Thoughts on the season finale

[thatgirl]

I must admit that I was disappointed. The episode just left me flat! Everything has been unraveling, but Bill seems to just ignore the realities around him, marching forward to HIS plan. He'll sacrifice everyone for what HE wants. So much for his family having a chance.

I was sad to see Don -- he obviously feels betrayed and lost. Bill never offered to help him; even Don is to be tossed aside for what Bill wants. Barb feels "done" - although I doubt she'll walk away. Margene is more interested in her business - guess it makes sense if she's going to have to support her kids. And Nikki - of all the wives who I thought would leave, it was Nikki - boy was I wrong; she'll stick by Bill until the end.

For ME, this season has been a mistake. It changed the entire flavor of the show, and has left me truly not caring what happens. From a once "must see" show, it's now "whatever."

[birdie16]

I agree with being disappointed, but then as much as I love this show (it is the ONLY reason we have HBO) I have been disappointed all season.

As for Don, with the window breaking scene Bill did ask Don if he was getting his casino checks and at least Don looked happy when Bill and family "came out". It seems the only thing resolved from this disjointed season was the Bill and Don thing.

[marigoldmama]

Let me just clarify that Big Love is 100% better than most of the other junky shows on TV. So, it still gets an A+ in my book.

But,

How the heck did Bill win the election? The Mother of the Year Award? Wouldn't someone spill the beans?

I was enjoying all the plots except for that one. I had a tiny hope that he'd be exposed and loose but no.

So, that plot stunk the big one for me.

[JJ77]

I think the mother of the year exposure didnt get them outted on a larger scale b/c LDS wouldnt want to bring "poly" right back into the forefront again - as in look, she won mother of the year, she's mormon , she's poly ... let's affirm all the weirdness and poly stories outsiders keep tying to us. They're having a hard enough time seperating themselves from the poly of over 100 years ago image wise ... sad but true.

I think we will see a lot of reprecussions from their "coming out" - just not untill next season.
I agree with many in thinking bi will ultimately end up back at the compound - but seriously, if he didnt ehaust every other possibility of changing the face of poly before hand... we'd feel a lot different about it. But if going back to JC is shown as a last resort, we're more forgiving or accepting of it. Plus then we'll get the "changing it from the inside out" spin. (since changing it from the outside isn't going to work imo.

[blazdell]

I would think that since we all know Bill is gonna loose everything. I doubt that he will even be sworn in, he will have to resign. He will lose HomeTech, he will have no choice but to return to JC to become the phophet, since Alby has lost it, and we all know what happened to JJ. SO Bill will take his rightful seat as the phophet of JC. I believe that was his true path all along he just didnt know it. Nikki will be the only wife to go with him and she will get what she wants , first wife to the phophet. Barb and Margene will not go to JC.

[thatgirl]

The critiques are just beginning for last night's finale. Here's one:

www.nj.com/entertainment/tv/index.ssf/2010/03/big_love_end_of_days_reviewing.html

If some are right, and Bill ends up at the compound, can you imagine the culture shock he's going to experience? Having owned a company, having built a family -- and now the company is gone and he has to live within the defined "rules" of the compound. He'll flip out.

I suspect he'll stay on the outside, probably serve as congressman (after all, he was elected), and have to battle demons coming at him from all sides, including his wives. He's going to be one stressed out guy - it might become a comedy.

Big Love has lost its identity. It needs to dig deep, decide who it is, and what it wants to say. Then it can move forward. Now it's a rock having been dropped into a calm pool, sending waves in all directions - it's impossible to follow!

[JJ77]

Mar 8, 2010 16:24:42 GMT -5 thatgirl said:

If some are right, and Bill ends up at the compound, can you imagine the culture shock he's going to experience? Having owned a company, having built a family -- and now the company is gone and he has to live within the defined "rules" of the compound. He'll flip out.

I dont think he'll suffer much culture shock. It is where he comes from after all & I think we've seen some pretty clear parallels between bill's way of thinking and the compound mind set - despite his "breaking free" from it.

I suspect he'll stay on the outside, probably serve as congressman (after all, he was elected), and have to battle demons coming at him from all sides, including his wives. He's going to be one stressed out guy - it might become a comedy.

he was elected state senator, not a position anything near congressman or even US senator power wise. Personally i think the show has already become a tragic comedy.

Big Love has lost its identity. It needs to dig deep, decide who it is, and what it wants to say. Then it can move forward. Now it's a rock having been dropped into a calm pool, sending waves in all directions - it's impossible to follow!

They definitely changed the pace this season and i agree had too many simultaneous storylines going. I think next season will slow back down a bit (as the writers have inferred) and is going to (mainly) deal with the family and the backlash of going public. But i also think the choatic pace of this season (that "all directions" feel) was intentional... so that we felt the same choas they were putting the characters thru.

As far as the show having a clear message / agenda... i'm begining to think it does - first they humanize the characters , make us relate to these "poly" people in a way we wouldnt have before. (we begin to identify with them on some level, empathize, even root for them.) Then just as we think "ok, poly might work for some" the family begins to fall apart. We start to see the more serious issues involved, rather than the who gets bill on which night bs of the first couple seasons... finally, we see bill revert back to his compound mind set (hey wait he's just like THEM! lol) and suddenly we're rooting for the family to split...

I think the only way the show can come full circle will be if Bill returns to the compound, returns to his original family / faithbased agenda and changes the face of poly from the inside out. (IOW's from inside the most negative face of it, the compound.)

[BigLoveRocks!]

I may be the odd woman out here, but I suspect the ending to last night's finale was a dream.

[goofygadgit]

Mar 8, 2010 15:32:51 GMT -5 blazdell said:

I would think that since we all know Bill is gonna loose everything. I doubt that he will even be sworn in, he will have to resign. He will lose HomeTech, he will have no choice but to return to JC to become the phophet, since Alby has lost it, and we all know what happened to JJ. SO Bill will take his rightful seat as the phophet of JC. I believe that was his true path all along he just didnt know it. Nikki will be the only wife to go with him and she will get what she wants , first wife to the phophet. Barb and Margene will not go to JC.

I've been thinking that Bill is going to lose everything for a while now but nope. Not even close. This guy walks on everyone and there is little real repercussion for it. Just talk, that's all. He always winds up getting what he wants.

[marionj2]

Mar 8, 2010 19:21:40 GMT -5 BigLoveRocks! said:

I may be the odd woman out here, but I suspect the ending to last night's finale was a dream.

Wow. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if you're right! And we have to wait SO long to find out!

[rissmeek]

Mar 8, 2010 19:21:40 GMT -5 BigLoveRocks! said:

I may be the odd woman out here, but I suspect the ending to last night's finale was a dream.

Has anyone checked Margene's blog?!?!?! I bet it would/will give us clues. When the writers strike happened the story kinda kept moving because of her blog.

So I watched all 56 seconds of her vblog and it really didn't say much. "We are all going to be out there. Please remember the good times blah blah blah."

Going to be out there instead of we are out there in public? Hmm BLR you may be on to something.

[JJ77]

I think the "dream sequence" idea may just be wishful thinking lol Maybe wishing the show wasn't toeing the line of unrealistic so much?

I think the henrickson's coming out publicly as a poly family opens too many doors story wise to spend a whole season working towards it and then not have it materialize.

just my opinion.

[ragnarockette]

I was glad they came out. There was so much build-up, I want to see where them being public leads. I think exposure was a good idea and I understand what Bill was saying about "getting right" with his wrongs. He is proud of his family and doesn't want to hide in the margins. His whole belief system has been smothered in shame and I would be sick of it too.
You cannot hide who you are forever without developing a little bit of self-loathing.

I think next season will open with them being tabloid fodder. I think it will turn out to be a positive for Margene's business as it will give her loads of exposure. Nicki will love the attention. Remember her telling Alby, "we're like the Kennedys"? Barb will have the most trouble. She was happy being public, #1 wife and now she's one of three. I expect to see her and Bill (and maybe everybody else) in counseling.

[JJ77]

I think exposure was a good idea and I understand what Bill was saying about "getting right" with his wrongs. He is proud of his family and doesn't want to hide in the margins. His whole belief system has been smothered in shame and I would be sick of it too.
You cannot hide who you are forever without developing a little bit of self-loathing.

I don't fault Bill at all for wanting to come out and quit living as if he is ashamed of his family / who he is. I think you make a really good point actually.

What took me personally from rooting for bill to being completely frustrated by him was his tunnel vision. He has had his eye so set on the prize that he's been blinded to everything / everyone else around him.

I get that he wanted to do this for his family, but he seemed to completely lose touch with the very thing that was motivating him... if you're family falls apart in the process (in an irrepairable way) then what is it all for really?

Even in a best case scenario - they go public, they're accepted, he's able to help change the face of poly, etc. I fail to see how it helps / fixes the real problems in their marriage that have little to do with being public / not. Problems that i think have worsened due to his neglect and / shutting them out during his tunnel vision.

[marigoldmama]

I just don't think the whole election could've happened.

That first lady of Utah woulda recognized the name of Henrickson in two seconds and been on the phone "listen this guy is a polygamist, get him out of the election"

I'm going to take a guess that most people of Utah do not want a polygamist in the state government. One phone call to the GOP from the "governor's mansion" and Bill woulda been toast.

I just cannot understand how the writers could miss that point. The governor's wife knew about Barb Henrickson, the polygamist.

It makes me CRAZY that the he won.