What I’m Watching: Weeds

Weeds: Season 6, Episode 7 “Pinwheels and Whirligigs” (B+)

After so many seasons of the Botwins being established as a family that’s anything but normal, it’s truly refreshing to see Nancy and Shane function as a normal mother and son. With all of Shane’s recent murderous activities, it’s hard to remember that he’s still just a kid and boys, even at a far more mature point in their lives, still need their mothers sometimes. Kudos to Mary-Louise Parker and Alexander Gould for a surprisingly heartfelt time spent at the carnival. Invoking the memory of the deceased Judah also serves as a reminder that this family was once ordinary. It’s hilarious that this town appears to be so incestuous that everyone but the Botwins knows each other and has dated his or her best friend’s current partner, making Nancy’s attempt at creating conflict far more effective than she had imagined. I was completely shocked that the butter sculpting contest was not one to make something out of butter but rather to eat as much of a premade butter sculpture as possible before passing out or having a heart attack. Silas really gave it his all, and it was heartbreaking to see the hurt in his face when he realized that he couldn’t claim the prize because he didn’t have a social security number. I’m more than a little concerned about where Doug as a character is headed, since he’s clearly slipped into the deep end as he is perpetually ignored by his supposed friends and forced to babysit the Botwin baby while the rest of the family enjoys the attractions.