For those who smoke, have smoked or will smoke pot, there is a new show in town that you should pay attention to. The Showtime series entitled "Weeds," which debuted Aug. 10 and multi-plays every week Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 9 p.m., has taken the controversial issue of smoking and dealing pot to a new and very interesting level. The drama unfolds in Agrestic, a cookie-cutter, upper-middle class white suburb of Los Angeles, where everyone's business is town gossip, and town gossip is everyone's business.
This original comedy series stars Mary-Louise Parker as Nancy Botwin, a struggling widow who has resorted to selling pot in an effort to support her two sons, keeping her family in the suburban lifestyle to which they have become accustomed. The stresses of the suburb and pressures of the competitive marijuana business present many trials for the protagonist, leading to amusing and slightly illegal scenarios.
Her zany accountant/business consultant, Doug Wilson, brilliantly portrayed by Kevin Nealon, helps this pot-dealing mom. Celia Hodes (Elizabeth Perkins), the nosey friend and superficial P.T.A. mom, embodies everything wrong in Agrestic and constantly keeps Nancy on her toes. Sometimes a friend, but more often a foe, Celia brings a unique dynamic to the cast, as well as an interesting portrayal of an American housewife. Nancy's "hook-up" for her new business investment consists of Heyla James (Tonye Patano) and Conrad Shepard (Romany Malco), an inner-city mother and son, who guide Nancy through the business and offer needed advice. The duo deals with the shady and illegal drug business, but these two are often viewed as the most level headed and ethical characters on the show.
To add more drama and some comic relief is the goofy uncle of Nancy's two sons, Andy Botwin (Justin Kirk). This mooch of an uncle is constantly getting himself into some sort of trouble. Whether it is getting pulled over for smoking weed while driving or bedding the mother of one of his nephew's friends, Andy is perpetually a source of problems for Nancy. Then there are Nancy's sons, Silas (Hunter Parrish) and Shane Botwin (Alexander Gould). Silas is the classic teenage male struggling with the pressures of family, school, girls and raging hormones all at the same time. Shane is the younger son who desperately misses his father and rebels in order to receive attention from his busy, yet loving, mother.
"Weeds" gives a cynical new look at the normal suburban life that we have all idealized in our minds. The show dispels the myth that drugs do not exist in suburbia. Although the main topic of the show appears to be marijuana, that is only a superficial part of the show. The marijuana subject matter is an excuse to delve into issues that are often seen as taboo. It also stretches the limits of what one considers ethical. By delving deeper into the characters and plot lines, we learn that "Weeds" showcases issues of family, friends, sex, love, illness, loss and a great deal more.
Although the show has received glowing reviews from both critics and fans, many are still disturbed by the content, and feel that the show presents drugs in a glamorized setting, neglecting to include the dangerous consequences that often follow the use of these drugs. This, however, is not the case. "Weeds" is an excellent show that portrays the struggles of one family in a uniquely comedic setting. The pot aspect of the show is definitely intriguing, but it is not the only reason to tune in. "Weeds" should be a big hit in the near future, exemplified by its already high ratings (no pun intended).