MickeyWeeds: A real little flower
I mentioned a little while ago that one of my work-mates has been trying to help with my mission to expand my television watching horizons by giving me DVDs. A few months ago he gave me three seasons worth of discs with iPod format episodes of the Mary-Louise Parker show, Weeds. I'd seen the first few episodes when it first aired on reasonably late night television here in Aus. I'd enjoyed it but for one reason or another, I'd never gotten any further. (Which is a bad habit of mine when it comes to new TV shows) On my recent holiday I found myself without internet but with an iPod full of TV and lots and lots of time to get watching.
I was away for ten days and in that time I made it through all three seasons. The show is brilliant, without a doubt the best new show that I've watched in a long time. And while I was wondering for a while why I didn't stick it out to watch it when it was on telly, I was kind of glad that I didn't because the best way around cliffhangers is to have the next episode or season ready to go.
So for those of you who haven't seen it, the run down is this: It's a Showtime series that's best described as dark comedy, or a suburban drama with a bit of a twist (or Neighbours if it was made funny and wasn't at all censored!). Nancy's husband died from a heart attack while out jogging with his youngest son, Shane. The family lives in the affluent neighbourhood of Agrestic in California (The opening credits for the first three seasons is 'Little Boxes' - Little boxes, on the hillside that all look the same - it says multitudes about the neighbourhood) and in order to maintain her family's lifestyle, Nancy starts selling weed. Her customer base is simple, it's mostly depressed house wives and her accountant and town councilman, Doug and she never ever sells to children. But as is bound to happen when you're a pot dealer, there are a multitude of hurdles that Nancy has to cross in order to live a peaceful life. (Shake-downs, cops, the logistics of selling, bartering with her dealer). While the show mostly belongs to the brilliant and gorgeous Mary-Louise Parker, each character is well-rounded, multifaceted and perfectly played and sometimes the b-stories steal the show.
And it's not just about drugs. Topical issues such as the war in Iraq, religion in schools, sex, drugs, teenage obesity, teenage sexuality, porn, fetish port etc are all covered and sent up in hilarious fashion. (One of the many highlights is in the season three episode "The two Mrs Scottsons" where Nancy's brother-in-law, Andy uses his unique talent, having three toes, to become a fetish porn star)
I can't wait for the season 4 DVDs to come out so it's fair to say that my workmate has succeeded with Weeds where he didn't with the UK Office. And I suppose it means that the goal to watch things I wouldn't normally have watched has had one success so far.
If you're in Aus, Weeds episode, 'Dead in the Nethers' will air tonight (Tuesday) from 11.30-12pm on Nine HD.
I was away for ten days and in that time I made it through all three seasons. The show is brilliant, without a doubt the best new show that I've watched in a long time. And while I was wondering for a while why I didn't stick it out to watch it when it was on telly, I was kind of glad that I didn't because the best way around cliffhangers is to have the next episode or season ready to go.
So for those of you who haven't seen it, the run down is this: It's a Showtime series that's best described as dark comedy, or a suburban drama with a bit of a twist (or Neighbours if it was made funny and wasn't at all censored!). Nancy's husband died from a heart attack while out jogging with his youngest son, Shane. The family lives in the affluent neighbourhood of Agrestic in California (The opening credits for the first three seasons is 'Little Boxes' - Little boxes, on the hillside that all look the same - it says multitudes about the neighbourhood) and in order to maintain her family's lifestyle, Nancy starts selling weed. Her customer base is simple, it's mostly depressed house wives and her accountant and town councilman, Doug and she never ever sells to children. But as is bound to happen when you're a pot dealer, there are a multitude of hurdles that Nancy has to cross in order to live a peaceful life. (Shake-downs, cops, the logistics of selling, bartering with her dealer). While the show mostly belongs to the brilliant and gorgeous Mary-Louise Parker, each character is well-rounded, multifaceted and perfectly played and sometimes the b-stories steal the show.
And it's not just about drugs. Topical issues such as the war in Iraq, religion in schools, sex, drugs, teenage obesity, teenage sexuality, porn, fetish port etc are all covered and sent up in hilarious fashion. (One of the many highlights is in the season three episode "The two Mrs Scottsons" where Nancy's brother-in-law, Andy uses his unique talent, having three toes, to become a fetish porn star)
I can't wait for the season 4 DVDs to come out so it's fair to say that my workmate has succeeded with Weeds where he didn't with the UK Office. And I suppose it means that the goal to watch things I wouldn't normally have watched has had one success so far.
If you're in Aus, Weeds episode, 'Dead in the Nethers' will air tonight (Tuesday) from 11.30-12pm on Nine HD.
