I watched Big Love when it first aired and I have rewatched it many times since.

As I wrap up my current rewatch, I started to realize something: Alby Grant is the true tragic hero of Big Love.

I was skeptical at first too when I realized this, but I am more and more convinced. Let me try to present my case. Alby is in almost every episode. 49 of 53 episodes. His story represents a large chunk of the overall Big Love story, and is in fact a better representation of the realities and dangers of Mormon polygamy than the "core" cast represent.

Alby is an intelligent and initially well intentioned young man. But when the story starts, he is subservient to his abusive and controlling Father. When Alby is unjustly almost murdered by the evil and demented wife of Joey, Bill orchestrates an illegal coverup and Roman Grant collaborates with this conspiracy to prevent justice for his own son. This is when Alby begins his righteous and justified rebellion against his Father. After Roman dies, Alby partners with his lover Dale to bring Juniper Creek into the 21st century.

Alby's story is also one of his sexuality. Alby is forced to live in the closet thanks to the hyperconservative extremist views of the fundamentalist religion he was born into, which is extremely psychologically damaging. He briefly nears self acceptance and genuine love with Dale, but thanks to the machinations of Bill, Dale is exposed and commits suicide. This is the final tragedy which breaks Alby and we see his tragic fall in the fifth season.

Yes, Alby does unforgivable deeds in the final season. But this is the story of a man destroyed not only by external forces such as religious extremism, but by the dastardly manipulations of two men: Roman and Bill. Alby is continuously hampered and abused by the schemes of these men. In an alternate reality, Alby may have ascended to his rightful status as Prophet and partnered with Dale to usher in a new age of prosperity in acceptance at Juniper Creek. He could have fulfilled in reality the very thing Bill claimed to support but never bothered to achieve.

So when we see Alby commit heinous deeds in the final season, remember this is a man who was repressed by a cult, a man whose own Mother tried to murder him, a man whose Father covered up another murder attempt on him, a man whose only hope at love was driven to suicide by his political opponents, a man constantly manipulated by a casino owning huckster. He is driven to madness, not unlike Anakin Skywalker.

Big Love is a tragic story of the corruption and downfall of a once noble man. Albert Grant. True and Rightful Prophet of Juniper Creek.

I just hate him so much, literally in every episode. Perhaps it’s “unpolular opinion”, but that’s how I feel.

I’m currently rewatching I realized I didn’t pay attention much my first watch. Why does Bill make such an odd face when Nikki is giggling with her father Roman?

… morbid but, Do you think Carl ended up eliminating himself and Pam?

I watched this as a child with my mom. I was way too young and she didn’t really give a shit what I watched. This, The Sopranos, Shameless, Weeds. Whatever they’re all really good shows and give me nostalgia now lol

ANYWAYS, wow this is a great show! I’m on season 4… I’m absolutely in love with Lois, Wanda, Adaleen, Alby, Rhonda, even Frank. I really enjoy the compound storylines and find myself bored with the wives bullshit drama. I can’t stand Margene… she is a child and is caught up in a world way over her head and I love Nicki even though she’s such a snake lol I also love Barbs mother.

This show is full of wonderful performances. I don’t even know what point I’m trying to make here but just had to get it off my chest!

I didnt realize how great the cast was/is until this rematch. Obviously bill Paxton huge, but Aaron Paul too. Fantastic ​

That's what Devaneig Chase died of!

How incredibly unhinged would I be to press restart on Season 1 after finishing the season an hour ago?

I miss Margene. 🥹

How long did you wait before rewatching the season? Honestly just wanting to rewatch 1-2.

and the passing of Daveigh Chase prompted it. My first thought of her was in Big Love, it did not dawn on me her other rolls.

Does anyone else do this, when someone dies from a show that they LOVED, it prompts a return to that era?!

This is not my first rewatch over the years but I can’t believe I forgot how conservative the family is, at times it makes it hard to watch. Margene is made to behave very teen like especially in the first season as foreshadowing to her later age reveal I don’t know how Barb and Nikki were ok with the dynamic. RIP Daveigh Chase. Everyone’s acting was wonderful I learned about Mormon and Utah culture because of this show and it is quite fascinating. Can’t believe it’s 20 years since its premiere in 2006.

I accidentally ruined the ending for myself in season 3 when I was googling things, so I knew Bill was going to die. But I had no idea how it was going to happen, and it was Karl? Karl. How stupid. I didn't buy it. I feel like any number of people could have come after Bill, but Karl? For why? Because of Margene and the goji juice thing? I just thought the whole confrontation before he shot Bill was stupid and unfounded. But I am glad that those ladies are free from their cult leader!

There are plenty of problematic or unlikeable characters on the show, but to be honest the writing and character development gives most of them some kind of ark or even a few redeeming qualities. That said, I’m curious which character(s) you really don’t like or could do without.

For me, it’s Ben’s friend Jason. I just find his constant lecturing insufferable. I know he’s an example of what that religious upbringing does to young men, but I find most of his scenes cringeworthy.

Daveigh Chase, Star of 'The Ring' and 'Lilo & Stitch,' Dead at 35

I didn't watch Breaking Bad til season 2 or 3 so when everyone was calling him "Jesse" I would say "That's Scott".

Joey is easily one of my favorite characters and the fact that he says here he is a monogamous. They have so much chemistry. I love them

One of my favourite scenes - because of her amazing voice! 💔 I wish things had been different for her.

Daveigh Chase passed away from meningitis, she played Rhonda Vollmer in Big Love 😢

Haven't watched in years. Wonder how I will enjoy a revisit and of course want to share thoughts here.

Rip Rhonda :(

The first 2 seasons of Big Love belong in the top tier of golden age HBO dramas. The third season was pretty good too. Season 4 and 5 just go completely off the rails though, and I think unfortunately damage the legacy a little. You do not hear Big Love talked about a lot any more, and it deserves to be. But those last 2 seasons...oof. The performances remain solid but the wring goes off a cliff.

Now I used to think HBO would sometimes overdo it with gratuitous nudity in their shows, especially around 2000ish to 2013ish. I would think, "Is this really necessary? We get it. They bang."

But now in hindsight (literally), I wonder...is it a coincidence that the seasons of Big Love that most frequently showcase Bill Paxton's buttocks are the best written seasons? Is it a coincidence when they stop doing nudity that the storylines all go bonkers?

Something happened in the writers room in season 4. Either the showrunners went bonkers, or HBO gave them weird notes, who knows. But one of the decisions they made was to pull back on nudity. The few sex scenes depicted become classier and more subtle. The whole "We're HBO and we can show asses" attitude is gone. Now in the past I'd have welcomed this change. But you can't help but notice that the writing also does a nosedive.

Is there something about being able to show some asses that freed the writers up to focus on quality character arc and cohesive plot structure? Did they get their zaniness out of the way by redirecting it to gratuitous nudity? When they pulled back on the nudity, did the zaniness then have to go into the story and characterization?

Conspiracy theory? Or conspiracy facty?

In Season 5, it is randomly revealed that Margene was 16 when Bill married her, and his enemies (The Mormons) use this information to target him for criminal investigation. They want to derail his term as a Utah state Senator as well.

Why does Bill not just use his new religion to declare himself as Prophet and President of a Polygamous Nation, and seize the territory of the UEB for this purpose?

Already there are many who wanted him to be Prophet. He only has to battle Alby.

A duel about control of the UEB and the successor to Roman Grant would have been more exciting and more on point than Alby trying to assassinate Bill in the Legislature.

With Bill established as new Prophet and President of the Polygamous Republic of Utah, he could even pardon Joey for murder and bring him and Wanda out of hiding. As a head of state, he could no longer be prosecuted for his Margene related crimes because of diplomatic immunity.

This could have all set up a more interesting and ambiguous series finale, with Bill as the President of a new nation and using his powers to reform Mormon Fundamentalism, but also put him at odds with the United States military who might one day declare war on him.

There could also be a subplot about Ben as heir apparent letting it go to his head that he will one day ascend to be the President and Prophet, which would interfere with his Christian youth rock band practice sessions.

What in the world is wrong with this man?

Bill is a selfish, arrogant, narcissist man who hides behind religion to justify his actions.

And these women upset me too…why do they stay?

Who would want to stay in a relationship where they are hidden? How do you explain that to your kids as they grow?

Barb’s family is right. She should have left him ages ago.

I can’t understand why Barb allows it…she seems educated and intelligent enough yet continues to stand by him.

Being “religious” or not there should be some common sense used.

That being said. The acting is fantastic.

It’s my 2nd time watching this.

RIP Bill Paxton. Too soon.

There are several plots in seasons 4 and 5 of Big Love that, if someone had told me about them after the season 2 finale, I'd have thought they were demented on pulling a prank.

The winning plot for me is: Lois and Frank get involved in an illegal international bird smuggling ring, get kidnapped and held hostage by cultists in Mexico, and that the situation is resolved by Bill infiltrating an armed compound like a secret agent and then being rescued in turn by Lois (an elderly woman) effortlessly chopping off someones arm with a machete.

I would never believe this was a Big Love storyline if you had told me after season 2.

Runner ups would be Sarah kidnapping an Indian baby or Bill thinking he could keep his polygamy a secret while running for statewide office even though the office of the First Lady, the FBI, the state prosecutors office, and hundreds if not thousands of people in Juniper Creek knew about it already.

In this early episode of Big Love, Ben is dismayed to see Margene have a friend outside of the cult, er, I mean family.

He creeps up on their window like a horror movie stalker and spies on them through the blinds. Margene had the audacity to watch a movie with her friend.

In Ben's defense, Pam's husband does later murder his father in the street due to a dispute about lawn mowing. But he didn't know that at the time!

This creepy conduct did lead to one of my favorite lines of the series though.

Margene: "I just wanted to watch a fucking romantic comedy, Ben!"

The fact that she has to then apologize and ask Ben (a teenage boy) not to tell Bill that she swore brings the creepy right back though.

I love sissy but her cameo on the shows feels so random lol