So eppy two of Season 5 Weeds, "Machetes on Top."
The best: Andy (Justin Kirk) and 'bitchface" Jill's, Nancy's sister that were are hearing about for the very first time, wine-fueled encounter.
The good: Silas (Hunter Parrish) and Doug (Kevin Nealon) hiking "6 hours" into a National Park, finding the perfect spot to grow weed only to moments later find that the spot was already found by rifle-bearing pot-growers.
The not-so-good: Nancy's alcohol, cigarette and sushi binge (for the mercury) as a way of rebelling against Esteban's (Demián Bichir) "goon" Cesar (Enrique Castillo) dogging her everywhere including inside her home.
The awful: Esteban's rape of the drunk and pregnant Nancy to drive home the point that she will do as he tells her.
I hated this scene not because it was shocking that Esteban would do this to Nancy as at this point he's in the deciding process of whether to kill her or not. I just hated it period. I felt as a viewer manipulated. We already know that he is a brutal, vicious man. I hated that Kohan and company and I include Mary Louise Parker in this group felt it necessary to make this part of the episode. I would have much rather he punched her in the face if we needed to see what a bastard he is. It left a really bad feeling in my stomach.
From here on in if Nancy continues to 'love" Esteban, as actress Parker has indicated she will, all hope in my opinion to for her to get her shit together--even a little bit--fades to black.
A few Q and A's answered by Kristen: (SPOILERS)
Guillermo was so good in the Weeds premiere. Will we see more of him this season?
Yes, indeed. While he is currently incarcerated, the Weeds baddie will be back in some capacity and leading lady Mary-Louise Parker could not be more thrilled about it. MLP tells us, "Guillermo [Diaz] is truly one of the best actors I've ever worked with. There are two bigger scenes that we have coming up, and when he works, I just want to stay all night." Let's just hope he stays behind that plate-glass window for the safety of Nancy and baby-to-be.
Any scoop on Weeds?
Remember Sucio from last season of Weeds, the grungy guy who guarded the infamous drug tunnel? He's back in Nancy's life under the pretext of keeping an eye on her for Esteban. He begrudgingly becomes somewhat part of the family. However, don't get too attached to him. Sniff. Someone else is out to get Nancy, and Sucio falls victim to the first attack.
Below: Thanks to The Futon Critic for some greats comments by Weeds' creator Jenji Kohan.
Regardless of the sometimes-bad things that Nancy does, we still root for her. How do you strike that balance so the audience stays invested in that character? Jenji Kohan: Well, I think first of all it's Mary-Louise and just how fucking great she is. Just those big brown eyes. [laughs] That's a huge part of it. EDIT/ This is precisely why I watch it. Mary-Louise is simply great in this role. --Cyn Jenji continues: But I think people identify with deeply flawed characters because we all are; it's universal. So when you're able to identify with the fuck-ups and the messes I think you feel sympathy because she's trying. She's trying. And she's trying to do the right thing. She didn't set out to do bad things. And I think, in a way, it's a relief to see real repercussions for her bad behavior as well as her good behavior. The black and white of protagonists on televisions - I think it's a little weary. Nobody is completely a villain and nobody is completely a hero and, in general, we all try to do the best we can and I think people buy into it because it's a universal experience. In the first few episodes of this new season, you touch on the one-sided love that Andy (Kirk) has for Nancy. Is that story going to progress? JK: I don't think so. I'm sure Nancy has a lot of feelings but she's invested in her baby-daddy and, as she's demonstrated over and over, she's a danger junkie and she likes the excitement and she doesn't take Andy seriously. She loves Andy but not, as he says in one episode, not in the good way and I think that's sort of his cross to bear and his journey this season and how to deal with feelings that aren't reciprocated in the way he had hoped. EDIT/ Though I sympathize with both the Nancy and Andy characters, to use an old expression, "He's too good for her." --Cyn JH: Do you miss the "Little Boxes" theme song since you stopped using it after the third season? JK: I miss the covers of the theme song. I miss all the different versions of it and getting really excited about the musicians who are doing it. But I kind of like our little openings now and it gives us much more time for the show. It's more relevant, I think, for what we're doing now and I mourn the passing of "Little Boxes" but I think we've found a good alternative. EDIT/ Every episode opens so cleverly with pot leaves creatively worked into the last glimpse of the opening credits. In episode one, among other places, a pot leaf -shape was in the middle of sushi pieces. And they all tie in to the show. I do miss the "Little Boxes" theme but it wouldn't work now that there's no Agrestic--the setting for the "little boxes."--Cyn |
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