Polygamous
HBO programming, a do or don’t
Aneya
Fernando
I’m
not sure if you have heard, but there
is this new show that had its debut recently
on HBO called “Big Love.” It’s
about a polygamous family living in Salt
Lake City.
The show stars Bill Paxton as a Bill Henrickson, a polygamous man who runs
a home improvement store. He faces the challenges of life with three women
and seven children, plus his “prophet,” who wants his share of
Henrickson’s success. Sound interesting? I should hope so.
This is the first time the subject of polygamy has been introduced to TV audiences
across this great nation of ours. Although, as they say, “It’s
not TV. It’s HBO.”
This show would definitely be too risqué and controversial for regular
cable programming. Of course, the whole concept of the show has caused an uproar
from practicing polygamists of the Mormon church (who apparently shunned the
tradition years ago, but are still stereotyped as “that weird religion
where the men have several wives”).
Some worry the show will bring back the stereotypes from which Utah and the
Mormon church have sought to distance themselves. Others fear it will ignore
the crimes commonly associated with polygamy, such as child abuse, and make
it seem like a happy, normal life. Whatever the case, people are getting all
riled up about
“
Big Love” and I don’t know about you, but it’s making me
want to see it even more.
When Michael Otterson, a spokesman for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter
Day Saints (aka Mormons) first found out about “Big Love,” he had
a few things to say. “To make polygamy, given those circumstances, the
subject of TV entertainment is not only a bad idea, but it’s going to
add to the pain of those victims,” Otterson said.
Then there’s Vicky Prunty, the director of an anti-polygamy group, Tapestry
against Polygamy. She says she is happy the show is being put on the air, but
that it isn’t showcasing the abuse that happens in some of those households
every day. Prunty said, “The abuse is not in just the isolated areas.
Polygamy deals with power and control. Those individuals feel coerced into
it, even if it’s a subtle coercion, a religious coercion.”
And last but not least, we have Anne Wilde, the community relations director
for the pro-polygamy group, Principal Voices. Wilde said, “I don’t
want it to represent our culture in a bad way.” Wilde was in a polygamous
relationship for more than 33 years, so she knows a thing or two about how
it works. Wilde says she doubts the realities of modern-day polygamists would
interest TV viewers. “I would like people to realize it’s very
similar to a monogamous family.”
Somehow, I doubt that. I’m just happy “Big Love” is coming
on the air in any case. It’s another example of anything that causes
controversy, anything that makes people stop and think. That’s gotta
be good TV. Just make sure not to take anything too literally, and remember
TV stereotypes everything and a lot of it is done for entertainment value only.
I know I’ll be tuning in, just to see what all the fuss is about. Anyone
care to join me?
Aneya Fernando is a freshman journalism major.
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