This is a series that started off slowly for me. I thought to myself, as I hadn’t been one who had watched it when it originally aired, that what was all the fuss about. It was a popular series that was appreciated and lasted for eight seasons. Then about five shows into the ten it got into its stride. This demonstrated the strong acting (despite the fact it is basically a comedy) and writing.
After her husband (played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan) dies unexpectedly, Nancy (played by Mary Louise Parker) has her hands full trying to raise two boys and pay the bills in her upper middle class slice of suburbia. As a result she turns to the unconventional source of income – marijuana. Nancy begins a career as a seller of weed. The good news is that she has plenty of customers, including her accountant Doug (played by Kevin Nealon), but her new job comes with lots of risks.
In the beginning you think that the things happening in this series are rather far fetched then you begin to realize that they are frightening realistic. That the men and women here are types that you would meet in any American suburb. That and the fact that they deal with serious issues in a rather comedic way are the strengths of the series. The props have to be doled out to the writers and the cast. You get the put upon husband (played by Andy Milder) and his controlling wife (played by Elizabeth Perkins). The odd child (played by Alexander Gould) and the loser, underachieving brother-in-law (played by Justin Kirk). The mom who will do anything to keep what is left of her family together. And, of course, the smarter than anyone else Hispanic housekeeper (played by Tonye Patano).
Special Features:
-Episode 1 – Commentary with Jenji Kohain
-Episode 3 – Commentary with Craig X
-Episode 5 – Commentary with Tonye Patano
-Episode 6 – Commentary with Romany Malco
-Trailer
-Smoke and Mirrors
-Episode 8 -Commentary with Kevin Nealon
-Episode 10 – Commentary with Jenji Kohain
-Agrestic Herbal Recipes
-Showtime Original Series Short 1
-Showtime Original Series Short 2
