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Episode Recap: "Kingdom Come"
Bill’s ongoing high-wire act began to show signs of wear and tear tonight as rebels rose up all around him. On the home front, his wives reacted in surprising ways to his request for personal time. Barb’s underlying resentment of having to share Bill informed her negative reaction, while Nicki’s pure acceptance of her place in the pecking order had her compromising her own desires in the best interest of her husband. Meanwhile Margene played the situation to her advantage, protesting meekly about being nothing more than a sex toy for Bill while happily offering him physical release from his frustrations. (I was somewhat surprised by the fairly graphic depiction of their coupling, but this is, after all, HBO.) I thought Nicki’s line about being “the most stress-free of any of us” was wonderfully ironic because, in her own twisted way, she was absolutely right. From the perspective of a practicing polygamist, Nicki’s blind belief in the Principle makes her the most likely to acquiesce to Bill’s wishes.
While the wives continued to fight over their time with Bill, it was his son who was most in need of his guidance. While Ben struggled with coming clean about the nature of his relationship with Brynn, his parents, especially Barb, were faced with the harsh reality of the impact of their influence on their son’s future. Douglas Smith has been extremely effective as the tightly wound eldest son, and he has been putting in excellent work this season as Ben has earnestly tried to reconcile his faith with his desires. His wholehearted need to legitimize his relationship ended up being the last straw as he clumsily admitted his vision for his future to an unnerved Barb. When she in turn confronted Brynn about the complexity of the life she was signing up for, Brynn was compelled to end the relationship. Ben has Bill on such a pedestal, and their father-son dynamic — peppered with religious and moral overtones — continues to be fascinating to watch.
The simmering war between the Greenes and Roman came to a shocking boiling point as Bill’s betrayal of the Greenes' uneasy trust lead to their brutal retaliation against Roman in the final moments of tonight’s episode. I knew that there was no way the ATF had managed to capture all of the followers, and the phone call to Bill, delivered by a cornered Hollis Greene, left me with a very unsettled feeling that we have not seen or heard the last of these people. The buildup has been too ominous to be so easily squelched by alleged capture. (By the way, almost as scary as Hollis Greene was the Boston agent who made no bones about her contempt for Bill's lifestyle.)
Speaking of unwelcome family connections, Lois squealed like a pig when Frank confronted her with the stolen money that he cleverly traced to the multitude of sweet-pea cans in her kitchen. (I did enjoy her pathetic attempt at seduction and her offer that was mercifully scoffed at by Frank — an image that will haunt me for some time to come.) I am interested to learn more of how Uncle Eddie figured into Bill’s eviction from Juniper Creek and how that created the current rift with Frank, a man who seems to have no qualms about blackmailing and betraying his own sons when the need arises.
Only four episodes left, I am sorry to report, though I suspect the action is just heating up. Watching this show this season has allowed me to utter the two words I never thought I'd say — Tony who?
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Jul 30, 2007 11:56 PM
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that was a great episode. there was so much going on it felt like it was longer than a regular episode. I never thought someone could make Roman seem not so bad, but the Greens are beyond creepy. Although, I get such a laugh out of how they talk on the phone like they're dictating a letter, even "signing off". It's how little kids do it... very literal. My little niece will sometimes say "love so and so" instead of just saying I love you, bye.  I'm with you though, I bet we have not seen the last of the Greens. Strangely I kind of hope Roman isn't dead, but if he is, it will certainly make things even more interesting.
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Jul 31, 2007 12:12 AM
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Man the Greenes creep me out. Is Selma a man or a woman? They sort of look like an old Manson family....you know if they lived in a sewer and liked polygamy. And they have no problem shooting people for Hollis...can anyone say..."Charlie?"
Im kinda disapointed in a way that we didn't find out that Nikki was secretly desireing for Bill to, "Please Her" but his retort that she was a "good girl" made sense. He's got margie the bad, Nikki the good, and Barb his sounding board.
And I did feel sorry for Ben.
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Jul 31, 2007 12:49 AM
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Am I the only one a little suprised that Bill just took it for granted that the Green's would be caught? Ditto to Margie being bad, Nicky being good, and Barb being constant. I feel sorry for the Ben and Sarah, they seem to really need their father. Sarah line "I am always here" was telling.
I thought the sex scenes were a bit much, even for HBO. AND do people from Boston really speak like that? Noth that there is anything wrong with it, just curious if they exaggerated the accent any to play up the fact that the ATF agent is definately NOT from Utah.
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Jul 31, 2007 12:59 AM
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Anyone suprised to see Frank turn absolutely crazy should watch Bruce Dern in the movie, "THE Cowboys" He terrorizes these little children and since the first time I saw it, I have never really been able to look at him another way.
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Jul 31, 2007 1:50 AM
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I thought the sex scenes were a bit much, even for HBO
You clearly didn't watch Rome. The sex scenes in Big Love are disappointing in that regard, hehe.
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Jul 31, 2007 4:13 AM
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I was thinking the same about Selma Green is that a man or a woman? But I heard Hollis call Selma his brother. And you're right this isnt the last time we will see Hollis Green and his followers.
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Jul 31, 2007 6:35 AM
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Awesome episode! Very interesting to see how "nights" go at the Hendrickson household. I don't believe Roman is dead (2 of the shots hit him in the shoulder) and we definitely haven't seen the last of the Greenes.
I knew I was totally addicted to this show when they flashed "Only 4 episodes eft" and I yelled NO......
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Jul 31, 2007 5:12 PM
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I just started watching the show this year and am still a bit confused, but my sister says that Selma was born a women, but as we can see didn't like it.
I think I'm going to have to rent the previous season to get "the whole story". But I do love it - even if sometimes I'm in a fog.
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Aug 1, 2007 2:18 PM
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I assumed Selma was a transexual and as first wife probably shares the other wives with "her" husband.
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Aug 1, 2007 5:47 PM
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Zinger,
I did not watch Rome...Seeing Bill's head go under Nicki's skirt was both shocking and amusing at the same time!
I can't figure Selma out!
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Aug 5, 2007 12:09 AM
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re "do people from Boston really speak like that?"
OMG, the Boston accent was SO bad it was laughable. My husband and I both said aloud, at the same time, "Is she from Australia?" (We've lived near Boston all our lives.)
Not sure why they made her speak with this "accent". Admittedly one of the most difficult to reproduce, very few actors can pull it off. (Heh, also one of the most difficult to get rid of!) And it didn't add anything to the story.
Deb
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Aug 6, 2007 6:42 AM
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what did the blogger mean at the end by "Tony who?"
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Aug 20, 2007 5:16 PM
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