Mark Olsen and Will Scheffer, Feeling the 'Big Love'
Mark Olsen (left) and Will Scheffer hit upon the idea of exploring the dynamics of the American family through a polygamous foursome shortly after the second George W. Bush inauguration. They say they were offended by political rhetoric about what makes a family. Ron Batzdorff/HBO hide caption
Mark Olsen (left) and Will Scheffer hit upon the idea of exploring the dynamics of the American family through a polygamous foursome shortly after the second George W. Bush inauguration. They say they were offended by political rhetoric about what makes a family.
Ron Batzdorff/HBOMark Olsen and Will Scheffer created the HBO series Big Love, now in its second season.
It's about a man (Bill Paxton) and his three wives (Chloe Sevigny, Jeanne Tripplehorn and Ginnifer Goodwin). They've broken from the Mormon church and still practice polygamy — a tradition disavowed by mainline Mormons.
Olsen and Scheffer are credited as writers and producers on the series. This year, they won a Writer's Guild Award for their work.
