For those who haven’t seen it, we recommend HBO’s oddly wonderful polygamist drama Big Love. It’s incredibly strange, yet sharp and thought-provoking.

Additionally, it contains striking similarities to the real-life Texas polygamist compound raided by federal agents and dominating news this month.

The series centers around a small businessman (Bill Paxton), who aside from being married to three different women - who live in separate houses, but right next to the others - lives an ordinary life in suburban Salt Lake City.

One of the wives, played by Chloe Sevigny, is from a polygamist compound depicted similarly to what we’ve learned about the Eldorado, Tx., group.

Her father (Harry Dean Stanton) is the shady leader - and self-proclaimed prophet - of the fundamentalist sect, where many scenes take place.

The other two wives - one older and one younger, both equally complicit in the family’s polygamist practices - enjoyed regular suburban upbringings.

Back to reality, the photo below shows women at The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, at the Yearning for Zion Ranch.

No idea if Big Love is rooted specifically in Schleicher County, Texas, or how many such compounds exist in the western U.S., but this month’s news shows that it’s culled from experiences that are undeniably real.

In any event, rent the DVD. It’s a realistic and, at times, quite disturbing. At the same time, it’s a sympathetic, endearing story of family like none other.