Queue Up Some “Weeds”

Weeds has been one of the best shows on television since its inaugural campaign in 2005.  It combines outrageous stoner-humor with “high” tension wonderfully.  I honestly don’t know how the creators of the series have kept it as funny and fresh as they have for this long when most shows have three or, tops, four good seasons as a shelf-life.  The acting is simply great.  Mary-Louise Parker is stunningly gifted and gorgeous as Nancy Botwin.  However, the comedy is mostly provided by the side-splitting sarcasm of Justin Kirk, who plays Parker’s brother-in-law, Andy.  Nancy’s two sons do an admirable job as well (Silas will provide you girls out there with something to look at, while the rest of us gape at Parker).

The premise of the show is this: Nancy’s husband tragically died some time ago, leaving her alone to raise two sons.  In order to maintain their upper-middle class lifestyle, Nancy takes to dealing marijuana in her suburban Los Angeles community.  Especially early on in the series, many of the main conflicts are sparked because men in the drug trade try to take advantage of her.  Andy is in tow to help out with the kids as they develop through grade school.  Kevin Nealon plays a local, Doug, who is one of Nancy’s best customers and friends.  And Elizabeth Perkins portrays Celia who is kinda, I guess another one of Nancy’s friends.

The most intriguing part of the series is that the audience is really challenged at times to sympathize with the main character.  We love Nancy because she is charming, hip, good-natured, (fucking hot) and ultimately is doing all of this for the benefit of her children.  However, I for one, see her get into many sticky situations and find myself wondering if she shouldn’t have just sold their huge house and gotten a normal job in the first place.  As the show progresses, her life choices glaringly and detrimentally affect her sons.  And the rising sexual tension between her and Andy create more confusion for her already wracked brain.  Regardless, if nothing else, the trials she experiences are quite thrilling and smile-inducing.

So get on Netflix right away and thrust Weeds Season 1 to the top of your queue and you’ll agree that this show has not gotten nearly enough attention as it deserves.