HBO has just announced that their under-appreciated series, Big Love, has already been picked up for a third season.  And while I dutifully watch this show and wish others would jump on board, I must admit—it really needs to improve by the time it comes up to bat again.

When I watch a show about polygamists, I want the show to focus on the polygamy angle.  Unfortunately, I’m not entirely thrilled with the direction the show has taken this year.  Way too much time has been spent on the compound, the family problems, the gambling venture and the annoying Rhonda.  It’s time we back to the central storyline:  the three wives and one husband.  There is so much potential fodder there for a voyeur like me.  Jealousy, time management, household duties….those subjects were only touched upon in the first season.  Everytime ABC’s John Quinones does a 20/20 investigative piece on polygamists, I’m glued.  I like to be a fly on the wall because I want to know if these wives truly get along with each other.

And what about the common denominator for all these women? Bill Paxton is extremely appealing as Bill Hendrickson, but his character is stretched a bit thin when he’s focused outside his immediate row of homes.  Shouldn’t he be popping pills wondering how he’s going to take care of his ladies and his business?  How exactly does he father all of his children equally?

Granted, storylines reminiscent of Desperate Housewives cannot be sustained over the lifetime of this series…but am I the only one who is bothered that the wives are TOO nice to each other?  Yes, they argue—but where are the catfights?  Big Love tries to demonstrate that polygamists are families too…but if they were just like the rest of us, would we have a reason to watch?