TVSquad

(S04E06) Everyone was finding love--or lust--this week on Weeds. The presence of guest stars Julie Bowen and Demian Bichir just made the show significantly hotter. The Botwins and their tenants focused more on their personal lives, with mixed results. Celia developed her maternal side, Andy and Doug pondered their next move, and Silas got to know the neighbors.

When I posted the news items that came out of Showtime's portion of the CBS tour, the one question I got was "When will Dexter be back?" Well, network president Robert Greenblatt mentioned that the third season would debut in September. No word beyond that. Didn't seem like news to me. But there you are, Dexter fans; that's all I've got on that.

The executive session was introduced by a semi-funny clip from one of the network's stars, Tracey Ullman. Really, it wasn't that good, so I won't talk much about it here. Greenblatt also showed clips of The United States of Tara and Nurse Jackie during his opening remarks. Other than that? Well, isn't that enough?

(S04E05) Weeds turned a corner with this episode. This week marked the true beginning of Nancy's new life. She owned up to her mistakes, made amends to her friends and family, and admitted the obvious: she was a lousy drug dealer. While it took Nancy several seasons to realize the truth about herself, Guillermo figured it out in a few episodes and gave her a new job.

(S04E04) Nobody mourns like the Botwins. I can't decide whose behavior was the least appropriate; there certainly were a lot of contenders. Lenny's countdown was extremely insensitive, and his actions throughout the episode didn't do him any favors, either. I'll save the specifics for after the jump, but he made Nancy's Andy-ditching look like an act of kindness. Not cool, BotWinBig, not cool.

As the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences tries to whittle the submissions down to actual nominees, it's interesting to take a look at who has made it to the semifinals. It's not a nomination, but it's one step away. Today comes word of the finalists for best comedy actress and best supporting drama actor. There are some surprises.

Chief among those for me is Sarah Silverman. I honestly hadn't even considered her in the running. I'm not much of a fan, but I do like that she is being considered for the simple fact that the base the nominees are drawn from can always use some expansion. And if she is the most surprising inclusion, the most surprising snub just might be Teri Hatcher. Eva Longoria, Marcia Cross, and Felicity Huffman all made the cut, but not Hatcher. Ouch. The rest of the finalists, and the supporting actors from a drama, after the jump.

(S04E03) What a relief! Now that we've ditched the dead weight (sorry, Bubbie) Weeds can finally get down to business. The Agrestic and Ren Mar worlds are slowly coming together, which should please the Doug fans. Some familiar faces are making their way to Nancy's new home, and that could mean trouble for her.

(S04E02) The season premiere took us to a new town, and "Lady's a Charm" gave us a look into Nancy's future as a drug trafficker. There's room for improvement, that's for sure. This week we learned more of the Botwin family history, got a brief and depressing Yiddish lesson, and, for the first time, I heard the word "schlimazel" outside the context of Laverne & Shirley.

The "Little Boxes" theme is gone for good. Instead, we got a quick shot of the Mexican border. I'll miss the old song, but it no longer fits with the show's new setting. I can't decide if I like the music-free credits, or if a different theme song would have been a good idea. What song would suit Weeds now that it isn't set in the suburbs?

The fourth season of Weeds began on Monday night, and the comedy's season premiere earned Showtime record ratings. With 1.3 million viewers, "Mother Thinks the Birds are After Her" is officially the most-watched season premiere of any Showtime series to date. Weeds broke the record formerly held by the season two premiere of Dexter, which had one million viewers.

Showtime's Secret Diary of a Call Girl also brought in a significant audience. The drama earned 949,000 viewers, setting a record for the highest-rated series premiere on the cable network. The L Word's series premiere was the previous record-holder.

(S04E01) So, the Botwins are beach people now. The opening credits gave us one last look at Agrestic/Majestic before taking us to Ren Mar, Nancy's new home. We spent a lot of time getting acquainted with some of Judah's relatives, Lenny and Bubbie. I'm a little squeamish when it comes to serious health issues, so Bubbie already gives me the creeps. Weeds used Dean's serious injury to get some laughs last season, and now we're dealing with someone in a vegetative state. I'm repulsed, yet intrigued. Welcome back, Weeds!

Mary-Louise Parker was forced to wear a cast to Sunday night's Tony Awards ceremony. The actress broke a toe while filming a love scene on Weeds. The injury occurred when she hit her foot on a bed frame. It was only the first take, but Parker completed the scene. The footage will have to be used in an upcoming episode. The fourth season of the Showtime comedy premieres tonight.

Devoted fans are familiar with Nancy Botwin's various affairs--Alejandro, Peter, Sullivan, and, most recently, Conrad. The question is, who is she hooking up with this season? Romany Malco and Tonye Patano were phased out of the show, so it probably isn't Conrad. Any guesses? Warning: spoiler-related speculation after the jump.

You think winning two Oscars would earn you some respect, right? What about a Tony and Emmy winner? No, apparently not -- in either case. Two high-profile TV movies which feature Jessica Lange and Mary-Louise Parker are being broadcast -- unceremoniously -- over the next three Saturday nights on CBS. Yes, they are essentially being dumped. The Nielsen numbers for programs on Saturday nights is next to nothing. By running Sybil and Vinegar Hill, these stars' respective films on that night of the week, CBS is showing no faith in them, let alone TV movies in general. I guess Hallmark Hall of Fame movies are the exception to the rule.

If you've watched 30 Rock this past season, you've seen how funny actress Edie Falco can be. As C.C. (Celeste Cunningham), she's been a hoot opposite Alec Baldwin. Well, Showtime noticed, and they announced today that the three-time Emmy-winner, best known as Carmela on The Sopranos, will star in a new show for their network. She'll be playing a "strong-willed, iconoclastic New York City nurse juggling the frenzied grind of an urban hospital and an equally challenging personal life" is the 30-minute, single camera, dark comedy.

It's a shame that the Golden Globes ceremony was cancelled in a year when so many talented comedic actresses received nominations. For the first time since 2004, the category of Best Actress in a Television Musical or Comedy includes none of the Desperate Housewives cast. The housewives have dominated the category over the past few years, and their absence has made room for some fresh faces in 2008.

I couldn't be happier that this category looks more competitive than ever. The fact that I had so much trouble predicting a winner is a very good sign. I'm also pleased that each nominee represents a different style of comedy--and there's not a cranky suburban wife or over-the-top diva to be found. The five characters that these ladies play are likeable, genuine, and hilarious.

(S03E15) Surprise, surprise! For once, a season of Weeds ended with Nancy taking control of her life instead of being at the mercy of outside circumstances. The first two season finales provided over-the-top cliffhangers, but Season Three ended with what appeared to be a fresh start for Nancy and the Botwin family.

Doug's songs were the perfect way to frame some of the ridiculous behavior that was on display at the evacuation center. His exchange with the leader of the prayer circle (the one speaking in tongues) was priceless. How about that "Just Like the Superdome" song? I can't believe that the writers went there, but I could not stop laughing after I heard the lyrics.

(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.