Weeds Season Three Premiere
“Doing the Backstroke”
While Cultural Learnings provided an extensive preview of the season’s first four episodes a few weeks ago, it is important that we view tonight’s third season premiere of Weeds as just that: a premiere. For a majority of viewers for Showtime’s dark comedy series, this was the first time they returned to the world of Agrestic and the cliffhangers left behind last season. And, well, it’s important that we view it as a premiere, and judge it accordingly.
The verdict? “Doing the Backstroke” is an episode that is entirely incapable of satiating our desire for finality, and certainly doesn’t wrap any of last season’s cliffhangers in a clean fashion. And yet, despite all of this, it is a smart half hour of television that blends comedy and drama to complicate the series’ dynamic even further.
And, well, I think that’s what we’re looking for from the series. From the moment the episode opens cold with the invasion of innocence into the second season’s dire cliffhanger, you know that the show’s tone isn’t changing: while driven by drama, this is ostensibly a dark comedy series.
Everyone is up to task in the episode: Mary-Louise Parker is at her Emmy-nominated best as Nancy, grasping her own situation with just the right balance of humour and absolute fear. Elizabeth Perkins, also Emmy-nominated, doesn’t get a chance to do much, but she relishes Celia’s role with the type of vigor we come to expect.
Most surprising, and delightful, is Marvin (Fatso-Fasano), U-Turn’s henchman who basically steals the show. He brings a sense of light-heartedness to every situation, and even in the midst of all the drama keeps the comic tilt the series moves over. While Nancy herself has some cute lines as she struggles in her state of shock, it is Marvin that keeps things from being bogged down.
Because the drama is heavy here: Peter’s apparent death is a constant reminder of the severity of the situation, and Shane and Silas are certainly in sticky situations. But it all feels right in the end: the balance is struck and the ending is earned.
My only major concern is that for people looking for a “solution” to last season didn’t get it: things are just as screwed up now as they were before, except in an entirely different way. When the episode ends, with the Milf Weed floating in the swimming pool, and Celia sitting with her vodka, you feel like we’re starting all over again. Part of me almost wishes for a bit more optimism, but the tragedy at episode’s end is certainly enough to justify the tone.
Weeds is back. And Nancy is just as knee deep in trouble as ever.
In Review
– Randy Newman’s rendition of “Little Boxes” was a good one, and certainly has his distinctive tones. You would also notice in the credits that Andy Milder (Dean) and Allie Grant (Isabelle) have been added to the credits, while Indigo (Vaneeta) has been removed. Also, Justin Kirk has been provided an “And” credit.
– I really wish that the episode hadn’t, then, consequently wasted Justin Kirk. Andy had almost nothing to do in the episode, which was unfortunate in many, many ways. And, the worst thing is, this trend continues.
– “They got bowling at Citywalk” was perhaps my favourite Marvin line, especially in the context of the cold open.
– It was nice to say goodbye to Kat (Zooey Deschanel), but it was all too short: I could have done with some more of her, especially since her performance was so great.
– The most powerful moment in the entire episode is when, at the Police Station, Silas mentions Peter and Nancy realizes that he is dead. That moment of recollection is really telling, and it’s a trend that can hopefully continue.
– The episode is interesting because U-Turn takes a powerful role at the end of the episode and yet we spend more time with Marvin. I like this: it makes his real motivations a mystery, which is important for the future.
– Unfortunately, all wasn’t good: Dean and Doug getting high and measuring for size in the bathroom was a waste of time and did very little to solve anything. It’s not as if it fixed anything, and just wasn’t funny enough to justify its pointlessness.
– Celia’s phone call to Nancy at episode’s end is perhaps some of my favourite dialogue from Celia in the series: her sarcasm and tone are just pitch-perfect. Perkins doesn’t have much to do, but she knocks it out of the park.
Cultural Learnings 