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Big Love

Big Love

Polygamy Loves Company

2006–2011Ended5 seasons53 episodes~60 min/epTV-MAMidcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

The story of Bill Henrickson and his life in suburban Salt Lake City, balancing the needs of his three wives -- Barb, Nicki and Margene-- their seven kids, three new houses and the opening of his newest hardware store. When disturbing news arrives about Bill's father, he is forced to reconnect with his polygamist parents who live on a fundamentalist compound in rural Utah.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Big Love?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Big Love streaming on HBO Max and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

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Rent / Buy

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Highlights

What stands out about Big Love?

Big Love earns 8 badges, led by Standout acting and One of a kind.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Cast

Reception

Is Big Love worth watching?

Big Love's Midcredits score is the 75th percentile of all shows, from 25K ratings across 2 sources. 83% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

75th percentile

Better received than 75% of shows

74th percentile among Drama68th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)67th
Approval (how many liked it)79th

Acclaim

Crowd Pleaser: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

74 /100

67th percentile of all shows

68th percentile among Drama60th percentile among 2000s

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

Approval

How many liked it

83% liked it

79th percentile of all shows

77th percentile among Drama74th percentile among 2000s
83% rated it 7–1017% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

95th percentile

25K ratings across platforms

94th percentile among Drama91st percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 20% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Fans praised

  • Strong ensemble cast with standout performances by Paxton, Tripplehorn, Sevigny, and Stanton
  • Humanizing portrayal of a polygamist family that generates genuine sympathy and investment
  • Complex character dynamics and layered writing that balances drama, humor, and tension

Detractors panned

  • Protagonist Bill Henrickson is unsympathetic, hypocritical, and poorly acted by Paxton
  • Glamorizes or normalizes a fundamentally exploitative and abusive institution
  • Repetitive plotlines and dull pacing, especially in later seasons and compound scenes

What stands out

ActingDivisive85

Consensus that the cast elevates the material; fans praise Paxton, Tripplehorn, Sevigny, Stanton; detractors find Paxton wooden or miscast

OriginalityDivisive85

Unique premise of suburban polygamy praised; detractors see it as gimmicky or exploitative

TensionDivisive75

Constant stress of secrecy and conflict with Roman Grant praised; some detractors call it repetitive

AtmosphereDivisive75

Immersion in both suburban secrecy and compound oppression is widely praised

CharactersDivisive70

Fans love well-developed, distinct wives; detractors find all main characters irredeemably flawed or unlikable

Emotional impactDivisive70

Fans moved by family bonds and moral dilemmas; detractors feel no sympathy for characters

Plot and storyDivisive65

Fans praise intricate multi-season arcs; detractors call it repetitive, implausible, or boring

PacingDivisive60

Fans find it engaging with strong momentum; detractors cite slow, repetitive stretches and a dip in later seasons

Preferred by

Critics vs users

Preferred by Users

Users scored it 19 points higher than critics.

US vs non-US

Preferred by US Viewers

US viewers scored it 14 points higher than non-US viewers.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 1 point apart

Episodes

5 seasons

Season 5 · 2011 · 10 episodes

  • S5E1

    Winter

    Jan 16, 201160 min
  • S5E2

    A Seat At The Table

    Jan 23, 201158 min
  • S5E3

    Certain Poor Shepherds

    Jan 30, 201159 min
  • S5E4

    The Oath

    Feb 6, 201158 min
  • S5E5

    The Special Relationship

    Feb 13, 201158 min
  • S5E6

    D.I.V.O.R.C.E.

    Feb 20, 201159 min

Watch experience

What is Big Love like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, dark and intense — an even-paced watch that leaves you thinking.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
TenseMelancholic
Heaviest: throughout
Dry humor
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Warm
Told as
Hyperlink · under 1% of shows: Separate storylines that intersect by coincidence.Case of the week plus an arcNew arc each season
ToneThe show plays its premise straight, balancing dramatic tension with genuine affection for its characters.
The rideThe series maintains a steady undercurrent of tension and emotional strain across its run, with heavier moments in the final seasons.
StructureThe narrative weaves multiple storylines across Bill's home, business, and the compound, intersecting regularly.
Episode formatEpisodes often focus on a family or community crisis while advancing the season-long arc of secrets and external threats.
Season formatEach season introduces a new central conflict (e.g., a rival polygamist, legal threats) while the core family dynamic persists.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
Thought-provokingHaunting · 9% of shows
Why it leaves you this wayThe series leaves you contemplating the moral and emotional complexities of polygamy, with a sense of unresolved tension.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MonsterTyrant
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18% (this title): Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% (this title) · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12%: Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2%
  • Tragedy 4%: Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7%: Redemption 1% · Healing 3% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Tyrant: A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).

18% of shows fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeEach episode patterns after a struggle against a human villain (Roman Grant) and the constant threat of exposure, while the series arc deepens the conflict.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelfFamilybonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31% (this title): Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% (this title) · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27%: Identity 20% (this title) · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7%: Power 5% (this title) · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11%: Justice 14% · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6%
  • Survival 9%: Survival 12% · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% · Trauma 5% · Mental illness under 1% · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10%: Community 25% · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Family bondsIdentityPower · 5% of shows
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe series is fundamentally about the complexities of maintaining a plural family, exploring loyalty, love, and secrecy.
StanceThe show examines the moral and personal complexities of polygamy without endorsing or condemning it outright.

The world

ContemporarySuburbanInstitutionalRealistic
AmbientFolkSupportive music · original score
SettingContemporary suburban Utah, centered on a polygamous family's home and business.

Content guide

Is Big Love okay for kids?

TV-MA

Big Love is rated TV-MA. As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (50/100), sexual content at moderate (60/100), language at moderate (57/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (33/100) and frightening material at moderate (43/100). Overall it is heavier than 17% of TV-MA shows.

Ratings in 22 other countries
  • UK15
  • Canada18+
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany12
  • France18
  • Ireland15
  • South Korea19
  • Brazil16
  • Austria16
  • Czechia18+
  • FinlandK16
  • Hungary16
  • MexicoA
  • MY18
  • Norway12
  • Poland16
  • Portugal12AP
  • RO12
  • Spain13
  • SwedenFrån 15 år
  • Switzerland16
  • Türkiye18+
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 46% of all showsHeavier than 17% of TV-MA shows
Violence & Gore
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 30%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 62%
Profanity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 28%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
light for a TV-MA show
heavier than 12%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 29%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is sexual content, heavier than 62% of TV-MA shows.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other shows that have them.

What content warnings does Big Love have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Big Love?

Cast

1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Bill Paxton
as Bill Henrickson
Globe nominee: Golden Globe nomination — Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Drama
Jeanne Tripplehorn
as Barb Henrickson
Chloë Sevigny
as Nicolette Grant
Ginnifer Goodwin
as Margene Heffman
newcomer then · star now
Douglas Smith
as Ben Henrickson
Grace Zabriskie
as Lois Henrickson
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.
Keegan Holst
as Wayne Henrickson
Matt Ross
as Alby Grant
Garrett Fraye
as Raymond Henrickson
Joel McKinnon Miller
as Don Embry

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