Let's get ready to rummmmmmble! It's time for the first round of Wife Watch!, the only blog post that names the week's most powerful wife on Big Love.
Because let's face it: The men on this show may hold the priesthoods, but the ladies hold the reins.
And in the season opener (reviewed right here), there are plenty of women vying for control.
Over at Low Resolution, Joe Reid makes a good case for Adaleen, since she's running a network of UEB spies who are posing as "mainstream women" in government jobs in order to collect intel on the case against Roman. That plus her assassination attempt on her own son make her a vicious gal, but right now, she's merely setting things in motion. Until she tries a power play, she's just a contender with promise.
(Sidebar: Don't you just know that Rhonda is one of the "Jane Does" who are planning to testify against Roman? I'm already drooling for her return from exile, gingham skirt flouncing and pleated braid whipping her cheeks with fury.)
As usual, Barb makes an impressive grab for top wife, manipulating Ana and demanding more influence over Bill's affairs. But her cancer scare makes her a tentative player this week, meaning the season's first crown goes to...
Nicki. And honestly, I wouldn't have it any other way. Nicki is, like, the ne plus ultra of crazy awesomeness, and since Chloe Sevigny still doesn't have an Emmy nomination for this role (!!), I'm proud to make her this week's First Wife.
Think about it: Nicki is part of her mother's spy ring, and she ended this episode on top of her house, shouting down the judgmental neighbors and reaffirming her family's "we're not polygamous" cover. To top it off, she made the neighbors feel guilty for assuming she was still a polygamist and not a penitent refuge from Juniper Creek.
That means Nicki is helping her compound family and her suburb family without anyone knowing the full extent of her business. She's like a quadruple agent. Next week, she'll probably be a silent partner in Teeny's budding porn business.
What do you think? Are you with Nicki this week, or are you backing a different wife? Let me know!