Why Big Love is the Best Show on Television

Ok, I know I keep saying that I'm going away and I'm still here posting, but this is the last one before vacay. Seriously. Well, probably.

I just watched this week's episode of Big Love and it was one of the most perfectly executed hours of television that I've ever seen. They took something as normal and cliched as a family road trip and turned it into a tour de force. As an aspiring writer it was an inspiration to watch. Taking a hackneyed concept and completely reinventing is an art, and it reminded me that if your characters are strong enough, different enough, then there are no cliches. When you put fresh characters into an overplayed situation the results are surprising, exciting even.

I know that Big Love is a controversial show. There are people that find it offensive because it plays on religious stereotypes, but I couldn't disagree more. I remember when I first heard about the show and I was so turned off by the concept. I wondered why anyone would ever want to watch a show about polygamy, it was just such an icky topic. But the beauty of Big Love is that while their lifestyle is completely foreign to most of us, they have the same struggles that we do. They fall in love, they lose faith, they lie, they laugh, they take care of their kids and make dinner every night. Granted they do it all with sister-wives, but it almost starts to seem normal after a while.

If you've never watched the show I urge you to check it out. This season in particular is simply outstanding. And really, getting a sister-wife wouldn't be all bad, right? I mean, aside from having to share your husband, just imagine the possibilities for your wardrobe.