One of the perks of having three wives is that you always have one to fall back on if the others won’t fulfill your every wish or desire. Bill (Bill Paxton) knows when to back down, especially when it comes to Barb (Jeanne Tripplehorn). Being the first – and most powerful – wife, Barb sets many of the rules and regulations in all three of the family homes. And, in tonight’s episode of BIG LOVE Barb has put her foot down, when it comes to visiting a bar owner’s convention. No matter, Bill has Margene (Ginnifer Goodwin), who is up for almost anything, to take along. And with Nicki (Chloe Sevigny) busy trying to plan a party at the Juniper Creek compound, Bill doesn’t have to worry about sending her into yet another jealous middle-wife tirade. Ok, she throws a little one, but that was nothing for Nicki.

It’s so sad watching Nicki grasp at anything to get back into the good graces of her mother. You know if she had her way, Nicki - and the rest of the Henrickson family - would all be nestled in at the family compound, sharing their lives and daily chores with the other 100 or so family members. Alas, she seems to have burned her bridges there. But, Nicki has her own compound – of sorts – to retreat to, so she decides to move her party to her own homes. This girl isn’t as innocent as she would like everybody to believe. I mean, first there was the spending addiction, and last week she looked like she was in the throes of passion, while playing bingo. She may like to be called a good little girl, but there is definitely a fire burning underneath those prairie clothes.

Juniper Creek does have cause for celebration – whether Nicki organizes it or not – because creepy Roman (Harry Dean Stanton) is up and walking. Wonder how he will feel about his son, Alby (Matt Ross), assuming temporary control by finagling a testament? Meanwhile, Barb has decided that she no longer wants to be trotted out as the dutiful wife, pretending that there aren’t three others back home. I don’t get it, does she want to promote the polygamist lifestyle or forget she ever agreed to it? She seems to bounce back and forth on that. This issue gets especially confusing, when Barb appears to be jealous at the prospect of Margene going on the business trip with Bill instead of Nicki, who is none to pleased about being passed over as well.


Nicki soothes her wounded ego by planning a commitment party for Joey (Shawn Doyle), Wanda (Melora Walters) and their new sister-wife. It seems as if bingo has been very good to our girl Nicki, she’s using the load of cash she has stashed underneath her bed to pay for this little shindig. Or wait maybe that’s the missing money from the Juniper Creek cash box. That would be a bit odd, but not as scary as Rhonda (Daveigh Chase) threatening to expose Heather’s (Tina Majorino) secret crush on Sarah (Amanda Seyfried). I swear Rhonda is the devil in disguise, or at the very least a little Lolita. She somehow finds a way to see into the heart and soul of a person and use their weakest points against them. Rhonda is willing to destroy the world of a teenage girl just to get a better room in the house. If only Barb could learn how to gain control over her own situation as well as Rhonda does with everybody else’s.

When Bill runs into old church buddies at the convention, it causes all sorts of trouble between Barb and Margene. Being introduced, as his secretary was bad enough, but calling Barb in to save the day, was more than the poor third-wife could handle. As usual, Barb fulfilled her duty and insulted and hurt her sister-wife in the process. However, all was smoothed over, when Bill spilled the beans about his family situation to his potential new clients. Oh, the things husbands have to do to pacify their wives. Roman Grant may not have to worry about that for very much longer. After making a miraculous recovery, he was taken home to the safety of Juniper Creek, where his slimy son preceded to attempt to kill him with an overdose of morphine. Does Roman die? We’ll have to wait until next week to find out, but something tells me his pretty little Rhonda may have sung him right up into heaven.