The fourth season of Big Love ended in a major cliffhanger. Bill and his three wives publicly admitted to living a polygamist lifestyle. This was quite the ground-breaking moment.

"Winter" brings us back into the aftermath of that momentous event, as each character handles the situation differently. 

Margene can't handle the mean things that people are saying about her in the newspapers. Weeks later, she's still crying at night. When she goes back to the station to beg for a second chance, it felt like she was about to hit rock bottom.

Gotta love the random cameo of Grant Show. After all these years, the actor still has his sex appeal. I wonder if this guru and Margene will hit it off? That could be an interesting road on which to travel.

Barb, meanwhile, tries to figure out who she really is. She actually does the unthinkable, downing a glass of wine. This action speaks volumes because it goes against everything they all believe in. This must mean that Barb is really questioning everything she once held to be the truth.

In the season finale, Nikki broke out of her shell, so to speak, and continues down the same path here, even cutting her hair shorter and wearing more modern clothes. But like they say, you can take the girl out of crazy, but you can't take the crazy out of the girl. The scene where she bullies the young boy is hysterical. Why not just confront the principal? Nikki will forever be missing a couple normal screws.

Bill tries desperately to hold onto his belief that he did the right thing for everyone. However, by the end of the episode, it seems like all is lost. He realizes that maybe this wasn't the most brilliant idea. One word for Bill: D'uh! I have found Bill to be completely self-centered and, even worse, unaware of it.

The only glimmer of hope he possesses lies in group of people that show up to their open house. They, too, are polygamists who wish their lifestyle choices didn't have to be kept in the dark. This is a small glimmer of hope for Bill that maybe his decision to take this unwelcome path wasn't taken in vain.

We knew that Sarah wouldn't be back this season, but to my surprise Tinnie is gone, too. It's for the better because her role was oddly replaced by a "better looking" version last season and ,really, besides being a Henrickson, what does she bring to the table?

Elsewhere, Alby is still mourning the loss of his true love, Dale. He believes that it is Bill's fault that he is dead and I'm certain will seek vengeance upon him. He trapped his mother inside a hole in the ground for killing JJ and his first wife. This whole family is all sorts of messed up and I thought after Roman died maybe a bit of normalcy would come around; I was wrong.

With Alby in charge of the entire compound, I can only imagine all the craziness that we have in store for us this season. Until next week, here are a few of my favorite Big Love quotes from last night:

Bill: I've gone and torn my family apart and I'm truly sorry. | permalink

Nikki: I'm a different person now and I won't go back to being small. | permalink

Margene: Why are you snapping at me? Nikki's the one who beat up a kid. | permalink

Don: (to Bill) You need to listen to me for a change. | permalink

Barb: I love my family Bill. That's what I know. I love my family. | permalink

Nikki: Live in the moment? That's blasphemy. | permalink

Margene: Everyone is calling me a liar. I can't take it. | permalink

Don: (to Bill) They don't like me, but at least they'd talk to me. They reserved all their anger for you, Bill. | permalink