7.6 | / 10 |
Users | 4.5 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.1 |
Everyone's favorite pot-selling soccer mom and hemptress, Nancy Botwin, returns in the complete fifth season of the hit series 'Weeds'. Season 5 of this critically acclaimed series is even more subversive, more hilarious, and more addictive than the last one.
Starring: Mary-Louise Parker, Alexander Gould, Justin Kirk, Kevin Nealon, Hunter ParrishCrime | 100% |
Dark humor | 72% |
Comedy | 54% |
Drama | 10% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.78:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1
English, English SDH, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
Region A (locked)
Movie | 2.0 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
I'm a Botwin. We're not responsible for anything we do.
What was once a novel concept and a fairly-executed television show has become but a shell of
itself. Five seasons in, and "Weeds" has lost its allure. The characters are running thin, the
clever plot
lines have been all but discarded in favor of ridiculous Soap Opera plot lines and revelations,
and the drug
business seems more a tacked-on afterthought rather than the centerpiece of the show. It's an
admittedly seemingly difficult process to drag out a series that can be summed up in but a single
line -- "suburban widow
sells pot to pay
the bills" -- through five seasons and more than 60 episodes, but "Weeds" seems more
interested in staying afloat rather than crafting significant or
even halfway funny stories that stay true to the show's roots. Indeed, the fifth season plays out
as more of a chore than entertaining
and relaxing television, the pseudo-drama and significant lack of humor both death knells to a
show
that's officially run its course. Of course, the season ends with another "cliffhanger," this one
seemingly pointing to more of the same in some future sixth season that will hopefully tidy up
the
messy loose ends from season five in short order and return the series to its halfway charming,
funny, and novel roots.
'Weeds' gives birth to a whole new style show this season.
"Weeds: Season Five" blows onto Blu-ray with a technically suitable but hardly noteworthy 1080p, 1.78:1-framed transfer. In general, this rendition of "Weeds" appears pasty, artificial, and flat. Skin tones in particular often take on a ghastly, unnatural tint, though they do occasionally veer towards an orange shade. Despite the flat appearance, finer detail is suitably presented; shirts reveal fine stitching and tree bark is roughly and naturally textured, as are more complex exteriors and interiors where concrete, brick, wood, and furnishings take on a fairly lifelike and rich appearance. However, faces sometimes look unnaturally smooth and devoid of even a hint of detail, where at other times facial hair, fine lines, and scars are nicely rendered. Colors are generally rich and vibrant; some clothing in particular -- for instance a purple sweater worn by one of Andy's conquests, Margaret -- truly pops off the screen. Additionally, blacks are fairly stable but sometimes overpower the image, and infrequent but troublesome noise pops in every now and again, most notably during the final episode's scenes inside a concrete storage unit. Though this isn't exactly eye candy stuff, it seems fairly true to the source; viewers simply need not expect this to look like a pristinely-rendered film.
"Weeds: Season Five" sprouts a serviceable but hardly invigorating DTS-HD MA 7.1 lossless soundtrack. Frankly, the track rarely delves into information that goes beyond basic dialogue and musical reproduction, both of which are delivered smoothly and distortion-free. Nevertheless, a few scattered scenes through each episode offer a more expansive listen that adds a bit of aural flair to a soundtrack that's technically sound but otherwise painfully boring. Surrounds occasionally chime in to deliver some background ambience, whether baying animals in one location, the general background din of a busy mall, flowing traffic, a rolling stream, or more powerful ocean waves and the obligatory accompanying seagulls do a fair job of sprucing up the track and offering something of a more natural and immersive sonic environment. Otherwise, this one is incredibly vanilla; it does all that's asked of it well enough, but like the video presentation, it's hardly worthy of more than a passing notation. Both get the job done but with nary a hint of pomp and circumstance.
"Weeds: Season Five" arrives on Blu-ray with a fair assortment of extras spread across both discs. Disc one features the following commentary tracks: Episode One, "Wonderful, Wonderful," with Series Creator Jenji Kohan; Episode Three, "Su-Su-Sucio," with Writers Roberto Benabib and Matthew Salsberg; Episode Five, "Van Nuys," with Actors Hunter Parrish and Kevin Nealon; and Episode Seven, "Where the Sidewalk Ends," with Writers Roberto Benabib and Matthew Salsberg and Actor Kevin Nealon. History of Weed (1080i, 1:58) quickly takes viewers on a tour of the history of the drug, beginning in ancient China. Yes We Cannabis (480p, 1:02) is an Obama-inspired "Weeds" promotion piece featuring actor Kevin Nealon in-character. Also included on disc one is Little Titles (1080p, 3:18), a brief montage of the title cards of each episode with commentary. Disc two also features several commentary tracks: Episode Eleven, "Ducks and Tigers," with Actors Justin Kirk and Alanis Morissette; Episode Twelve, "Glue," with Actors Elizabeth Perkins, Allie Grant, and Andy Milder; and Episode Thirteen, "All About My Mom," with Series Creator Jenji Kohan. Really Backstage With Kevin Nealon (1080i, 11:07) presents raw behind-the-scenes footage shot by Actor Kevin Nealon. Crazy Love: A Guide to the Dysfunctional Relationships of 'Weeds' (1080i, 12:15) features the cast and crew discussing the characters and the many relationships in which they engage throughout the show. Next is University of Andy (480p, 33:58), a series of a dozen shorts featuring the character sharing information on random situations. Included are How to Survive a Bear Attack, How to Satisfy a Woman, How to Start a Band, Holding Your Liquor, Surviving the Apocalypse, Internet Dating, Dating Foreign Chicks, How to Make $100, The Breakup, Dealing with Bullies, Avoiding the Crazies, and Manscaping. Also included is a series of bloopers (1080p, 11:04).
At best, "Weeds: Season Five" is a mixed-bag that features a few passable and plausible story extensions that recall and build upon the show's original themes and feel, but for the most part, it's a show that's lost touch with its roots, delving into territory that feels out of place for a show of meager but exciting origins. While viewers can connect the dots throughout the series' entire run and see how the story has progressed from season to season, season five nevertheless seems far distant from the charming little show that once was, making it difficult to look forward to future seasons, even though a hint of the allure remains to at least see the characters through to whatever resolutions will ultimately be in store for them. Lionsgate's Blu-ray release of "Weeds: Season Five" is acceptable but not at all noteworthy; featuring a decent but hardly praiseworthy technical presentation and a fair assortment of extras, this package should satisfy fans.
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