made that power play with the whole wanting to get pregnant thing (she KNOWS that's what she can offer that Barb can't) and I hated her again.

I'm loving Ben's story. I think his friend/girlfriend is right, and seminary is not the best place for him.

The bookkeeper is going to be trouble, as is the neighbour.

[fashionista]

It was definitely enjoyable. I was totally cracking up at the whole Gulf War thing. It was really sad how Margene was looking through her yearbook and it was all full of people's memories, you really got a sense of how young she truly is.

I wanted more of the teens, though! That woodshop scene was, ehm, interesting, but I suppose I was spoiled by last week with there being so much. Maybe next week?

And yes, poor Barb. It was really adorable, for a while. Nicki...ugh. Too calculating. By far my least favorite.

[Tartarwarrior]

Yes, it was an affair to remember. Wow, what an episode. I know a lot of people thought last week's was good, but this one was a keeper for me.

First off, you have the whole Barb/Bill affair. How much is he in love with Barb compared to the other wives. I thought that whole concept was pretty interesting and they looked so in love. It is obvious that he sees her in a different light compared to Nicki and Margene. We will see where this goes. Also, the stuff with Nicki's brother, Albie (sp?) does anybody think what he said was true? About Bill taking Nicki as collateral, because that would explain a lot.

Nicki was redeemed and then killed in the last scene. She is totally trying to one-up Barb with the "bringing another soul" into the house stuff. She is a brutal, brutal character. I don't hate her, but man, she really has problems.

Last but not least, Margene ... I wish Barb would let her have a friend, just as long as she follows the ground rules. She looked so happy in this epi with the neighbor. Also, hopefully this will her less child-like, having a grown-up friend.

So many other things to cover, but I am going to have to watch the show again.

[crystalsage]

Thanks for the quick reply on Peter Scolari. I'll watch for him in the next viewing. Preggers? Didn't Nikki just have bad cramps on last week's episode? I know the time line might not be "real time," but how fast is this moving along?

[mangofish]

(hi I'm new)

Just when I think it is safe to love Nicki (that face-off was awesomely intense, I didn't know which way her loyalties lay there for a minute), she drops the baby bomb. Anyone think she's bluffing for attention? Maybe to distract from Bill's "affair" and bring the attention of the family back to her? I mean, didn't she "just" have her period? How far along can she possibly be?

[growsonwalls]

And for Barb to talk about how "lonely" this life is, I was like, hypocrite! You're out of the house with other people 7 hours a day!

But Barb's life is very lonely. She's distanced herself from her LDS family, and even though she's working, she still has to be really guarded. I think that's why Bill developed this lust for her -- he saw her outside the house, and how attractive and charming she is to other men.
I thought this episode was sad. Sad for Barb that just as she's glowing and happy about her "affair" her mood is deflated again. Sad for Nicki, sad for Margene, who's so desperate for friends.

[HermansHead]

This episode was incredibly funny. Good to see the can work the humour angle so well.

Nikki is popular to hate, true....but what would this show be without her? She has such a powerful presence, I come to root for her character despite how evil she is.

[The Done One]

Nicki, put the NIPPLES away and nobody gets hurt.

[Ahber]

The bit with the hotel soap was contrived but this episode had a lot going for it. It was nice to see a little more of Ben, and the Nicki/Alby interaction was great. Loved Ginnifer Goodwin when Nicki confronted Margene about premarital sex, and again when the neighbor asked about Aaron and Lester's father. Could have done without the use of "I Want To Know What Love Is," which seemed a blatant rip-off of an important scene from the Swedish film Show Me Love. Oh, and I missed all the cattiness at Deb's. The preview for next week's episode looked weak compared to all that happened tonight.

[TropGirl]

Rhonda is a creepy, creepy little girl. I thought for a second there that she was going to seduce Alby or something - their interaction was just so disconcerting.

The Barb/Bill "affair" was incredibly well-done. I liked how there was a sense tonight of how trapped the people in this situation are. They keep trying to point out the positives, but you can see just how much Barb gave up when Bill took another wife, and how much of a young woman's life Margene has missed out of.

[growsonwalls]

I found it interesting how Barb was increasingly uneasy about the "affair." At first she was all gung-ho and happy, but then you saw the guilt and hesitation creeping into her face. It's like most "affairs" -- they start out all giddy, but then the guilt and complications creep in. The fact that she's married to the guy she's having the "affair" with just makes the situation sadder.

Edited by growsonwalls, Apr 9, 2006 @ 10:33 PM.

[Scrapper]

Good ep. Good character development. So I wonder if what Alby said was confirmation that Roman was like take Nikki and I'll give you a loan. Or was he just trying to have a pissing contest with her. Is Alby Nikki's full brother. I.E. Adaleen's?


Also is the plan to make us like Nikki one scene at a time. I kinda like her anyway. She is very manipulative and won't be intimidated by anyone it seems. I like that. But that was a great scene with her and Alby. Good speech. But poor Teeny. That is one of my worse fears when I stay at my sisters. That I'm gonna go in the kitchen and look out the glass doors and there is gonna be someone standing there. Also it should be noted that Sarah and Teenie ran to Nikki's with no hesitation but left poor Benny alone in their house alone.

I think if it comes down to it Nikki will choose the Home Plus over JC.

[wwwaif]

I can't believe I found myself thinking, "Go Nicki!" during the confrontation with the Juniper Creek henchmen. Albee must be getting mighty sick of being bested by females -- first Rhonda, then Nicki. I guess that explains his barely concealed misogyny.

(Although I'm not totally sure why he hasn't been kicked off the compound like the other Lost Boys --- is Roman grooming him as successor? Roman doesn't strike me as the type to plan ahead.)

As usual, I really felt for Barb throughout the episode. She's trying to do what's 'right' for the family, but she just can't say no to the illicit trysting with the guy who was, it bears remembering, her exclusive partner for more than a decade.

As for Margene and the nosy neighbour, I don't blame Barb and Nicki for flipping out, given Margey's combination of loneliness/neediness/airheadedness (not to mention her ears -- they were hooooooge but adorable -- and her shaky grasp of recent US military history!).

But whereas I think Barb is genuinely concerned over the possibility of discovery, while at the same time, sympathizes with Margey's feelings of isolation, Nicki just wanted to get the Jr. Wife in trouble with Boss Lady, because Nicki ALWAYS seems to be trying to stir up trouble. I suspect she learned that while growing up on the compound, and watching the sister-wife dynamics within the plural marriages around her -- it's vital to not be the low wife on the pecking order, and the best way to get leverage is by engineering conflict amongst the rest.

That said, the scene outside the house, where she stared down Albee, and told him she'd kill him if he came after her family -- even after he spilled the dirt about the real reason why Bill married her, which must have been a bitter pill coming on top of the revelation about his 'affair' -- convinced me that Nicki really is 'all in' with the rest of the family, despite her prickliness and her addiction to stirring up domestic trouble. She was also very level-headed, calling Bill even though she knew he was with Barb, and making sure all the kids were okay.

ETA - I don't think Nicki is pregnant *yet* - she was announcing her intention to do so. Which actually explains why the gap in chillun so far -- apparently, the whole family needs to agree that it is time to 'bring another soul' into the family. (Also, remember, she was in need of Midol and a hot pad last week, which precludes being pregnant, I think.)

Edited by wwwaif, Apr 9, 2006 @ 10:26 PM.

[Scrapper]

i forgot about Rhonda/Alby. That was odd but I did feel like she was trying to make him feel better.

[mangofish]

Is Alby Nikki's full brother. I.E. Adaleen's?

If Alby isn't Nicki's full brother, I'd like to know how she know he only has one testicle. What a cutting put-down!

[RainbowRat]

Yeah, Rhonda's testing her power, both in her sexuality as an adolescent girl, and as Roman's wife, in that scene with Alby. She went from teasing teen, to kid sister(ish) offering comfort, to Juniper Creek Empress putting the servant in his place. And Sara must have given her that iPod, if it's still working.

Alby is CREEEEEEEEEEEPY. He's gonna cause serious destructive shit real soon. Brr.

The woodshop scene was really gross. It's a metaphor for sex. We get it. WE GET IT. I'm going to send the writers a letter with "we get it" written in woodshavings.

SERIOUSLY!! I've USED a drill press and really, just down and through once is enough. I'm wondering if the multiple in-and-out drillings (sorry!! but GEEZ, that's how they did it!) were in Ben's head more than in how the teacher used the drill press. Otherwise, that teacher? Is gonna be front and center in the next educator sex scandal.

Edited by RainbowRat, Apr 9, 2006 @ 10:33 PM.

[Cubanita]

If Alby isn't Nicki's full brother, I'd like to know how she know he only has one testicle

Could that be something Roman did to keep his henchmen emasculated and keep all the young pretty girls for himself?