“Our way of life is under attack. Don’t you watch the news?”
- Nicolette “Nicki” Grant

Hopefully everyone tuned in last Sunday to the exciting Season 3 premiere of HBO’s critically acclaimed polygamist drama series, Big Love, on which Chloë Sevigny stars as the manipulative second wife Nicolette “Nicki” Grant opposite Bill Paxton, Jeanne Tripplehorn and Ginnifer Goodwin. Here’s our brief episode recap; for the sake of our spoiler-phobic international visitors, the text has been hidden from view, so please highlight to read:

With a block party looming ahead, one worrying sign after another has the Henrickson family worrying that a rumor of their secret polygamist life is spreading and being spread around the local community. Barb is struggling to come to terms with the news of her renewed cancer, and pushes for a fourth wife for Bill alongside Margene, unaware of Barb’s cancer scare. Bill, eager to include a fourth wife to their family, courts a reluctant but ultimately interested Ana, much to the dismay of Nicki, not to mention Barb’s daughter, Sarah, who longs for a way out of Utah. Bill and Margene negotiate with the Indians in the interest of expanding Weber Gaming. Nicki takes a job at a law firm, seemingly to pay off her credit card debt, but is really using all available means to help her father Roman out of prison. Furthermore, Roman’s public trial process excludes Nicki, as his daughter, from the community, and she is forced to deal with increasingly hostile attitudes towards her, and thus refuses to participate in the block party. Meanwhile Alby, now having assumed Roman’s position of power, accuses Nicki and Bill of conspiring against him, much to Nicki’s surprise. Tensions run high at the party, and in the heat of passion the Henricksons come to risk exposing their polygamist ways to the entire community.

What a great episode this was, and Chloë was fantastic as Nicki, as always. I’m so happy we got a glimpse of Nicki’s more sensitive side in this episode; them moments are few and far between. Check out the medium-res screen captures of Nicki’s performance at our gallery; video clips will be made available with the relaunch of the full site.

Don’t forget to tune in again next Sunday, January 25 2009 for Big Love episode 3.02 “Empire”, which airs at 9 PM on HBO. Check out the episode trailer (“Next on ‘Big Love”) at HBO.com, and as always, stay tuned to us for coverage!

New Photo Albums:

• ‘Big Love’ Episode 3.01 “Block Party” Screen Captures