Affair (Big Love)

Last updated
"Affair"
Big Love episode
Episode no.Season 1
Episode 5
Directed by Alan Taylor
Story by Alexa Junge
Teleplay by
Produced by
Cinematography by James Glennon
Editing byCarole Kravetz
Original release dateApril 9, 2006 (2006-04-09)
Running time54 minutes
Guest appearance
Episode chronology
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"Roberta's Funeral"
List of episodes

"Affair" is the fifth episode of the American drama television series Big Love . The episode was written by co-executive producer Alexa Junge and series creators Mark V. Olsen and Will Scheffer from a story by Junge, and directed by Alan Taylor. It originally aired on HBO on April 9, 2006.

Contents

The series is set in Salt Lake City and follows Bill Henrickson, a fundamentalist Mormon. He practices polygamy, having Barbara, Nicki and Margie as his wives. The series charts the family's life in and out of the public sphere in their suburb, as well as their associations with a fundamentalist compound in the area. In the episode, Bill and Barbara decide to have some escapes to a motel, raising Nicki's suspicions that he might have an affair.

According to Nielsen Media Research, the episode was seen by an estimated 4.20 million household viewers. The episode received mostly positive reviews from critics, who praised the performances, although some questioned the characters' decisions.

Plot

After attending a historic preservation event, Bill Henrickson (Bill Paxton) and Barbara (Jeanne Tripplehorn) have sex off the road in their car. This encounter motivates them in seeking a motel to reignite their relationship. Bill's behavior causes Nicki (Chloë Sevigny) to suspect that he might have an affair.

Don (Joel McKinnon Miller) contacts the attorney general's "Polygamy czar", claiming that his mother has been conned by Roman (Harry Dean Stanton) and offers information on Roman to help build a case against him. However, Bill's bookkeeper, Wendy (Jodie Markell), suspects that Don is involved in polygamy. When Bill dismisses her concerns, she confronts Don's wife, Peg (Wendy Phillips), but Peg is not affected by her threat. When Alby (Matt Ross) is unable to find anything incriminating against Bill, he is insulted by Roman and gets into an argument with Rhonda (Daveigh Chase).

Margie (Ginnifer Goodwin) decides to spend more time with Pam (Audrey Wasilewski). She allows her into the house, and lies by claiming that she is a widow. When Barbara and Nicki discover her actions, they scold her for risking their lives as they found errors in her statements. Nicki's suspicions arise when she discovers a hotel soap in her casket, and confides in Barbara that Bill may have an affair. While Bill and Barbara leave for another encounter, Alby shows up at their house to talk to Bill. Nicki makes her brother leave the property, with the latter claiming Bill only married her as a "collateral" for a loan. Having realized that the "affair" was Bill and Barbara, Nicki reunites the family to make an announcement: she wants another baby. Bill happily accepts the news, and while Barbara and Margie are surprised, they also express support for her decision.

Production

Development

The episode was written by co-executive producer Alexa Junge and series creators Mark V. Olsen and Will Scheffer from a story by Junge, and directed by Alan Taylor. This was Junge's first writing credit, Olsen's fifth writing credit, Scheffer's fifth writing credit, and Taylor's first directing credit. [1]

Reception

Viewers

In its original American broadcast, "Affair" was seen by an estimated 4.20 million household viewers. [2] This was a 20% increase from the previous episode, which was watched by an estimated 3.50 million household viewers. [3]

Critical reviews

"Affair" received positive reviews from critics. Michael Peck of TV Guide wrote, "Ah, answered questions. Which wife does Bill love the most? I knew which one he should, of course, but now we see he's got some sense: Barb. It's kind of sweet to see them sneaking off together, ain't it? Provided you're not Nicki or Margene, of course. Then again, "sweet" doesn't apply to Nicki, of course." [4]

Michael Sciannamea of TV Squad wrote, "There were more plot turns in this episode than a ride down San Francisco's Lombard Street, but this seemed to be the best one so far. Bill's fight with Roman is going to get nastier, and all of the attention being paid to polygamy should be coming to a head soon enough." [5] Television Without Pity gave the episode a "B+" grade. [6]

Related Research Articles

<i>Big Love</i> American drama television series

Big Love is an American drama television series that aired on HBO from March 11, 2006, to March 20, 2011. It stars Bill Paxton as the patriarch of a fundamentalist Mormon family in contemporary Utah that practices polygamy, with Jeanne Tripplehorn, Chloë Sevigny, and Ginnifer Goodwin portraying his wives. The series charts the family's life in and out of the public sphere in their Salt Lake City suburb, as well as their associations with a fundamentalist compound in the area. It features key supporting performances from Amanda Seyfried, Grace Zabriskie, Daveigh Chase, Matt Ross, Mary Kay Place, Bruce Dern, Melora Walters, and Harry Dean Stanton.

Grace Zabriskie is an American actress. She is known for her roles as Sarah Palmer in Twin Peaks and its film prequel Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992), Lois Henrickson in Big Love, as well as in cult films such as two of David Lynch's films: Juana Durango in Wild at Heart (1990) and Visitor #1 in Inland Empire (2006). Other film roles include Norma Rae (1979), An Officer and a Gentleman (1982), Nickel Mountain (1984), The Big Easy (1986), Leonard Part 6 (1987), Drugstore Cowboy (1989), Child's Play 2 (1990), My Own Private Idaho (1991), Fried Green Tomatoes (1991), Even Cowgirls Get the Blues (1993), Armageddon (1998), Gone in 60 Seconds (2000), and The Grudge (2004). She is also known for her recurring roles on such shows as Seinfeld, Charmed, and Ray Donovan.

Mark V. Olsen is an American television producer and screenwriter. He was the co-creator and executive producer of the HBO series Big Love and Getting On along with his writing partner and husband Will Scheffer. In 2007, Olsen and Scheffer won a TV Writers Guild of America Award for the pilot episode of Big Love.

Will Scheffer is an American playwright, and was co-creator and executive producer of the television series Big Love and the American remake of Getting On with longtime life partner Mark V. Olsen. He is President and CEO of Anima Sola Productions, which he founded with Olsen in 1992 to create television and film content.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bill Henrickson</span> Soap opera character

William Orville "Bill" Henrickson is a fictional character in the HBO series Big Love, portrayed by Bill Paxton. The protagonist of the series, he is the head of a polygamous family. He is married to three wives, Barbara Henrickson, Nicolette Grant and Margene Heffman. He has fathered nine children with these three women, and a tenth child with Ana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nicolette Grant</span> A main character on HBOs Big Love

Nicolette Eugenia "Nicki" Grant is a character in Big Love, an HBO television series set among contemporary polygamists in Utah. The role is played by Chloë Sevigny. The show focuses on the family of Bill Henrickson; Nicki is the second of Henrickson's three wives, and the mother of three of his children: Cara Lynn, Wayne, and Raymond.

Barbara "Barb" Dutton Henrickson is a character on HBO's Big Love portrayed by Jeanne Tripplehorn. Barb is the first wife of Bill Henrickson. Barb was raised in a traditional Mormon family, outside polygamy. Bill and Barb met while in college, and married soon afterward. Together, they had three children. Barb almost died of uterine cancer after the birth of Tancy "Teeny" Henrickson, the youngest of Barb's children, right before Bill married his second wife Nicolette "Nicki" Grant and later, his third wife Margene Heffman.

Albert "Alby" Grant, played by Matt Ross, is a fictional character from the HBO series Big Love. The character is loosely based on the real life polygamist leader Warren Jeffs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Grant</span> Fictional character

Roman Grant is a fictional character in the HBO series, Big Love, and is portrayed by Harry Dean Stanton. He was the prophet of the Juniper Creek Compound, and is the father of Nicolette Grant and Alby Grant. The character is loosely based on the real life polygamist leader Rulon Jeffs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rhonda Volmer</span> Fictional character

Rhonda Volmer is a fictional character in the HBO series Big Love, and is portrayed by Daveigh Chase. She is introduced in the series as the 14-year-old bride-to-be of Juniper Creek cult leader Roman Grant.

Sarah Elizabeth Henrickson is a character on the HBO series Big Love. She is portrayed by Amanda Seyfried. Sarah is the eldest child of Bill Henrickson with his first and legal wife Barbara Henrickson. Though only a supporting character in the first two seasons, Sarah became popular in the show in its third season until actress Amanda Seyfried decided to depart the show to focus on her movie career at the end of season four. She returned in the series finale in the last scene.

<i>Sister Wives</i> American reality television series (2010–present)

Sister Wives is an American reality television series broadcast on TLC that premiered on September 26, 2010. The show documents the life of a polygamist family, which includes Kody Brown, his wife Robyn, ex-wives Meri, Janelle, and Christine, and their 18 children. The family began the series living in Lehi, Utah, moved to Las Vegas in 2011, and to Flagstaff, Arizona, in mid-2018.

Margene "Margie" Heffman is a character on Big Love, the fictional HBO television series set among contemporary polygamists in Utah. The role is played by Ginnifer Goodwin. The show focuses on the family of Bill Henrickson; Margene is the third of Henrickson's three wives, and the mother of three of Henrickson's children: Aaron, Lester, and Nell.

"Pilot" is the series premiere of the American drama television series Big Love. The episode was written by series creators Mark V. Olsen and Will Scheffer, and directed by Rodrigo García. It originally aired on HBO on March 12, 2006.

"Viagra Blue" is the second episode of the American drama television series Big Love. The episode was written by series creators Mark V. Olsen and Will Scheffer, and directed by Charles McDougall. It originally aired on HBO on March 19, 2006.

"Home Invasion" is the third episode of the American drama television series Big Love. The episode was written by series creators Mark V. Olsen and Will Scheffer, and directed by Charles McDougall. It originally aired on HBO on March 26, 2006.

"Eclipse" is the fourth episode of the American drama television series Big Love. The episode was written by consulting producer David Manson and series creators Mark V. Olsen and Will Scheffer from a story by Manson, and directed by Michael Spiller. It originally aired on HBO on April 2, 2006.

"Roberta's Funeral" is the sixth episode of the American drama television series Big Love. The episode was written by Eileen Myers, and directed by Mary Harron. It originally aired on HBO on April 16, 2006.

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References

  1. ↑ "Big Love – WGA Directory". Writers Guild of America West . Retrieved May 3, 2024.
  2. ↑ "Cable Series by Total Households week of 04/03/06-04/09/06". Zap2it. Archived from the original on April 14, 2006. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
  3. ↑ "Expanded Nielsen ratings, March 27 - April 2". USA Today. April 4, 2006. Archived from the original on April 9, 2006. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
  4. ↑ Peck, Michael (April 9, 2006). "Big Love: Affair". TV Guide . Archived from the original on June 18, 2006. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
  5. ↑ Sciannamea, Michael (April 10, 2006). "Big Love: Affair". TV Squad . Archived from the original on January 21, 2008. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
  6. ↑ "Big Love: "Affair" - They want to know what love is". Television Without Pity . April 14, 2006. Archived from the original on May 7, 2008. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
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