Weeds is an American television series, currently comprising four seasons that began airing in August, 2005. The plot revolves around a widowed housewife from an affluent California suburb who becomes an upper middle class marijuana dealer to make ends meet.
The show began with a 10-episode first season in August 2005, and was the highest rated series for Showtime that year. A 12-episode second season followed in August 2006, and a third season consisting of 15 episodes premiered on August 13, 2007. The season 3 premiere episode attracted 824,000 Showtime subscribers to the show. It was announced on November 5, 2007 that Showtime had picked up the show for a fourth season consisting of 13 episodes which began on June 16, 2008.
The season 4 premiere attracted 1.3 million viewers to Showtime, the channel's highest-ever viewership. Season 4 averaged 962,000 viewers.
The exteriors for the show are shot almost exclusively in Stevenson Ranch, a suburban area of Santa Clarita Valley, California. The shot of the large fountain and Agrestic sign seen in the introduction of Seasons 1-3 was shot at the corner of Stevenson Ranch Parkway and Holmes Place. The name 'Stevenson Ranch', was digitally replaced with 'Agrestic' and with 'Majestic' in later episodes.
The overhead, satellite picture displayed at the beginning of the show's introduction (Seasons 1-3) is of "Calabasas Hills", a gated community in Calabasas, California.
Bob Greenblatt, President of Entertainment of Showtime Networks Inc, announced on July 18, 2008 that two more seasons of thirteen episodes will be produced.
Impact[]
Critical response[]
Slate magazine named the character of Nancy Botwin as one of the best on television and one of the reasons they were looking forward to the return of the show in fall 2007.
Time magazine's James Poniewozik named it one of the Top 10 Returning Series of 2007, ranking it at #9.
The New York Times opined the show is "transforming for Showtime"
Awards won[]
- Satellite Awards - "Outstanding Actress in a Series- Comedy" - Mary-Louise Parker - 2005
- Golden Globe Awards - "Best Performance by a TV Actress in a Musical or Comedy" - Mary-Louise Parker - 2006
Awards nominated[]
Golden Globe Awards
- Best TV Series-Comedy (2006, 2007)
- Best Performance by a TV Supporting Actress Elizabeth Perkins (2006, 2007)
- Best Performance by a TV Actress in a Musical or Comedy Mary-Louise Parker (2007, 2008)
- Best Performance by a TV Supporting Actor Justin Kirk (2007)
Screen Actors Guild
- Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series Mary-Louise Parker (2006, 2007, 2008)
- Ensemble In A Comedy Series (2007)
Satellite Awards
- Outstanding Actress in a Series-Comedy Elizabeth Perkins (2005)
- Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-series, or TV Movie Elizabeth Perkins(2006)
- Best Actress in a Series, Comedy or Musical Mary-Louise Parker (2006)
- Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series, or TV Movie Justin Kirk (2007)
- Best Television Series, Comedy or Musical (2007)
Emmy Awards
- Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Elizabeth Perkins (2006, 2007)
- Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series Craig Zisk, for the episode Good Shit Lollipop (2006)
- Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series (2006, 2007)
- Outstanding Main Title Design (2006)
- Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Comedy Series, for the episode Good Shit Lollipop (2006)
- Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series Mary-Louise Parker (2007, 2008)
- Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Comedy Series, for the episode Mrs. Botwin's Neighborhood (2007)
- Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Comedy Series, for the episode Crush Girl Love Panic (2007)