“No, mama, you do not have to be a lamb for slaughter, you can choose your own path.”
- Nicolette “Nicki” Grant

As always, we hope you were able to tune in last Sunday to the season’s fourth episode of Big Love, the critically acclaimed HBO polygamist drama series starring Chloë Sevigny in her Golden Globe-winning role of Nicolette “Nicki” Grant opposite Bill Paxton, Jeanne Tripplehorn and Ginnifer Goodwin. Here’s our recap of last Sunday’s episode, 4.04 “The Mighty and Strong” (under the cut), please mouseover to read:

After last night’s live broadcast, Margene is confronted by Barb about Ben being announced on television as “Mr. Margene Heffman”, and Margie confesses the two kissed, though only “accidentally”. Barb tells Margie she needs to sort this our right away before the matter reaches Bill, but Margie eventually tells him about the blurb (if not the kiss) anyway, and an upset Bill compels her to correct the misinformation on camera, regardless of the nay from her production company. At a later dinner at the Henricksons’, Margie and Ben’s tension around one another is more than apparent, and an unwitting Nicki begins to ask embarrassing questions. Ben and Margie finally confront one another privately about the kiss, and Margie confesses to him the kiss did actually mean something. She then, however, breaks from her scripted monologue during the next live telecast in an attempt to set the record straight about Ben not being her husband, and ends up breaking down about her broken home and a “husband, who has abandoned her”. When Teenie reveals to Bill and Barb that she knows of a love letter Ben wrote to Margie (last season), Bill confronts the two about what’s going on between them, but before Margie gets the chance to explain any part of it, Ben takes the blame for everything, including Margie’s kiss. Margie is devastated.

Back in Juniper Creek, Joey and Wanda, thinking they are off the hook for Roman’s murder, are rattled to their roots when Nicki’s ex-husband and Wanda’s brother JJ reveals he has some highly incriminating photographs of the two burning Roman’s body in fear of DNA evidence, and uses the photos to blackmail the two to do what he wants. A frightened Wanda begins to harbor murderous thoughts. It also isn’t the only surprise JJ is packing, as he makes the unexpected announcement to Alby about wanting to marry Alby and Nicki’s mother, Adaleen. Alby, surprised but pleased with the proposition and the thought of being rid of Adaleen, breaks the news to her, after which he places her in JJ’s care. When Nicki comes to pick up Cara Lynn at JJ’s for school, Adaleen’s upcoming sealing to JJ is revealed, and Nicki is furious, compelling her mother to leave JJ while she still can. When her mother refuses to do so, a disgusted Nicki fumingly vows she will not let either of them ruin the life she has just gotten back on track.

Back at the Henricksons’, Tommy lectures Barb about “whites taking in Indians” when he hears a rumor about Sarah harboring Leyla and her baby. Meanwhile, Sarah finds Leyla has disappeared on her and Scott one morning, and has left them with her baby. Tommy soon finds out that Sarah is actually Barb’s daughter, and is furious at Barb when Leyla claims Sarah has taken her baby, though she actually abandoned the child in Sarah’s care. A stressed out Barb has no other option than to lay it all on Bill, and when Barb and Bill confront Sarah about the baby she seems unwilling to let him go. Scott, however, convinces her otherwise.

Meanwhile, Bill and Barb have been planning Bill’s upcoming political campaign for the state senate seat, but they soon realize Bill is up against some stiff competition when his political opponent tries to stage one scandal after another around him. When Bill faces further political complications he decides to push up the announcement of his candidacy by three days. He then sends Nicki on a “recon mission” to the headquarters of his political opponent, Colburn, where she finds out that Colburn knows “there is polygamy” in Bill’s camp. Bill then asks Don Embry, on who the campaign has already taken its toll, to take the bullet for him. Don takes the fall, but not lightly.

During the announcement event for Bill’s candidacy, Margie finally breaks down crying in a private conversation with Bill, and tells him how she feels lonely and neglected by him and that it was in fact she who kissed Ben. Later that evening, Bill catches Ben in his room packing his things, and agrees with him that it would be best if he left the family for a while.

As I’m sure many of you noticed, there was a lot less of Nicki in this episode than usual, and the focus was more on Bill’s political aspirations and Margie and Ben’s respective emotional struggles. Personally, though, I really liked this episode as well, and Bill Paxton and Ginnifer Goodwin were particularly great in this one. Definitely worth checking out, if you haven’t yet!

Media-wise, we’ve updated the gallery with 237 screen captures of Chloë Sevigny on the show; like last time, we were happy to be able to add these in HD. We’ll be sure to upload video clips from this episode as soon as possible. Enjoy, and don’t forget to tune in again next Sunday for episode 4.05 “Sins of the Father”!

New Photo Albums:

• Television Work > ‘Big Love’ Episode 4.04 Screen Captures