Posted: Sat Feb 07, 2009 6:26 pm
What do you mean by TV snob, Scy?
I do watch some programming via DVD or download/streaming. My main revulion against television is the advertisements. UGH. They drive me crazy. Everytime I do catch a glimpse of TV I'm always just stunned by what I see.
I've recently acquired Big Love to watch, which I'd always been curious about. I have this crazy fascination with Mormon polygamy and FLDS culture. The show is about a suburban polygamist family. The producers wanted to present a fair portratal, but it's almost too ideal. If all polygamist families were like the Hendricksons, the practice wouldn't be as disgusting to the average individual (but our misguided mindset of heterosexual monogamy as the only correct/nature path is extremely powerful, despite historical and contemporary evidence to the contrary).
My review/synposis, so far (very mild spoilers, cut mostly for length)
[spoiler]
Much emphasis is placed on the harmony between the sister wives and their joint husband. Each wife is emphasized to have chosen this path and this family situation, and the overall attitude toward the Hendricksons is positive. The oldest daughter has been shown to dislike the polygamist path, but just in that "I'm not going to do it" kind of way -- the children, so far, seem comfortable in their living situation.
The families live in three houses that share a common backyard. The children live with their respective mothers and Bill rotates between the homes at night, although there is much mingling among the families during the day. There have been spats between the wives about it being "their night" with Bill -- they set the schedule at the beginnning of the month. The cost of maintaining three such homes is astronomical, so it's fortunate that Bill's business is successful. Each wife is encouraged to decorate her home to her taste. There have been hints that they previously shared one large home, and the current 3-home structure is preferred by all.
Nikki, the second wife, is the daughter of the current Prophet at the fictional Juniper Creek, a FLDS breakaway sect that lives a sheltered existence. Bill was kicked out of Juniper Creek at age 14, ala the "Lost Boys" of Salt Lake, and has a rocky relationship with his parents and the Prophet. The Prophet, Roman, is depicted as a typical sect leader -- manipulative, controlling, an old man with too many wives and his newest much too young... under 16. Roman's financial dealings with Bill is emerging as a key plot area.
Nikki dresses the most conservative of the wives, befitting a woman of a fomer FLDS sect. She wears her hair long hair in a french braid most of the time and favors Western-style skirts, boots and high necked, long-sleeved shirts. She has a problem overspending. She has two young boys, ages 3-5, that she stays at home with. Nikki complains of feeling out of place in the family and has considered returning to Juniper Creek. She's the least comfortable with the modern, surbuban lifestyle.
The first/legal wife is Barbara. She's revealed to have had a hysterctomy due to cancer 6 years ago, after 11 years of monogamous marriage to Bill. She's called "Boss Lady" by Nikki, who resents her dominant position within the family and how much influence she has with Bill. Barbara is a kind woman and accepts her sister wives, despite their occasional spats. Nikki and Margene often take their problems to her and ask her to appeal to Bill on their behalf. She has a teenage son and daughter, plus another daughter who is about 8-9. She dresses like a typical 40-something mother, fairly conservative, but with short sleeves, low neckines and often pants or a knee-length skirt. She earns extra income by substitute teaching sometimes.
The youngest/newest wife is Margene, the former babysitter. Her youth and excurbernce often earn her disapproval from the elder wives, especially Nikki. She dresses the most revealing of the three, which sometimes gets commented on by the others. She stays at home with her toddler and infant. She critiques herself as a bad mother due to her inexperience compared to the other wives. Margene is enthusiastic for the lifestyle she has chosen and her presence is described by Bill as having completing their family.
[/spoiler]
@Celebrities
They're pretty much the new nobility, and the parralels simultaneously fascinate and disgust me. Mostly disgust.
I do watch some programming via DVD or download/streaming. My main revulion against television is the advertisements. UGH. They drive me crazy. Everytime I do catch a glimpse of TV I'm always just stunned by what I see.
I've recently acquired Big Love to watch, which I'd always been curious about. I have this crazy fascination with Mormon polygamy and FLDS culture. The show is about a suburban polygamist family. The producers wanted to present a fair portratal, but it's almost too ideal. If all polygamist families were like the Hendricksons, the practice wouldn't be as disgusting to the average individual (but our misguided mindset of heterosexual monogamy as the only correct/nature path is extremely powerful, despite historical and contemporary evidence to the contrary).
My review/synposis, so far (very mild spoilers, cut mostly for length)
[spoiler]
Much emphasis is placed on the harmony between the sister wives and their joint husband. Each wife is emphasized to have chosen this path and this family situation, and the overall attitude toward the Hendricksons is positive. The oldest daughter has been shown to dislike the polygamist path, but just in that "I'm not going to do it" kind of way -- the children, so far, seem comfortable in their living situation.
The families live in three houses that share a common backyard. The children live with their respective mothers and Bill rotates between the homes at night, although there is much mingling among the families during the day. There have been spats between the wives about it being "their night" with Bill -- they set the schedule at the beginnning of the month. The cost of maintaining three such homes is astronomical, so it's fortunate that Bill's business is successful. Each wife is encouraged to decorate her home to her taste. There have been hints that they previously shared one large home, and the current 3-home structure is preferred by all.
Nikki, the second wife, is the daughter of the current Prophet at the fictional Juniper Creek, a FLDS breakaway sect that lives a sheltered existence. Bill was kicked out of Juniper Creek at age 14, ala the "Lost Boys" of Salt Lake, and has a rocky relationship with his parents and the Prophet. The Prophet, Roman, is depicted as a typical sect leader -- manipulative, controlling, an old man with too many wives and his newest much too young... under 16. Roman's financial dealings with Bill is emerging as a key plot area.
Nikki dresses the most conservative of the wives, befitting a woman of a fomer FLDS sect. She wears her hair long hair in a french braid most of the time and favors Western-style skirts, boots and high necked, long-sleeved shirts. She has a problem overspending. She has two young boys, ages 3-5, that she stays at home with. Nikki complains of feeling out of place in the family and has considered returning to Juniper Creek. She's the least comfortable with the modern, surbuban lifestyle.
The first/legal wife is Barbara. She's revealed to have had a hysterctomy due to cancer 6 years ago, after 11 years of monogamous marriage to Bill. She's called "Boss Lady" by Nikki, who resents her dominant position within the family and how much influence she has with Bill. Barbara is a kind woman and accepts her sister wives, despite their occasional spats. Nikki and Margene often take their problems to her and ask her to appeal to Bill on their behalf. She has a teenage son and daughter, plus another daughter who is about 8-9. She dresses like a typical 40-something mother, fairly conservative, but with short sleeves, low neckines and often pants or a knee-length skirt. She earns extra income by substitute teaching sometimes.
The youngest/newest wife is Margene, the former babysitter. Her youth and excurbernce often earn her disapproval from the elder wives, especially Nikki. She dresses the most revealing of the three, which sometimes gets commented on by the others. She stays at home with her toddler and infant. She critiques herself as a bad mother due to her inexperience compared to the other wives. Margene is enthusiastic for the lifestyle she has chosen and her presence is described by Bill as having completing their family.
[/spoiler]
@Celebrities
They're pretty much the new nobility, and the parralels simultaneously fascinate and disgust me. Mostly disgust.
The nerdy part from BBT and the whole dating/bar scene from HIMYM. Also, Neil Patrick Harris (DOOGIE HOWSER) as a manwhore in HIMYM is [s]AWESOME[/s] LEGEN ... wait for it ... and I hope you're not lactose intolerant because the second half of the word is -DARY.
Hence why I stick with comedy or action during school. I'd suggest Big Bang Theory or How I Met Your Mother (can probably find them on hulu) if only because I find them hilarious and have been pretty much shoving it on everyone I know in real life anyway so might as well do it here too.