Big Love

[Redguard]

Any heard of the HBO series called "Big Love"?



I heard about it a long time and thought it looked interesting. It has to do with the Mormon, Latter-Day Saint, polygamist community in Utah, but the show focuses on this one guy and his three very interesting wives.

My wife and I rented the first season and we're watching it right now. Really makes you think about the challenges involved with polygamist marriages.

Small warning for anyone who decides to check it out. Given that it's an HBO series, you can't have a show about a man married to three women and not have a few "sexual content" scenes. It's not graphic or anything, but just thought I'd put it out there for those of you who are cautious about that kinda stuff.

If anyone is familiar with the show, feel free to discuss here. I'm only part way through the first season right now, so no spoilers.

 

[mrsperez]

I used to watch the show when we had HBO and I found it very entertaining. I started a thread about it asking if anyone has seen it, right after the first season started, but didn't get too many replies.

We don't have HBO anymore, but have considered renting the first season, because I believe I missed a few episodes at the end.

Anyway, I really liked it and actually miss watching it. There's not too many things on TV that entertain me anymore, but this show does.

Don't know what else to say without spoiling it, so enjoy!

 

[SabrinaFair]

LOL. Most husbands can't handle the emotional and hormonal drama of one wife... would be funny to watch a guy juggle 3... I might have to look for that. LOL.

 

[kanga22]

I caught one episode while we had a free trial period of HBO. Dh didn't care for it - mostly because he didn't believe that there could be any problems with having more than one wife. I love the theme song at the beginning. Who sings that?

 

[gracefaith]

I can kind of see the advantage of sharing housework and childrearing, but how these women can share one man sexually and not be constantly trying to kill each other, just baffles me. It just seems so against human nature.

(Are we allowed to mention gay marriage in this forum? I can't remember. Well, I'm going to mention is anyway.)

I figure it's only a matter of time before polygamy is legalized. I mean, if two consenting adults of any gender combination should be allowed to marry, why not three consenting adults? Four? Five?

I really don't see how the same people can say gay marriage is okay and should be legal and on the other hand, that polygamy is bad and should be banned.

(There. I'm done dumping that can of worms all over the floor.)

 

[progressivegal]

My husband and I love that show. We rented it too. My husband said that he knows for sure now that he definitely doesn't want more than one wife.
What I really did like though was how the family is shown as real people who love eachother very much, they're not demonized or mocked. Although I don't personally agree with polygamy (though I really don't think it's any of my business if someone else does truthfully), I think it's important to realize that those who are different than I am are still people with feelings and convictions, and hardships, and joys just like me. I like getting a better understanding of beliefs and practices that are different from my own (though obviously on a fictional TV show it's not going to be 100% accurate.) At the very least I think it's a very well-written show, with good story lines and likable characters, that also makes me very thankful that I am an "only" wife.

 

[progressivegal]

We don't have any TV at all (we have a TV SET just no cable or antenna) and we love renting the HBO shows on TV. "Six Feet Under" is our current favorite.

 

[JesusWasn'tWhite]

I just spent a good while reading all the episode summaries on the website. I'd really like to see it now!

 

[Sign Of The Fish Burger]

Gosh and I thought this was going to be a thread about lovin large women....

 

[Redguard]

Gosh and I thought this was going to be a thread about lovin large women....

I've done that topic already.

I think I used the same title at the time as well. Heh.

 

[Redguard]

I can kind of see the advantage of sharing housework and childrearing, but how these women can share one man sexually and not be constantly trying to kill each other, just baffles me. It just seems so against human nature.

(Are we allowed to mention gay marriage in this forum? I can't remember. Well, I'm going to mention is anyway.)

I figure it's only a matter of time before polygamy is legalized. I mean, if two consenting adults of any gender combination should be allowed to marry, why not three consenting adults? Four? Five?

I really don't see how the same people can say gay marriage is okay and should be legal and on the other hand, that polygamy is bad and should be banned.

(There. I'm done dumping that can of worms all over the floor.)

Funny you should mention that.

The "prophet" of Juniper Creek (in the show) was having an interview with the media and he made the same point. If the government is willing to consider legalizing gay marriage, then why are they so much against polygamy?

 

[Cordy]

I have not seen (or heard of) this show, but I have seen the reality show My Husband’s Three Wives on TLC. One of the kids in the family said that he would not have a polygamous marriage because it causes so many problems. The first wife, if I remember correctly, said she would likely not have married had she known that their marriage would be of this nature.

Some marriage activists suspect that legalizing polygamy is quickly on its way. A polygamous civil union was registered in the Netherlands last year.

http://www.brusselsjournal.com/node/301

“I love both Bianca and Mirjam, so I am marrying them both,” Victor said. He had previously been married to Bianca. Two and a half years ago they met Mirjam Geven through an internet chatbox. Eight weeks later Mirjam deserted her husband and came to live with Victor and Bianca. After Mirjam’s divorce the threesome decided to marry.

 

[akasmom]

My great-great-grandfather was a polygamist; he had four wives altogether. The 1st he married but they couldn't have kids; the 2nd he married because she was older and a widow and needed a husband to help run the farm; the 3rd he had two girls with and then she couldn't have more kids; the 4th was my great-great-grandmother and they had several kids together, including a couple boys. My grandmother told me about them and said there weren't troubles between the wives, and he grandpa would split his time between farms and everyone got along. I don't know that the period where he had all four wives was very long, and I do know that it had been outlawed by the time my great-grandma was a girl. But she grew up calling the other wives aunt and her 'half' sisters were just like her 'full' sisters, there was never any difference in the family.

 

[Cordy]

My great-great-grandfather was a polygamist; he had four wives altogether. The 1st he married but they couldn't have kids; the 2nd he married because she was older and a widow and needed a husband to help run the farm; the 3rd he had two girls with and then she couldn't have more kids; the 4th was my great-great-grandmother and they had several kids together, including a couple boys. My grandmother told me about them and said there weren't troubles between the wives, and he grandpa would split his time between farms and everyone got along. I don't know that the period where he had all four wives was very long, and I do know that it had been outlawed by the time my great-grandma was a girl. But she grew up calling the other wives aunt and her 'half' sisters were just like her 'full' sisters, there was never any difference in the family.

I hope you don't mind me asking -- where they Mormon?

 

[akasmom]

Yeah. Danish immigrant Mormons. But my grandma wasn't raised in a particularly strict house and left that church in the fifties, so I wasn't raised with it or anything.

 

[LynnMcG]

We had HBO free for three months, when the show first started so I saw a few episodes. What struck me, was how it seemed that the whole idea of polygamy was about getting more sex. It was insane the lengths these 4 people would go to, just for sex. There was no other real benefit to their relationships. There were so many kids that there was no way the father had any real quality time with all of them. His time was so divided, that he had no real opportunity for any quality time with ANYONE outside of the bedroom.

And one more thing...sharing your husband with two other women? Ewww.

 

[Redguard]

We had HBO free for three months, when the show first started so I saw a few episodes. What struck me, was how it seemed that the whole idea of polygamy was about getting more sex. It was insane the lengths these 4 people would go to, just for sex. There was no other real benefit to their relationships. There were so many kids that there was no way the father had any real quality time with all of them. His time was so divided, that he had no real opportunity for any quality time with ANYONE outside of the bedroom.

And one more thing...sharing your husband with two other women? Ewww.

I got a different impression from the show.

My understanding was that he was raised in a polygamist compound, but left when he was a teenager. He had a monogomous marriage, but then his wife had cancer and was unable to bear more children. Given his upbrining, the idea of having a second wife (for the sake of more children, amongst other things) didn't seem like such a far-fetched idea to them.

Now further details will show that the 2nd wife was a bargaining tool in exchange for money that was used to pay for the cancer treatment of his first wife.

The third wife... not sure about her story yet. Have to watch more episodes.

But I didn't get the impression that he was just looking for more sex.

 

[mrsperez]

I got a different impression from the show.

My understanding was that he was raised in a polygamist compound, but left when he was a teenager. He had a monogomous marriage, but then his wife had cancer and was unable to bear more children. Given his upbrining, the idea of having a second wife (for the sake of more children, amongst other things) didn't seem like such a far-fetched idea to them.

Now further details will show that the 2nd wife was a bargaining tool in exchange for money that was used to pay for the cancer treatment of his first wife.

The third wife... not sure about her story yet. Have to watch more episodes.

But I didn't get the impression that he was just looking for more sex.

I feel the same way about it as you do, Red.

Also, the "extra sex" with one of the women was because she said she wanted a child, she lied to her husband and was taking birth control, but he was doing it for the child.

 

[WalksWithChrist]

Bill Paxton? I'm there! Too bad I don't have HBO.


He's perfect for the role.

 

[Redguard]

Bill Paxton? I'm there! Too bad I don't have HBO.


He's perfect for the role.

We don't have HBO either. I'm watching it on DVD.

I would suggest renting it, but I just realized that the entire first season is spread over FIVE DISCS!!

I'm really lucky because my sister works at Blockbuster so we get rentals for free.