Weeds season 5. Starts June 8th

Ron DMC

basquille wrote: »

PS - did anyone think Doug's "sex act" (which reared it's head again in the pre-credit's recap and in the marks on his neck) felt ever so slightly odd so close to David Carradine's death? I know it actually was last season though still.

Now that you mention it, that is quite a conincidence, I'm sure the episode was written yonks ago anyway so it's just timely that season 5 starts now.

tvnutz

The flash mob was a bit random (and if it happens in real life,kind of stupid!) but I think it was there not to just fill a few minutes,but it showed how Nancy was really enjoying it,she laughed and felt a bit of fn when everything else recently had been so crap,but then it all disappeared when Cesar was standing watching her. She is a prisoner.

chalkitdown1

tvnutz wrote: »

The flash mob was a bit random (and if it happens in real life,kind of stupid!) but I think it was there not to just fill a few minutes,but it showed how Nancy was really enjoying it,she laughed and felt a bit of fn when everything else recently had been so crap,but then it all disappeared when Cesar was standing watching her. She is a prisoner.

This.

I thought it was great. Good song.

Basq

I think the prisoner aspect was established when she was in the doctor's office and Esteban threatened her that if she left, Cesar would "bring her home".

The whole flash-mob thing just felt incredibly random.. but I won't get hung up on it to be honest!

tvnutz

basquille wrote: »

I think the prisoner aspect was established when she was in the doctor's office and Esteban threatened her that if she left, Cesar would "bring her home".

The whole flash-mob thing just felt incredibly random.. but I won't get hung up on it to be honest!

Ye but in that situation she was

literally being held prisoner in a building and would be killed if she tried to leave. The last season she was out in public,for a moment she was enjoying something and laughing while everything else was falling down around her. But even out in public,in her daily life she is still a prisoner. I agree the dance part was a bit random and probably not needed. They could have had some really entertaining street act like dancers and such that I have seen when I was in America. would have been entertaining and not entirely random.

chalkitdown1

Anyone read Jacobs recaps at Television Without Pity?

Here's his take on the flash mob dance scene. A good read, imo. I love reading his thoughts on the show.

Later, tired of the house, Nancy heads out to do some shopping. She sits in an outdoor plaza, reading the label on her prenatals and sucking down another smoothie. She is anonymous, but not alone. A squawk and then a song, on the PA speakers; a man starts to dance, and then there are two, and then there are eight. I'd been talking a lot about flashmobs with my friend Karen, in the weeks leading up to the premiere. There have been good ones lately. I like the "Single Ladies" one in London best; Karen sent me one from Antwerp with a song from Sound Of Music. I don't mind when it's marketing, but Karen's was the best because, as she pointed out, there wasn't any subtext or irony or social commentary. Just people dancing, to remind everybody that joy is possible, in fact imminently possible; that in fact it's happening right now. That it's possible to start over again.

Even if you set the dodgy artschool intentions aside, I can't say I know anybody who's been at ground zero of something like that. You better believe I would access all available technology if I were: twittering and taking pictures and video and texting everybody I ever met. That **** is like seeing a unicorn. That's the opposite of blood on your purse. My favorite part of any musical flashmob video -- and I can't be alone in this because it happens every time -- is when something amazing happens, about two-thirds of the way through usually, and the whole crowd gasps at once. Everybody randomly there for no particular reason, all of a sudden breathing in at the same moment, because they are seeing the very same amazing thing.

Nancy has forced the desertion of all her men, by hook or by crook, and she's all alone, right. Just a lonely body. And then inevitably, especially if you're Nancy Botwin, God reaches down and plinks you on the head and says, "You idiot, look around." And for one second, she's in the middle of a manmade magical moment, and nobody's making demands or calling her a slutty slut or Lazarus, or threatening to kill her, or offering death as her only option, or treating her like a little box. The young guy next to her explains what's going on and she asks why it's happening. "Because it's cool!" She grins.

"I know one thing," the song says: "That I love you." The strangers all around the periphery grin at each other, because they're special. It's sunny and they were just shopping, just sitting alone or together, and all of a sudden, this reminder. That's what the dance mobs are for: a reminder. Because it's cool. She is grateful, in the sun. They do the Kid 'N Play, they waltz. A lawyer kneels for his business-suit dancing partner. They whirl in the sun, and strangers grin at each other across the dance, amazed by beauty.

They put their arms in the air and the crowd geeks out and everybody squeals and everybody breathes in at the same moment. And there's no blood on her purse at all. And her hand doesn't hurt at all.

And then it's over, and everyone applauds, and the dancers disperse. They go back to being just people, and everyone is touched by this. For the rest of the day, they'll be kissed by that. Plinked in the head.

She looks around the crowd in the last moments of their ecstasy, looking for just one more face, one more stranger's smile she can catch and say, "We were here. We did this, we were here for this, together." Just to catch their eye and smile, in the last fading glow of the moment, like a sunset: "I love you. Remember."

Across the plaza, she sees Cesar, watching from the palms, and her hand begins to ache again.

chalkitdown1

Well, that was bloody grim. :eek: Darkest episode yet. Definitely a turning point for Nancy, though.

Her face at the end said it all. She's beyond fúcked up and at rock bottom in her life and she knows it. Hopefully she'll try to get her life back on track now. I always thought Esteban would come good but now I absolutely hate him. What an absolute cnut. :mad:

Gotta say, MLP looked amazing this ep. The song at the end, too.

tvnutz

Ye,for me that just seemed a bit too far.

He basically raped her over the table,why she hasn't told the DEA agent about Estban yet I don't understand. That chap is out for blood after his DEA boyfriend was murdered.

Ron DMC

That was some very dark stuff altogether:

Nancy getting raped, Silas having his plants taken, Shane videoing Andy and Nancy's sister taking out their anger through riding.

Very different direction to previous seasons' joviality.

chalkitdown1

Good episode this week. I never thought I'd say this, but I'm really warming to Silas. :eek: The turnaround from complete dickhead to nice, reasonable guy is something to behold.

Anyone watch the two short clips from next weeks ep?

MLP's arse in the first one.

Oh my!

tvnutz

Ye Silas isn't half annoying as he used to be,and Shane is just great,even when he has little to do like in this episode he is still funny.

"She banged Uncle Andy,she's a screamer!

Really like the ending,that cop (forget his name now) killing Esteban's man,pity it wasn't the other chap.

It was a lot lighter this week which is better but also strange since last week she was raped over a table.

chalkitdown1

I just realised that since Silas mentioned president Obama in this episode, that completely fúcks up the timeline of the show. Not that it made much sense to begin with, mind. It should still be 2007 in the Weeds universe seeing as Silas was 16 in the pilot and only turned 18 in the finale of season 4. So, he's only aged 2 years in the space of 5.

AARGGH!

Kinetic^

I reckon

Silas gets involved with those guys up in the mountains somehow, to obvious not to happen. Probably in relation to him taking customers via the legal weed store.

Basq

This week's was much better I thought.

Some solid story progression, and a couple of good lines in there.

Kinetic^

Good episode again this week.

chalkitdown1

Most excellent episode.

Really upset off about Till, though. Why set up his big revenge last season and have him go out like that? I thought he'd play a bigger role this season.

Silas continues to be more likeable with each passing episode. :eek: I can't believe how nice he is now, it's actually unbelievable. He's one of my favourite characters now, and I never thought I'd say that. The confused gesture he gives Nancy after telling her what Andy was doing was probably my favourite part of the ep.

Also, MLP looked hot in those short shorts..

tvnutz

There were some funny bits in the episode and I can tell the thing with Judah's ex is going to be funny because she seems slightly nuts. But other than that I was very disappointed with

how the Till story ended. I expected and was looking forward to that being a big story where he would eventually try get at Esteban. And now Nancy has just gotten further away from reality and further past that line she has stepped over recently.

Ron DMC

Andy's plan to get the money was ridiculous (but I loved the disguise he wore). Yer one is definitely a nut job, so that should hopefully be hilarious.

Silas is growing on me too. Really liked that he was polite to Esteban.

Pity they didn't get anywhere with the Till storyline (although we did never actually see a body)

chalkitdown1

That was an excellent episode last night. Full of so many great moments. Silas and Doug are a great team. Doug was on fire this ep. And OMG, the wizard is Dr. Venture from The Venture Bros.
The two scenes with Andy/Celia giving Nancy the harsh truth at the end were the highlights.

Poor Andy.

Justin Kirk really deserves some recognition for his work on the show. He's been outstanding this season.
Does Nancy have some kind of plan or is she just being a complete bitch? Will we ever find out what was in the letter, I wonder...

There's a 6 month time-jump between this and the next episode. Should be interesting to see what goes down.

The writer of the episode wrote a blog about his experience writing the episode, here. Apparently, it was the first episode of a TV show he's ever written :eek: (that made it to the screen). He also wrote episode 11. Looking forward to it.

Completely agree with him about Justin Kirk.

tvnutz

I don't know about this show anymore. The latest episode had its good parts and its funny parts-Shane robbing the teacher,andy and the nutcase. But the main character is Nancy,right?

I always have problems with tv shows where I can't sympathise with the main character. It is one of the reason the Sopranos is my 2nd favourite tv show behind the Wire,I jsut didn't like Tony Soprano. Maybe you are not meant to,but I find you need to relate or sympathise in some way with your main character. In the Wire I couldn't do that with Marlos,but since there were so many other characters it didn't matter,even Avon had a side to him that you could sympathise with. Vic Mackey in the Shield had the same,but in the Sopranos Tony was just an a-hole,didn't like him,didn't care what happened to him,wouldn't have minded if he died or not.

Nancy Botwin in Weeds has become the same. When the show started she was selling pot because her husband died and she just wanted to make money. And fine a lot of the trouble she had gotten into just happened from escalation but recently she had become such an unlikable character. Allowing the DEA agent to be killed,deciding to move in with Esteban and leaving Andy...what's that all about? Also really not trying with her kids,who are for the most part an utter disaster.She made all her choices and she had done nothing to try get out of them even though she hates how Shane has turned out and she crys when Andy tells her she did it this all to herself,yet she does nothing to try get out of it. I am really just not liking her anymore,and that is a problem because she is the main character.

chalkitdown1

That's why I like the show so much.

JohnK

Yeah I think thats part of the charm of the show, that she thought it would be a harmless and easy way to make some money for her family and now its all spiralled so far out of control to the point where she now feels powerless, lost and alone. That’s human imo and something I think a lot of people could sympathise with.

tvnutz

JohnK wrote: »

Yeah I think thats part of the charm of the show, that she thought it would be a harmless and easy way to make some money for her family and now its all spiralled so far out of control to the point where she now feels powerless, lost and alone. That’s human imo and something I think a lot of people could sympathise with.

I have nothing against her based on what she started doing and how many things spiralled out of control,many things she couldn't help. But she has gone from helpless to unlikable. All she had to do was let Till go and the whole thing would be over and done with,even tell him where Estaban is.Is she that deluded to thing this will all work out? The man who just raped her a few episodes ago? The man who would have killed her on the spot had she not been pregnant? She also had a chance to leave when Andy gave her the option and what did she do? These things were not out of her control,she made the choices and they weren't very good ones.

JohnK

True but dont forget that she's afraid not just of Estaban but of his people too, many of whom would seek vengeance when they find out she's the one responsible for his downfall. Shes seen first hand what those people can do so its not some theoretical possibility its a certainty those people will come after her. And while just packing up and leaving might sound like the obvious answer to us its not always that easy as any amount of battered women could no doubt tell you. There are always countless stories in the news and even in real life where women in a violent relationship dont leave their partner when they have the chance even though they are constantly being abused and their life is constantly at risk.

tvnutz

JohnK wrote: »

True but dont forget that she's afraid not just of Estaban but of his people too, many of whom would seek vengeance when they find out she's the one responsible for his downfall. Shes seen first hand what those people can do so its not some theoretical possibility its a certainty those people will come after her. And while just packing up and leaving might sound like the obvious answer to us its not always that easy as any amount of battered women could no doubt tell you. There are always countless stories in the news and even in real life where women in a violent relationship dont leave their partner when they have the chance even though they are constantly being abused and their life is constantly at risk.

That's a fair point against running away,but like as Andy said if they went to Denmark or some obscure country,I don't see the Mexican cartel finding them,but yes it would be hard and she would fear them coming after her.

But with Till,they never would have known it was her,it was just some lunatic cop on a rampage. Let Till kill Ignacio (sp?) then just tell him who the boss is and its over.

JohnK

But thats overly simplistic I feel. Had Till just gone after Estaban by himself he would have undoubtedly failed and then Nancy would be screwed as they already know she's had contact with Till (remember it was Till and Nancy in the photos Estaban had) so she would have been their first port of call afterwards. On the other hand had Till just gone to the police with Estabans name - well plenty of drug lords have run their empires from within prison and it would have been easy for him to send people after her. Hes already demonstrated he's not afraid of abducting then torturing cops for information when it threatens his business so theres no way Nancys name could have been kept from him.

For her its really quite simple - if she takes a stand against Estaban then herself and her family will die.

tvnutz

Esteban is a public figure.Wouldn't be too hard to find,plus Nancy knows where he lives,she could have told him. And with their leader gone if they move to another country I don't see anyone coming after them.

JohnK

I've no doubt Till could have found Esteban easily its the killing him part I think he'd have failed at. Esteban is constantly surrounded by security and I'm guessing you dont get to where he is without having had a few previous unsuccessful attempts on your life.

JohnK

Interesting episode this week. From the looks of it Shane's finally realised the sort of people hes hanging around with and Doug & Silas look to be in real deep now . Wonder what that bit at the end was about too? I'm guessing the ex-wife but have we seen her before? Anyone speak spanish? (ie do we know what she said?)

tvnutz

JohnK wrote: »

Interesting episode this week. From the looks of it Shane's finally realised the sort of people hes hanging around with and Doug & Silas look to be in real deep now . Wonder what that bit at the end was about too? I'm guessing the ex-wife but have we seen her before? Anyone speak spanish? (ie do we know what she said?)

Check the imdb boards,it has been translated there a few times.