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The Best Episodes of Big Love

Every episode of Big Love ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Big Love!

Binge this in 2d 1h•Peaking at 9.2/10

The story of Bill Henrickson and his life in suburban Salt Lake City, balancing the needs of his three wives -- Barb, Nicki and Margene-- their seven kids, three new houses and the opening of

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
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    Big Love Season 1 Episode 9 - A Barbecue for Betty
    9.2/10(4 votes)

    #1 - A Barbecue for Betty

    S1:E9

    Bill wants to throw a party to celebrate Don's plans of getting a fourth wife but Nicki's massive credit card debt weighs heavily on his mind. Pam's friend attempts to make his moves on Margie, but she is preoccupied with wanting to know more of how she became a part of the Henrickson family.

    Director:Julian Farino
    Writer:Unknown

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  2. Big Love Season 2 Episode 10 - The Happiest Girl...
    9.2/10(4 votes)

    #2 - The Happiest Girl...

    S2:E10

    Bill takes Margene to a convention. Frank is looking for a new wife. Meanwhile, Nicki throws a party.

    Director:Tom Vaughan
    Writer:Unknown

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  3. Big Love Season 5 Episode 3 - Certain Poor Shepherds
    9.2/10(5 votes)

    #3 - Certain Poor Shepherds

    S5:E3

    The Henricksons' holiday cheer is tested by family revelations. Alby's purification of Juniper Creek leads to a defection.

    Director:David Petrarca
    Writer:Unknown

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  4. Big Love Season 5 Episode 5 - The Special Relationship
    9.2/10(5 votes)

    #4 - The Special Relationship

    S5:E5

    Bill finds success in the Senate but finds new roadblocks set up by the Mormon church. Barb comes to a new conclusion about her life. Cara Lynn's adoption faces a new obstacle. Lois recalls her past with Frank.

    Director:David Petrarca
    Writer:Unknown

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  5. Big Love Season 1 Episode 3 - Home Invasion
    9.0/10(4 votes)

    #5 - Home Invasion

    S1:E3

    Bill gets a new home security system, Nicki throws a birthday party, new neighbours move in, and Margene meets her mother-in-law. Meanwhile, there's a break-in in Bill's hardware store.

    Director:Charles McDougall
    Writer:Unknown

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  6. Big Love Season 1 Episode 7 - Eviction
    9.0/10(4 votes)

    #6 - Eviction

    S1:E7

    Bill considers running an expensive advertising campaign, Barb finds out about Nicki's secret, and Margie goes to church with Pam, their neighbor. Meanwhile, Sarah brings home a surprise guest, and Ben goes on a trip with his friends.

    Director:Michael Spiller
    Writer:Unknown

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    The 20 WORST Episodes of Big Love

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  7. Big Love Season 2 Episode 7 - Good Guys and Bad Guys
    9.0/10(4 votes)

    #7 - Good Guys and Bad Guys

    S2:E7

    Margene's mother visits the family. Scott has upsetting news about Alby. Meanwhile, a familiar face returns to Juniper Creek.

    Director:Michael Lehmann
    Writer:Mark V. Olsen

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  8. Big Love Season 2 Episode 9 - Circle the Wagons
    9.0/10(4 votes)

    #8 - Circle the Wagons

    S2:E9

    Bill seeks his wives' advice regarding the video poker business. Barb tries to reconcile things between Sarah and Heather. Meanwhile, Lois seeks revenge on Frank.

    Director:John Strickland
    Writer:Unknown

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  9. Big Love Season 2 Episode 11 - Take Me as I Am
    9.0/10(4 votes)

    #9 - Take Me as I Am

    S2:E11

    Barb finds out that her mother is about to re-marry. Bill hears disturbing news about Weber Gaming. Meanwhile, Nicki is upset by outside influences on her children.

    Director:Jim McKay
    Writer:Unknown

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  10. Big Love Season 5 Episode 1 - Winter
    9.0/10(5 votes)

    #10 - Winter

    S5:E1

    After being elected state senator, Bill Henrikson announces that he is a polygamist, and he and his families are attacked from every side; Alby Grant returns from living in the desert with the idea of purifying the compound and getting revenge.

    Director:David Petrarca
    Writer:Unknown

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  11. Big Love Season 1 Episode 4 - Eclipse
    8.8/10(4 votes)

    #11 - Eclipse

    S1:E4

    Bill goes on a hunting trip with his son Ben, Barb tries to get accredited as a full-time teacher, and shopaholic Nicki realizes she can't pay her credit card bills. Meanwhile, Sarah goes to a house party but ends up needing her friend Heather's help.

    Director:Michael Spiller
    Writer:David Manson

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  12. Big Love Season 1 Episode 8 - Easter
    8.8/10(4 votes)

    #12 - Easter

    S1:E8

    Bill and Roman's disagreements result in lawsuits from both sides as well as unwanted houseguests from the compound. Sarah learns about her family's history from her grandmother and Joey confides in Barb.

    Director:Steve Shill
    Writer:Unknown

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  13. Big Love Season 2 Episode 3 - Reunion
    8.8/10(5 votes)

    #13 - Reunion

    S2:E3

    Nicki goes back to the compound for a family reunion, bringing Bill with her, where they find out the extent of Roman's betrayal of their family. Barb is annoyed by Margene and Ben's behavior. Meanwhile, Alby disobeys his father.

    Director:Alan Poul
    Writer:Dustin Lance Black

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  14. Big Love Season 2 Episode 4 - Rock and a Hard Place
    8.8/10(5 votes)

    #14 - Rock and a Hard Place

    S2:E4

    Bill and Roman butt heads when Rhonda disappears from the compound. The prosecutor offers Joey a plea bargain in exchange for a confession. Meanwhile, Sarah takes an interest in a boy from her support group.

    Director:Adam Davidson
    Writer:Unknown

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  15. Big Love Season 2 Episode 12 - Oh, Pioneers
    8.8/10(4 votes)

    #15 - Oh, Pioneers

    S2:E12

    In the season finale, the family prepares for the annual Pioneer Week. Bill and Alby butt heads over the control of UEB. Meanwhile, Margene reveals the truth to Ana.

    Director:Julian Farino
    Writers:Mark V. Olsen, Dustin Lance Black

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  16. Big Love Season 3 Episode 6 - Come, Ye Saints
    8.8/10(5 votes)

    #16 - Come, Ye Saints

    S3:E6

    The Henricksons embark on a 2,500-mile road-trip pilgrimage to a Joseph Smith shrine in Cumorah, NY, where Bill intends to bury a family time capsule in the sacred earth. Along the way, a series of jarring revelations test the limits of their family bonds--and Bill's faith.

    Director:Dan Attias
    Writer:Unknown

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  17. Big Love Season 3 Episode 10 - Sacrament
    8.8/10(5 votes)

    #17 - Sacrament

    S3:E10

    Bill convinces Ray Henry to go along with his idea to rescue a kidnapping victim; Nicki has a surprise visitor; Alby hatches a deadly plot to consolidate his power; Sarah makes a surprise announcement that shocks the family.

    Director:Dan Attias
    Writer:Victoria Morrow

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  18. Big Love Season 5 Episode 2 - A Seat At The Table
    8.8/10(5 votes)

    #18 - A Seat At The Table

    S5:E2

    After revealing his polygamy to the world the newly elected Bill goes even further out on a limb by calling publicly for more polygamists to come into the open while Barb talks Nancy, her mother, into attending a mother-daughter symposium.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  19. Big Love Season 5 Episode 4 - The Oath
    8.8/10(5 votes)

    #19 - The Oath

    S5:E4

    Bill fights for his right to be sworn in as senator; Barb, Nicki, and Margene struggle with personal revelations and changed public profiles.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  20. Big Love Season 3 Episode 8 - Rough Edges
    8.7/10(6 votes)

    #20 - Rough Edges

    S3:E8

    Bill petitions the DA's office to charge Roman with murder; Margene starts a jewelry business; Don's fact-finding mission about the casino license reveals the possible involvement of Bill's brother-in-law; Sarah considers her options for the future.

    Director:Dan Attias
    Writer:Mark V. Olsen

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  21. Big Love Season 2 Episode 2 - The Writing on the Wall
    8.6/10(5 votes)

    #21 - The Writing on the Wall

    S2:E2

    Bill and Don investigate who's responsible for ruining one of the Home Plus advertising signs. Alby gets the police to look into the poisoning case. Meanwhile, Nicki is mad at Bill for his forgetting their anniversary.

    Director:Sarah Pia Anderson
    Writers:Mark V. Olsen, Will Scheffer

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  22. Big Love Season 2 Episode 5 - Vision Thing
    8.6/10(5 votes)

    #22 - Vision Thing

    S2:E5

    Bill attempts to sign the deal on the video poker devices before Roman. Joey and Wanda are having a rough patch and Joey wants Barb to help them. Meanwhile, Nicki's upset with the Catholic summer school Wayne is attending. Finally, Bill is captivated by a pretty waitress.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  23. Big Love Season 2 Episode 6 - Dating Game
    8.6/10(5 votes)

    #23 - Dating Game

    S2:E6

    Margene plots to introduce Barb and Nicki to Bill's next potential wife. Meanwhile, journalists take an interest in Rhonda's story.

    Director:Jim McKay
    Writer:Unknown

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  24. Big Love Season 3 Episode 7 - Fight or Flight
    8.6/10(5 votes)

    #24 - Fight or Flight

    S3:E7

    Nicki's problems escalate at home and on the job; Alby's wife Glory reacts to her reduced stature at Juniper Creek by showing a secret document to Bill; Joey's plans to make Kathy his second wife could be derailed by Roman and Hollis Greene.

    Director:Adam Davidson
    Writer:Unknown

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  25. Big Love Season 3 Episode 9 - Outer Darkness
    8.6/10(5 votes)

    #25 - Outer Darkness

    S3:E9

    Nicki's homecoming, after a visit from her sister wives, isn't what she imagined; Barb endures a trying experience at her old church; Ted does an about-face on the casino project; Scott's reunion with Sarah doesn't go over well with her father or brother; Joey is upset by Bill's change of heart about Roman after the Greenes' latest move.

    Director:Michael Lehmann
    Writer:Unknown

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Best Episodes Summary

"A Barbecue for Betty" is the best rated episode of "Big Love". It scored 9.2/10 based on 4 votes. Directed by Julian Farino and written by Unknown, it aired on 5/7/2006. This episode scored 0.0 points higher than the second highest rated, "The Happiest Girl...".