Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Weeds: Season Two Blu-ray Movie Review

Season Two revitalizes Weeds with a much-improved presentation.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman December 25, 2007

You done dug yourself a pit a mile deep and a foot wide and you’re looking up at a pinhole.

Generally considered the stronger of the two seasons available on Blu-ray to date, this season packs quite the punch with enough twists to make a pretzel jealous and enough turns to make a NASCAR driver dizzy. I must agree that it is an improvement over season one, but I found a couple of glaring weaknesses as well. Many of the plot lines are razor thin, predictable, and lacking in originality. For a show with a premise as unique as Weeds, the writers seemingly cannot avoid creating almost ludicrous situations with resolutions any viewer that's even half paying attention can see coming a mile away. My other complaint is the almost nonstop barrage of political commentary that saturates the show. It's completely one sided and painfully obvious. The writers have no qualms about having their voices heard through these actors, from the clothes they wear, to the cars the drive, and to the diatribes they deliver. Regardless of political affiliation, it's too much for this type of entertainment. I don't want to flip over to Weeds after watching a political debate and be preached to in my escapism entertainment. Leave the overt political messages out, please.

Wait, what was my line? Oh yeah, probably another political rant!

Season two of Angry Political Statement, er, sorry, Weeds, picks up exactly where season one left off. There are several major plot twists throughout and each character undergoes some major changes as the season progresses. Andy (Justin Kirk, Hollywood Dreams) cons his way into Rabbinical school in order to avoid deployment to Iraq; Megan (Shoshannah Stern, Jericho) is intentionally impregnated by Silas (Hunter Parrish, RV) after she is accepted to Princeton; Celia (Elizabeth Perkins, Must Love Dogs) and Doug (Kevin Nealon, Daddy Day Care) compete for a spot on the city council; Conrad (Romany Malco, Blades of Glory) and Heylia (Tonye Patano, The Savages) part ways when Conrad decides to help Nancy (Mary-Louise Parker, The West Wing) build her business. Needless to say, there is an awful lot going on in these dozen episodes, and like season one, the pace is fast and furious with little to no downtime in any episode.

I cannot decide if I really like this show or not. I look forward to the next episode, but that doesn’t necessarily translate into really liking it, and quite a few of the “cliffhangers” are easily and predictably resolved. It’s one of the more predictable shows I’ve seen. Everything is very convenient and plays out as if it were a perfect world (well maybe not a perfect world, but a scripted one to be sure). Season two, like its predecessor, ends with a great cliffhanger that I am eager to see resolved, though I have a good idea of how it will play out. Nevertheless, I'm anxious to see if I am right. Hopefully season three will see the light of day on Blu-ray sooner rather than later.

Weeds: Season Two Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Season two of Weeds is presented in 1080p high definition in a 1.78:1 aspect ratio. As in season one, this image retains some grain, especially in darker scenes, and black levels are more gray than black, but the image overall is a major improvement. The image continues to retain a slightly washed out look about it, but it looks more natural and the effect is lessened on this disc. Flesh tones are once again reproduced faithfully and the image is significantly more crisp and sharp this time around. Detail, even in distance shots and small objects, is noticeably improved as well.

Weeds: Season Two Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Lionsgate presents Weeds: Season Two with uncompressed PCM 7.1 audio running at 6.1 Mbps. Also available is a much lesser bitrate Dolby Digital 5.1 EX track. The PCM 7.1 is the default track, so make sure to switch if you don't want to or cannot listen to this track. This is a major upgrade sonically from season one. Uncompressed audio sounds great here. This is still a mostly front heavy track, but dialogue sounds much more natural and clear in season two. A few times throughout when the track becomes more aggressive, it's quite immersive and impressive. The 7.1 track really doesn't have a lot of opportunity to shine, but it's a nice inclusion that enhances the overall experience. For reproducing the source material as faithfully as possible, Weeds: Season Two scores high on Blu-ray. No complaints here.

Weeds: Season Two Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Once again, Weeds delivers an impressive grouping of supplements. Four episodes from disc one contain commentaries. Each provides some good insight into the show, Craig X, the real-life medical marijuana dealer--is once again the highlight of the commentary tracks. Trivia Tracks are presented on four disc one episodes. Each provides some decent background information on each episode, from the mundane to the really out there (facial tissue was first used as field dressings in World War I). A gag reel (1080p, 2:11) and a look at Conrad's Grow Room (1080p, 9:56) round out the supplements on disc one.

Disc two contains even more supplements. Three more commentary tracks represent the main attractions. Once again, a series of trivia tracks are available, this time on two episodes. Test Your Short Term Memory plays just like the Memory game where you turn over two cards to try and make them match. Huskeroos Commercials are just that, the commercials from the show, available in both English and Spanish. They are presented in 1080p. Cream of the Crop (1080p, 5:26) features Craig X discussing his five favorite strains of marijuana. Jammin' Nation Extended Performance (1080p, 4:44) is an extended musical scene from the marijuana convention featured in the show. Slangin' 101 (1080p, 2:20) is a list of mostly common words and their Weeds related meaning. Little Boxes Montage (1080p, 4:06) is a montage of different takes of the show's opening theme. Finally, Tools of the Trade (1080p, 4:31) shows different drug-related paraphernalia.

Weeds: Season Two Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Weeds remains one of the more intriguing and original shows to air on television in some time. Although many of the resolutions to problems are rather convenient and predictable, the uniqueness of the show continues to intrigue this reviewer despite the blatant political rhetoric and sometimes unrealistic situations that crop up to hinder Nancy's progress as top weed dealer in Agrestic. Thankfully, this disc represents a major upgrade from season one, sporting vastly superior video quality and a very good audio experience, thanks to the uncompressed track. The supplements, once again, are good. Weeds: Season Two is recommended with the first season for mature audiences willing to accept something unique that deals with a taboo issue in suburban life.