Though "eccentric" is perhaps a given when it comes to describing the comedy-drama Weeds, the series' fifth season seems to test the boundaries of that description with a story arc that pushes the misadventures of suburban pot dealer Nancy Botwin (Golden Globe winner Mary-Louise Parker) into very unusual territory. Having saved her skin in the finale of the previous season by admitting to Mexican drug lord Esteban that she was carrying his child, Nancy spends much of the season attempting to keep her extended brood/employees out of trouble as she extricates from this current pickle. However, said family is barely able to stay afloat without her lopsided guidance; brother-in-law Andy (Justin Kirk) develops feelings for her before falling for her obstetrician (Alanis Morrissette), while eldest offspring Silas (Hunter Parrish) attempts to tackle the legitimate side of pot (a medical marijuana dispensary) with the now hopelessly fogbound Doug (Kevin Nealon). And youngest son Shane (Alexander Gould) continues his spiral into what can only be described as near-lunacy as he dabbles in alcoholism, animal slaughter, masochism, and finally, homicide. Though season 5 reads like the same mix of black comedy and sugar-fizz indie quirk as the previous four, the reality is that the recipe is off here; moments of honest drama and character development have been sacrificed for shock effect, which blunts the solid work done by Parker and her talented castmates (most notably Kirk, Nealon, and Morrissette). In short, the fifth season of Weeds feels rudderless--an uncomfortable position for any veteran show.
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