WEEDS!

I have been an avid TV watcher since my early childhood and recently I had all but given hope of ever seeing anything stimulating on TV ever again. The three big networks, for the most part, are dead to me now. The only things I do watch on network TV are “The West Wing” and “60 Minutes” the rest of the programming is lifeless. When they do stumble upon anything creative or smart (like “Arrested Development”) they stomp that fire out right quick. But cable channels such as FX, HBO, and now Showtime are filling that void left by the networks. The other night I saw one of the most well written shows I have seen in quite sometime a few nights ago. It’s the Showtime comedy series called “Weeds.”

The show is about a suburban housewife named Nancy Botwin, whose husband dies of a heart attack while jogging with their son. In order to survive and maintain an income, Nancy (played by the incredible Mary-Louise Parker) begins selling pot to all neighbors. That’s when her world begins to unravel. All of the dirty secrets of her suburban cesspool start bubbling to the surface. Fro example, her friend (and nemesis) Celia, who has nanny-cams hidden all over the house (one hidden in the rear-end of a pink fluffy teddy bear.) The hidden cameras are for the soul purpose of catching her slightly over weight twelve-year-old daughter (whom she lovingly calls “Isa-belly”) sneaking a candy bar or the oldest daughter having sex. Instead, she catches her husband fucking the country club’s Asian tennis instructor. This is thanks to her oldest daughter who is on to her mother’s CIA like approach to parenting and who can be seen at the end of the “teddy bear tape” flipping her off and mouthing “Fuck you” into the camera. And that’s just the beginning! The only “functional” family in this whole show is the James family. Their family business is growing, selling pot and they are Nancy’s suppliers. From the gay drug dealing teenage son of one Nancy’s best customers, who also her biggest competitor in this buyer’s market; to Celia, the alpha-female who rules the PTA with an iron fist this show has suburbia DOWN COLD.

We’ve all seen, met, heard rumors about or lived next-door to these characters. They are the people with the perfectly manicured lawns, SUVs, well adjusted-soccer playing children and open communication between the members of Team Family. But, it’s all a cover for the gross under belly that is SUBURBIA. Mom has three martini lunches without having a job. The kids are taking the Mercedes into the city and spending their seventy-five dollar allowance on “E.” And Dad is constantly daydreaming about the young, nubile sixteen year old babysitter while banging the Latino coffee mistress at Starbucks. The suburbs have become one big masquerade party, where everyone dons their masks of perfection never to reveal who they really are or how unhappy.

“Weeds” rips the masks off! It’s witty, clever and funny because it’s true. Watch it, trust me you’ll love it!

Check out the website to get a little taste: http://www.sho.com/site/weeds/home.do