Empire (Big Love)

Last updated
"Empire"
Big Love episode
Episode no.Season 3
Episode 2
Directed by Jim McKay
Story by Dustin Lance Black
Teleplay by
Cinematography byAlan Caso
Editing byChris Figler
Original release dateJanuary 25, 2009 (2009-01-25)
Running time57 minutes
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
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"Empire" is the second episode of the third season of the American drama television series Big Love . It is the 26th overall episode of the series and was written by co-producer Dustin Lance Black and series creators Mark V. Olsen and Will Scheffer from a story by Black, and directed by Jim McKay. It originally aired on HBO on January 25, 2009.

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, Ana tries to get used to Bill's family, while the wives also face different challenges.

According to Nielsen Media Research, the episode was seen by an estimated 1.40 million household viewers. The episode received positive reviews from critics, although some expressed mixed reactions to the Juniper Creek subplot.

Plot

As part of her relationship with Bill (Bill Paxton), Ana (Branka Katić) group-dates Barbara (Jeanne Tripplehorn), Nicki (Chloë Sevigny) and Margie (Ginnifer Goodwin) to get to know them as a family. Margie asks Bill to consider having a baby with Nicki, prompting the family to question why they have not been able to conceive a child. Nicki explains that Bill needs the blessing from Roman (Harry Dean Stanton), so Bill is forced to visit him. Roman says he will grant him his blessing if he can locate Rhonda, as her testimony could send him to prison and expose Bill's polygamy.

Bill and Don (Joel McKinnon Miller) have another meeting with Jerry Flute (Robert Beltran), but it ends badly as Don forgot to tell Bill about a model replica of the casino. When Bill scolds him, Don says he cannot provide him with more money, forcing Bill to ask Margie's help in building a model replica. While Jerry likes the model, he is still unsure of a partnership due to Bill's problems with Don, as well as the increasing disdain of polygamy by the public. Trying to save the pitch, Margie makes a crude remark on Jerry's Native American heritage, angering both Bill and Jerry. Sarah (Amanda Seyfried) surprises Scott (Aaron Paul) by announcing she has been accepted into Arizona State University. Barbara is surprised by the announcement, and Sarah reiterates it has to do with her new life.

In Juniper Creek, Kathy (Mireille Enos) fears over having to testify against Roman, but Alby (Matt Ross) threatens Joey (Shawn Doyle) into having her testify. Nicki visits Adaleen (Mary Kay Place), and her mother is angered when Nicki explains she does not want to have more children. Frank (Bruce Dern) visits Lois (Grace Zabriskie) to introduce her to Jodean (Enos), and they get into a physical fight. Frank's other wife, Nita (Jenny O'Hara), attacks Frank in order to save Lois. Lois is then forced to keep Frank tied at her house.

Barbara takes Nicki to a fertility doctor to check on her. Alone with the doctor, Nicki reveals she is taking birth control pills and asks for more prescriptions, feeling she is not ready to have more children. Frankie (Mark L. Young) takes Sarah and her friends with a few friends to use drugs, causing Scott to confront Sarah over her actions. Despite Scott offering to get a job near her, Sarah breaks up with him. Later, Sarah is revealed to be pregnant. Bill discovers that one of Don's wives has taken their kids, making his current marriage to Peg (Wendy Phillips) a case of monogamy. Despite Margie's comment, Jerry agrees to partner with Bill. Barbara is informed that she is not diagnosed with cervical cancer, and the family convinces Ana in joining them for a picnic.

Production

Development

The episode was written by co-producer Dustin Lance Black and series creators Mark V. Olsen and Will Scheffer from a story by Black, and directed by Jim McKay. This was Black's fourth writing credit, Olsen's 15th writing credit, Scheffer's 15th writing credit, and McKay's third directing credit. [1]

Reception

Viewers

In its original American broadcast, "Empire" was seen by an estimated 1.40 million household viewers. [2] This was a 20% increase in viewership from the previous episode, which was watched by an estimated 1.16 million household viewers with a 1.4 in the 18–49 demographics. [3]

Critical reviews

"Empire" received positive reviews from critics. Amelie Gillette of The A.V. Club gave the episode an "A–" grade and wrote, "But even off the compound polygamy isn't the indoor picnic (could these family dates get any worse?) that it seems to be. This episode illustrated in no uncertain terms that the constant pursuit of the new (new wives, new babies, new sources of income) in polygamy often comes at the expense of the old." [4]

Emily St. James of Slant Magazine wrote, "Sadly, no matter how hard the Juniper Creek stuff tries, it's just never going to be as compelling as what's going on at Henrickson Central, where the five most interesting characters (Bill, his three wives and his oldest daughter, Sarah) all got interesting storylines this week." [5] Mark Blankenship of HuffPost gave the episode a "B+" grade and wrote, "So we end the episode in some murky moral terrain, where no one is completely right or wrong. That's enough to get me back next week. It would've been higher - especially because of the Vernie and Jo Jo stuff - but Sarah's pregnancy and Margene's lesson on tolerance were just too hokey to overlook." [6]

Related Research Articles

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

Big Love is an American drama television series created by Mark V. Olsen and Will Scheffer that aired on HBO from 2006 to 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.

"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.

"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.

"Easter" is the eighth 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 Steve Shill. It originally aired on HBO on April 30, 2006.

"A Barbecue for Betty" is the ninth episode of the American drama television series Big Love. The episode was written by producer Jill Sprecher and series creators Mark V. Olsen and Will Scheffer from a story by Sprecher and Karen Sprecher, and directed by Julian Farino. It originally aired on HBO on May 7, 2006.

"The Ceremony" is the twelfth episode and first season finale of the American drama television series Big Love. The episode was written by series creators Mark V. Olsen and Will Scheffer, and directed by Julian Farino. It originally aired on HBO on June 4, 2006.

"The Writing on the Wall" is the second episode of the second season of the American drama television series Big Love. It is the fourteenth overall episode of the series and was written by series creators Mark V. Olsen and Will Scheffer, and directed by Sarah Pia Anderson. It originally aired on HBO on June 18, 2007.

"The Happiest Girl" is the tenth episode of the second season of the American drama television series Big Love. It is the 22nd overall episode of the series and was written by supervising producers Jeanette Collins and Mimi Friedman and series creators Mark V. Olsen and Will Scheffer from a story by Doug Stockstill and Jennifer Schuur, and directed by Tom Vaughan. It originally aired on HBO on August 13, 2007.

"Block Party" is the first episode of the third season of the American drama television series Big Love. It is the 25th overall episode of the series and was written by series creators Mark V. Olsen and Will Scheffer, and directed by Dan Attias. It originally aired on HBO on January 18, 2009.

"On Trial" is the fourth episode of the third season of the American drama television series Big Love. It is the 28th overall episode of the series and was written by series creators Mark V. Olsen and Will Scheffer, and directed by executive producer David Knoller. It originally aired on HBO on February 8, 2009.

"For Better or Worse" is the fifth episode of the third season of the American drama television series Big Love. It is the 29th overall episode of the series and was written by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, and directed by Julie Anne Robinson. It originally aired on HBO on February 15, 2009.

"Fight or Flight" is the seventh episode of the third season of the American drama television series Big Love. It is the 31st overall episode of the series and was written by co-producer Patricia Breen, and directed by Adam Davidson. It originally aired on HBO on March 1, 2009.

"Rough Edges" is the eighth episode of the third season of the American drama television series Big Love. It is the 32nd overall episode of the series and was written by series creators Mark V. Olsen and Will Scheffer, and directed by consulting producer Dan Attias. It originally aired on HBO on March 8, 2009.

"Free at Last" is the first episode of the fourth season of the American drama television series Big Love. It is the 35th overall episode of the series and was written by series creators Mark V. Olsen and Will Scheffer, and directed by producer Dan Attias. It originally aired on HBO on January 10, 2010.

"The Mighty and Strong" is the fourth episode of the fourth season of the American drama television series Big Love. It is the 38th overall episode of the series and was written by Melanie Marnich, and directed by consulting producer Dan Attias. It originally aired on HBO on January 31, 2010.

"Winter" is the first episode of the fifth season of the American drama television series Big Love. It is the 44th overall episode of the series and was written by series creators Mark V. Olsen and Will Scheffer, and directed by David Petrarca. It originally aired on HBO on January 16, 2011.

"D.I.V.O.R.C.E." is the sixth episode of the fifth season of the American drama television series Big Love. It is the 49th overall episode of the series and was written by series creators Mark V. Olsen and Will Scheffer, and directed by Howard Deutch. It originally aired on HBO on February 20, 2011.

References

  1. ↑ "Big Love – WGA Directory". Writers Guild of America West . Retrieved May 10, 2024.
  2. ↑ Seidman, Robert (January 27, 2009). "Updated:Obama inauguration, WWE RAW and Burn Notice lead weekly cable viewing". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on September 4, 2012. Retrieved May 10, 2024.
  3. ↑ "Broadcast & Cable Nielsens: Week Ending January 18, 2009". Ratings Ryan. July 24, 2020. Retrieved May 10, 2024.
  4. ↑ Gillette, Amelie (January 25, 2009). "Big Love: "Block Party"". The A.V. Club . Retrieved May 10, 2024.
  5. ↑ St. James, Emily (January 26, 2009). "Big Love Recap: Season 3, Episode 2, "Empire"". Slant Magazine . Retrieved May 10, 2024.
  6. ↑ Blankenship, Mark (January 27, 2009). "The Big Review: Big Love Season 3, Ep. 2 (Spoilers)". HuffPost . Archived from the original on February 2, 2009. Retrieved May 11, 2024.
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