Search - Weeds - The Complete First Season [Blu-ray] on Blu-ray

Showtime is dealing out some Weeds

A. G. Corwin | 04/20/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"If a show is dark, funny, subversive, and controversial, you know its on HBO or SHOWTIME, the only channels bold enough to have produced shows that network TV would run away from. Weeds is exactly one of those shows. A comedy about a young suburbanite mother with two kids who turns to dealing pot after her husband dies, Weeds flies directly in the face of the conventional comedy. That's what makes it such a good show. Weeds has already been picked up for a second season, so this show will be around for a while!

Nancy Botwin (Golden Globe winner Mary-Louise Parker) has a normal life as a housewife in the LA suburb of Agrestic. She has a nice husband and two wonderful kids and a slacker brother-in-law named Andy(Justin Kirk). When her husband dies suddenly, Nancy needs a way to come up with a steady income so she can support her family. So she turns to dealing pot, and becomes the pied piper to the pot smoking denizens of Agrestic, including her accountant, Doug Wilson (Kevin Nealon). So how can you be a full time dealer and mother without getting busted, without your brother-in-law horning in on the action, and how can you lecture your kids when you break the law to support them? This show explores the humor in these predicaments as well as the drama in the 10-episode First Season.

The acting in Weeds is superb. Parker was wonderful in West Wing and is even better here, and Elizabeth Perkins makes a great comeback with her role as Nancy's frenemy Celia Hodes. Kevin Nealon is hysterical as Doug, reminding people how good a comedian he really is when not starring in bad material. Like other Showtime hits, this show not only explores Nancy's life and loves, but develops dramatic arcs for the lives of the other main characters, giving the show much more depth and range.

The complete first season on 2 discs contains all 10 first season episodes with a run time of 283 minutes. There are 6 cast and crew commentaries, and several featurettes including "Smoky Snippets" and "Smoke and Mirrors: Original Marijuana Mockumentary." It is in 2.0 and 5.1 Dolby Digital Audio. Check out their website for more info. Reeommended.

A.G. Corwin
St.Louis, MO"

Refreshingly Addictive--but why no WS?

Lola Legendre | Minneapolis, MN United States | 07/24/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

""Weeds" is excellent show with clever humor, hot social issues, and engaging characters. Some reviewers have pointed out that the characters are hypocritical and not very likeable, but that's what gives them complexity and makes them interesting. "Full House" this is not. That aside, the general tone of the series is not terribly serious, so however you feel about drugs and the actions of Nancy and the other characters, it's still a quite enjoyable and fun show.

I felt that since the producers of this DVD did not see fit to release the episodes in their original aspect ratio, that was worth knocking off a good two points. It's often easy to tell that things are framed too closely here. It's incomprehensible why they would not release the best possible version on DVD, especially when they expect people to pay for them. The set does include some interesting extras and featurettes. I also listened to all the commentaries, and what annoyed me were those of show creator Jengi Kohan--on her tracks she sounds as though she's coming out of anesthesia. I just want to scream at her "SPEAK UP!" So if you're into commentaries, pretty much skip hers (the ones for the pilot and the season finale), as "mumble mumble mumble mumble" is hardly an insight."

Fun, fascinating and fearless!

T. Bellah | California | 08/01/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The pilot opens almost mid-story it seems, acclimating you to the characters and their interpersonal dysfunctions subtlety and sparingly. The richness and vibrancy of the characters makes it "ok" that you don't get all the nitty-gritty details of why and when and how things started- you feel as if you know these people and will continue to learn about their why's, when's and how's as the "plot thickens" in season 2.

A fascinating exploration of suburban life- so common, easily identified with and yet totally beneath the surface. Of course it is dramatized, but after living in OC for over 10 years I can testify to the validity. The premise of this show is a terrific commentary on what suburbia has done to humanity as people try to make sure that all their "Little Boxes" stay the same. Our HOA recently sent letters to residents who were unfortunate enough to have brown spots in their lawns. I live in the desert and it's been unseasonably hot across the nation- but the semblance of normalcy must be protected in suburbia. They may want to worry about the growth patterns of a different type of grass in our quiet little neighborhood.

I admire the main character, Nancy, who judges none and accepts tragedy and criticism both with grace and dignity. When a fellow mom and friend attacks her parenting by citing a book on parenting she is not baited by the comment, but retorts with an amusing grin and wryly delivered, "Wow, Celia. (effective pause) I didn't know you read books." The timing and rapport between these two characters is pure magic-the steel magnolias of the "soccer mom" set.

She is a real person in a real world, as plastic as it may seem- and she makes irrational, emotional decisions; she acts impulsively and impetuously, balanced with a carefully controlled, tender-hearted, frailty which makes her all the more likable. She displays the civility so rarely seen in our barely civilized civilization, while weathering the social slings of the socialites in her society.

The supporting cast of characters provide a rich and intricate skein to weave throughout the threads of storyline, some are a skosh stereotypical but in a way that works- making them familiar. Like real people we know, all of Nancy's "people" are imperfect and interesting - making it easier to connect the dots between the (probably purposely) missing why's, when's and how's.

A must see for the open minded. Plus the special features are more interesting than most TV series' DVDs.
"

BLAZIN AND BRAZEN......

Betty Beretta | Live Free or Die | 09/22/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"From the world of a professional herbalist and addict of amazingly written anything, film, shows, books...I find Weeds to be one of those things in life that I just can't live without. Not only are the actors extremely well cast in their roles, but the plot and dialog go wayyyy beyond the bump and grind life of a suburban widow drug dealer. I often find myself yelping with joy (alongside my neighbor since we get together every Monday at 10:00 to watch the latest episode)...then running to the office the next day to spread the word about Weeds.

In a world of trash television like American Idol, and Desperate Housewives, it's not only refreshing to be enlightened with such a cool antecdote to life's monotany, but also mandatory.

This one surely won't go up in smoke, unless of course you're just sharing the gift of the earth."