Could there be life after The Sopranos? Well, kind of. Bill Henrickson, with his three wives, seven children and a conniving, money grubbing father-in-law has family problems to match those of Tony Soprano, and Big Love is already looking at a third season in the US.
Given the quality of the script, the tight character development and some fine acting, Big Love should appeal to anyone who likes good drama. Unfortunately, it's a slow-starter, but surely that is the luxury of the mini-series. This, is not always appreciated by audiences weaned on the 90-minute feature film, though, and can alienate viewers unprepared for the long haul.
While sex is definitely an integral part of the appeal of Big Love, Bill Paxton in Y-front pants is not exactly everybody's cup of tea, and the issues of a polygamous marriage, no matter how tightly presented, could seem as remote to a Taiwanese audience as the power struggles that brought an end to the Roman Empire. But once you get into the series, this is just another drama about family life, and early episodes certainly give considerable promise of finely drawn psychological drama that can transcend the trappings of American life.
One thing that is immediately evident is the debunking of the male fantasy of polygamy. Paxton's character Bill Henrickson struggles to portion out love and affection equitably among his wives and their children, and despite commendable efforts, generally succeeds in pleasing nobody. Money is tight and bored wives resort to Internet shopping and gossip for comfort and revenge; children have to deal with the ridicule of friends and the blandishments of the sect's more fundamentalist element.
May 6 to May 12 Those who follow the Chinese-language news may have noticed the usage of the term zhuge (豬哥, literally ‘pig brother,’ a male pig raised for breeding purposes) in reports concerning the ongoing #Metoo scandal in the entertainment industry. The term’s modern connotations can range from womanizer or lecher to sexual predator, but it once referred to an important rural trade. Until the 1970s, it was a common sight to see a breeder herding a single “zhuge” down a rustic path with a bamboo whip, often traveling large distances over rugged terrain to service local families. Not only
By far the most jarring of the new appointments for the incoming administration is that of Tseng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦) to head the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF). That is a huge demotion for one of the most powerful figures in the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). Tseng has one of the most impressive resumes in the party. He was very active during the Wild Lily Movement and his generation is now the one taking power. He has served in many of the requisite government, party and elected positions to build out a solid political profile. Elected as mayor of Taoyuan as part of the
Moritz Mieg, 22, lay face down in the rubble, the ground shaking violently beneath him. Boulders crashed down around him, some stones hitting his back. “I just hoped that it would be one big hit and over, because I did not want to be hit nearly to death and then have to slowly die,” the student from Germany tells Taipei Times. MORNING WALK Early on April 3, Mieg set out on a scenic hike through Taroko Gorge in Hualien County (花蓮). It was a fine day for it. Little did he know that the complex intersection of tectonic plates Taiwan sits
The last time Mrs Hsieh came to Cihu Park in Taoyuan was almost 50 years ago, on a school trip to the grave of Taiwan’s recently deceased dictator. Busloads of children were brought in to pay their respects to Chiang Kai-shek (蔣中正), known as Generalissimo, who had died at 87, after decades ruling Taiwan under brutal martial law. “There were a lot of buses, and there was a long queue,” Hsieh recalled. “It was a school rule. We had to bow, and then we went home.” Chiang’s body is still there, under guard in a mausoleum at the end of a path