TVSquad

(S03E14) This episode of Weeds could have been called "Warning Signs," for all the red flags that went up during each scene. Several of Nancy's friends and associates did something that could eventually lead to her downfall. By the end of next week's season finale, Nancy will likely be in some serious trouble, and the only variable is whose fault it will be.

Nancy had to deal with the consequences of Andy's biker connection by taking Silas for some medical treatment on the down-low. The fact that Nancy took her son to the same doctor that treated Marvin's wounds showed that there's no going "back to normal" for the Botwin family. They are drug dealers, and that's that.

I was impressed that Nancy finally admitted who she was out loud, with Conrad as a witness. By beating up Silas, the bikers literally brought the dangers of the pot business to Nancy's doorstep. Part of me hopes that Silas will realize that his involvement in Nancy's business can only lead to more stitches and broken arms and go back to being a normal teenager. Is it too late for Silas to choose another career path?

Guillermo also brought the drug game a little too close to home. I couldn't believe it when Nancy didn't ask Guillermo any follow-up questions about dealing with the bikers. Wouldn't you at least want to know if you just ordered a murder, a beating, or arson? The fire could destroy both Nancy's home and her crop. If this incident doesn't teach her to micromanage, nothing will. Nancy has taken a lot of cues from the dearly departed U-Turn lately, and you can add visiting Dr. Tupelo and hiring U-Turn's former enemy to the list. Just how gangsta will Nancy get by the end of next week?

Speaking of gangstas, Celia proved that she still has a lot to learn about being involved with pot dealers. Even I know that you can't just casually drop $15,000 in cash off at the bank. Hasn't she ever watched The Sopranos? I couldn't be happier that we got another scene between Celia and Heylia. Apparently Heylia is like the Suze Orman of drug money. Her honest reply to Celia's question about fear was interesting as well. While the entire show focuses on how Nancy deals with her illegal business, until now we've never had any indication as to how Heylia feels about the risks that she takes. I'd love to see more of that next season.

Shane's freak-out turned out to be very real, and Nancy did very little about it. I genuinely expected her son's breakdown to snap her out of her negligent funk, but she still put Shane's problems on the back burner. It's hard to tell if Nancy even understands why Shane ended up this way. Yes, he's extremely clever for his age group, but he's still a child, and he needs to know he's taken care of! Hearing Shane relay Judah's messages to the family was devastating. I was especially surprised by the choice words that Shane had for his Uncle Andy.

Will Doug's cross-stealing lead the DEA to the grow house? Probably not, but the racist Majestic lady might pop up at Conrad's again. I thought it was a funny (an unexpected) twist that the DEA agents found the cross using the same thermal-imaging cameras used to find meth labs. I didn't think we'd be seeing those guys again. Another funny attention to detail on the part of the writers: Doug's Googling was back this week. A few weeks back, I spied him looking up male lactation online, and this week he was researching the Munchkin suicide urban myth.

I'm still liking the Nancy-Conrad relationship. Conrad proved how smart he is by calling Nancy on her usual strategy for dealing with threats--sex. He's always been able to get Nancy thinking and talking about what she does, and I hope this starts to pay off. Maybe Conrad will get closer to Nancy's family in time to weigh in on the Shane situation; no one else has been helpful so far.

My favorite lines of the episode:

• "Everybody likes Nancy. Everybody hates Celia. Time for everyone to come up with a new narrative." --Celia
• "I guess I must have some sort of castrating bitch fetish." --Doug, to Celia
• "Ain't this the f**kin' sh*t?" --Heylia, after catching Conrad and Nancy kissing
• "If you ask me, a cross that size is for a Lord with a tiny d*ck." --DEA agent, on the Absolute Truth Ministries' cross

Next week--the season finale, and cliffhangers galore!