HBO to debut series on Utah polygamists

PASADENA, Calif. — HBO is going to give its subscribers a new series about polygamists living in suburban Salt Lake City — sort of a plural-marriage answer to "The Sopranos."

These polygamists are not members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — a fact the series makes pretty clear. But is it clear enough?

HBO and the producers certainly think so.

"I think what the show does very clearly is it makes a very big distinction between the mainline church and the characters in the show," said Carolyn Strauss, president of HBO Entertainment. "It is interesting how many people are ignorant about the Mormon Church and think that (it) actually does condone polygamy.

"So, in an odd way, this show is sort of beneficial in drawing that distinction."

"Big Love," which premieres in March, revolves around a businessman (Bill Paxton), his three wives (Jeanne Tripplehorn, Chloe Sevigny and Ginnifer Goodwin) and their seven children, who all live in three adjacent houses in Sandy.

Shot mostly in California, some filming was done in Utah, and a lot of local sites — including the Salt Lake LDS Temple — are clearly visible.

Although the fictional family has familial ties to a polygamist clan and its evil leader, they've left that behind and are sort of independent polygamists.

The producers made a point of separating Mormons from those polygamists.

"People do have this misconception. There is a blurring of Mormons and polygamy in the same breath," said executive producer Mark V. Olsen. "I want (viewers) to get it. That is important to us."

LDS Church officials are aware of the HBO project and somewhat concerned.

"We know a little bit about it," said church spokesman Dale Bills, who declined further comment beyond an official statement about "Big Love" in the newsroom/comments section of the lds.org Web site:

"Polygamy was officially discontinued in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1890. Any church member adopting the practice today is excommunicated. Those groups which continue the practice in Utah and elsewhere have no association whatever with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and most of their practitioners have never been among our members.

"The church has long been concerned about the continued illegal practice of polygamy, and in particular about reports of child and wife abuse emanating from polygamous communities today. It will be regrettable if this program, by making polygamy the subject of entertainment, minimizes the seriousness of that problem.