Few 2005 TV shows generated as much water-cooler buzz as this Showtime series about a suburban Southern California mom who becomes a pot dealer to make ends meet. The appealing, underrated Mary-Louise Parker is Nancy Botwin, a suddenly widowed soccer mom with no marketable skills, who begins selling marijuana to avoid becoming, as she puts it, “the oldest Gap employee in Southern California.” The 10 first-season episodes establish the premise and introduce Nancy's circle of acquaintances—including best friend and neighbor Celia Hodes (Elizabeth Perkins) and city councilman Doug Wilson (Saturday Night Live alumnus Kevin Nealon). Not surprisingly, there's a lot of subversive humor to be found here, much of it generated by Nancy's newfound dedication to entrepreneurship in a decidedly illegal endeavor. But Weeds goes further than that: it's another entry in the time-honored tradition of movies and TV series dedicated to the proposition that neatly trimmed lawns and well maintained houses conceal suburbia's moral decay. Nancy's criminal activities are thus made to seem wholly defensible and relatively harmless, certainly less egregious then the offenses of her hypocritical, posturing neighbors. A bit of a dicey premise, but Weeds gets away with it because the series boasts sharp writing and impeccable performances. DVD extras include audio commentaries, a featurette on the differences between hemp and marijuana, recipes, and a music video. Recommended. (E. Hulse)
Weeds: Season One
Lionsgate, 2 discs, 283 min., not rated, DVD: $39.98 Volume 21, Issue 5
Weeds: Season One
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