WEEDS- the best show currently on television, or the only good one?

Okay. I realize that I have been neglectful of the ol' blog lately, but it's been a hectic time. Graduation is just around the corner, which means that finals week is slowly descending over Bowling Green. AND I am moving out of state two days after graduation. AND I had three papers due this week (two down, one to go), including one really long one. AND I want to spend time with my friends before I leave. In other words, I've been really, really busy. But I do have some interesting topics lined up, as well as some good news!

Here's something I've been thinking about lately: I wrote a term paper for Society and the Environment (which I may or may not link to) about media representation of environmentalists. Yeah, I'm that dorky. Anyways, it included a media analysis of one of my all-time favorite shows: Weeds. I don't watch a lot of television- we only have movies at my house (which is different; film and television are very different mediums, in my opinion). But Weeds is *as good as* Arrested Development. And that is the highest praise I can give a situation comedy.

A brief summary: Nancy Botwin is a widowed mother of two teen boys who starts selling marijuana after her husband dies unexpectedly. She does fairly well, and soon begins growing her own strand with the help of her partner (and possible new love interest!), Conrad. She is helped by a quirky band of middle-aged male professionals who, coincidentally, all hit the ganj (including a brilliantly cast Kevin Nealon as her shady accountant/ city councilman!).

Not only is Weeds brilliantly done, I think it is a totally progressive show as well. First off, Agrestic is an eco-friendly community. Nancy drives a Prius, as does the gangsta U-Turn. She is also the head of the healthy children committee for the Agrestic PTA, where we see her arguing in favor of organic foods and juices.

Second point, the show features diverse characters. I am fairly certain that they feature the youngest openly gay character in television history; Nancy's rival, the evil Celia, has a twelve year old lesbian daughter. Isabelle is also the spokesmodel for "Huskeroo," a line of plus-sized clothes for prepubescent girls with a very fat-positive marketing campaign. (Side note: in the third season, Isabelle develops a friendship with Shane, Nancy's younger son. The relationship that ensues is probably the best writing for children I've ever seen). Silas, Nancy's elder son, has a deaf girlfriend for nearly two seasons as well. I think Andy, the wacky uncle, also loses some toes, now that I think about it (which becomes his ticket into the porn industry). Additionally, Shane, the younger son, is super liberal and expresses his anti-American sentiments during uber-religious summer school classes.

Third point, Nancy is a successful female in a male dominated industry. And she's totally bad-ass. I could keep poorly re-enacting stories and sub-plots, but you should just watch the show.

*Here's the good news: I am going to start blogging over at Choice USA's blog, Choice Words! I'm totally excited for the opportunity to join Choice's blog team (which, coincidentally, includes my good friend and fellow BG feminist Hannah). I'll be blogging primarily about sexual health and I'd really like to do a sex advice column eventually, so if you have any related questions be sure to send them my way.