Watched the pilot episode of Big Love last night. Whatever one can hate about an HBO series, you certainly cannot accuse them of sacrificing authenticity to save a buck like the networks, who will film something like Law & Order half in NYC and half on obvious LA sets while they’ll only get about 65% of the crime&court drama lingo right (do not question me on this — I know). It almost seems that HBO has covered my own primary experiences through The Sopranos (I grew up in the heart of mobster NJ) and The Wire (my current job takes me to … similar places) and now with Big Love. As a kid, I lived in Utah as a non-mormon, and things like “what ward are you from?” or ‘Family Home Night” are deeply authentic to any experience of living in Utah, especially the Wasatch Range area, which is less cosmo than SLC.

Overall, my verdict is stilll out, great cast or not; But Harry Dean Stanton as the villain, a clan leader married to a 14 year old? An inspired casting choice. I was singing the Pixies ‘Gigantic’ all day today …
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Although I bought Bee Thousand upon its release and will forever worship it, this one song by Guided by Voices, off the EP Fast Japanese Spin Cycle, is their greatest song. Do not challenge me, for you will fall into an ice crevasse filled with a coven of poisonous narwhals and Al Roker.

GBV – My Impression Now