Winter (Big Love)
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| "Winter" | |
|---|---|
| Big Love episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 5 Episode 1 |
| Directed by | David Petrarca |
| Written by | |
| Cinematography by | Rob Sweeney |
| Editing by | Byron Smith |
| Original release date | January 16, 2011 |
| Running time | 59 minutes |
| Guest appearances | |
| |
"Winter" is the first episode of the fifth season of the American drama television series Big Love. It is the 44th overall episode of the series and was written by series creators Mark V. Olsen and Will Scheffer, and directed by David Petrarca. It originally aired on HBO on January 16, 2011.
The series is set in Salt Lake City and follows Bill Henrickson, a fundamentalist Mormon. He practices polygamy, having Barbara, Nicki and Margie as his wives. The series charts the family's life in and out of the public sphere in their suburb, as well as their associations with a fundamentalist compound in the area. In the episode, the Henricksons face their new reality after their polygamy finally comes to light.
According to Nielsen Media Research, the episode was seen by an estimated 1.21 million household viewers and gained a 0.5/1 ratings share among adults aged 18–49. The episode received positive reviews from critics, who praised the new storylines and setting.
Bill (Bill Paxton) takes his family to camp in the wilderness, just a few days after winning the election. When they return to their house, the family faces media scrutiny after Bill exposed their status. The Blackfoot Magic Casino has refused to pay their percentage to Bill, Margie (Ginnifer Goodwin) is fired from her job, and Wayne is bullied at school.
Don (Joel McKinnon Miller) has been re-hired into Home Plus, but some employees are now considering quitting after feeling Bill lied to them to win the election. Bill also moves into his Capitol office, but realizes that his only ally in the building was forced to resign after a DUI incident. He meets his colleague, Senator Dwyer (Gregory Itzin), but soon realizes he has no support within the hall. As Margie cries as she packs her stuff, she is approached by a self-help guru, Michael Sainte (Grant Show), who gives her a DVD to help her. Nicki (Chloë Sevigny) confronts Wayne's bully in school, but the kid accidentally breaks his teeth as he runs away from her. To help ease tension, Bill decides to host an open house in Margie's house for his 40,000 constituents, hoping at least a few show up.
After staying in the desert for a few days, Alby (Matt Ross) returns to Juniper Creek, but does not talk to his family. He later confides in Lura (Anne Dudek) that he plans to take revenge on Bill, while Adaleen (Mary Kay Place) is finally allowed to leave the cellar where she is imprisoned. With their status known, Margie and Goran (Steve Bacic) divorce, giving him and Ana (Branka Katić) two months to leave the United States. When a Home Plus employee makes a joke on underage marriage in the Church, Bill fires him, with Don opposing as they do not have enough support. Bill and his family attend a meeting with the school's board to discuss Wayne's bullying, where the bully identifies Nicki as the woman who attacked him. As they leave, Nicki reveals that Barbara (Jeanne Tripplehorn) has resorted to alcoholism, upsetting Bill.
Cara Lynn (Cassi Thomson) starts working at Home Plus, where she becomes smitten with Don's son, Gary (Cody Klop). When Nicki finds out, she scolds her for dating an adult man. Their conversation reveals that Nicki has not informed her of J.J.'s plans, as Nicki feels she is not ready. That night, the family hosts the open house, but no one shows up. Don confronts Bill over his decisions, asking for some respect in the decisions for the store, and Bill apologizes for his actions. Suddenly, a few constituents show up, and Bill welcomes them in the house.
Production
Development
The episode was written by series creators Mark V. Olsen and Will Scheffer, and directed by David Petrarca. This was Olsen's 19th writing credit, Scheffer's 19th writing credit, and Petrarca's fifth directing credit.[1]