‘Big Love’ Free At Last Review

A family of Mormons, or a family of gangsters? You decide.

Do you know anyone with a more stressful life than the Henrickson family? The stress factor doesn’t seem to be changing in season four of Big Love. But that’s why we love the show, it keeps our hearts racing with undeniable glee. Courtesy of HBO, I was able to preview this episode (titled: Free At Last) before it airs on Sunday, January 10th @ 9 pm ET/PT on HBO. With the show starting off with people singing, “All is well” you can’t help but feel irony pressing against you like a red-as-lady-gaga’s-lipstick hot coal. Because when is everything all well in this show?

The season starts as the Blackfoot Magic Casino is about to open. Finally! We’ve (okay – they’ve) been working on this project for so long! Still, even with all the time to prepare there’s still problems. The FBI is circulating everyone in this episode (they’re not nice, or so I heard). This makes Bill’s partners (rightly) nervous. I know I certainly wouldn’t get into business (or bed) with Bill.

Just as they all need Margie around more she finds herself struggling to secretly assert her independence via her home shopping business. And they really need Margie around when Barb and ‘I know best’ attitude doesn’t go over well with everyone at the casino. Normally I can sympathize with Barb a little more than I could in this episode.

And where is Nikki, you ask? Well, Nicki finds herself still busy with her daughter and ex-husband. The compound always finds a way to bring her into trouble, and that isn’t about to end. Adaleen sure knows how to manipulate her daughter. Sadly, Nicki is still trusting the wrong people. The few times she really means well always turn out badly.

As was reported by The Washington Post, the first episode of season four does include Alby in a “close encounter” with another man of the church. The other man’s identity will leave you certainly leave you shocked.

By the end of this episode, you might feel that this family of Mormons is more akin to a family of gangsters.

Misc:

– “I was wrong in attempting to hasten your demise.”
– Frank uses the phrase “…hair on your chinny, chin chin”.
– “Colossal gal”
– So many birds! Birds drive me nuts.
– “Bacon, I need some BACON!”
– “I don’t wanna hurt you, I just wanna KILL YOU.”
– Crab legs!
– Christian rock, okay – we can get on board with it. Although I prefer the Johnny Cash and Frank Sinatra played in this episode.
– Margie’s dress near the end is much like the green bridesmaid dresses that Buffy, Dawn, Tara and Willow had to wear in the “Hells Bells” episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
– All of the wives seem as vulnerable as ever.
– Sarah has hardly any screen time, boo!

– “Free At Last” was written by Mark V. Olsen & Will Scheffer, directed by Dan Attias.