Watch 'Big Love' on Sunday... Whether You Have Before or Not

This Sunday, Big Love begins its third season -- a season I've been waiting for for quite some time -- and I must beg you to watch it. Whether you've seen Big Love before or not doesn't really matter. What matters is that it is one of a handful of current drama series that make television great.

For those who haven't yet sampled the show, all you need to know is that Bill Henrickson (Bill Paxton) -- who, at 14, was expelled by his jealous father from the traditional polygamist compound he grew up on -- now lives in a relatively normal suburban community with his own three wives and children. The first wife, Barb (Jeanne Tripplehorn), did not grow up as a polygamist and only agreed to a second wife when she thought she was dying of cancer. The second wife, Nicki (Chloe Sevigny), is not only a traditional polygamist, but the daughter of the self-proclaimed compound Prophet, who is currently being tried by the state on charges of rape and other unlawful conduct. The third wife, happy-go-lucky Margene (Ginnifer Goodwin), was a quick convert to the lifestyle and is maybe just a bit too eager to take on a fourth wife... the lovely Ana, who Bill is now secretly dating.

Interestingly, all of the above-mentioned story lines will come into play this season almost immediately. As I spoiled months ago, Ana's romance with Bill will become family business when she begins courting all the Henricksons... Nicki will adopt an alias and start working for the district attorney who is prosecuting the case against her father, stealing documents and tainting witnesses that could really hurt him... And Barb may be seriously ill again. Meanwhile, one of Bill's young half brothers will be kicked off the compound and turn to him for food and shelter... The suburban neighbors seem to be finally figuring out what's up with Bill and his brood and everyone feels threatened... Also, Bill and Barb's oldest daughter will freak when she finds out that the family might take on a fourth.

I hope this doesn't sound complicated, because it's not. The show is so carefully crafted and brilliantly acted that you'll be sucked in after watching the first hour. So please do so.