there is a very distinct exception to this rule, though.

big love.

if you don’t know, big love is an hbo drama about a mormon (sorta) polygamous family, the henricksons, living in sandy, utah. it centers around the husband bill and his three wives—barb, nikki, and margene—and their 7 children. i won’t go into great detail trying to explain everything because it will just sound weird, so you have to just see it yourself to get it.

as stated, big love—which is hands down my favorite show of all-time—is the only show in which i really get emotionally involved. i live in the show while i’m watching it (and, to an extent, when i’m not watching it). there’s such a complexity to the characters and the plot that your emotions become a part of the arc of the story.

the problem with t.v., in general, is that it’s so shallow and cliché. i honestly cannot sit through any t.v. sitcom currently on t.v. (i don’t consider the office a sitcom in the classic sense). t.v. is just generally bad. by and large, the writing is bland and the characters are so shallow that you aren’t able to connect with any more than one layer of the character and plot. most comedies rely on a string of cheesy one-liners and dramas rely on stereotypes and over-dramatization.

big love, on the other hand, is so layered and complex in a fascinating way. it draws you in in a way that makes you question your rising blood pressure as you engage with the characters. i literally want to step through my t.v. and tell bill all the things that nikki is doing that he doesn’t know about. after stepping away and questioning my personal sanity, you get a sense that this is what a great show should do.

the third season began sunday night, so if you want to jump on board, it’s not necessarily too late. this is a show that you probably really need to go back and watch, at least, the second season, but you could probably jump right into the new season and still enjoy it.

so, go and get some big love.