Head Honcho

It took a full five episodes this season, but I think Weeds has finally completed it's rebirth, and fittingly enough, it centers around Nancy's latest occupation, managing a maternity store. It's no ordinary maternity store, naturally, as if anything Nancy's associated with can be at this point in the series, instead serving has an appropriate front for a giant hole, continuing the birthing metaphor. The canal between Mexico and the new world is fittingly backed by Devotchka's inspired song "New World," which in this context comes off as a song of immigration. "It's the perfect day we should get away come on let's go," and with that, Nancy's down the rabbit hole and in smuggler's land in no time.

At the other end we finally meet 'El Jefe,' the invisible suit backing the operations, and it's actor Demian Bichir, who we'll soon see playing Fidel Castro in Steven Soderburgh's Che films (broken up as The Argentine and Guerrilla. Castro was known as 'El Jefe' as well, fittingly enough. He's no ordinary suit, though, as Bichir recently dished to TV Guide about his character Esteban Reyes:

He's the mayor of Tijuana. He's a pretty powerful politician. But this type of politician that are well-educated. He went to Harvard, he drinks the best wine, he loves opera. He's very sophisticated. So that's the interesting [truth] about this type of character, because you could always go to a stereotype, you know? But this guy is like the devil: he's powerful and charming and dangerous, and hopefully sexy.

El diablo indeed. His threatening to give Nancy a serious spanking was both sinister and sexy -- thanks, in part, to Mary-Louise Parker's read of Nancy's reaction. She's not sure whether it's her life or her libido that's being threatened, here, and when she discovers that el jefe is in fact the Mayor of Tijuana, the libido angle seems to win out. Backing the discovery is Devotchka once again, with the more-than-appropriately titled "Head Honcho." The mariachi-fueled track fit the mood perfectly, as does the whole album that it and "New World" come from, this year's A Mad And Faithful Telling. It's mix of Mexico and Eastern European Folk (ie, Gypsy) speaks to this season's immigration themes. There's another song on the album, however, which I'm surprised they didn't use. "Along the Way" features mariachi-style trumpets and lyrics like "the gringos block the roads, inside your head," and "so this is the city, so this is progress? How can something so pretty, become such a mess?" which are spot on for the context of this season.

Elsewhere, Andy and Doug have their own ideas about trafficking Mexico - going the way of the coyote. "A nicer coyote... the Jet Blue of Coyotes... sun chips and bottled water, competitive pricing without the rape trees and extortion." After Doug connects with an illegal, Maria 'Meremex,' who he initially thinks is some hippy swimming in her clothes, he jumps on board with the venture. At some point, you have to think those two are going to discover Nancy's secret underground railroad and try to exploit it for themselves. Lately, though, Andy seems to want to get into Nancy's other maternity hole, going where her dead brother has gone before. Both holes now, seem to have 'El Jefe' watching closely, so coyote beware.

Songs: Weeds Ep 4.06 - "Excellent Treasures"
1. "New World" - Devotchka - Nancy goes down the hole and follows it to Mexico
2. "Head Honcho" - Devotchka - Nancy discovers 'el jefe' is Esteban Reyes, Mayor of Tijuana

Previously: Sitting Shiva (Episode 4.04)

Sitting Shiva

Through these first few episodes of Weeds this season, I'm convinced that fans are in their own sort of sitting shiva over the series. Dead and gone is the Agrestic suburb, the theme song, and, really, much of the comedy. Much like Bubbie, "a courageous woman who escaped the clutches of Adolf Hilter and lived a long, productive life, only to be snuffed out by a hypoallergenic pillow from Bed Bath & Beyond," all elements taken off life support and ultimately smothered to death. I'm still waiting to see what's reborn in it's place, but after four episodes, this season has yet to establish a groove, and now after finally getting used to the great Albert Brooks and his irascible Lenny, we have to say goodbye to him as well, with Lenny running off with Nancy's drug money to Paris for the World Series of Poker. I knew going in that Brooks was signed on for at least four episodes, but it feels both cut short and a relief. It's almost as if they had to make him so despicable at the end that you'd miss him less going forward. With Doug (Kevin Nealon) showing up, you could almost see Brooks handing the comedic relief baton back to Nealon as he made his exit. No room for both of them, apparently.

Not that Nealon isn't a welcome return to the funny. The short-term memory gag falls flat in anyone else's hands (especially the borderline homophobic 'you suck dick, Silas?') and the interaction between him and Andy (Justin Kirk) has been greatly missed. He's not the only one to finally make the journey to the 'rebirth,' as Elizabeth Perkins' Celia finally gets thrown into the mix, to the tune of "Celia" by the great Toots & the Maytals. Her 'get out of jail' card is still a bit of a mystery. Sure, Captain Till is kind of smitten with her, hence the karaoke massacre that was Animotion's "Obsession," but it's still a bit foggy as to how that all works in the judicial process. Meanwhile, Silas (Hunter Parrish) is obviously going to be a more prominent character moving forward, I guess filling the 'grower hunk' void now that there's no Conrad (Romany Malco). I'm sorry, but Parrish is no Malco.

For Secret Diary of a Call Girl this week, as Hannah/Belle sets up her attempt at an S&M session, we heard New Young Pony Club (a favorite of Reaper,) with their song "Ice Cream," which might just be the prostitute song:

I can give you what you want. I can make your back real taut.
Fantastic playroom fancy sick like Sid and Nancy wicked as a joy ride jaunt.

Weeds
1. "Obsession" - Animotion - Celia sings Karaoke
2. "Celia" - Toots & the Maytals - Guillermo's men bring in Celia

Secret Diary of a Call Girl
1. "Ice Cream" - New Young Pony Club - Hannah/Belle sets up for S&M
2. "Locked Together" - King Creosote - Hannah sends text message to Ben

Previously: Blah with Dignity (Episode 4.03)

Blah with dignity

I guess we can now add killer to Nancy's growing criminal resume. Drug dealer, arsonist, smuggler... it's obvious Nancy's given up entirely on being 'mother of the year.' Last night, Weeds dealt head on with the dying Bubbie storyline, and the euthanasia debate was hardly riveting. Airhead Silas stood in for the opposing view, and his straw men argument quickly blew down a few 'blahs' from Andy -- albeit, well written blahs.

When all is said and done, though, it's naturally Nancy (aka "Not Francine") who gets the honor. Bubbie predicted that shiksa was going to be death of her anyway, and leave it to Nancy to find an indirect way to do it - fuse box. Note that she's doing this after smuggling drugs and a criminal over the border, just to, you know, top off her day. It's like gardening in the rain after going for a run, no sense showering between.

To take the episode out, the song "Thank You For Making Me Feel... Better" (from singer/songwriter Linus From Hollywood) is played, with the intent being one of relief for Bubbie. But the song itself was actually written about a man's love for beer. Taken from the obscure album Let Yourself Be Happy, it's a bit of an ode to Pet Sounds, using only beer bottles as instruments for the recording. He did it all using just a 12 oz and a 40 oz bottle, overdubbing all the clinks and tuned bottles together. In addition, there's bottle caps and a bottle breaking, adding to the drunken ambiance.

Meanwhile, Secret Diary of a Call Girl again resorted to music to keep us at arm's length during one of Hannah/Belle's introspective moments, letting only the lyrics to Regina Spektor's "Fidelity" let us in on the internal struggle going on during a rather intense shower:

I never loved nobody fully
Always one foot on the ground
And by protecting my heart truly
I got lost in the sounds...
... and it breaks my heart

Previously: Monday Night Vice (Season premieres for Weeds/Secret Diary of a Call Girl)

Monday night vice

Last night began Showtime's summer lineup of women behaving badly, with the season four premiere of Weeds and the debut of the UK's Secret Diary of a Call Girl, two series that confront society's morals with a knowing wink. Both premieres, while witty and charming, kept me at a distance, like cashed pipe or a hooker with her eye on the clock (aren't you done yet?)

Weeds, for it's part, still feels as transitional as last season's crazy ride to break the series down in order to rebuild it as something new. It starts right where season three left off, with the Agrestic McCommunity up in flames, with the assumption that we'll ignore that Shane's gone through puberty in the interim hours. Nancy's moved up the chain, from dealer to runner, and she should be up to the challenge, if the the music choice is any indication. "Se Puede" from Chilean funk supergroup Los Mono, was written as a sort of mantra for someone looking at a new and difficult challenge. The song's title translates to "it's possible" and is repeated in the song, which was originally written as a theme for a children's animated series in Chile -- which is appropriate given Nancy's continued childlike naivete in the face of the danger she surrounds her family in.

Speaking of childlike naivete, did anyone else notice that the Botwins essentially moved to John From Cincinnati's old neighborhood, just north of the Mexican border? They even have their own Shaunie Yost living next door. They may call it Ren-Mar (named after the studios where Weeds and a lot of other series are shot,) but it reeks of Imperial Beach. As such, it appears that creator Jenji Kohan will pick up David Milch's side theme of immigration and border politics. One thing I look forward to is a return to the show's conceptual roots -- a family dealing with the loss of their father. Moving back to Bubbie's house, surrounded by reminders of the long dead Judah, means that perhaps the Botwins will finally confront their still-repressed grief.

Moving on from repression, SDOACG is anything but, with our protagonist Hannah (Belle) telling us through the fourth wall "first thing I think you should know is that I'm a whore." Ok, the mood is set and you've piqued my interest. Problem is, even with all the sass (and eye candy) that Billie Piper (Doctor Who) provides to the UK imported series, it still leaves me a bit cold (but not necessarily blue). Which is, I guess, kind of the point. When Hannah mistakenly gives up her name to a john, we're treated briefly to The Noisettes' "Cannot Even (Break Free)", which works it's cathartic magic as a backdrop to Hannah pulling herself together and working herself back to a proper distance from her job (and us). An episode lasts only 20 minutes long, which means SDOACG has to uses all it's wiles to try and get you off as quickly as it can, but those moans sound more fake with each glances at the clock. Still, even she left me a bit unsatisfied, almost getting there was just enough to bring me back.

Songs from Showtime's Monday Night Vice
1. "Se Puede" - Los Mono - Weeds, Ep4.01, Nancy and Guillermo look over the border
2. "You Know I'm No Good" - Amy Winehouse - Secret Diary of a Call Girl, theme song
3. "Cannot Even (Break Free)" - The Noisettes - Secret Diary of a Call Girl, Hannah has a moment of reflection after accidentally revealing her real name to a john

Of Sandworms and Silicon

Last night's Chuck was a strange combination of funny and frustrating. On one hand, it was easily the funniest episode thus far, but it still trips over the recurring trust theme. I realize the spy world is ripe with trust issues, but the plot of "Chuck doesn't trust his handlers and screws up as a result" is going to get old (if it hasn't already). Schwartz brings the funny in loads this week, however, so all is forgiven, and previews for next week hint that there might be some mythology-building for Chuck's character, with a flashback to his Stanford dorm days.

Our first musical entry is appropriately enough a reference to the game Guitar Hero, shown here as something called "Guitar Shredder" -- Morgan and Lazslo face off to Free's "All Right Now." GH3 came out this week, so it's an easy reference that works as a nice intersect for both Morgan's and Lazslo's storylines. The next reference is odd, however, as Chuck mentions Arcade Fire's Funeral (42:15 is about 5 minutes too short for the album, by the way) as his album choice for romance, but then plays Editors' "The Weight of The World." Was Funeral's opening track, "Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)", supposed to play here? As Paul Haggis found out last year with The Black Donnellys pilot, you may write a scene for the indie now band in mind, but that doesn't mean that they'll license the song for you. But with lyrics like "keep a light on those you love" underscoring Chuck's surveillance, the blow of having Editors as a substitute is lessened.

Meanwhile, the choice of A View To a Kill as the Bond movie to watch seemed curious at first, given that it ranks easily as one of the worst in the 007 oeuvre. However, A View To A Kill actually is a pretty good reference when you think about another movie/book referenced: Dune. Both plots deal with sand as a sought after commodity (as silicon for Kill's Zorin, and the sandworms' spice byproduct for Dune's Baron Harkonnen) and the destruction involved in attempting to gain a monopoly in distribution of these products. Lazslo sees himself turned into a commodity, so it's appropriate that Chuck and Morgan unconsciously embrace the notion, dressing up as sandworms as their Halloween tradition.

The other interesting music choice has Schwartz spoofing his own The O.C. using the Finley Quaye/William Orbit song "Dice" to back a scene-for-scene take off of the new year's episode from season one. It seemed familiar to my wife (The O.C. season 1 expert in my household) and Alan Sepinwall confirmed her suspicion this morning. Even if you're not familiar with The O.C., it still worked as a spoof of modern day romantic scenes. If that wasn't enough, ending with the 'sandwich on a deserted island' discussion for Casey's surveillance torture cemented it as the funniest episode yet for the young series.

Elsewhere on Monday night, Weeds ended with Nancy knockin' boots again, this time with Conrad to Page France's "Chariot." Meanwhile, on the season finale of Californication, Becca gets her period and then sings "Only Women Bleed" (in the style of Alice Cooper, thank goodness) at her mom's wedding (instead of the agreed upon Cheap Trick's "Surrender"?) The series ends with Tommy Stinson (The Replacements, Guns N' Roses) covering The Rolling Stones' "You Can't Always Get What You Want" adding a touch of irony to the already unbelievable ending.

Playlist: Chuck - Ep106
1. "All Right Now" - Free - Morgan plays Lazslo at Guitar Hero knockoff
2. "The Weight of The World" - Editors - Pretending to get some action in Chuck's room, plays in lieu of Arcade Fire's Funeral
3. "Dice" - Finley Quaye and William Orbit - Slow-mo of Chuck racing in to find Morgan
4. "It Takes Two" - Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock - Chuck and Morgan perform the Sandworm dance

Playlist: Showtime's Monday night, 10/29
1. "Chariot" - Page France - Weeds Ep 3.12 - Nancy and Conrad finally do it
2. "Reconsider Me" - Steve Earle - Californication Ep 1.12 - Hank's wedding dream
3. "Only Women Bleed" - Alice Cooper - Californication Ep 1.12 - Becca sings this at her mom's wedding
4. "High Flying Bird" - Elton John - Californication Ep 1.12 - Hank dances with Mia, Becca and Karen
5. "You Can't Always Get What You Want" - Tommy Stinson - Californication Ep 1.12 - Hank drives off with Becca & Karen

Previously: The Wounded Raccoon (Ep 1.05)

tags: music, television, soundtrack, chuck, arcade fire, dune, 007, the oc, weeds, californication, playlist

Huskaroo and Regina too

Just one episode from it's second season finale, a lot is hanging in the balance on Showtime's Weeds. On the music front, last night's episode featured Russian-born New Yorker Regina Spektor pulling off the double-play by contributing both the opening theme and the ending credits music ("Ghost Of Corporate Future".) Between the songs, thankfully, there was also plenty going on.

I think having a drug-dealer (Nancy) marry a DEA agent (Peter) is one of the more interesting plot twists for a television series, and we're now racing toward a 'scorpion and frog' (or, as Nancy keeps calling it, the turtle) parable fate. Nancy tries to make it work, lighting candles in her nightie to the sweet sounds of Sufjan Stevens ("Holland".) But the chemistry just isn't there - when wiretaps are involved, I can't imagine there would be.

Today also sees the release of the second volume of songs from the series (Weeds - Music From The Showtime Original Series - Volume 2) and all the music (save Spektor's reworked theme song) is on the album. One treat on the collection is the fake TV ad music for Huskaroos, the clothing line for 'plus size' children that young Isabella models for (much to the chagrin of her perfectionist mother Celia.) Huskaroo lets you be you...

Album: Weeds - Music From The Showtime Original Series - Volume 2

Playlist: Weeds - Episode 2.10
1. "Little Boxes" - Regina Spektor (Showtime)
2. "Huskaroo Tv Spot" - Brandon Young Jay
3. "Holland" - Sufjan Stevens
4. "Ghost Of Corporate Future" - Regina Spektor

Previously:
Got MILF weed?

tags: weeds, television, showtime, soundtrack, playlist, regina spektor, sufjan stevens, rhapsody

Got MILF Weed?

When Nancy and Conrad's home grown finds it's way into the lungs of one Snoop Dee-oh-double-G, the rapper can't help but throw down some rhymes in the studio to confess his love of the MILF Weed - Snoop's name for Nancy's sticky icky.

Some of it goes like this:

Ima gonna tell it to you, to you,
so you need to know,
we smokin' MILF weed every day
on the road
we get it crack-a-lackin'
everytime you see me, doh
it's Snoop Dee-oh-double-G
blaze the endo

Granted, it was a bit silly (especially to see Mary Louise Parker's whiter then white dancing in the studio) but a little Snoop goes a long way. Did I say a little? Snoop also contributes the song "Vato" to the episode. This week's theme song ("Little Boxes") was done by The Submarines, while The O.C. faves, The 88, add their song "Not Enough" to mix as well.

1. "Little Boxes" - The Submarines (Weeds Music on Myspace)
2. "Vato" - Snoop Dogg
3. "Life Can Be Sunny" - Roaring Lion (Weeds Music on Myspace)
4. "Not Enough" - The 88

Previously:
Cheddarella! (Episode 2.05)

tags: weeds, television, showtime, soundtrack, snoop dogg, rap, the 88, the submarines

Cheddarella!

Playlist: WEEDS - Episode 205

It's hard to feel sorry for son Silas... while his girlfriend makes the difficult choice to end her pregnancy, we all know he conspired to get her preggers in the first place. So why am I having pangs of empathy for this evil son of a 'bitch-ass-bitch'? Prolly 'cause he's locked in mourning listening to Rogue Wave's "Kicking the Heart Out." Works nearly every time. Also on this episode is "Pirates" from Gabby La La, who's a good friend of Primus' Les Claypool. Not only his her debut on Claypool's label, but he also produces, arranges, and plays all over the release.

Elsewhere, in a bit of tasty cheese (cheddar+mozzarella=CHEDDARELLA!) is the queen of Australian yodeling, Mary Schneider, who's "Yodelling Mozart" provides some comic relief in the midst of all this drama. Chedarrella indeed!

WEEDS' MySpace blog on this week's music.

Previously:
Both Of and from Montreal (Episode 204)And it gives you the munchies (Weeds Season 1)

tags: playlist, weeds, television, showtime, soundtrack, rogue wave, gabby la la, mary schneider, cheddarella