
(S03E01) Oh, Weeds, how I've missed you. I've missed your soft-hearted thugs and manchild stoners. I've missed your misguided children and far more misguided parents. Tonight's episode was pitch-perfect, and while we still don't know whether Peter is dead and whether Nancy will live, we know that the world will keep turning with or without the MILF-weed in it.
So, pot smokers out there, can you dry out waterlogged weed without diminishing its quality? Hell, I know the answer to that question. I went to college. Nancy's f@cked, but she's not alone. Silas, Shane, Andy and Conrad aren't exactly in a world of good either.
This show is all about the face - Mary Louise Parker's face to be exact. The close-ups of her little ticks and stares fill me with worry and dread. She's always completely frayed - like she never quite came back together again after Jonah died. Now, things are going from bad to worse. Good thing we have Doug and Dean to lighten the mood. There, ummm..., "size war" was hilarious. I'm usually not a fan of stoner comedy, but these guys do it so well. Kevin Nealon in the role he was born to play.
Zooey Deschanel's never been better either. "Heart hug." Deserting poor, level-headed Shane. Fortunately, crazy uncle Andy is on the case. I'm sure that will turn out well.
Silas doesn't seem to understand the gravity of the situation he's put Nancy in nor the fact that lives are at stake. Then again, what's a life worth on Weeds these days? At least poor Peter got a moment of silence when Nancy zoned out in the police station, but that's not enough for me. Shouldn't there be consequences for our characters when their actions result in someone's death? Maybe there will be. I just want Martin Donovan back on TV.
Next to Mary Louise Parker's face, the best part of tonight's episode - the final shot. Celia, reclining in her full bitchy splendor, with a pool full of pot. Perfect music. Perfect image. And, the perfect hypocrisy as Celia swilled from her flask. Elizabeth Perkins gets my own made-up TV Squad award for Best Bitch.
I'm still not sure how I feel about Weeds' transformation from quiet, hysterical show about grief and suburbia to cliffhanger-y "Nancy in jeopardy" show. At least, it's still hysterical.
My favorite exchange of the night:
DOUG: Dana won't f@ck anyone. Something about a short cervix and how she might be a lesbian.
DEAN: You have four kids?
DOUG: Whose names could be "tequila shot", "snuck it in while she was sleeping", "doing it for a Lexus" and
"turkey baster".










Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
8-14-2007 @ 1:03AM
OClvl3 said...
I liked this episode, but the two leaked episodes I have seen after this one have completely turned me off from this show. Show has gotten too depressing and less funny, not a good combo. Also, the show has gotten way to preachy about the war in a juvenile sort of way (wait for next episode you'll see what I mean).
Reply
8-14-2007 @ 1:40AM
Oreo said...
I have also seen the next few, the creator said it was okay. The story picks up again a few episodes in, but the anti war stuff is VERY annoying.
Reply
8-14-2007 @ 3:47AM
emily. said...
On the one hand, I understand that it was important to up the stakes. After all, marijuana is still an illegal drug (forget the Iraq commentary, what this show is harshly critical of is the drug war).
On the other hand, it's too intense and not really funny to have the risk of being raped and murdered be in the foreground of what is supposedly a dark comedy. I hope that they dial down the immediate threats of death and violence. I think we get the points: drug dealing is a dangerous business, the illegal drug trade enriches scary thugs and gangsters, weed isn't more or less dangerous than many other "acceptable" drugs in our country, and Weeds isn't a bland workplace/family sitcom.
The tone of the show has changed for these first few episodes, and if the whole season is like this I don't know if I can take it. I don't enjoy watching anyone having a gun pointed at them for more than an episode. I desperately need some lighter moments, absurdities, and for the characters to have some successes. At the rate Nancy is rocketing toward bottom, I'm afraid the show may accidentally hit "Requiem for a Dream" territory.
I'm hooked on what I've seen so far this season, but I hope there's a little relief for the tension. Otherwise, this could be an exhausting season, and not really in a good way.
Reply
8-14-2007 @ 4:56AM
Dan Barrett said...
Getting completely turned off the show after 2 episodes of the series return is reactionist nonsense.
After 20+ episodes, the show has taken a detour away from the comedy for a few episodes to deal with the harsh consequences of the characters actions. Until this point, they've had a fairly easy ride. The show isn't being moralistic about it, but rather just showing the dark side to this underground industry. It needs to be shown if the show is to maintain a grounding in reality.
The military drafting storyline is perhaps a little heavy-handed, but how about we see where they are going with it before writing the series off completely?
Reply
8-14-2007 @ 8:01AM
Joe stalin said...
For a show that seems to revel in its non-conformity, it really is the most conformist show on TV. From its opening credits about the ticky-tacky houses in suburbia to its constant anti-war preaching, Weeds does nothing but push the Hollywood left-wing view of its world. Never-the-less its damn funny, of course sometimes thats due to its hypocrisy.
Reply
8-14-2007 @ 9:00AM
Diana said...
I wasn't a big fan of the first few episodes, but episode 4 really kicks it into gear. I'll go wherever this show takes me, but I'm not always 100% with it.
I blogged my review at http://www.mediaobsessed.com
Reply
8-14-2007 @ 11:15AM
Bella said...
Last season I thought the show was great! The season premiere last night seemed to be lacking slightly but i blame it on the fact that like my favorite HBO serious entourage half hour is just too short. Hopefully it will pick up next week! If it does not pick up I always have Dexter to look forward to in September.
http://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/
Reply
8-14-2007 @ 11:16AM
Cody said...
From the four episodes that I've seen, this season looks like it's going to be pretty great!
Reply
8-14-2007 @ 11:55AM
Paul said...
I think the show is incredibly well rounded, though I thought the "to be continued" episode was a cheap shot. One of the things that I've always liked about Weeds is that it is able to keep directly on task and pull through a story line in the requisite 30 minutes. Hopefully, they'll be able to get back to this in the future.
The stakes were upped when Nancy decided to move from the dime bag industry and the result is she moves into the scope of heavy handed drug dealers. Though Nancy has not had time to react, she is luckily without the stain of blood directly on her hands, even though the cap was done for her and because of her own actions. While dark and depressing, it was a good tool to show exactly how connected and cut throat Heylia can be. I moved her character's threats from the scolding admonishments of the segacious store keeper to those of a business woman who only keeps a jovial facade.
I personally love the anti-bush and war comments which are far from left wing, if one pays attention to the poles these days. I also like the juxtaposition of the reality of the Republican character's lives with their reality. This is something that I notice on a daily basis and just shows the differences between what we espouse and who we are. It's the same with Nancy, who is a respectable housewife who decides to deal "only pot" in order to save her family. She has a hidden side and now she is seeing that her laissez faire liberal American view of harmless sales and consumption has an entire undercurrent associated with it that can and does involve destruction of property and murder. It's one step at a time toward the perpetration of more and more unanticipCted crimes.
Certainly the show does make it clear that the war on drugs, especially the likes of marijuana, is an excersize in futility. Then again, the idea of a war on a substance, or a military tactic is oxymoronic in itself as one can truly only declare war on a country; however, the show is even handed in laying whatever blame goes around on corruptability. Peter was a corrupt cop and showed that he could be dangerous and vindictive on top. He became more of a threat than the dealers. We now know that we are waiting to see what happens to U-Turn, who is trying to jack a sale, rather than come forward as a business man. Celia has the council hating her because she decided that it would be best to run a campaign of hard line ideals that she herself does not necessarily hold; Conrad stepped on the toes of his mentors and it goes on and on to show all of the amzing working within all of those little boxes.
Thank you Showtime for putting together and excellent series with some of the best talent around!
Reply
8-14-2007 @ 1:39PM
Oreo said...
I don't care what the polls say baout the Iraq war. This is a TV show, a comedy, it should take our minds off our real problems and place them on the charaters crazy problems.
Reply
8-14-2007 @ 3:04PM
emily. said...
@ Oreo
The purpose of art and fiction is a complicated subject and is debated in depth by English and philosophy professors and students in great depth and detail. That being said, Weeds has been about social commentary since the first second it aired. Having "Little Boxes" as it's theme song should be your first clue. I imagine it will continue to touch on even more hot-button political topics. If you dislike political commentary, you are watching the wrong show.
It's your right to disagree with Weeds' position on the war and dislike the fact that they're discussing it, but don't say the show "shouldn't" discuss the war. I think important issues deserve to be discussed in a variety of ways, including with fiction. If you're watching Weeds for mindless, politics-free entertainment value, you're maybe watching the wrong show.
Reply
8-14-2007 @ 5:38PM
OClvl3 said...
I have nothing against shows that are critical of the war or anything (love Colbert to death), but its the way they go about it. The way they have handled the war on drugs angle has been great. While silly and outlandish at times, they have portrayed it in a realistic way. They have stepped it up into even more realism by last seasons end and even more this season. But, the heavy-handedness of the War in Iraq and anti-Bush comments is rather juvenile as I said before. It makes sense that all those comments come from a little kid (Shane) and a borderline retard (Andy).
Reply
8-14-2007 @ 6:15PM
Haggis said...
I loved the episode, and went out and got the next three since we all had the creators permission, heh.
Of any of the new characters i like the best? U-Turns thug/whipping boy Marvin. His exchange with Nancy about her and Conrad was awesome. He also had some of the best lines of the night.
Reply
8-15-2007 @ 9:33AM
emily. said...
@ OClvl3
Well put. That's how I take those comments too, actually. One must always look at the source. Andy is a dumbass, and all his statements reflect his immaturity. The plot point I assume many will construe as hugely anti-war *FOLLOWING PHRASE NOT FOR THE SPOILERPHOBIC* (the drone thing in bootcamp) *END SPOILERISH PART* was lame. Really lame. The episodes following that incident had better find a way to make it not lame or make it go away quickly. If I wanted government conspiracies I'd pull out my X-Files DVDs.
Honestly, though, one could take a lot of the character comments as anti-authority rather than anti-Bush specifically. I'm not going to dig out examples at the moment, but much of what's said can be taken several ways.
Also, many political points made about the war in Iraq are understandable positions. It doesn't take much imagination to see how the war in Iraq benefits certain groups with an interest in Iraq's oil, just as it doesn't take much imagination to see how Sadam-led Iraq scared the crap out of a number of world leaders. It's not a black and white problem, therefore it can be seen from a variety of viewpoints which are all valid in different ways.
Main point: I respect objections to the manner in which political points are made (i.e. if said points detract from the storytelling), but I don't feel sympathetic towards those who object to political commentary in the show altogether.
Reply
8-16-2007 @ 9:37AM
Tom said...
My ex watches "Weed" and I have seen it at her house a couple of times. I find it to be a microcausm of what is wrong with America today. People that once were hard-working , productive citizens are willing to sell their morals and values and stoop to the level of the lowest trash among us, put their family and friends lives in peril because they no longer want to do an honest days work. I find the show discusting.
Reply
8-20-2007 @ 10:24AM
D-Bo said...
I thought the episode was great! Celia is thoroughly insane, the Botwin boys are each in their own heap of trouble and Doug and Dean get whacked out raiding the medicine cabinet, what more could you ask for?
How about Nancy explaining her relationship status with Conrad to Marvin while the Armenian impatiently waives a gun in their faces in the parking lot of the Agrestic Polic Station.
And like Haggis, one of my favorite exchanges was when Marvin explained to Nancy why the Armenian ran off and how he says that if they don't get the grass back he has to shoot her in the head. HE says someting to the effect of: "Now we have to really focus on finding it, cause you got a really nice head."
Reply
8-20-2007 @ 10:54PM
Jordan said...
Does anyone know the name of the band that was doing the song at the end of tonights episode, rolling into the credits. Showtime hasn't updated their website with the music from Season 3 yet.
Reply
8-22-2007 @ 2:08PM
Mark said...
There is are too mindless right wing talk on Iraq for this blog to have any real people. Irag was wrong. Weeds is good. No amount of propaganda from republic Rove plants changes that. Now stop laying in on on Irag stuff and focus of the show.
Reply
8-22-2007 @ 2:39PM
Thomas Peacock said...
I'm with Jordan. I got online tonight just to find out about the band and song playing through the closing credits of episode 24. Sounds like Joey Santiago on guitar to me. Who is it? It needs to be in my iPod NOW...
Reply
8-24-2007 @ 12:14PM
D Murphy said...
Will you guys STOP referring to future episodes (episodes 24 and up) and ruining them for the rest of us? And why don't you stop downloading illegally and wait for the new episode, like the rest of the human population? I'm tired of people ruining episodes where there should NOT be a damn spoiler!!!!
Reply