You're On the Wrong Path, Brother

By Melissa McKimmey | TV | February 11, 2010 |

By Melissa McKimmey | TV | February 11, 2010 |

True story, I watch “Big Love” at my parents house because I’m too cheap to pay for movie channels. My mom DVR’s it in case I can’t make it on Sunday, but if I don’t, first thing the next morning I hear “Oh, it was SO good! But I won’t tell you what happened! Oh, you are going to love it! I’m not going to tell you, though. Man, Bill was so- nevermind, I’m not telling you.” She’s totally hooked. I got her into “Dexter” this season and I’m pretty proud of that one as well.

So let’s get on with it, shall we? This week’s episode is “Sins of the Father.” Subtle, guys. This week the A plot is the convention, B plot is the casino. Everything is really tied together and emotional this week. Also, no Alby in this episode. Boo.

A Plot: Bill’s senate bid. Margie and Nicki get chatty over gift bags for the campaign. I would love to know what they have in them. Nicki’s digging for gossip about Margie and Bill and dropping tidbits about how she and Bill are perusing a baby and she’s “actively participating.” Uh, thanks for the visual, Nicki.

Marilyn Densham is in Utah and is aggressively pursuing Bill to let her represent the casino’s interests in DC. Bill blows her off and then hangs up on her. Bill is a moron. If she’s the one who got Paley to listen to you, maybe you should be a little grateful, Bill? I think he A) doesn’t like a more powerful woman than him and B) figures he got what he wanted, now he doesn’t have to be nice. And he’s supposed to be a politician?

Margie confronts Bill. She’s read scripture, prayed, reflected and now Bill needs to forgive her. He’s ignoring her and they haven’t had sex in a week! Margie has needs, people! Barb comes in and she’s supportive of Margie and tells her she’ll talk to Bill.

Bill and Barb are having a home teaching session. Wow, that brings back memories! OK, it doesn’t I never had a home teacher, but my in-laws do. By the way, home teaching is when members of the church that come over and talk about scripture and help you with any personal problems using a religious slant. Barb decides to put Bill on the spot and describes his problem with Nicki as though it were her. The home teachers don’t get a word in, because Bill adds details to Barbs account that she doesn’t know, like the fact that the kiss was no accident. It’s funny, until you realize how pissed Barb is going to be.

Nicki’s still Bill’s spy in the Colburn campaign. She overhears that Colburn and Paley are in a spat, so she gives Bill a heads-up to get Paley to his side. Bill calls Nicki a good girl. Ew. I hate when Bill does that. It’s so patronizing and it’s a throwback to how Roman treated women.

The family throws a Ronald Regan dance party. No, I’m not kidding. And it looks like it’s at a school? Can you do that? Aren’t schools non-political zones? Congressman Paley shows up at Bill’s shindig and he’s on team Bill. Bill and Barb dance. He looks thrilled, she looks depressed. It’s fitting.

Turns out Ben’s been shacking up with Sarah and ignoring the ‘rents. Margie tried to get him to talk to his dad.

After the dance party, Bill’s watching TV and sees a report about one of the polygamist Lost Boys being killed in a robbery. He calls Ben, who doesn’t answer. Nicki shows and they have a conversation about how it hurts her feelings that Bill makes her do the morally ambiguous stuff. And she’s sad because she’s not knocked up. Man, these people are so fucked up. She thinks the only way to make it right with Bill is to have another kid? Where are the damn kids she has now? We haven’t seen them for weeks! And when the whole family is at all of these events, who is watching the babies? Is Bill paying for a baby-sitter/fourth wife?

Convention. It seems to be at the school the dance party was at? Weird. The whole family is there, including Ben and Joey. And is it just me, or is Joey easily the most attractive person in this family? Margie’s got a table set up with her jewelry, which pisses Bill off and makes me happy. She will not be ignored! I’m torn here. On the one hand, I love Margie and these people need to talk and work things out. On the other hand, she kissed his son. On the third hand, that’s not even close to the crappy things Bill has done. It’s a draw.

Barb gets wind of the exile from Ben. She is PISSED. Bill and Ben talk at one another and Ben wants an apology. Bill doesn’t know what for, which, right there explains Bill. Of course he doesn’t know what to apologize for, that would mean he makes mistakes and considers the ramifications of his actions on others. Right after this scene, Bill treats Marilyn like crap, again. I hope she makes him cry.

The three wives are at Margie’s jewelry table and Barb attacks Margie, calls her a flirt (oh, she means whore) and a floozy like her mother. Oh, that’s low, bringing up the dead mom. Margie tells Barb to F-off. (Just like that.) It’s awesome, the look on Barb and Nicki’s faces is pure shock. And then Barb kicks the leg out from under Margie’s table and storms off. Bitch. Congressman Paley kindly helps her pick her stuff up.

Barb runs off to freak out at Bill, who tells her to get a hold of her emotions. Yeah, she’s just a little ole’ hysterical woman, right Bill? Ass.

Ben gives Lois the scoop about the exile while hitting her up for cash. Lois is pissed. (It seems to be a theme this week.) This can’t end well. Ben and Cara Lynn have 30 seconds together where they act like normal, nice people, which makes me suspect the show is setting up a potential romance. Don’t go there, show.

Convention, still. They are voting as Bill sits in the car and waits. Joey is there. And my notes say ‘Joey is handsome.’ I have good focus. Ted (Bill’s ass of a brother-in-law) comes out to give Bill the scoop that they have to have a debate and a run-off vote the next day. Oh, good. I was hoping they would stretch this out. Why is Ted there? He and Cindy got Barb kicked out of the church. Ted and Cindy probably like being close to what they perceive to be power, but why would Barb and Bill invite them. They must have some clout. I really don’t care as much as it sounds.

Convention, day two. Bill’s mug shot from when he was a Lost Boy and got arrested is everywhere. There is general freaking out and Bill sends for Ben. Bill and Barb managed to keep Bill’s past a secret from the kids. I’m surprised, but I’m not sure why.

Bill finds Margie and apologizes to her. I am shocked. It seems sincere and like he’s learned something, as he tells her that he needs to hold himself to the same standards he holds his family to. Well, yeah. Nice speech, but until you make things right with Don, I’m not on board.

Debate. Colburn is calling for extreme prosecution of these Lost Boys, obviously because he wants to bring up Bill’s past. Bill gives another good speech about love and dignity. The boys aren’t lost, they are thrown away. Eh.

Waiting for results. Bill gets the call that he won. No one, even Bill, looks happy. Marilyn calls Bill, congratulates him and then drops the bomb that she talked to Jerry (remember him?) and Jerry spilled that Bill told him that Marilyn was a liar and shady. Way to go, Bill. Seriously, he is the worst politician EVER. And he’s in Utah, it’s not that hard to be better than what we’ve got.

B Plot. The casino. Marilyn gets Bill to give her an invite to the casino. She’s got it planned for that day and that Congressman Paley is coming, as he loves to gamble (ha!). Bill thinks Marilyn is trying to bring him down, she and I think Bill’s doing it well enough on his own. Have I mentioned how awesome Sissy Spacek is in the role? Because she is. Hysterically, Margie is in the car with Paley. Bill’s shocked face makes it all worth it. Joey’s there too and Marilyn tells him she wants to hear all about the Superbowl. It’s cute. And Daphne/Nicki is driving. Awkward.

JoDean, Frank and Lois decide to visit the casino. Awesome. Bill spots them and I swear he is going to have an aneurysm right there. No dice, so he and Barb go to try and herd them out before there is a problem.

JoDean and Joey meet at the bar and have a nice chat about how great it is that Roman is dead.

Frank sees Joey, attacks him for talking to his wife and Bill hauls them all outside. Bill chokes Frank and Lois freaks. Lois, you’ve held a gun to his head, tried to suffocate him and threatened to kill him repeatedly. Bill’s just doing you a solid. Lois yells at Bill about how he doesn’t deserve Ben (true). Joey want to know what’s going on, Bill tells him the scoop and Joey freaks. He yells about how it destroyed them to be cast out and that Bill “is on the wrong path, brother!”

Side plots: Barb and Tommy wind up chatting and getting sweaty in his sweat lodge. I think they are supposed to be setting up a romance thing, but I’m not buying it. Barb and Bill seem to be doing better than the other relationships.

Bill goes to the morgue where the Lost Boy from the news report is and pays to have him buried. Which is nice and all, but maybe you would work on your family issues a little more rather than try to use cash to make yourself feel better.

This episode was complex and really involved everyone. There was a lot of yelling. I’m hoping Bill has come back to his senses, but I really don’t think things are going to go well for him. What did you guys think?

Melissa McKimmey is a mom, wife and grocery merchandiser who spends too much time on the internet and has a Chai tea addiction. She spends most of her time on the internet as TWoP Fan and can be emailed at here.