Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Nothing Like I Had Imagined

A show about a hot suburban housewife who slangs dime-bags to soccer dad's, weirdo lawyers and nerdy Indian kids at the local JC.
A hysterically funny story line for a TV show on any network, especially given the recent rise of the "weed-movie" genre in hollywood.
But not so.
Well, let me retread, it IS a funny concept, however, the story line I described belongs to the definitely-not-that-funny Showtime hit, "Weeds." But don't be fooled by my (thus far) awkward description, or the notion that movies or shows about marijuana need to have Seth Rogen doing the "dice roll" or Neil Patrick Harris riding a unicorn to be good. Because "Weeds" is good, REALLY good--Its just not that funny.

After hearing about it several times and having it pop up on my Netflix radar as something I should watch (a raging clue into the types of movies/shows I Netflix...anyways), I decided to watch it "instantly" the other night (I mean, watching an entire television series...thats what unemployment's all about, right?). Nothing like a predictable comedy about suburban housewives who sell pot to the local yuppies, hippes and grannies keep the recession blues away. Well, as predictable as the weed-genre seems, "Weeds" gives the unpredictable; a suburban drama where the sale and use of marijuana is the least interesting part. Well, I lie, its pretty interesting watching a soccer mom go through a drug-dealing coming of age when she realizes the monetary difference between high quality pot and the schwag she normally buys, or the business value in having gruntwork associates pound the pavement for you.
Aside from the Desperate Houswives with boobies, better characters and drugs theme, "Weeds" has Kevin Nealon in his best role since, well...ever, and the black dude from "40 Year Old Virgin." Despite all the familiar pieces, "Weeds" is redifining the "weed-movie/show" genre as we know it...so put your thinking cap on Seth Rogen.

3 comments:

tommy o said...

I blew through Weeds in like June in maybe 3 weeks. I loved it at first. But, it got progressively worse. I forget when. Maybe Season 3 started heading downhill. But don't quote me on that. Either way, by Season 4(?), which aired in August... oh man. Terrible season. Except, the weirdly hot mom (OH she definitely belongs on your list, right? She's not hot at first glance, and then you're like whoa) gets totally naked. Pretty bad ass.

Unknown said...

I gotta say I watched the first seven or eight episodes of this, kept waiting for it to get funny, then they had a menopause episode and I quit.

Lisa said...

seth rogen has gotten somewhat unfunny since his auxiliary role in Freaks and Geeks.