Can You Take Me High Enough?
"Weeds," Season Three / The TV Whore
Aug. 9, 2007
Nancy Botwin and friends are finally coming back! And as you may recall, Season Two’s cliffhanger left everyone in just a bit of a pickle. (If you’re not all caught up with the show and don’t want to know where things were at the end of Season Two, best skedaddle on out of this review.) Here’s the quick rundown of where things left off in the quiet burg of Agrestic. There was the big cliffhanger, of course, with Nancy and Conrad stuck in the grow house, five guns pointed at them courtesy of the Armenians (who may have killed Agent Whitebread) and U-Turn. The weed itself, meanwhile, wasn’t in the grow house anymore but was, instead, in the trunk of Silas’ car. Trouble there was, Silas looked about to get arrested by a cop put on him by Celia, who was pissed off over the whole stolen “drug free zone” signs and cameras. Back at Shane’s graduation party, things weren’t much better, as Doug and Dean were not getting along well, both because Dean screwed up Doug’s seat on the city council and because, more recently, Celia had broken up with Dean over her affair with Doug (which wound up being a mistake since Doug screwed her over by not calling it off with his own wife). And then poor Uncle Andy decided to “do the right thing” and not run away with super-hot but super-crazy Kat (the delectable Zooey Deschanel), so she ran off with Shane instead, leaving Andy and the Indian bounty hunter Abumchuck to chase after them.
So there’s really quite a lot for Season Three to dive into, and the first episode wastes no time at all, taking us right back into the quasi-Mexican standoff at the grow house, complete with someone literally pissing themselves. It winds up taking the first two episodes to clean up most of the Season Two mess (and the “to be continued” moment at the end of the first episode is a hilarious doozy), but by the end of the second episode most of it is relatively resolved in a satisfying-enough way (particularly the Andy/Shane portion - in fact, I gotta say that I’d pay good money to watch an Andy/Abumchuck roadtrip flick). Of course, things will never be easy for Nancy or anyone else on this show, so these resolutions are neither smooth nor clean and, by the end of the second episode, Nancy’s lot in life is arguably worse than it was before Season Three kicked off (save for the fact that she’s not actually looking down the barrels of five guns anymore). Her situation, and the season’s other storylines, start to get fleshed out a little over the next two episodes and as I was watching them, I found something very interesting happening - I was becoming less and less interested in Nancy’s part of the show, wanting to see more of almost everything else (the exception here was Andy’s new story, but I’ll come back to that). The first two episodes take Nancy to a very interesting place, emotionally, and Mary Louis Parker acts her ass off with the material she’s given (and this is the flimsy excuse for my including that promotional picture up there - I mean, good gracious, ass bodacious!). However, by the end of the fourth episode, I’m considerably less interested in Nancy. This is partially because one aspect of her story feels a little been-there/done-that, focusing once again on her paranoia over being busted but it mostly has to do with the fact that U-Turn shows up more in these episodes and I’m quite done with this character - while he was hilarious when he first showed up last season (and remained so for a bit of this Third Season), he’s ultimately such an un-nuanced and stereotypical character that he’s gotten old quite quick. And for a show that is generally pretty good at avoiding such flat characters, he stands out like a sore thumb and ends up tainting the Nancy storyline.
Similarly, I was on the fence about the direction they started taking with Andy this season, because he wound up surrounded by cliche and stereotype. But by the end of the fourth episode, things took a somewhat ridiculous-yet-surprising turn, and there is now some glimmer that things with Andy will go to a place that is fun and entertaining. Meanwhile, in re-watching Season Two, and having now seen the start of Season Three, I’ve come to realize that Doug is my favorite character, and I’m happy to say that his storyline took a hilarious turn in the fourth episode. They’ve managed to set things up such that there will surely be much more ongoing conflict between him and Celia, which can only be a good thing as the season progresses. And at least some of this conflict will revolve around a newly introduced character played by Matthew Modine. He’s is a shady land developer from Majestic, the incorporated neighborhood next to Agrestic, and his first scene on the show reminded me so much of a certain Lyle Lanley trying to sell Springfield on a monorail that I have to think there was at least a touch of an intentional homage here. Anyway, Modine’s developer quickly integrates himself into the storylines of several of our characters, and Modine’s performance is kind of delicious, offering much promise for the direction of things to come. The third episode also gave us a surprising guest appearance by Carrie Fisher, and if this is just a one-off, it’s a shame, because her performance was quite hilarious and even managed to wash away some of the grime she’s covered herself in by appearing on Fox’s “On the Lot.”
Ultimately, I’ve enjoyed what I’ve seen so far (i.e., the first four episodes). I don’t think this season is, as yet, as funny as Season Two was, and the show might have hit its peak last season. But it’s still one of the best comedies on TV, and easily worth the time investment if you’ve got the Showtime. Plus, I’ve got to tip my hat to whoever puts the soundtrack together for this show - the chosen songs not only continue to be solid tracks from a purely aural sense, but they’re also so well tied, lyrically, to the show itself that it just cracks my shit up (in fact, one of the biggest laughs I’ve had with this new season is when the lyric “you fucked up, you Nazi whore” springs forth at an entirely appropriate moment). And I have just now realized that I have absolutely no clean way to get out of this review, so I suggest you just stare at the image of MLP up there, and not worry about the abruptness of this ending.
(Season Three of “Weeds” kicks off on August 13, at 10 p.m., on Showtime.)
Seth Freilich is Pajiba’s television editor. He wishes they had made a similar promotion poster with Zooey.
The Unbearable Lightness of Pajiba | | Pajiba Love 08/09/07
Comments
This is where they cast that Olsen freak.
No thank you, I cannot promote that type of thing.
Pass
Posted by: BarbadoSlim at August 9, 2007 1:51 PM
No excuse is flimsy when it means more of that picture. Hell, no excuse is necessary.
And now I am gonna have to hunt down the first two seasons, and since my cable box hasn't worked right since Dexter's season finale, I need a way to get at the third.
Posted by: Vermillion at August 9, 2007 1:56 PM
Body double? I'm guessing body double. Her head seems just slightly larger than her body warrants.
Posted by: jdawg at August 9, 2007 1:57 PM
I'm definitely looking forward to new Weeds. Thank God I found a friend with Showtime. Now I can actually watch it as it unfolds instead of having to Netflix it like I did seasons 1 & 2. Although I do rather like just going on a Weeds binge (heh) and watching the whole season over a weekend.
Posted by: Matty at August 9, 2007 1:59 PM
Please, please, please, baby Jesus, let that be Mary-Louise's real posterior area. Oh, who cares, I'm just going to stare at it anyway.
I think Doug is my favorite character, too. Because July was such a shit TV month, I overcame my aversion to the theme song and caught up on Season 2, and Kevin Nealon is just great there.
Posted by: socalledonlycousins at August 9, 2007 2:01 PM
Geez Slim. I know the Olsens aren't the most appealling casting but at least one of the celebutard triplets wasn't cast. The show is certainly strong enough to withstand one insignificant waif's apperance.
Posted by: Matty at August 9, 2007 2:06 PM
I don't know who's posterior, and glorious though it is, it isn't Mrs. Parker's.
At least, not from what I have seen on previous pictures.
Posted by: BarbadoSlim at August 9, 2007 2:07 PM
Body double? I'm guessing body double. Her head seems just slightly larger than her body warrants.
Posted by: jdawg at August 9, 2007 1:57 PM
-DON'T.CARE. *drools*
Posted by: Manny at August 9, 2007 2:12 PM
God, I can't wait for this show to return. I hope that they keep Conrad as big a focus as they did in season two, because not only is Romany Malco sexy as hell (where's HIS ass shot?) but he can also hold his own against the acting talent that is MLP.
Posted by: Julie at August 9, 2007 2:18 PM
I also think that picture uses a body double. I saw MLP almost completely naked on stage several years ago and she was not that bodaciously curved. But, so what, I hope it is MLP's post baby body so she can give an emotional, talent ability, and physical F.U. to that creep Billy Crudup (emphasis on crud) who ditched her pregnant self for the reprehensible Claire Daines. Oh yeah, Weeds, that rocks also.
Posted by: rudy at August 9, 2007 2:39 PM
Oh, I'd forgotten how MLP had been hung out to dry. It goes without saying the any man who would dump her for someone like Claire Danes obviously has sexual identity issues.
Posted by: BarbadoSlim at August 9, 2007 2:52 PM
Hi TV Whore
It's "Agent Wonderbread," not "Whitebread"
Posted by: Plobes at August 9, 2007 3:04 PM
Well, I wish I was totally caught up with the first two seasons (still a couple episodes here and there from each of them I haven't seen), but I will be tuning into this anyway (I'm caught up enough to know what all is going on). I have been enjoying the hell out of my free 3 months of Showtime since I moved (still have a month and a half left), and was mostly able to catch the weekly re-runs; I think I'm going to take the plunge and subscribe when the free period is up (because I have to watch Dexter).
Have you seen Californication yet? I'm sure I'll be watching that as well, and I didn't know if you had an advance opinion or not. I like ol' Fox Mulder in his comedic roles, and there looks to be plenty of boobies, so I figured I'd tune in regardless of what anyone else thought (now that's a flimsy excuse...).
Posted by: Cody at August 9, 2007 3:14 PM
I like ol' Fox Mulder in his comedic roles, and there looks to be plenty of boobies ....
Right on, Cody. I got the Californication sneak preview from NetFlix and watched it a couple of weeks ago -- it's pretty good, needs to get better, and probably will. Definitely worth a look.
Posted by: socalledonlycousins at August 9, 2007 3:21 PM
Also watched the Californication preview on Netflix. Unfortunately, I don't have Showtime, so it will be a while until I see any more episodes of it. You're right about the boobies though.
Posted by: Brian at August 9, 2007 4:25 PM
I read that it's all her, baby. No body double for Mary Louise. I sure do wanna get myself some of that MILF weed.
Posted by: Brianne at August 9, 2007 6:13 PM
I'm right there with you on the not-as-interested-in-Nancy thing. Especially after last season. I'm actually looking forward to her going down in flames when the show concludes. Her reaction to the standoff at the end of Season 2 just solidifed what I already knew: she has no idea what she is doing and is enormously self involved. Don't get me wrong, Mary Louise Parker is doing great work, but Nancy is kind of a bitch. Maybe that is what Jenji Kohna is going for but I definitely found myself disliking her more and more as Season 2 went on. Doug, Celia, Andy and Conrad keep me watching. The kids don't do much for me, Silas is just a mini-Nancy except more irritating.
Posted by: Rob at August 9, 2007 6:36 PM
socalledonlycousins and Brian, thanks for the heads-up on Californication. I will be watching it for sure.
Posted by: Cody at August 10, 2007 8:09 AM
"the Indian bounty hunter Abumchuk..."
The one time the show referred to his origins, they called him an Inuit (aka Eskimo, but since it means something like "canibal raw flesh eater", please don't call them that.)
The situation is confused by the fact the actor who plays him does not look at all Inuit, but Native Indian, or even Samoan. I guess they couldn't find an Inuit who is so hi-lariously large.
Posted by: Janis at August 10, 2007 11:00 AM
Ugh. This show jumped the sharks in season 2. The first season was great -- funny and moving at different times. But the tone of season 2 changed, and not for the better. If the first 4 episodes are LESS funny than season 2, I may be giving up Showtime.
Posted by: Jim at August 10, 2007 12:29 PM
Don't care what happens, just give Zooey Deschanel more screen time. Her character is my dream girl. I'd be in Paraguay by now if I were Andy Botwin. Fuck suburbia.
Posted by: Abumchuk at August 10, 2007 12:54 PM
Oft linked to Deus Ex Malcontent and friend of Pajiba states that the word is this is not body double. I repeat NOT A BODY DOUBLE
WooHoo
Posted by: Brian at August 10, 2007 7:29 PM
Ok fine it's not a body double, but it's been airbrushed to the point of looking like a painting rather than a photograph.
As for Weeds I could not agree less with Jim. I finished watching season 2 on DVD today and thought it was phenomenal. Mary Louise Parker is one of my favourite actresses and she's incredible as Nancy. I'm really glad she's so unafraid to show her being so deeply flawed and damaged yet still makes you like her.
Posted by: Popcultureboy at August 11, 2007 6:37 PM
I AM TRYING TO FIND OUT WHO SINGS THAT f'ING NAZI WHORE SONG!!! You are so right, that song killed me, as well as Abumchuck's right-on soliloquy and his head butt to Andy's retort. Please anyone, who sings that song? I must download it to my iPod ASAP!
Posted by: chris at August 15, 2007 11:47 AM
"Please anyone, who sings that song?"
Ween
Posted by: pegling at August 16, 2007 1:34 AM
I don't think it's a body double. She's skinny. It's a LOT of photoshop, they blew out the levels to give the illusion that she's curvier than she really is. She still has a nice ass.
Posted by: suyhuil at August 20, 2007 6:46 PM
As much as I love this show, I wish MLP would close her mouth sometimes. I've started noticing the frequency she has this slack-jawed thing going on where her mouth just kind of hangs open and she stares off into space. It's really starting to bug me. That said, this is definitely the best show on TV.
Posted by: lexi at August 27, 2007 7:07 AM
I set my DVR to record the entire third season of Weeds so I could copy DVD's for my Dad's birthday. My husband went and erased the first six episode before I could copy transfer. Does anyone know where I could get the first few episodes? Thx. royalnotary@yahoo.com
Posted by: sho at December 10, 2007 3:11 PM