03.14.06
Filipino pro-lifer reviews the first episode of HBO’s Big Love
Big Love from HBO is absolutely great! Seemingly realistic, simple, and at times funny. The first episode introduces us to the characters, their immediate families and extended families. Their individual personalities stand out and it is easy to point out and describe each and every one of them.
This family has everything going for them. A breadwinner businessman, loving and best efforts committed father, a mature first wife who earns a living as well, and two younger still fertile housewives. The first wife had cancer and had to have a hysterectomy, this led to the search for a second wife. The children are brought up well, the teenagers show promising family values. The family has money and room to grow for well more than just the 7 (seven) kids they currently have. They are as ideally harmonious as they can possibly be with life’s little challenges along the way.
I look forward to the next episodes and see the show reveal the challenges ahead. There are the teenagers growing up, there is the prophet demanding their contribution, the spendthrift second wife, the still struggling to adjust 3rd wife, and the father’s own parents.
The writers had to plug the last scene with the concept of “trapped wives.” I see no real polygamy controversy here other than the producers using polygamy as a marketing spin to attract curiousity in the United States whose majority is seethingly anti-polygamy, yet pro-contraception, pro-abortion, pro-promiscuity, pro-pornography and pro-divorce; all of epidemic proportions.
I give the series concept 5 stars for being Pro-Family, Pro-Life, Pro-natal.
The official web site for Big Love by HBO can be found at
http://www.hbo.com/biglove/
What does my being a Filipino father in the Philippines have to do with reviewing this show? My friends and families all have experience living these kinds of lives with multiple wives and families, extra-marital children and grandchildren, living with extended families in compounds and for my islamic friends the schedule of husband rotation is ordinary, my in-laws have more than 8 children, I myself hope to have more; although I hope I never need viagra.
Forced monogamy, contraceptive, divorce prone zealots should learn to leave polygamous, conservative, pro-family, pro-life people alone and in peace. I hope this show takes off and brings a higher level of communication and better understanding of polygamous families.
