I disagree. I think they’ve done a good job of always accounting for the kids in some way (except for Teeny… we saw her walk into the reception, we saw her walk out… where was she inside??? Where dammit!). Just last night we saw Nicki with Margene’s kids and her kids while Barb and Margene were both away. Even if its a throwaway line of “Sarah’s watching the kids”, I think they have at least given us that.
Maybe Margene was trying to say that Bill never would have decided to follow the Principle if Barb hadn’t lost her ability to reproduce, so in that sense, she and Nicki were only married to Bill to make babies because Barb couldn’t. In a very real way, that’s true, because until he thought Barb might die, he wasn’t interested in polygamy.
Re: Nicki knowing Alby is gay-- didn’t she say something to him like, “Go play dress up with your wives”?
My problem with Bill is that he doesn’t treat his wives with respect. He manipulates them, pits them against each other, deceives them or tells them partial truths, but expects them to obey his commands and respect him. All the while, he paints himself as the good guy and Roman et al as repressive villains. He is no different from them anymore. Also, as Ned said at his wedding, the LDS church came out strongly against gambling, yet Bill will do it and violate the other principles he supposedly holds dear, if it can make him a few bucks.
Last season, though, there’s a scene where Margene has to deal with the kids and getting Teeny’s costume made. She gets this security guy, Tuwie (sp?) to drive her and the kids (three little kids plus Teeny…where’s the fourth little kid?!). They will mention once in a while that Sarah’s watching the kids, but it seems like they’re not really around. Like when Margene wandered out to see Nicki bonding with her mother in the backyard. Where are all the little children? Just unsupervised? (We know how that works out.)
Ruby–Yeah, I do remember Nicki’s line about telling Alby to play dress up. The way she said it seemed to indicate that she knew the truth about him. I wonder if we’ll be seeing more of Alby’s proclivities?
They do keep bringing it up, so you’d think it’d come out (pun intended) somehow, but there would have to be proof or it would look like the Hendricksons were just trumping up a rumor to hurt Alby (kinda like Rhonda was doing to Heather). What would the reaction be in the Juniper Creek community if word of Alby’s orientation got out? Would they disbelieve it, or demand proof, or would they instantly turn against him? I wonder how that’ll pan out, if it becomes a plot point.
No, I didn’t say that. I made no blanket statement about anything. I spoke specifically of Bill and his perspective of his role.
Okay, gotcha.
In the case of Bill, though, that’s what’s potentially scary about him. If he honestly thinks that God is speaking to him and that he’s following this vague Principle, then what sets him apart from Roman?
Incidentally, there was someone (Nicki?) who mentioned that the Principle went back three thousand years. I thought Mormons were only around from the 19th century on.
I think the line was as I mentioned, above. I believe you are confusing that with the line where Nikki sees Alby in regular clothes (everyone else is wearing white for the picture) and tells him to get one of his wives to dress him properly. Both lines are from the Season 2 episode “Reunion”. Anyway, that’s my recollection. I can’t find transcripts to this show anywhere, and while the HBO site has episode synopses, the details of those two encounters aren’t included.
I wondered about that too. Did Mormons borrow some of the principles of polygamy from the Old Testament? Didn’t some Old Testament men have more than one wife? Maybe I’m confusing that with widows and widowers marrying brothers and sisters, etc.
That’s what I figured. Many Old Testament figures had multiple wives. Abraham, Moses, David and Solomon, to name a few.
I don’t know if Bill would consider the Principle “vague”. We may be sketchy on some of the details but I doubt he is.
Mormons believe their faith is the true extension of the faith of Abraham and the other ancient OT patriarchs.
One thing that strikes me as odd… that it’s such a shocking revelation that Bill “stole” Weber gaming from Roman. Bill and Roman were openly feuding. Then there was a deal that Roman wanted to make, and Bill got wind of it and got in there and made the deal first. How is that something to be shocked about and hide from people? That’s what you DO when you’re feuding with someone and you’re both businessmen.
Anyhow, my favorite moment was:
Cousin: has your apostasy brought you spiritual happiness?
Bill: Shut up
As has been said by others, Mormons believe that the full true church disappeared over the centuries after Jesus died, and the various Christian churches that were left had only pieces of the whole.
According to their beliefs, this was remedied when Joseph Smith translated the golden plates. With the knowledge gained thereby, the true church, as taught by Jesus and practiced by saints and prophets of the bible, was restored.
Since their beliefs are also that these are the latter days, the official name of their church is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
I loved that!
I think Ben is going to date Sherri and Terri from The Simpsons.
Yeah, that was great! 
Also, her blurred facial expression in the background when he said into the phone, “No one was murdered.”
Let’s not forget the scene with Nikki playing internet Bingo while talking to Alby on the phone, and saying that she was cooking dinner. It’s those little touches that makes this show so enjoyable to watch.
Recalling this makes me wonder when and how Bill is going to find out that Nicki stole $60,000+ from the Compound. She is spending like crazy and gambling, and though she’s trying to cover it and be discrete, she’s not that clever. Alby knows about it, and if she fails to persuade Bill to unload Weber Gaming, wouldn’t he blow the whistle on her? If she does succeed, then that $60,000 was essentially a bribe to get her to influence Bill to do what Alby wants. What will Bill’s reaction be when this comes to light, I wonder?
What did happen to Joey, Wanda, & Cathy? Where did Joey take them? I was expecting him to show up at the Henrickson compound. Barb brought all her embarrassment re the wedding fiasco upon herself. It was bad enough that she didn’t tell Bill, but trying to force a 16 year old to go away against his will with people who’ve rejected him, his family, & his religion! And she did she really expect him to go along and not make a scene or try to escape? :eek: What the hell is that woman on?!
Well, I think she was just incredibly desperate. Seeing Ben talking about how he was actually dating two girls at once–two compound girls no less–frightened the hell out of her. I htink she was just so desperate to make sure he turned out all right, she was willing to ship him off to her mother. Not necessarily the best idea, and I know that Barb agreed to live the Principle with Bill, but it’s one thing to make sacrifices for yourself, and quite another to see them adversely affecting your kids.
To break off on a slight tangent, when Bill met with Alby (Alby was in the Hummer) does anybody know the make and model of the sunglasses Bill was wearing?
They were pretty cool looking. I’d like to track a pair down.
MtM
Finally saw this last night. I was enthralled. It’s like this show suddenly gelled over the last few episodes.
Nicki: She’s trying to get Barb to leave by encouraging her moments of anger with Bill, perhaps? What a game player. She tries to enlist Barb in her cause, only to stab her with a verbal ice pick when Barb won’t play along. She doesn’t seem to have anyone’s interests at heart except her own. She showed up at the wedding simply to ensure nothing big went down without her being involved.
Oh, poor Barb. So seriously torn. She sees what their (hers and Bill’s) choices have done to Ben and she’s trying to save him. She wants a relationship with her mother but doesn’t want to leave Bill (yet?). She didn’t answer when Bill asked if she wanted him there but asked him instead if he wanted to be there.
My heart ached for her when Nicki told her that she was lucky if she got 1/3 of the information - “it’s not Bill and Barb anymore.” She had years of Bill telling her everything, of being sure she knew everything about him and what he was doing…and now there’s secrets and minefields and things he doesn’t think are important enough to tell her. Now Nicki has important information she has no clue about and Margene’s going out with Bill socially without so much as a hint from Bill.
Bill’s left her behind in many ways, Ben is choosing his father’s path…no wonder she feels bereft and is trying to find someone who loves her. She wanted her mother to hug her and say she loved her and that she was special…but there are conditions for her mother’s love and approval, and she can’t bring herself to meet them. (and hearty applause for Burstyn from me, as well. Brought me to tears.)
Clearly Ned either knows about or is involved in the gaming thing and has no problem with it, but just wants his domestic life kept out of it.
Margene has perhaps been tainted by Nicki. Remember Nicki in the flashback scene in the hospital and how worried she was about being a baby factory? I have to wonder if there are behind-the-scenes conversations taking place. Perhaps Barb has allowed Nicki to do a lot of Margene’s “education” and I think it’s backfired because Nicki has a lot of preconceptions brought with her from JC. Plus, Nicki is very position-aware and jealous and now Margene’s being very aware of Bill “choosing” Barb over her. Nicki’s the one that talks about the relative positions and duties of first wife versus second and third wives. Nicki’s the one talking about “sublimating her jealousy for the Principle.” Nicki’s the one who knows and spouts the theory and rules, not Barb and not even Bill.
My biggest problem with Bill is that he’s manipulating his wives and not being honest with them. He expects them to roll with whatever punch he throws, but doesn’t give them the chance to be prepared.
I absolutely loved Wanda screaming that Frank was “gonna get” Kathy. Definite overtones of “Neener neener NEENER.” Apparently Kathy was okay as long as Joey was unenthusiastic, but as soon as Joey showed some warmth towards Kathy…watch out. (Either that or she’s just flipped her lid the other way again.)