It's that time of year when Showtime invites a bunch of people around to catch a sneak peek at the next season of Weeds and last night was no exception, except that this year the pay cabler offered attendees a chance to watch both the season premiere of Weeds and the premiere of new comedy Californication (which I had seen back in April, but who's counting).This year, the Weeds/Californication screening took place, not at the Egyptian (whew!), but at the Cinerama Dome at the Arclight, a much better venue for this regular event. In attendance, besides for Showtime and Lionsgate executives, numerous agents, and members of the TV intelligentsia (like yours truly)? Series stars Mary Louise-Parker, Romany Malco, Kevin Nealon, Hunter Parrish, Andy Milder, Tonye Patano, Justin Kirk, Indigo, Allie Grant, and Alexander Gould, along with newest cast members Mary-Kate Olsen and Matthew Modine.
I spied Weeds' Maulik Pancholy across the room at the after party at Boulevard3 but didn't get a chance to hit him up for scoop on Season Two of 30 Rock. (Yes, Pancholy recurs as Jack's hyper-efficient assistant Jonathan)
Representing Californication, David Duchovny, Natascha McElhone, Evan Handler, and Pamela Adlon. (Can't remember seeing Madeline Zima or Madeleine Martin there but the whole thing was a bit of a haze.)
For fans of Weeds, the third season premiere is not to be missed. It picks up right where Season Two left off, with Nancy facing down the gun barrels of two rival drug cartels in the kitchen of the grow house, after Silas took off with the pot crop and Nancy's DEA husband Peter got, you know, killed. Now she'll have to contend with Armenians and African-American dealers, her criminal son Silas, and the evil, evil machinations of neighbor Celia (Elizabeth Perkins).
And, oh, did I mention that younger son Shane has been kidnapped by Andy's kooky ex-girlfriend Kat (Zooey Deschanel)? You won't believe how things, er, go off the rails between the two of them, who are being pursued (unknown to Nancy) by Andy and an Alaskan bounty hunter on Kat's trail. All this plus, a drug induced, er, measurement competition between Andy Milder's Dean and Kevin Nealon's Doug that is as hilarious as it is pathetic.
Touching, gripping, and caustically hilarious, this episode is Weeds at its very best. My only complaint: that I'll have to wait to see what happens next in this "to be continued" two-parter. As for you, my gentle readers, you can check out the first episode of Weeds Season Three online at Showtime. How's that for a nifty gifty?
But my last thought is directed at other attendees of Showtime's fete for their summer launches? What was up with those half-nude women lounging at the pools at Boulevard3 blowing bubbles? And did anyone else want to climb into a tub of that hot, rich brownie pudding they were serving?
Comments
for me, the brownie pudding looked and smelled better than it tasted, but it was still nice to stand next to.
The bananas in chocolate and the PB&J were my faves.