Doobie, dope, roach, reefer, grass, Mary Jane, boom, splif, ganja, herb. Marijuana goes under several names and is a contentious issue with many people. And Weeds Season 1 takes a satirical look at it in an affluent, suburban context.
In Weeds, housewife Nancy Botwin (Mary Louise Parker) is a recent widow living in the Los Angeles, California suburb of Agrestic. Having lost her breadwinner husband to a heart attack, Nancy is hurled not only into a financial crisis, but into a single-mother role, having to console sons Silas (Hunter Parrish) and Shane (Alexander Gould) as they mourn their father’s passing. As the debt increases, Nancy discovers the community’s insatiable desire for marijuana, and becomes the neighbourhood weed dealer to make “easy money” and maintain the lifestyle her family is used to.
She buys her product from her suppliers who live on the “wrong side of the tracks” — wise-cracking matriarch Heylia James (Tonye Patano), her nephew Conrad Shepard (Romany Malco), and her daughter Vaneeta (Indigo). Nancy also learns the tricks of the trade from the family.
Business is good for Nancy, and her secret is well kept between her and the neighbours that buy her product behind the backs of their family members. She has to deal with, amongst others, her bitchy pseudo-friend (and complete crazy-head) Celia Hodes (Elizabeth Perkins) who may find out about her dealing, and with her #1 customer, city councilman Doug Wilson (Kevin Nealon), who may let slip her secret. Nancy’s situation is made more complicated when her freeloading, pot-smoking loser of a brother-in law, Andy comes into town and wants to get in on the business.
Nancy continues to expand her business, and takes more and more risks. As a result, troubles come from different angles, trying to prevent her from controlling the marijuana trade in her small upper middleclass community. With plans of further expansion in mind, will Nancy be able to keep control of her business and family, or will it all go up in smoke?
Weeds Season 1 is composed of 10 episodes spread over two discs. It has a total run time of 282 minutes and is rated 16 (LNS). This Blu-ray release presents the series re-mastered in High Definition (HD) and comes with special features including:
- Audio Commentary — spread over six episodes with series creator Jenji Kohan, and actors.
- Smokey Snippets — comments from the crew.
- Suburban Shakedown — interview session with many members of the cast and crew.
- Agrestic Herbal Recipes — tasty recipes each including a “fresh herb of your choice” ;)
- “All Too Much/More Than A Friend” music video
- Trailers
Weeds Season 1 is BD-Live enabled. BD-Live allows for interactive viewing and enables you to download additional content over the Internet using a BD-Live equipped Blu-ray player or a Sony PlayStation 3. BD-Live is selectable from the main menu on both discs.
Weeds Season 1 was kindly supplied for review by Nelmari Claassens, SterKinekor Entertainment Marketing Manager for Sony Pictures. Go to www.bluraydisc.co.za to view the latest Blu-ray news, reviews and competitions featured on SterKinekor Entertainment’s newsletter. Sony Pictures can be found on the Web at www.sonypictures.com.
