The Set-Up

What's interesting in this scene is that this is a situation where the family has to work together, in a very escalating time frame. This is one of the only times that we've shown that this is a family that works.

It's inherent in the show that there are so many conflicts because of the demands for Bill's attention, but this is a situation where everyone came together. And it isn't until Rhonda is gone, when Nicki says to Barb, "Why am I always blamed for everything my father does," that we get back to the usual conflict.

There's not that much dialogue, but what is there has to move quickly -- and there's a lot of subtext that goes on between the lines, which we always enjoy.

Barb First

"Where's your mother?" Bill's first instinct in this crisis is to go to Barb, which is kind of a worst-case scenario for him, because things are still uncomfortable between them after her move-out. And her lines reflect something about their relationship. When she says, "How dare he invade our home?" she's basically saying that the difficulty that exists between them is about Bill's background, and their living arrangements now.

What Nicki Means

The different levels of the show are what make working on it great - we have the action that is taking place, and then the motivation within it. The show is incredibly complex, there is usually a lot more going on than meets the eye.

You have this moment with Nicki saying to Barb, "Listen, you should tell Rhonda that we have to get her out of here. I don't think she'll hear it coming from me." Which you could take at face value, or you could see it as Nicki trying to get Rhonda out of there, knowing that Rhonda has already refused her.

Everyone Knows

In the polish of the script, Mark and Will (the series' creators) added the line where one of the cops says to Nicki, "Everyone knows why you took her." It's a very interesting line to add because there are many different things he could be referring to. We thought that it might be about Nicki's jealousy over Rhonda and Roman's relationship. But the audience might have their own version of why the cops thought Nicki would do it. It never gets completely answered.

Will and Mark's Spit

Originally, we didn't have the spit in the carrot salad. Mark and Will added it in the rewrite. And we were like, "My god, do we really want to see that?" But in the end, it did heighten it. What else are you going to do when you call someone an apostate?

Dialogue Without Words

One of the moments we really like the most in this scene is when Bill and Don have a conversation with no conversation. Don looks down and lets Bill know where Rhonda is, in that tunnel. And Bill's reaction is subtle, but it's very clear that he's communicating, "Get her out of here." And then Don gives him a look like, "How am I going to do that?" And then Bill just basically says with his face, "Just do it." Very quick cuts, but it says a lot with a little. And it actually looks funny.

Where Are Bill's Shoes

Working on this show is fascinating, because it's so specific to these people and their religious beliefs, but it's still about relationships, about marriage, about being parents. The show can be very relatable, and is most successful when it achieves that. So Bill says, "Where are my shoes?" just like any other husband. But he has to ask all three wives where his shoes are.

We haven't had much experience with polygamist police forces. But we have families.