"Big Love" Recap & Review - "The Happiest Girl"

Big Love
"The Happiest Girl"
Original Air Date: August 13, 2007

[Submitted by: Stacey]

This was the third to last episode. There were a ton of plot points setting up for the season finale – possibly a cliffhanger. Alby has taken over the lead at the Compound. He is power hungry and by the end of the episode he has his ailing father transferred back to the Compound from the hospital so that he and his first wife can look after him. They proceed to drug him with who knows what drug – but as viewers we assume it to be a lethal dose. Only time will tell. Also, Frank goes to Alby to stick a thorn in his son’s side and asks for Kathy’s hand in marriage – pledging allegiance to Alby in return. Kathy is in the middle of having a commitment ceremony to Joey and Wanda when Alby busts in the break up the party and reveal Kathy is promised to another man. Another plot point we’ll hear about next week or in the finale.

Bill decides to take Margie to a conference to introduce himself and his wife to all the Weber Gaming associates after both Barb and Nicki refuse. Margie is more than happy to go – acting almost like it is the first time she has been “claimed” by her husband. Of course once there, she blabs about being a third wife and I put my hand over my face in embarrassment as she didn’t stop talking – revealing secrets about their polygamist life.

When an old friend of Bill and Barb’s shows up at the convention, Bill calls Barb and begs her to come save him in public while Margie is relegated into hiding. In order to get her revenge, she ends up hanging with Bill’s associates and tells them she is Bill’s mistress. Bill surprises them and Barb and Margie by telling them all that both Barb and Margie are his wives. The associates seemed wary of his “squeaky clean” image, so this seemed a sad attempt to dirty up his image while also throwing a bone to Margie who felt left out and unclaimed. Unfortunately, Barb was really upset by the “outing” while Margie absolutely beamed. She says “let me be Bill’s wife for Weber Gaming, you can have Home Plus.” Again, Barb has made peace with her lifestyle, but she will never fully own it the way Nicki and even Margie do.

Finally, Rhonda and Sarah. Rhonda has become a ridiculous character manipulating and lying her way through these episodes. Both Rhonda and Alby’s characters are a bit out of the blue. All of the sudden then have become unrealistic – way too exaggerated in their “bad guy” persona. It’s really hard to watch and unbelievable that someone like Rhonda, for instance, has so much power over Sarah and her friend.

Next week will surely be exciting as all these set ups will start to unravel and explode into conflict – hopefully leaving us all ready for a powerful finale.

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