The
Nine Network still seems confused about its US import Weeds.
Last year, they shoved it in the summer non-ratings period.
But with just about every critic in the country telling them
this was a seriously good show, they brought it back this year,
only to then pull it in favour of movie re-runs; and now it's
back– but at a time that may prove challenging to its
likely audience.
Monday nights at 10.45 (or later) isn’t the most viewer-friendly
timeslot, especially for working adults, who are the most likely
to have been won over by the show last time around. Sitting
up till well past 11 isn’t going to bode well for that
breakfast meeting tomorrow.
Still, for those who aren’t bothered with such things
– and insomniacs – this remains one of the best
shows on television. Its scripting is just as sharp as it was
in season 1, the acting just as good and the ideas just as provocative.
In case you missed it last time around, Weeds concerns a suburban
‘soccer mom’ Nancy Botwin (Mary-Louise Parker) who
has turned to selling marijuana after the death of her husband.
She and her sons live in a planned community called Agrestic,
where lawyers compete with each other to see who can acquire
the best SUV. In season 1, Nancy got her dope from a supplier,
Heylia James (Tonye Patano). Now she’s decided to integrate
her business by growing and distributing her own, with the help
of Heylia’s sometime assistant Conrad (Romany Malco).
There’s also the challenges of her own home, where Nancy
not only has to deal with two growing boys (Alexander Gould
and Hunter Parish), but her messed-up brother-in-law Andy (Justin
Kirk). At the end of season 1, Andy was called up to serve in
the military – in Iraq. Perhaps wisely sensing that this
could well mean his demise, he seeks to avoid service by studying
to become a rabbi.
Weeds
works, not because of its drug-related themes, but because it
holds up a mirror to contemporary American (and, by extension,
Australian) society. Nancy’s business is a prime example
of good old Yankee free enterprise. She has a business plan,
some good advisers and a loyal staff. The fact her business
is illegal is of course the rub in the mix.
There’s also a neat contrast between the shiny consumerism
of the suburb’s inhabitants and their dark sides. The
local mayor, Doug Wilson (Kevin Nealon), for instance, is also
Nancy’s accountant – with full knowledge and approval
of what she does. He also doesn’t mind the odd toke from
Nancy’s stock.
Given all of that, it’s not hard to see why Channel Nine
has some trouble dealing with this show. Weeds’
rather tolerant approach to dope and its scathing commentary
on ‘normal’ society doesn’t exactly sit well
with a network that has A Current Affair as one of its tent-pole
shows.
Mary-Louise Parker continues to be the bedrock on which the
show is built; her winning blend of maternal instinct, ruthlessness
and kookiness carrying things along nicely. The best moments
in the show however come from the supporting characters –
Elizabeth Perkins’ arrogant, self-absorbed Celia; Justin
Kirk’s wacky Andy and Martin Donovan’s conflicted
DEA agent.
Weeds really deserves better treatment than it gets
from Nine. You would have thought that the powers-that-be would
recognise in this show a kindred spirit to Ten’s success
with Californication, and seek to emulate its success.
Instead, they hide its light under a bushel, and hope someone’s
looking hard enough to spot it. This is one of the best shows
Nine has by a long shot, and it deserves to be seen –
at a decent time.
