“Big Love” n mean all kds of love: gays on HBO’s h show

“BIG LOVE” N MEAN ALL KDS OF LOVE: GAYS ON HBO’S H SHOW
HBO’S "BIG LOVE" ENDS THE DALE/ALBY GAY LOVE AFFAIR IN 1950’S STEREOTYPIL "TEA AND SYMPATHY" SELF LOATHG WAY
BIG LOVE SERI FALE: ITS 12 MOST MEMORABLE MOMENTSTHE SHOCKG SUNDAY SERI FALE OF HBO'S POLYGAMIST FAY DRAMA FOUND THE HENRICKSONS G TOGETHER JT AS EVERYTHG FELL APART. JACE LAB HAS THE BT MOMENTS OM THE LAST FIVE SEASONS, BUT BE FOREWARNED: SPOILER ALERT AHEAD!JACE LABUPDATED JUL. 13, 2017 2:00PM EDT / PUBLISHED MAR. 19, 2011 4:53PM EDT THE ST OF BIG LOVE ON THE SET OF THEIR SEASON FALE. (PHOTO BY CHUCK ZLOTNICK / HBO)WHEN BIG LOVE BEGAN 2006, THE HENRICKSON FAY'S PROBLEMS WERE AT FIRST LIMED TO THE CHALLENG FACG FOUR ADULTS A PLURAL MARRIAGE: QUTNS OF SHARG, SOLIDARY, AND PERSONAL SECRETS. THEY WERE AN ORDARY FAY SOME EXTRAORDARY CIRCUMSTANC AND CREATORS MARK V. OLSEN AND WILL SCHEFFER OPENED A WDOW TO A WORLD THAT FEW OF WILL EVER SEE: ONE OF POUNDS, FUNDAMENTALISTS, TENSE FAH, AND VENGEFUL ADVERSARI. OVER THE URSE OF THE SHOW'S GROUNDBREAKG N, THE FAY WAS BIEGED BY BOTH EXTERNAL AND TERNAL THREATS AS THE FOUR MA CHARACTERS—BILL ( BILL PAXTON), BARB ( JEANNE TRIPPLEHORN), NICKI ( CHLOë SEVIGNY), AND MARGENE ( GNIFER GOODW)—AND THEIR EVER-EXPANDG BROOD OF CHILDREN ATTEMPTED TO FD THEIR WAY, TO GRAB HOLD OF THOSE FLEETG MOMENTS OF JOY, AND TO STGGLE WH THE PA OF LOSS, BETRAYAL, AND IGNORANCE.IN S FAL EPISO, BIG LOVE PH THE HENRICKSON CLAN TO THEIR BREAKG POT, AS BILL FAC BOTH A LENGTHY PRISON SENTENCE FOR STATUTORY RAPE CHARG AND THE LOSS OF THE FAY'S BS. BUT BILL ALSO RECEIV HIS TE TTIMONY HIS CHURCH—A NOD OM MORMON FOUNR JOSEPH SMH'S WIFE EMMA ( REBEC WISOCKY)—AND HE RTOR THE TE BALANCE THAT HAD BEEN THWARTED AT JUNIPER CREEK. BILL N NOW LEAD HIS FLOCK OF BELIEVERS TO THE LIGHT.OR HE WOULD HAVE—IF HIS LIFE HADN'T BEEN SO BTALLY TAKEN OM HIM BY A FORMER IEND. BUT BILL'S ATH ACPLISH SOMETHG THAT BARB, NICKI, AND MARGENE HAD STGGLED WH FOR THE PAST FIVE SEASONS: FALLY UNIFI THE THREE SISTER WIV AN UNBREAKABLE BOND. IN THE FAL MUT OF THE SHOW—11 MONTHS AFTER BILL'S SHOOTG—THE THREE FD THE MON GROUND THEY'VE BEEN FIGHTG FOR THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE SERI. AND BARB, WHO STGGLED WH HER QUTNS OF FAH, GAS THE PRITHOOD SHE'S LONG SOUGHT AFTER AND LEADS THE RIGHTEO TO A NEW BEGNG. FOR A SHOW THAT, AT S RE, HAS BEEN ABOUT FAI AND FAH, WAS A PERFECT WAY TO END THE REMARKABLE SERI, AS HEARTBREAKG AS WAS. THE 12 SCEN SELECTED BELOW OM BIG LOVE'S FIVE SEASONS EXEMPLIFY THE WAY THAT THE SHOW SHIFTED EFFORTLSLY OM DOMTIC DRAMA TO FAH-BASED VISN QUT, AND OM THE MUNDANE TO THE DIVE. SEASON 5, EPISO 10, "WHERE MEN AND MOUNTAS MEET": BILL IS SHOT TO ATHTHE MURR OF BILL HENRICKSON IS EASILY THE SERI FALE'S MOST SHOCKG, SENSELS, AND UNEXPECTED MOMENT. IT ARRIV JT AFTER BILL BE THE PROPHET OF THE PRCIPLE AND S REFORMER AND BRGS THE DISCSN OF THE LEGALY OF PLURAL MARRIAGE TO THE FLOOR OF THE UTAH STATE SENATE. BUT WHILE THE WOLV HAVE BEEN PROWLG AROUND THE HENRICKSONS FOR FIVE SEASONS NOW, BILL'S KILLER ISN'T ALBERT GRANT ( MATT ROSS), THE SRY-AS-HELL GREENS, OR EVEN A DISGNTLED MEMBER OF THE LDS CHURCH. RATHER, 'S HIS NEIGHBOR CARL MART ( CARLOS JATT), A CHARACTER WHO—WH HIS WIFE PAM ( AUDREY WASILEWSKI)—HAS BEEN A PART OF BIG LOVE SCE S FIRST SEASON. OUT OF WORK AND NCEALG A ATH WISH RECENT EPISOS, CARL SNAPS WHEN BILL FULFILLS HIS PROMISE OM THE SEASON FIVE OPENER TO HAVE CARL'S ONT LAWN RODD. IT'S A SIMPLE ACT OF KDNS (AND TYPIL OF BILL TRYG TO STAY TE TO HIS WORDS), BUT ENPSULAT EVERYTHG THAT BILL HAS AND CARL DON'T. VIEWG THE ACT AS AN AFONT ON HIS MANHOOD, CARL SHOOTS BILL THREE TIM (BEFTG THE EASTER DAY) AND LMLY WALKS AWAY AS BILL BLEEDS OUT THE STREET. BUT HIS FAL MOMENTS, BILL DO WHAT HE HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO THROUGHOUT BIG LOVE'S FIVE SEASON N: GIVE THE POWER OF THE PRITHOOD TO HIS WIFE BARB, AS HE ASKS HER FOR A FAL BLSG. FOR A CHARACTER WHO HAS LOOKED UP AT THE SKY AND SEEN THE OUTER DARKNS, 'S ONLY FTG THAT BILL SE THE CLOUDLS BLUE SKY AND HIS THREE WIV BEFORE HIM. HIS FAL ACT ON EARTH NNECTS HIS WIV TO THE DIVE, JT AS THEY SEND HIS SOUL OFF TO ETERNY. BETIFUL AND POIGNANT, BILL'S ATH IS AS SENSELS AS THEY E ON TELEVISN, BUT ALSO SPEAKS TO THE POWER OF LOVE. SEASON 5, EPISO 10, "WHERE MEN AND MOUNTAS MEET": THE SISTER WIV TAKE A JOYRIRELISHG HER NEW ROLE FOLLOWG HER DIVORCE OM BILL (AND BILL'S SUBSEQUENT LEGAL MARRIAGE TO NICKI), BARB IMPULSIVELY BUYS A NEW R TO REPLACE THE OLD HLER SHE'S BEEN DRIVG FOR THE PAST NE YEARS. FOR BARB, THE ACT REPRENTS HER EEDOM, HER SIRE FOR A H START AMID THE CHAOS AND NFN OF THEIR CURRENT SUATN, AND HER QUT FOR NER FULFILLMENT. WILL SHE GO THROUGH WH HER BAPTISM AT HER NEW CHURCH AND TURN HER BACK ON HER HBAND'S CHURCH, THE ONE HE BUILT FOR HER AFTER HER EX-MUNITN? OR WILL SHE STAND WH HER FAY AS HER HBAND TAK THE PULP? THE THREE SISTER WIV H THE ROAD TOGETHER AND THEIR EXPRSNS SAY ALL—BARB IS SERENE, MARGENE IS JUBILANT, AND NICKI IS MOROSE UNTIL SHE TOO MANAG TO CRACK A SE. BUT THE MOMENT IS SHATTERED WHEN THE REALY OF THEIR SUATN EVABLY TCH UP TO THEM: THEY MIGHT BE TOGETHER THIS R, BUT THEY'RE G APART AT THE SEAMS. AFTER MARGENE OFFERS BARB HER SUPPORT, BARB'S VOICE CRACKS AS SHE SAYS THAT SHE'LL BE FE ON HER OWN. BUT THE SADST MOMENT OCCURS WHEN MARGENE SUGGTS THEY JT PICK UP BILL AND KEEP DRIVG—A DREAM OF NIAL THAT BEFS HER YOUNG AGE. THERE'S A TANGIBLE SENSE HERE THAT THIS IS THE LM BEFORE THE STORM AND THAT THE SMALL MOMENT OF HAPPS THEY SHARED IS POSSIBLY ALSO THE LAST. SEASON 3, EPISO 3, "PROM QUEEN": SARAH TELLS BEN SHE'S PREGNANTAMID THE NFN OF HER POLYGAMIST FAY, SARAH ( AMANDA SEYIED) ATTEMPTS TO ENGEER A NORMAL EVENG OUT OF HER SENR PROM. ACPANIED BY A DATE (EVEN IF IS HER TEENAGE UNCLE FRANKY), SHE HEADS OUT WH HER BT IEND, HEATHER TUTTLE ( TA MAJORO), AND BROTHER BEN ( DOUGLAS SMH). BUT WHILE THE EVENG GO HORRIBLY AWRY, 'S THE MORNG AFTER THE PROM THAT'S TLY TACLYSMIC. AS SARAH AND BEN S TOGETHER STARG AT THE LAKE, SHE TELLS HIM (AND THE DIENCE) THAT SHE'S PREGNANT. AFTER CUTTG HER BROTHER OFF, THE TWO S SILENCE TOGETHER AS ALPHAVILLE'S "FOREVER YOUNG" PLAYS. IN ATTEMPTG TO EMBRACE THE NORMALCY OF TEENAGE EXISTENCE, SARAH TRI TO GRAB ONTO ONE PERFECT MOMENT BEFORE SAYG GOODBYE TO HER CHILDHOOD THIS PIVOTAL AND EMOTNAL EPISO. HER FEW SENDS OF SERENY HERE, WATCHG THE SUN RISE, REMA ONE OF THE MOST BTERSWEET AND GENUE MOMENTS THE ENTIRE SHOW. SARAH LATER P THE POLYGAMIST LIFTYLE THAT SHE'S CHAFED AGAST FOR SO LONG, HEADG TO PORTLAND WH HER HBAND SEASON 4, ENABLG HER TO GRAB ONTO ONE OF THE SHOW'S FEW HAPPY ENDGS. (AND TO EE SEYIED TO BE A MOVIE STAR.) IN THE SERI FALE, SARAH RETURNS WH HER HBAND STEVE ( AARON PL) AND THEIR NEWBORN SON BILL, NAMED AFTER HER SLA FATHER. AS SHE EMBRAC BARB'S NEW CHURCH—WH S FEMIST FOUNDATN—THE DIENCE SE THAT SARAH'S JOURNEY HAS E FULL CIRCLE. SEASON 3, EPISO 7, "FIGHT OR FLIGHT": THE ATH OF KATHY MARQUARTKATHY MARQUART ( MIREILLE ENOS), POSSIBLY THE MOST TRAGIC CHARACTER BIG LOVE'S HISTORY, PREPAR FOR HER WEDDG DAY TO JOEY HENRICKSON ( SHAWN DOYLE), BUT IS KIDNAPPED BY ROMAN GRANT ( HARRY DEAN STANTON) AS PAYBACK FOR TTIFYG AGAST HIM AT HIS TRIAL. AS SHE'S ABOUT TO BE FORCIBLY WED TO THE CRIMALLY SANE AND SK-CRAWLG CREEPY FUNDAMENTALIST HOLLIS GREEN ( LE ASKEW), KATHY NS, G A PCHFORK AND A TCK AS HER MEANS OF EGRS. HER PE, HOWEVER, IS SHORT-LIVED WHEN ROMAN CHAS AFTER HER AND RAMS HIS R TO HERS—WH HER LONG, FLOWER-LAN BRAID TRAPPED THE WDOW—HER NECK SNAPS UPON IMPACT. IT WAS A GUT-WRENCHG TWIST FOR A CHARACTER WHO HAD SEEMGLY FOUND LOVE AFTER ENDURG SO MUCH (CLUDG A MARRIAGE AT 14 TO A 52-YEAR-OLD MAN AND THE BETRAYAL OF HER TW SISTER AT ROMAN'S TRIAL). KATHY'S SWEETNS IS AT SUCH TERRIBLE ODDS WH THE WAY WHICH HER LIFE END, AS HER WEDDG DAY WAS TRANSFORMED TO HER FUNERAL. SHOCKG AND HORRIFIC, HER ATH IS THE TALYST FOR BOTH HER HBAND-TO-BE JOEY'S THIRST FOR VENGEANCE AND, UNWTGLY, WHAT FALLY DOOMS ROMAN GRANT THE END. (FOLLOWG KATHY'S ATH, ENOS WOULD NTUE TO PLAY KATHY'S SULLEN TW, JOAN, THE FOURTH SEASON OF BIG LOVE.) SEASON 1, EPISO 7, "EVICTN": ALBY MAK A SANDWICHALBERT GRANT ( MATT ROSS) HAS BEEN AN CREASGLY DANGERO AND UNPREDICTABLE ELEMENT THROUGHOUT BIG LOVE'S N, BUT WAS THIS SEASON 1 SCENE THAT FIRST TABLISHED JT HOW MENTALLY UNSTABLE ALBY REALLY WAS. AFTER PICKG UP A MALE HTLER, ALBY TAK HIM BACK TO A MOTEL, WHERE THE HTLER (PLAYED BY SOUTHLAND AND TE BLOOD STAR KEV ALEJANDRO!) ATTEMPTS TO SCE ALBY. BUT THE SELF-LOATHG ALBY IS SO NFLICTED ABOUT HIS SEXUALY THAT HE STEAD PREPAR A HARD-BOILED EGG SANDWICH WH A HUNTG KNIFE, READS A NEWSPAPER TIRE AD, AND THEN MAK A STRANGE GUTTURAL ANIMAL NOISE WHILE BANGG HIS HEAD AGAST THE WALL, UNTIL THE RENT BOY LEAV. THE FIRST DITN THAT ALBY WAS SECRETLY GAY, WAS A SMALL SCENE THAT CEMENTED THE SHOW'S OFF-KILTER STREAK. ALBY'S RELATNSHIPS WH MEN WOULD LATER REACH AN APEX WHEN HE BEME ROMANTILLY VOLVED SEASON 4 WH MARRIED STATE DOR DALE ( BENJAM KOLDYKE), WHO LATER HANGED HIMSELF—A TWIST THAT TRANSFORMED ALBY TO THE SERI' TE BIG BAD. SEASON 3, EPISO 9, "OUTER DARKNS": BARB AT THE TEMPLEWH HER EX-MUNITN OM THE MORMON CHURCH IMMENT, BARB ATTENDS THE TEMPLE SO SHE N UNRGO THE ENDOWMENT CEREMONY. BETIFULLY FILMED, THIS PROVOTIVE (AND HUGELY NTROVERSIAL) SCENE PICTS A MORMON RELIG RUAL THAT OUTSIRS HAD NEVER SEEN PORTRAYED BEFORE (OR SCE). THE BETY AND GRACE OF THE RUALS THAT BARB UNRGO ARE EPLY NTRASTED WH THE NER TURMOIL SHE EXPERIENC HERE. UPON PASSG THROUGH THE VEIL TO SEE HER MOTHER ( ELLEN BURSTYN) AND SISTER ( JUDH HOAG) THE CELTIAL ROOM, BARB BREAKS DOWN WHEN SHE REALIZ THAT SHE WON'T BE WH HER FAY THE CELTIAL KGDOM AFTER ALL. IT'S A PUNCH TO THE GUT FOR BARB, AND HER PA IS PALPABLY FELT HERE, AND THE LE AT THE END—"YOUR 15 MUT ARE UP."—RERCE THE BELIEF THAT LIFE ON EARTH IS THE EQUIVALENT OF A BLK OF AN EYE; BARB HASN'T JT LOST HER CHURCH, BUT HER FAY THE AFTERLIFE. THE QUTN THAT HOVERS OVER THE ACTN IS WHETHER FOLLOWG THE PRCIPLE IS WORTH, NOT ONLY THE HEARTACHE, BUT THE ETERNAL SEPARATN OF HER SOUL OM HER FAY'S. HAS BARB BEEN ON THE RIGHT PATH? IN TRIPPLEHORN'S RAW PERFORMANCE, WE SEE A WOMAN WHO IS BEG RIPPED APART DUE TO NFLICTG BELIEFS. AND BURSTYN PERFECTLY PTUR THE HAPPS OF A MOTHER WHO SE HER DGHTER RETURNED TO THE FLOCK, ONLY TO FULLY REALIZE JT WHAT THIS CEREMONY WAS ALL ABOUT FOR BARB. SEASON 3, EPISO 4, "ON TRIAL": NICKI SHOV ROMAN DOWN THE STAIRSTHROUGHOUT SEASON 3, NICKI'S BEHAVR GO OM UNSYMPATHETIC TO TLY ABHORRENT AS SHE STEALS MARGENE'S INTY AND GETS A JOB THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE ORR TO FEED RMATN TO HER MOTHER ADALEEN ( MARY KAY PLACE) WHILE HER FATHER IS ON TRIAL FOR RAPE AND OTHER ASSORTED CHARG. WHEN NICKI REVEALS THAT KATHY IS THE JANE DOE WNS AND KATHY'S TW VALIDAT KATHY'S TTIMONY, ROMAN IS EED. AS HE CELEBRAT HIS NEWFOUND EEDOM, CROWG THAT "THE RIGHTEO HAVE PREVAILED," NICKI IS FORCED TO NTEND WH WHAT SHE'S DONE TO ENGEER HIS RELEASE… AND WHAT HAD BEEN DONE TO HER AS A TEENAGER (SHE WAS SEALED TO A MUCH OLR MAN MARRIAGE WHEN SHE WAS 15). WHEN ROMAN THANKS NICKI FOR HELPG HIM, THE WEIGHT OF HER ACTNS FALLY HS HER, AND SHE SHOV HER FATHER DOWN THE URTHOE STEPS. SHOCKG AND UNEXPECTED, 'S THE FIRST DITN THAT THE MANIPULATIVE NICKI MIGHT FALLY REALIZE THE DAMAGE THAT HAD BEEN DONE TO HER. WHILE SHE STILL NEEDS TO BREAK OUT OM UNR HER FATHER'S THUMB, 'S PROOF POSIVE OF HER ALLEGIANC TO THE HENRICKSONS, RATHER THAN THE POUND, CLEAR FOR THE FIRST TIME. SEASON 3, EPISO 6, "COME, YE SATS": SARAH SUFFERS A MISRRIAGE ON THE FAY'S ROAD TRIPTHIS EPISO, SET SMACK THE MIDDLE OF THE SUPERLATIVE THIRD SEASON, REMAS ONE OF THE ALL-TIME GREATT EPISOS OF BIG LOVE. FOLLOWG THE HENRICKSONS ON A ROAD TRIP TO CUMORAH, NEW YORK, (WHERE THEIR PROPHET, JOSEPH SMH, WAS SAID TO HAVE DISVERED THE GOLD TABLETS THAT WERE THE BASIS FOR THE BOOK OF MORMON), THE WEARY FAY, UNDONE BY TENSNS BOTH LARGE AND SMALL, IS NEARLY RIPPED APART BY A SERI OF SECRETS THAT E TUMBLG OUT: BEN AND MARGENE SEE EACH OTHER NAKED; BEN ADMS TO HAVG FEELGS FOR HER; NICKI'S BIRTH NTROL PILLS ARE DISVERED BY BARB; AND MARGENE LEARNS THAT BILL HAS BEEN TAKG VIAGRA. BUT 'S THE UNEXPECTED MISRRIAGE THAT SECRETLY PREGNANT SARAH HAS WHILE ON THE ROAD TRIP THAT FALLY BRGS EVERYONE TOGETHER. SURPRISGLY, 'S PRIM NICKI WHO NOT ONLY TO SARAH'S RCUE THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, BUT WHO PELS SARAH TO TELL HER PARENTS WHAT HAS HAPPENED. AS THE FAY, SHOCKED AND SURPRISED TO FD OUT HER SECRET, GATHERS ON THE SI OF THE ROAD, SARAH NFS ALL. THE ELEGIAC SCENE PLAYS OUT WHOUT DIALOGUE, BUT THE IMPLITN OF ACCEPTANCE AND LOVE IS MORE THAN CLEAR. IT'S A POETIC AND HEARTBREAKG MOMENT THAT SHOWS THE HENRICKSONS' TE BOND, EVEN AMID TRAGEDY AND LOSS. SEASON 5, EPISO 3, "CERTA POOR SHEPHERDS": MARGENE CLEAN ABOUT HER AGEMARGENE HAS OFTEN SEEMED THE MOST IMMATURE OF BILL'S THREE WIV, LTLE MORE THAN A CHILD HERSELF. BUT THE CHRISTMAS EVE NFSN OF MARGENE SEASON 5, WHICH SHE REVEALED THAT SHE WAS 16 WHEN SHE FIRST SLEPT WH BILL AND MARRIED HIM, MA HER APPEAR EVEN YOUNGER STILL. HER NFSN DON'T JT KNOCK THE FAY: ALSO MAK BILL GUILTY OF STATUTORY RAPE. COMG ON THE HEELS OF THE FAY'S OUTG AS POLYGAMISTS AND ATTACKS OM EVERY RNER, 'S A REVELATN THAT PH THEM OVER THE EDGE. IT'S THIS MOMENT THAT REVERBERAT THROUGHOUT THE FAL SEASON, PROVIDG BOTH A PARALLEL FOR THE APPROPRIATE SEXUAL RELATNSHIP BETWEEN 15-YEAR-OLD CARA LYNN ( CASSI THOMSON) AND HER TEACHER GREG IVEY ( CHRISTIAN CAMPBELL) AND A NOOSE AROUND THE FAY'S NECK, AS THEY FD THEMSELV FIGHTG FOR THEIR VERY SURVIVAL. WH EVERYONE—OM ALBERT GRANT TO THE LDS CHURCH—BAYG FOR BILL'S BLOOD, MARGENE HAS UNWTGLY TRANSFORMED BILL TO EVERYTHG HE'S FOUGHT SO HARD AGAST.SEASON 3, EPISO 1, "BLOCK PARTY": NICKI CLIMBS THE ROOFTHE FAY'S FEARS OF PERSECUTN AND EXPOSURE ARE AT THEIR HEIGHT THE THIRD SEASON OPENER, WHICH FDS THE FAY GRAPPLG WH SPICN OM THE NEIGHBORS AS THE NATNAL CRACKDOWN ON POLYGAMY TENSIFI AND ROMAN GRANT'S TRIAL LOOMS. WHILE NICKI IS SECRETLY BETRAYG BOTH THE FAY AND THE URSE OF JTICE (BY AIDG HER GUILTY FATHER), SHE DO STICK UP FOR THEM WHEN SEEMS AS THOUGH BILL AND A NEIGHBOR MIGHT ACTUALLY E TO BLOWS AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD BLOCK PARTY. AFTER SOME KIDS STEAL HER LADR WHILE SHE'S WORKG ON THE ROOF (NICKI IS ALWAYS SELF-SUFFICIENT, IF NOTHG ELSE), NICKI SH A SPOTLIGHT ON HERSELF, ANNOUNCG THAT SHE IS THE DGHTER OF POLYGAMIST ROMAN GRANT, AND THAT SHE OW EVERYTHG TO THE HENRICKSONS AND MARGENE FOR OFFERG HER SUPPORT AND PASSN. IT'S THE FIRST SELFLS ACTN NICKI HAD UNRTAKEN AT THAT POT ON THE SHOW, AND A TE SYMBOL OF FAY UNY. WHILE SHE'S MEANT TO BE ACTG FOR THE SAKE OF THE NEIGHBORS, HER WORDS ARE ACTUALLY TER THAN SHE DARE ADM THAT MOMENT. BUT JT AS THE FAY TOGETHER, THEY'RE H BY ANOTHER BOMBSHELL: THE ARRIVAL OF POTENTIAL FOURTH WIFE ANA ( BRANKA KATIC), WHO TURNS UP AND SAYS THAT SHE WANTS TO GIVE PLURAL MARRIAGE A TRY. (IN TE BIG LOVE FASHN, ANY AGILE PEACE IS PUNCTURED BY AN UNEXPECTED TWIST.) WHILE NICKI'S PERFIDY BE CLEAR DOWN THE ROAD, HERE SHE'S THE SAVR A RARE HONT AND HEARTFELT MOMENT OM THIS MASTER MANIPULATOR. SEASON 4, EPISO 9, "END OF DAYS": THE WIV OUT THEMSELV ON STAGEAFTER FOUR SEASONS OF STGGLG TO KEEP THEIR POLYGAMO ACTIVI A SECRET OM THE NEIGHBORS, THE WIV FOLLOW THROUGH ON THEIR PACT TO BRG THE PRCIPLE TO THE LIGHT BY OUTG THEMSELV ON STAGE AFTER BILL IS ELECTED TO THE STATE SENATE. WHILE EVERYONE STGGL—NICKI DON'T WANT TO SHARE BILL; BARB DON'T NEED BILL ANYMORE; MARGENE IS DRAWN TOWARDS ANA'S BOYIEND GORAN ( STEVE BACIC)—THEY ALL E TOGETHER TO HOLD HANDS AN ACT OF SOLIDARY THAT'S TEND TO HELP THEM RECLAIM NTROL OF THEIR STY. IT'S BOTH BOLD AND FOOLHARDY, AS THE HENRICKSONS BELIEVE THAT THEY N BE ACCEPTED FOR WHO THEY ARE IF THEY PEEL AWAY THE FAçA THEY PRENT TO SOCIETY. BUT AS PEOPLE ANGRILY WALK OUT OF BILL'S PRS NFERENCE, 'S CLEAR THAT THIS MOMENT—FOUR YEARS THE MAKG—WON'T QUE GO DOWN THE WAY THE FAY TEND. THIS FAL MOMENT, AFTER A NTENT AND OFTEN OVER-THE-TOP SEASON, AS THE WIV STAND SI-BY-SI ( RED, WHE, AND BLUE, NO LS), IS A STUNNG SCENE TO GO OUT ON, LEAVG THE DIENCE REALIZG WHAT THE HENRICKSONS DON'T: THAT WHERE THERE IS MUCH LIGHT, THE SHADOW IS EP. SEASON 3, EPISO 3, "PROM QUEEN": LOIS SUFFOT FRANK WH A PLASTIC BAGPERPETUALLY LOCKED TOGETHER WAR, LOIS ( GRACE ZABRISKIE) AND FRANK ( BCE DERN) HAVE PROVID SOME OF THE SHOW'S ODST AND MOST SURPRISG MOMENTS, BUT NONE WENT QUE AS FAR AS THIS SEQUENCE WHICH LOIS, AFTER DIGGG A GRAVE FOR HER TIED-UP, NO-GOOD HBAND, FEEDS FRANK HIS LAST MEAL (KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN), AND THEN ATTEMPTS TO SUFFOTE HIM WH A PLASTIC BAG. HER MURRO WRATH IS TERPTED BY A PHONE LL OM BILL, WH QUTNS ABOUT THE S-OLD SUICI OF HIS SISTER MAGGIE. WAS SHE SEALED TO AN OLR MAN AS A TEENAGER? WAS ATH HER ONLY PE? AS LOIS TEARFULLY ACKNOWLEDG WHAT BEFELL HER DGHTER WHOUT UTTERG A WORD, 'S A RELEASE AFTER BOTTLG UP THE TTH FOR SO LONG, EVEN AS FRANK GASPS FOR LIFE THE NEXT ROOM. THE JUXTAPOSN HERE BETWEEN MATTERS OF LIFE AND ATH AND EPHEMERA (THAT IED CHICKEN) SEEMS TENTNAL, AS LOIS ATTEMPTS TO AVENGE NOT ONLY HER OWN STOLEN LIFE BUT THAT OF MAGGIE AS WELL, PUNISHG HER HBAND FOR ALL OF THE JURI HE'S DONE HER. YET SEASON 5, AS LOIS SUCCUMBS TO MENTIA, WE SEE THE POSSIBILY OF LOVE THAT ULD STILL EXIST BETWEEN THE TWO, A LOVE THAT LOIS RELLS HERE, SHARG THE STORY OF HOW SHE WAED OUTSI HER FATHER'S HOE FOR A KISS OM HIM. LOIS AND FRANK'S SUICI PACT THE SERI FALE—AS THEY REMISCENCE ABOUT HALCYON DAYS—IS A CHANCE FOR PEACE AND RELEASE. FALLY, THE TWO BATTLEAX HAVE THEIR HAPPY ENDG. JACE LAB IS THE DAILY BEAST'S TV COLUMNIST. AS A EELANCE WRER, HE HAS WRTEN FOR THE LOS ANGEL TIM, TV WEEK, AND OTHERS. JACE IS THE FOUNR OF TELEVISN CRICISM AND ANALYSIS WEBSE TELEVISNARY AND N BE FOUND ON TWTER. HE IS A MEMBER OF THE TELEVISN CRICS ASSOCIATN. JACE LAB

Determed to ph even more buttons, the wrers have given one of the supportg characters a gay inty. The show pos a cril qutn to s dienc: n someone be gay and follow the Mormon fah? In “God Loveth His Children, ” the Church of Latter Day Sats clearly stat s posn on homosexualy:.

In this passage, we n see that homosexualy is unrstood to be a challenge that mt be overe. Ultimately the flh is nstcted to be both the temple and the se of s; lbians and gay men prent a paradox to this nstct. The Church advis that that those who experience same-genr attractn (their term for homosexualy) to absta om all sexual activy.

Gay Mormons have been erased om public disurse through the mand to absta, and this is what mak the character of Albie on “Big Love” so very transgrsive. Each season, we have watched Albie stggle wh his homosexualy.

HBO’S "BIG LOVE" ENDS THE DALE/ALBY GAY LOVE AFFAIR IN 1950’S STEREOTYPIL "TEA AND SYMPATHY" SELF LOATHG WAY

Though Albie has ma clear that he se his homosexualy as a curse, he clearly n no longer ntue to ny himself. In the first on-screen kiss between Albie and Dale, the two are standg outsi of a meetg center whose sole purpose is to unsel gay Mormons to rist the temptatn of the flh and lead a heterosexual liftyle. I ntacted the Mormon Church Utah to get mentary regardg their thoughts regardg the burgeong gay love story “Big Love, ” but my lls were not returned.

“Big Love” may not speak to the experience of heterosexual Mormons, but certaly is an eye-openg look to the stggl that gay and lbian Mormons face. Along wh the personal shame of feelg as though one’s sexualy is a s, there is also a risk that if homosexualy is revealed, the “sner” will lose fay and iends. This extreme shunng and the fear of isolatn is enough to keep many gays and lbians the Mormon muny closeted throughout their lifetim.

BIG LOVE SERI FALE: ITS 12 MOST MEMORABLE MOMENTSTHE SHOCKG SUNDAY SERI FALE OF HBO'S POLYGAMIST FAY DRAMA FOUND THE HENRICKSONS G TOGETHER JT AS EVERYTHG FELL APART. JACE LAB HAS THE BT MOMENTS OM THE LAST FIVE SEASONS, BUT BE FOREWARNED: SPOILER ALERT AHEAD!JACE LABUPDATED JUL. 13, 2017 2:00PM EDT / PUBLISHED MAR. 19, 2011 4:53PM EDT THE ST OF BIG LOVE ON THE SET OF THEIR SEASON FALE. (PHOTO BY CHUCK ZLOTNICK / HBO)WHEN BIG LOVE BEGAN 2006, THE HENRICKSON FAY'S PROBLEMS WERE AT FIRST LIMED TO THE CHALLENG FACG FOUR ADULTS A PLURAL MARRIAGE: QUTNS OF SHARG, SOLIDARY, AND PERSONAL SECRETS. THEY WERE AN ORDARY FAY SOME EXTRAORDARY CIRCUMSTANC AND CREATORS MARK V. OLSEN AND WILL SCHEFFER OPENED A WDOW TO A WORLD THAT FEW OF WILL EVER SEE: ONE OF POUNDS, FUNDAMENTALISTS, TENSE FAH, AND VENGEFUL ADVERSARI. OVER THE URSE OF THE SHOW'S GROUNDBREAKG N, THE FAY WAS BIEGED BY BOTH EXTERNAL AND TERNAL THREATS AS THE FOUR MA CHARACTERS—BILL ( BILL PAXTON), BARB ( JEANNE TRIPPLEHORN), NICKI ( CHLOë SEVIGNY), AND MARGENE ( GNIFER GOODW)—AND THEIR EVER-EXPANDG BROOD OF CHILDREN ATTEMPTED TO FD THEIR WAY, TO GRAB HOLD OF THOSE FLEETG MOMENTS OF JOY, AND TO STGGLE WH THE PA OF LOSS, BETRAYAL, AND IGNORANCE.IN S FAL EPISO, BIG LOVE PH THE HENRICKSON CLAN TO THEIR BREAKG POT, AS BILL FAC BOTH A LENGTHY PRISON SENTENCE FOR STATUTORY RAPE CHARG AND THE LOSS OF THE FAY'S BS. BUT BILL ALSO RECEIV HIS TE TTIMONY HIS CHURCH—A NOD OM MORMON FOUNR JOSEPH SMH'S WIFE EMMA ( REBEC WISOCKY)—AND HE RTOR THE TE BALANCE THAT HAD BEEN THWARTED AT JUNIPER CREEK. BILL N NOW LEAD HIS FLOCK OF BELIEVERS TO THE LIGHT.OR HE WOULD HAVE—IF HIS LIFE HADN'T BEEN SO BTALLY TAKEN OM HIM BY A FORMER IEND. BUT BILL'S ATH ACPLISH SOMETHG THAT BARB, NICKI, AND MARGENE HAD STGGLED WH FOR THE PAST FIVE SEASONS: FALLY UNIFI THE THREE SISTER WIV AN UNBREAKABLE BOND. IN THE FAL MUT OF THE SHOW—11 MONTHS AFTER BILL'S SHOOTG—THE THREE FD THE MON GROUND THEY'VE BEEN FIGHTG FOR THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE SERI. AND BARB, WHO STGGLED WH HER QUTNS OF FAH, GAS THE PRITHOOD SHE'S LONG SOUGHT AFTER AND LEADS THE RIGHTEO TO A NEW BEGNG. FOR A SHOW THAT, AT S RE, HAS BEEN ABOUT FAI AND FAH, WAS A PERFECT WAY TO END THE REMARKABLE SERI, AS HEARTBREAKG AS WAS. THE 12 SCEN SELECTED BELOW OM BIG LOVE'S FIVE SEASONS EXEMPLIFY THE WAY THAT THE SHOW SHIFTED EFFORTLSLY OM DOMTIC DRAMA TO FAH-BASED VISN QUT, AND OM THE MUNDANE TO THE DIVE. SEASON 5, EPISO 10, "WHERE MEN AND MOUNTAS MEET": BILL IS SHOT TO ATHTHE MURR OF BILL HENRICKSON IS EASILY THE SERI FALE'S MOST SHOCKG, SENSELS, AND UNEXPECTED MOMENT. IT ARRIV JT AFTER BILL BE THE PROPHET OF THE PRCIPLE AND S REFORMER AND BRGS THE DISCSN OF THE LEGALY OF PLURAL MARRIAGE TO THE FLOOR OF THE UTAH STATE SENATE. BUT WHILE THE WOLV HAVE BEEN PROWLG AROUND THE HENRICKSONS FOR FIVE SEASONS NOW, BILL'S KILLER ISN'T ALBERT GRANT ( MATT ROSS), THE SRY-AS-HELL GREENS, OR EVEN A DISGNTLED MEMBER OF THE LDS CHURCH. RATHER, 'S HIS NEIGHBOR CARL MART ( CARLOS JATT), A CHARACTER WHO—WH HIS WIFE PAM ( AUDREY WASILEWSKI)—HAS BEEN A PART OF BIG LOVE SCE S FIRST SEASON. OUT OF WORK AND NCEALG A ATH WISH RECENT EPISOS, CARL SNAPS WHEN BILL FULFILLS HIS PROMISE OM THE SEASON FIVE OPENER TO HAVE CARL'S ONT LAWN RODD. IT'S A SIMPLE ACT OF KDNS (AND TYPIL OF BILL TRYG TO STAY TE TO HIS WORDS), BUT ENPSULAT EVERYTHG THAT BILL HAS AND CARL DON'T. VIEWG THE ACT AS AN AFONT ON HIS MANHOOD, CARL SHOOTS BILL THREE TIM (BEFTG THE EASTER DAY) AND LMLY WALKS AWAY AS BILL BLEEDS OUT THE STREET. BUT HIS FAL MOMENTS, BILL DO WHAT HE HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO THROUGHOUT BIG LOVE'S FIVE SEASON N: GIVE THE POWER OF THE PRITHOOD TO HIS WIFE BARB, AS HE ASKS HER FOR A FAL BLSG. FOR A CHARACTER WHO HAS LOOKED UP AT THE SKY AND SEEN THE OUTER DARKNS, 'S ONLY FTG THAT BILL SE THE CLOUDLS BLUE SKY AND HIS THREE WIV BEFORE HIM. HIS FAL ACT ON EARTH NNECTS HIS WIV TO THE DIVE, JT AS THEY SEND HIS SOUL OFF TO ETERNY. BETIFUL AND POIGNANT, BILL'S ATH IS AS SENSELS AS THEY E ON TELEVISN, BUT ALSO SPEAKS TO THE POWER OF LOVE. SEASON 5, EPISO 10, "WHERE MEN AND MOUNTAS MEET": THE SISTER WIV TAKE A JOYRIRELISHG HER NEW ROLE FOLLOWG HER DIVORCE OM BILL (AND BILL'S SUBSEQUENT LEGAL MARRIAGE TO NICKI), BARB IMPULSIVELY BUYS A NEW R TO REPLACE THE OLD HLER SHE'S BEEN DRIVG FOR THE PAST NE YEARS. FOR BARB, THE ACT REPRENTS HER EEDOM, HER SIRE FOR A H START AMID THE CHAOS AND NFN OF THEIR CURRENT SUATN, AND HER QUT FOR NER FULFILLMENT. WILL SHE GO THROUGH WH HER BAPTISM AT HER NEW CHURCH AND TURN HER BACK ON HER HBAND'S CHURCH, THE ONE HE BUILT FOR HER AFTER HER EX-MUNITN? OR WILL SHE STAND WH HER FAY AS HER HBAND TAK THE PULP? THE THREE SISTER WIV H THE ROAD TOGETHER AND THEIR EXPRSNS SAY ALL—BARB IS SERENE, MARGENE IS JUBILANT, AND NICKI IS MOROSE UNTIL SHE TOO MANAG TO CRACK A SE. BUT THE MOMENT IS SHATTERED WHEN THE REALY OF THEIR SUATN EVABLY TCH UP TO THEM: THEY MIGHT BE TOGETHER THIS R, BUT THEY'RE G APART AT THE SEAMS. AFTER MARGENE OFFERS BARB HER SUPPORT, BARB'S VOICE CRACKS AS SHE SAYS THAT SHE'LL BE FE ON HER OWN. BUT THE SADST MOMENT OCCURS WHEN MARGENE SUGGTS THEY JT PICK UP BILL AND KEEP DRIVG—A DREAM OF NIAL THAT BEFS HER YOUNG AGE. THERE'S A TANGIBLE SENSE HERE THAT THIS IS THE LM BEFORE THE STORM AND THAT THE SMALL MOMENT OF HAPPS THEY SHARED IS POSSIBLY ALSO THE LAST. SEASON 3, EPISO 3, "PROM QUEEN": SARAH TELLS BEN SHE'S PREGNANTAMID THE NFN OF HER POLYGAMIST FAY, SARAH ( AMANDA SEYIED) ATTEMPTS TO ENGEER A NORMAL EVENG OUT OF HER SENR PROM. ACPANIED BY A DATE (EVEN IF IS HER TEENAGE UNCLE FRANKY), SHE HEADS OUT WH HER BT IEND, HEATHER TUTTLE ( TA MAJORO), AND BROTHER BEN ( DOUGLAS SMH). BUT WHILE THE EVENG GO HORRIBLY AWRY, 'S THE MORNG AFTER THE PROM THAT'S TLY TACLYSMIC. AS SARAH AND BEN S TOGETHER STARG AT THE LAKE, SHE TELLS HIM (AND THE DIENCE) THAT SHE'S PREGNANT. AFTER CUTTG HER BROTHER OFF, THE TWO S SILENCE TOGETHER AS ALPHAVILLE'S "FOREVER YOUNG" PLAYS. IN ATTEMPTG TO EMBRACE THE NORMALCY OF TEENAGE EXISTENCE, SARAH TRI TO GRAB ONTO ONE PERFECT MOMENT BEFORE SAYG GOODBYE TO HER CHILDHOOD THIS PIVOTAL AND EMOTNAL EPISO. HER FEW SENDS OF SERENY HERE, WATCHG THE SUN RISE, REMA ONE OF THE MOST BTERSWEET AND GENUE MOMENTS THE ENTIRE SHOW. SARAH LATER P THE POLYGAMIST LIFTYLE THAT SHE'S CHAFED AGAST FOR SO LONG, HEADG TO PORTLAND WH HER HBAND SEASON 4, ENABLG HER TO GRAB ONTO ONE OF THE SHOW'S FEW HAPPY ENDGS. (AND TO EE SEYIED TO BE A MOVIE STAR.) IN THE SERI FALE, SARAH RETURNS WH HER HBAND STEVE ( AARON PL) AND THEIR NEWBORN SON BILL, NAMED AFTER HER SLA FATHER. AS SHE EMBRAC BARB'S NEW CHURCH—WH S FEMIST FOUNDATN—THE DIENCE SE THAT SARAH'S JOURNEY HAS E FULL CIRCLE. SEASON 3, EPISO 7, "FIGHT OR FLIGHT": THE ATH OF KATHY MARQUARTKATHY MARQUART ( MIREILLE ENOS), POSSIBLY THE MOST TRAGIC CHARACTER BIG LOVE'S HISTORY, PREPAR FOR HER WEDDG DAY TO JOEY HENRICKSON ( SHAWN DOYLE), BUT IS KIDNAPPED BY ROMAN GRANT ( HARRY DEAN STANTON) AS PAYBACK FOR TTIFYG AGAST HIM AT HIS TRIAL. AS SHE'S ABOUT TO BE FORCIBLY WED TO THE CRIMALLY SANE AND SK-CRAWLG CREEPY FUNDAMENTALIST HOLLIS GREEN ( LE ASKEW), KATHY NS, G A PCHFORK AND A TCK AS HER MEANS OF EGRS. HER PE, HOWEVER, IS SHORT-LIVED WHEN ROMAN CHAS AFTER HER AND RAMS HIS R TO HERS—WH HER LONG, FLOWER-LAN BRAID TRAPPED THE WDOW—HER NECK SNAPS UPON IMPACT. IT WAS A GUT-WRENCHG TWIST FOR A CHARACTER WHO HAD SEEMGLY FOUND LOVE AFTER ENDURG SO MUCH (CLUDG A MARRIAGE AT 14 TO A 52-YEAR-OLD MAN AND THE BETRAYAL OF HER TW SISTER AT ROMAN'S TRIAL). KATHY'S SWEETNS IS AT SUCH TERRIBLE ODDS WH THE WAY WHICH HER LIFE END, AS HER WEDDG DAY WAS TRANSFORMED TO HER FUNERAL. SHOCKG AND HORRIFIC, HER ATH IS THE TALYST FOR BOTH HER HBAND-TO-BE JOEY'S THIRST FOR VENGEANCE AND, UNWTGLY, WHAT FALLY DOOMS ROMAN GRANT THE END. (FOLLOWG KATHY'S ATH, ENOS WOULD NTUE TO PLAY KATHY'S SULLEN TW, JOAN, THE FOURTH SEASON OF BIG LOVE.) SEASON 1, EPISO 7, "EVICTN": ALBY MAK A SANDWICHALBERT GRANT ( MATT ROSS) HAS BEEN AN CREASGLY DANGERO AND UNPREDICTABLE ELEMENT THROUGHOUT BIG LOVE'S N, BUT WAS THIS SEASON 1 SCENE THAT FIRST TABLISHED JT HOW MENTALLY UNSTABLE ALBY REALLY WAS. AFTER PICKG UP A MALE HTLER, ALBY TAK HIM BACK TO A MOTEL, WHERE THE HTLER (PLAYED BY SOUTHLAND AND TE BLOOD STAR KEV ALEJANDRO!) ATTEMPTS TO SCE ALBY. BUT THE SELF-LOATHG ALBY IS SO NFLICTED ABOUT HIS SEXUALY THAT HE STEAD PREPAR A HARD-BOILED EGG SANDWICH WH A HUNTG KNIFE, READS A NEWSPAPER TIRE AD, AND THEN MAK A STRANGE GUTTURAL ANIMAL NOISE WHILE BANGG HIS HEAD AGAST THE WALL, UNTIL THE RENT BOY LEAV. THE FIRST DITN THAT ALBY WAS SECRETLY GAY, WAS A SMALL SCENE THAT CEMENTED THE SHOW'S OFF-KILTER STREAK. ALBY'S RELATNSHIPS WH MEN WOULD LATER REACH AN APEX WHEN HE BEME ROMANTILLY VOLVED SEASON 4 WH MARRIED STATE DOR DALE ( BENJAM KOLDYKE), WHO LATER HANGED HIMSELF—A TWIST THAT TRANSFORMED ALBY TO THE SERI' TE BIG BAD. SEASON 3, EPISO 9, "OUTER DARKNS": BARB AT THE TEMPLEWH HER EX-MUNITN OM THE MORMON CHURCH IMMENT, BARB ATTENDS THE TEMPLE SO SHE N UNRGO THE ENDOWMENT CEREMONY. BETIFULLY FILMED, THIS PROVOTIVE (AND HUGELY NTROVERSIAL) SCENE PICTS A MORMON RELIG RUAL THAT OUTSIRS HAD NEVER SEEN PORTRAYED BEFORE (OR SCE). THE BETY AND GRACE OF THE RUALS THAT BARB UNRGO ARE EPLY NTRASTED WH THE NER TURMOIL SHE EXPERIENC HERE. UPON PASSG THROUGH THE VEIL TO SEE HER MOTHER ( ELLEN BURSTYN) AND SISTER ( JUDH HOAG) THE CELTIAL ROOM, BARB BREAKS DOWN WHEN SHE REALIZ THAT SHE WON'T BE WH HER FAY THE CELTIAL KGDOM AFTER ALL. IT'S A PUNCH TO THE GUT FOR BARB, AND HER PA IS PALPABLY FELT HERE, AND THE LE AT THE END—"YOUR 15 MUT ARE UP."—RERCE THE BELIEF THAT LIFE ON EARTH IS THE EQUIVALENT OF A BLK OF AN EYE; BARB HASN'T JT LOST HER CHURCH, BUT HER FAY THE AFTERLIFE. THE QUTN THAT HOVERS OVER THE ACTN IS WHETHER FOLLOWG THE PRCIPLE IS WORTH, NOT ONLY THE HEARTACHE, BUT THE ETERNAL SEPARATN OF HER SOUL OM HER FAY'S. HAS BARB BEEN ON THE RIGHT PATH? IN TRIPPLEHORN'S RAW PERFORMANCE, WE SEE A WOMAN WHO IS BEG RIPPED APART DUE TO NFLICTG BELIEFS. AND BURSTYN PERFECTLY PTUR THE HAPPS OF A MOTHER WHO SE HER DGHTER RETURNED TO THE FLOCK, ONLY TO FULLY REALIZE JT WHAT THIS CEREMONY WAS ALL ABOUT FOR BARB. SEASON 3, EPISO 4, "ON TRIAL": NICKI SHOV ROMAN DOWN THE STAIRSTHROUGHOUT SEASON 3, NICKI'S BEHAVR GO OM UNSYMPATHETIC TO TLY ABHORRENT AS SHE STEALS MARGENE'S INTY AND GETS A JOB THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE ORR TO FEED RMATN TO HER MOTHER ADALEEN ( MARY KAY PLACE) WHILE HER FATHER IS ON TRIAL FOR RAPE AND OTHER ASSORTED CHARG. WHEN NICKI REVEALS THAT KATHY IS THE JANE DOE WNS AND KATHY'S TW VALIDAT KATHY'S TTIMONY, ROMAN IS EED. AS HE CELEBRAT HIS NEWFOUND EEDOM, CROWG THAT "THE RIGHTEO HAVE PREVAILED," NICKI IS FORCED TO NTEND WH WHAT SHE'S DONE TO ENGEER HIS RELEASE… AND WHAT HAD BEEN DONE TO HER AS A TEENAGER (SHE WAS SEALED TO A MUCH OLR MAN MARRIAGE WHEN SHE WAS 15). WHEN ROMAN THANKS NICKI FOR HELPG HIM, THE WEIGHT OF HER ACTNS FALLY HS HER, AND SHE SHOV HER FATHER DOWN THE URTHOE STEPS. SHOCKG AND UNEXPECTED, 'S THE FIRST DITN THAT THE MANIPULATIVE NICKI MIGHT FALLY REALIZE THE DAMAGE THAT HAD BEEN DONE TO HER. WHILE SHE STILL NEEDS TO BREAK OUT OM UNR HER FATHER'S THUMB, 'S PROOF POSIVE OF HER ALLEGIANC TO THE HENRICKSONS, RATHER THAN THE POUND, CLEAR FOR THE FIRST TIME. SEASON 3, EPISO 6, "COME, YE SATS": SARAH SUFFERS A MISRRIAGE ON THE FAY'S ROAD TRIPTHIS EPISO, SET SMACK THE MIDDLE OF THE SUPERLATIVE THIRD SEASON, REMAS ONE OF THE ALL-TIME GREATT EPISOS OF BIG LOVE. FOLLOWG THE HENRICKSONS ON A ROAD TRIP TO CUMORAH, NEW YORK, (WHERE THEIR PROPHET, JOSEPH SMH, WAS SAID TO HAVE DISVERED THE GOLD TABLETS THAT WERE THE BASIS FOR THE BOOK OF MORMON), THE WEARY FAY, UNDONE BY TENSNS BOTH LARGE AND SMALL, IS NEARLY RIPPED APART BY A SERI OF SECRETS THAT E TUMBLG OUT: BEN AND MARGENE SEE EACH OTHER NAKED; BEN ADMS TO HAVG FEELGS FOR HER; NICKI'S BIRTH NTROL PILLS ARE DISVERED BY BARB; AND MARGENE LEARNS THAT BILL HAS BEEN TAKG VIAGRA. BUT 'S THE UNEXPECTED MISRRIAGE THAT SECRETLY PREGNANT SARAH HAS WHILE ON THE ROAD TRIP THAT FALLY BRGS EVERYONE TOGETHER. SURPRISGLY, 'S PRIM NICKI WHO NOT ONLY TO SARAH'S RCUE THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, BUT WHO PELS SARAH TO TELL HER PARENTS WHAT HAS HAPPENED. AS THE FAY, SHOCKED AND SURPRISED TO FD OUT HER SECRET, GATHERS ON THE SI OF THE ROAD, SARAH NFS ALL. THE ELEGIAC SCENE PLAYS OUT WHOUT DIALOGUE, BUT THE IMPLITN OF ACCEPTANCE AND LOVE IS MORE THAN CLEAR. IT'S A POETIC AND HEARTBREAKG MOMENT THAT SHOWS THE HENRICKSONS' TE BOND, EVEN AMID TRAGEDY AND LOSS. SEASON 5, EPISO 3, "CERTA POOR SHEPHERDS": MARGENE CLEAN ABOUT HER AGEMARGENE HAS OFTEN SEEMED THE MOST IMMATURE OF BILL'S THREE WIV, LTLE MORE THAN A CHILD HERSELF. BUT THE CHRISTMAS EVE NFSN OF MARGENE SEASON 5, WHICH SHE REVEALED THAT SHE WAS 16 WHEN SHE FIRST SLEPT WH BILL AND MARRIED HIM, MA HER APPEAR EVEN YOUNGER STILL. HER NFSN DON'T JT KNOCK THE FAY: ALSO MAK BILL GUILTY OF STATUTORY RAPE. COMG ON THE HEELS OF THE FAY'S OUTG AS POLYGAMISTS AND ATTACKS OM EVERY RNER, 'S A REVELATN THAT PH THEM OVER THE EDGE. IT'S THIS MOMENT THAT REVERBERAT THROUGHOUT THE FAL SEASON, PROVIDG BOTH A PARALLEL FOR THE APPROPRIATE SEXUAL RELATNSHIP BETWEEN 15-YEAR-OLD CARA LYNN ( CASSI THOMSON) AND HER TEACHER GREG IVEY ( CHRISTIAN CAMPBELL) AND A NOOSE AROUND THE FAY'S NECK, AS THEY FD THEMSELV FIGHTG FOR THEIR VERY SURVIVAL. WH EVERYONE—OM ALBERT GRANT TO THE LDS CHURCH—BAYG FOR BILL'S BLOOD, MARGENE HAS UNWTGLY TRANSFORMED BILL TO EVERYTHG HE'S FOUGHT SO HARD AGAST.SEASON 3, EPISO 1, "BLOCK PARTY": NICKI CLIMBS THE ROOFTHE FAY'S FEARS OF PERSECUTN AND EXPOSURE ARE AT THEIR HEIGHT THE THIRD SEASON OPENER, WHICH FDS THE FAY GRAPPLG WH SPICN OM THE NEIGHBORS AS THE NATNAL CRACKDOWN ON POLYGAMY TENSIFI AND ROMAN GRANT'S TRIAL LOOMS. WHILE NICKI IS SECRETLY BETRAYG BOTH THE FAY AND THE URSE OF JTICE (BY AIDG HER GUILTY FATHER), SHE DO STICK UP FOR THEM WHEN SEEMS AS THOUGH BILL AND A NEIGHBOR MIGHT ACTUALLY E TO BLOWS AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD BLOCK PARTY. AFTER SOME KIDS STEAL HER LADR WHILE SHE'S WORKG ON THE ROOF (NICKI IS ALWAYS SELF-SUFFICIENT, IF NOTHG ELSE), NICKI SH A SPOTLIGHT ON HERSELF, ANNOUNCG THAT SHE IS THE DGHTER OF POLYGAMIST ROMAN GRANT, AND THAT SHE OW EVERYTHG TO THE HENRICKSONS AND MARGENE FOR OFFERG HER SUPPORT AND PASSN. IT'S THE FIRST SELFLS ACTN NICKI HAD UNRTAKEN AT THAT POT ON THE SHOW, AND A TE SYMBOL OF FAY UNY. WHILE SHE'S MEANT TO BE ACTG FOR THE SAKE OF THE NEIGHBORS, HER WORDS ARE ACTUALLY TER THAN SHE DARE ADM THAT MOMENT. BUT JT AS THE FAY TOGETHER, THEY'RE H BY ANOTHER BOMBSHELL: THE ARRIVAL OF POTENTIAL FOURTH WIFE ANA ( BRANKA KATIC), WHO TURNS UP AND SAYS THAT SHE WANTS TO GIVE PLURAL MARRIAGE A TRY. (IN TE BIG LOVE FASHN, ANY AGILE PEACE IS PUNCTURED BY AN UNEXPECTED TWIST.) WHILE NICKI'S PERFIDY BE CLEAR DOWN THE ROAD, HERE SHE'S THE SAVR A RARE HONT AND HEARTFELT MOMENT OM THIS MASTER MANIPULATOR. SEASON 4, EPISO 9, "END OF DAYS": THE WIV OUT THEMSELV ON STAGEAFTER FOUR SEASONS OF STGGLG TO KEEP THEIR POLYGAMO ACTIVI A SECRET OM THE NEIGHBORS, THE WIV FOLLOW THROUGH ON THEIR PACT TO BRG THE PRCIPLE TO THE LIGHT BY OUTG THEMSELV ON STAGE AFTER BILL IS ELECTED TO THE STATE SENATE. WHILE EVERYONE STGGL—NICKI DON'T WANT TO SHARE BILL; BARB DON'T NEED BILL ANYMORE; MARGENE IS DRAWN TOWARDS ANA'S BOYIEND GORAN ( STEVE BACIC)—THEY ALL E TOGETHER TO HOLD HANDS AN ACT OF SOLIDARY THAT'S TEND TO HELP THEM RECLAIM NTROL OF THEIR STY. IT'S BOTH BOLD AND FOOLHARDY, AS THE HENRICKSONS BELIEVE THAT THEY N BE ACCEPTED FOR WHO THEY ARE IF THEY PEEL AWAY THE FAçA THEY PRENT TO SOCIETY. BUT AS PEOPLE ANGRILY WALK OUT OF BILL'S PRS NFERENCE, 'S CLEAR THAT THIS MOMENT—FOUR YEARS THE MAKG—WON'T QUE GO DOWN THE WAY THE FAY TEND. THIS FAL MOMENT, AFTER A NTENT AND OFTEN OVER-THE-TOP SEASON, AS THE WIV STAND SI-BY-SI ( RED, WHE, AND BLUE, NO LS), IS A STUNNG SCENE TO GO OUT ON, LEAVG THE DIENCE REALIZG WHAT THE HENRICKSONS DON'T: THAT WHERE THERE IS MUCH LIGHT, THE SHADOW IS EP. SEASON 3, EPISO 3, "PROM QUEEN": LOIS SUFFOT FRANK WH A PLASTIC BAGPERPETUALLY LOCKED TOGETHER WAR, LOIS ( GRACE ZABRISKIE) AND FRANK ( BCE DERN) HAVE PROVID SOME OF THE SHOW'S ODST AND MOST SURPRISG MOMENTS, BUT NONE WENT QUE AS FAR AS THIS SEQUENCE WHICH LOIS, AFTER DIGGG A GRAVE FOR HER TIED-UP, NO-GOOD HBAND, FEEDS FRANK HIS LAST MEAL (KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN), AND THEN ATTEMPTS TO SUFFOTE HIM WH A PLASTIC BAG. HER MURRO WRATH IS TERPTED BY A PHONE LL OM BILL, WH QUTNS ABOUT THE S-OLD SUICI OF HIS SISTER MAGGIE. WAS SHE SEALED TO AN OLR MAN AS A TEENAGER? WAS ATH HER ONLY PE? AS LOIS TEARFULLY ACKNOWLEDG WHAT BEFELL HER DGHTER WHOUT UTTERG A WORD, 'S A RELEASE AFTER BOTTLG UP THE TTH FOR SO LONG, EVEN AS FRANK GASPS FOR LIFE THE NEXT ROOM. THE JUXTAPOSN HERE BETWEEN MATTERS OF LIFE AND ATH AND EPHEMERA (THAT IED CHICKEN) SEEMS TENTNAL, AS LOIS ATTEMPTS TO AVENGE NOT ONLY HER OWN STOLEN LIFE BUT THAT OF MAGGIE AS WELL, PUNISHG HER HBAND FOR ALL OF THE JURI HE'S DONE HER. YET SEASON 5, AS LOIS SUCCUMBS TO MENTIA, WE SEE THE POSSIBILY OF LOVE THAT ULD STILL EXIST BETWEEN THE TWO, A LOVE THAT LOIS RELLS HERE, SHARG THE STORY OF HOW SHE WAED OUTSI HER FATHER'S HOE FOR A KISS OM HIM. LOIS AND FRANK'S SUICI PACT THE SERI FALE—AS THEY REMISCENCE ABOUT HALCYON DAYS—IS A CHANCE FOR PEACE AND RELEASE. FALLY, THE TWO BATTLEAX HAVE THEIR HAPPY ENDG. JACE LAB IS THE DAILY BEAST'S TV COLUMNIST. AS A EELANCE WRER, HE HAS WRTEN FOR THE LOS ANGEL TIM, TV WEEK, AND OTHERS. JACE IS THE FOUNR OF TELEVISN CRICISM AND ANALYSIS WEBSE TELEVISNARY AND N BE FOUND ON TWTER. HE IS A MEMBER OF THE TELEVISN CRICS ASSOCIATN. JACE LAB

Kathere Rosman’s article for The Natn, “Mormon Fay Valu, ” is the acunt of one fay stgglg to e to terms their son’s homosexualy and their fah. Suici, for gay Mormons, is not an unmon actn. GLBT characters are unrreprented the media, and havg a gay male Mormon character the mastream is a transgrsive act which supports clivy.

While HBO’s “Big Love” ntu to s 4th season and begs to remble a Martha Stewart bloated Thanksgivg turkey, last night took a turn for the worse and end ’s only gay storyle a throwback to the 1950’s where homo’s hated themselv and med suici. A “self loathg homo suici”?

“Big Love” n mean all kds of love: gays on HBO’s h show - Global Comment

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