Big Love - Certain Poor Shepherds - Recap

Barb is still struggling with her desire for empowerment in the life she never really wanted. It doesn't help that Bill isn't the biggest supporter of equal rights when it comes to women. He's the king of the double standard. Things are crumbling worse than ever for the family. Every one is heartbroken to learn the reason behind Lois's erratic behavior is the beginning stages of dementia. Bill tries to hide it from her but he's forced to face it when Lois takes the kids out and gets lost and confused.

Things look up in a small way when Heather comes back to town to visit the family. She seems to be over her brief thing for Sarah and it looks like something may happen between her and Ben. I guess that was just a phase? Adaleen also ends up at the Henrickson home although quite unwillingly. Alby psychotically confronts her about her monster pregnancy and kicks her butt out of the compound. He's purifying and can have nothing as impure as Adaleen around.

I usually love how demented Alby is because it makes for great tv, but this week, he went to a new level. The tension between him and Laura reaches a peak when he tries to create peace in his new home. His constant taunts at Laura that he will take away her children and the fact that he killed all of their dogs was enough for her. And me. How can he kill dogs?? She runs away to Bill and the family for help. Bill hooks Laura and her children up at a shelter to try and protect her but it's not long before the news reaches Alby. He's furious that his constant companion would dare leave him.

Cara lynn is desperate for information about her father. I keep forgetting she doesn't know that her..aunt?.. Grandma?.. Stepmom?.. Adaleen burned him to a crisp. She ditches her strange teacher and goes off with her boyfriend to find out what she can about his whereabouts. She comes across the wreckage of her father's lab and even though she doesn't see any skeletons, she puts two and two together.

I don't know where Margene's head is lately. The girl is desperate for a career. She's gotten herself wrapped up in a pyramid scheme and is dragging her neighbors down with her. I thought she might be bipolar or something but it turns out Margie has an even bigger secret. When Bill has to constantly ask her for her license and she refuses to give it to him, I start to wonder. Does she have a secret identity? Is she not really Margene? Will Bill find out she has a secret family in Pennsylvania somewhere? But oh no. That's not it. Margene was actually 16 years old when she shacked up with Bill and lied about her age. OH YEAH. Bill has been the stereotype he's been fighting to crush all these years. I LOVE IT.

Needless to say it's quite the bombshell on the family. Christmas day comes and the tension couldn't been tighter with all the revelations this family is going through. When they go to help out at a soup kitchen, fireworks go off. Barb leaves in tears when she realizes how much she regrets the choices she made in the past and ends up completely drunk at the house. Cara lynn confronts Nicki about her father and they shed some tears.

Things get juicier when Alby shows up to take home Laura. Bill and Nicki try to stop him and ask Laura to choose. Much to Alby's disbelief that she would leave someone as powerful as him, she chooses to stay. Bill calls Alby out on all his crap and then punches him in the face. I half hoped Alby was going to hit him back but he doesn't. I'm sure his revenge will be much more calculated. And now he has reinforcements! Adaleen seemingly gets rid of her pregnancy and goes home to take care of Alby.