HBO/Isabella Vosmikova It's here! The last days of clan Henrickson begin tonight when Big Love season five premieres at 9 p.m. on HBO, and we'll soon learn the final fates of our favorite mainstream Utah polygamists.
Can Bill Henrickson's (Bill Paxton) family overcome society's fears about their alternative lifestyle? Can the wives maintain their own increasingly fragile bonds? We've seen the first three episodes of the new season, and soaked in the atmosphere at the season premiere party earlier this week, and here's what we can safely tease about what's to come:
1. The Tagline Don't Lie: We didn't quite grasp the scale of the secrets that would be revealed in season five when we first heard the tagline "everything comes to light," but they were not kidding. Some of the reveals are about recent hijinks (Cassi Thomson's Caralynn is very curious about what happened to her dad, for example), but the most shocking reveal goes way back to one wife's wedding. This one secret alone has the power to destroy the entire family.
2. Anne Dudek Rocks: Alby Grant's (Matt Ross) right-hand woman Lura (Anne Dudek) should be doing a happy dance right now: her husband has regained control of Juniper Creek's bank accounts, so the Grants are now rich, but well...money isn't everything. When Anne Dudek promised a shocking change for Lura this season, she spoke the truth. There's probably a long-term downside to what Lura does, but in the meantime, we're stoked for what appears to be an opportunity to see more of Dudek on this series.
3. Two Out of Three Is...Bad: Nicki (Chloë Sevigny) seems to be fine in the aftermath of last season's coming-out, but Barb (Jeanne Tripplehorn) and Margene (Ginnifer Goodwin) are straight-up going crazy. Look for lots of tears and acting out from the first and third wives of Bill Henrickson.
4. Grandmama Drama: Adaleen (Mary Kay Place) and Lois (Grace Zabriskie) are loose cannons this season. Detached from their families in very different ways (one physically and the other...well, you'll see), both matriarchs seem to be a danger to themselves and others.
5. Capitol Affair: Bill Henrickson was duly elected to the Utah state legislature by the people of his district, but the people of the Utah state legislature don't want him playing in their clubhouse. Look for lots of political wrangling from Bill that's originally meant to secure his position as a key figure in state government, but which may well go horribly wrong and put the family in more jeopardy than ever.
Are you planning to watch Big Love tonight? What secrets are you most hoping come to light? Hit the comments!
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