Product Details

• Actors: Bill Paxton, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Chloe Sevigny, Ginnifer Goodwin
• Format: AC-3, Box set, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Language: Spanish, French
• Subtitles: English
• Dubbed: French, Spanish
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 4
• Rated: Unrated
• Studio: HBO
• DVD Release Date: January 5, 2010
• Run Time: 600 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (47 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0011UMC72
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #15,759 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• Learn more about "Big Love: The Complete Third Season" on IMDb

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Three seasons in, the popular HBO series Big Love remains a highly entertaining and rewarding viewing experience. The cast is enormous and the storylines are numerous, with each of these ten 60-minute episodes adding new wrinkles to the plotlines already being pursued. This is business as usual for those who've been on board from the start, but while newcomers may need a couple of episodes to get up to speed, viewers of all stripes will be inexorably pulled in by the show's tangled combination of drama and black humor, personal peccadilloes and internecine strife, and big time social and religious issues. There really is nothing else like this on the television landscape, and that's entirely a good thing.

As usual, the series centers on the anything-but-normal life of Salt Lake City businessman Bill Henrickson (Bill Paxton). Bill’s a study in contrasts: while he has plenty of objections to modern Mormon mores (he and his family are no longer active members of the church), he’s committed to the practice of polygamy, which remains the single most controversial aspect of Mormonism despite having been officially banned. Bill, his three wives, Barb (Jeanne Tripplehorn), Nicki (Chloë Sevigny), and Margene (Ginnifer Goodwin), and their various children find themselves waging constant skirmishes on several fronts: with their nosy, judgmental neighbors, with the splinter Mormon clan headed by the evil, self-proclaimed holy man Roman Grant (Harry Dean Stanton), and with the mainstream Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. But the Henricksons' most pitched battles, and they are legion, tend to be amongst themselves. Though the wives generally get along with one another, the jockeying for position is endless, and Bill's desire for a fourth spouse this season definitely doesn’t make things any calmer. Other ongoing storylines include Grant’s trial for rape (similarities to the real-life prosecution of Mormon fundamentalist Warren Jeffs are no coincidence), which presents a serious conflict for Nicki, who happens to be Grant’s daughter; Bill and his partner’s ongoing efforts to open a Mormon-friendly casino on Indian land; and sub-plots involving teen pregnancy, kidnapping, adultery, and a host of other lurid behaviors. And while there’s a certain amount of what may be perceived as Mormon bashing going on, the edifying sixth episode, "Come, Ye Saints," in which the family visits Mormon landmarks from Utah to New York, features several of the season’s most moving scenes. --Sam Graham

Stills from Big Love: The Complete Third Season (click for larger image)

Product Description

As if juggling three wives weren't tricky enough, Season Three of Emmy®- and Golden Globe®-nominated 'Big Love' finds modern polygamist Bill Henrickson (Bill Paxton) tackling problems outside his three-house suburban home. Bill a practicing polygamist who lives in suburban Salt Lake City with his three wives and seven children. An independent businessman who runs a growing chain of hardware stores, Bill faces a myriad of challenges in meeting the emotional, romantic and financial needs of his wives Barb (Jeanne Tripplehorn), Nicki (Chloe Sevigny) and Margene (Ginnifer Goodwin).

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 39 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Stellar writing and brilliant acting... April 18, 2009

By Brad Schmidt

Format:DVD

I have read on several Web sites that the ratings for this show are only so-so. It's a shame more people aren't watching it. This show has attracted the best character actors in Hollywood. And what a dream it must be to play characters that are so complex and multi-layered.

I will admit, the storylines are all very similar. They all revolve around either Bill having some issue with his wives or Bill struggling against people who are trying to keep him from the business deals he wants to make happen. (This season is focused on making Weber Gaming a success and all the trouble the getting into gambling is causing him and his family). The thing is, even though there is a predictable pattern of going back and forth between family drama and work drama, all the people in Bill's life continue to evolve and we continue to see them grow and struggle.

I truly hope this show is renewed for a few more seasons. I am still very invested in these characters and want to know what happens to them.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars No Other TV Series Like It May 18, 2009

By Iris Green

Format:DVD

As some of the other reviewers mentioned, it was a long time coming for Season 3 to come out, but definitely worth the wait. I've been a loyal viewer of Big Love (it's one of my favorite HBO shows) since the beginning. The first one or two episodes of Season 3 may seem a bit trite (and boring) but that's because the writers are building up the story line. Hold on to your seats because after the first couple of episodes, you're going for a thrilling ride. As always, character development is superb as is the drama between the characters (inside and outside of the Hendrickson family). I won't go into the storyline, as I don't want to spoil it for anyone, but this is a definite must see.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A stellar third season of Big Love! January 9, 2010

By Z Hayes HALL OF FAMETOP 50 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:DVD

I've been a long-time fan of Big Love, and can't help but be addicted to this story about a polygamist, successful Mormon businessman Bill Henrickson (played credibly by Bill Paxton), and his three wives - Barb (Jeanne Triplehorn) the first wife who was initially (during her battle with cancer)persuaded by husband Bill to embrace "The Principle" which basically embraces the concept of polygamy. Through Seasons 1-2, we see Barb struggle with the consequences of living The Principle as reflected in the conflicts between her and her two other sister wives (as the co-wives are called) and also the impact it has on her own relationship not just with Bill and their children, but also Barb's family. Then there's second wife Nicolette (Chloe Sevigny) who is the daughter of Roman Grant, the patriarch and Prophet of Juniper Creek, a Mormon settlement and whose followers all embrace The Principle. Nicki's character is often portrayed as ultra religious and rather extreme in her views, though she is not without flaws - for one, she is a spendthrift and her battles with shopping addiction was well-chronicled in the earlier seasons. The main reason for Nicki's joining Bill's family was initially to provide a mother figure for Bill and Barb's children in case Barb should die. Finally, the third wife is Margene, the new convert to The Principle, and also the youngest amongst the wives. Over the seasons, we see Margene maturing into her role as the third sister wife and no longer as naive as she was in the first season.

As Season Three begins, there is plenty of drama to keep long-time fans entertained and to intrigue new fans (though this series does need to be watched from the First Season in order to truly understand all the dynamics of the relationships and the convoluted story arcs).... In the first half of this season, the two main story arcs are the trial of Roman Grant as well as Ana (the prospective fourth sister wife). Ana (played by Branka Katic) is a Serbian waitress (with a credible accent to boot) who is being wooed by Bill. Ana is attractive but far from submissive, demonstrating an independent and inquiring mind, and more importantly a strong will that may prove incompatible with Bill and his three wives. So the wives get to know Ana, a collective undertaking initiated by Barb. This first half of the season also sees Bill trying his hardest to get his casino business off the ground. The rest of the third season sees the repercussions of this relationship between Bill and Ana, as well as what happens as a result of Roman's trial. Bill and his family face some serious issues - those of faith, problems faced by Bill's offspring especially daughter Sarah (the brilliant Amanda Seyfried, recently seen in "Jennifer's Body"), and other shenanigans within the family.

The various story arcs are well-plotted, and the ensemble cast does a credible job in making these characters seem like very real people facing life problems - only thing is, the problems are not always the conventional sort which is to be expected given the premise of the series which deals with the issues of plural marriage. The ending of Season 3 was quite satisfactory for me - there's enough left unresolved that I look forward to Season 4 (which is premiering soon on HBO), but there's also enough resolution for some story arcs that one is not left completely hanging.

DVD features - well, the aspect ratio is 16:9, there is the option of Spanish, French, English subtitles (and also English closed captioning). There is a total of 10 episodes on 4 discs (each in its own plastic case, the slim version). The picture and audio quality are above average in my opinion, very clear audio and crisp and well-defined picture. The extras are found on Disc 1 - the usual trailer for HBO programming, "Their Stories So Far" where Bill and the three sister wives speak to the camera, addressing who they are etc, "Three Past Midnight" which consist of 3 enactments involving the main characters. Final verdict - a highly entertaining, original, and engrossing show - a must-have for fans! Read more ›

15 of 19 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars My Favorite HBO Series! January 26, 2009

By Music Lover

Format:DVD

For BIG LOVE fans like me, it was a loooooooong wait until a week ago when the first episode of Season 3 finally aired on HBO. Luckily, I had taped Season 1 and 2 and was able to review the fun during the year lapse.

Now having already seen Season 3's 1st episode BLOCK PARTY a week ago and the 2nd episode EMPIRE yesterday, I am once again hooked for the remainder of the season!

To be honest, I had been a little concerned that the writers and actors were running short on creative ideas and that Season 3 might be a disappointing bore. But, it hasn't been thus far, and I am excited as ever to see how the plots will unfold and where the imaginative writers and skillful cast will take us this season.

BTW, I am too busy (and lazy!) to arrange to tape the episodes this season, so I'm pre-ordering the Season 3 box set. This series is definitely worth the 40 bucks to add it to my home DVD collection.

Enjoy!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Big Love, Big Entertainment! April 27, 2010

By Sigrid Macdonald

Format:DVD

When I first started watching the show, I found it to be a bit confusing. There were so many characters and the concept seemed so far-fetched that I almost abandoned it after the first episode. There were two reasons why I didn't. One, it was produced by Tom Hanks. Two, he stated very clearly in the first episode that somewhere between 20,000 to 40,000 people in the United States practiced polygamy. Holy Mama! I know there are also sects in Canada where I live, and the topic is certainly intriguing. So I continued to watch and I'm so glad that I did.

Big Love traces the life of one man, Bill, who was kicked out of Juniper Creek, a polygamist cult, at a young age so that he did not serve as competition for the older men. Bill proceeded to establish a fairly "normal" life for himself in the community with a wife and several children. But then he was forced to take on another wife, and suddenly he found himself living a polygamist lifestyle outside of the compound, where it could present all kinds of complicated problems. First, he and his family, who are trying to live by the "principle," are forced into becoming constant liars. Second, his wives live in the modern world and consequently, they talk back to him, unlike the more subservient women at the compound. Third, his children are growing up in mainstream schools. They have friends and they date. They are torn about their feelings for their parents and the lifestyle.

This is a show that I think about after I flick off the TV, which is rare, because it poses so many interesting ethical issues. How far should people be allowed to go to practice their religion when it conflicts with social norms and the law? Does polygamy always exploit women, and child brides, or is there a downside for men too?...

How long can people lie to others without feeling like hypocrites or have a knot inside their stomach like a cancer? How many of us can relate in our own way in terms of being or doing something different -- many gays still need to hide their lifestyle. Those who have affairs do the same. How well do we know our neighbors? These are great questions and if it sounds as though the show is just sociologically fascinating, it's not true. It's got a lot of great laughs and terrific acting. Fine entertainment. I'm so happy I got past the first episode. Read more ›