Mary-Louise Parker is one strange cookie.
I think the first time I saw her was in Fried Green Tomatoes, waaay back in 1991 (I can’t believe that was actually 15 years ago. WHAT?), where she played the tragic-young-sweetheart-turned- battered-housewife-turned-surprisingly-sassy-best-friend. Good chick flick, actually. Check it out if you haven’t seen it yet. Anyway, I was around eight years old at the time, but I distinctly remember that even back then, I couldn’t decide whether or not Parker was pretty.
Now, obviously, Mary-Louise Parker is strikingly pretty. By normal people standards. She’s small, has a great body, very unusual eyes, and amazing skin. She would be the belle of any ball that I, for example, might find myself attending. That said, the woman has one of the strangest mouths I have ever seen, and sometimes, I swear, her eyes kind of go blank and stare off in unknown directions. However, there’s no denying that she’s got moxie. She’s kind of like… Juliette Lewis crossed with that fast-talking woman from The Gilmore Girls, Lauren Graham.
Weeds is a Showtime comedy/drama about a youngish suburban mom who ends up dealing pot to make ends meet after her husband suddenly drops dead. Weeds is also most definitely a Mary-Louise Parker vehicle. She is the mom, the central character, and the whole series was destined to float or sink in tandem with Parker’s star power. And really, when all is said and done, the whole thing floats. It practically swims. Fifteen years after my first introduction to her, I have finally reached my decision: Mary-Louise Parker pretty much rocks.
There are maybe two or three things you have to watch out for with Weeds:
1. Do not let the first couple of episodes throw you off. It starts out with a heavy Desperate Housewives vibe, and I, for one, do not consider that to be a good thing. (In my opinion, Desperate Housewives is one of those shows that had its moment in the sun but will definitely not stand the test of time. The plotlines border on unfunny ridiculous, Eva Longoria’s midget sexiness can only go so far, and everyone knows deep down in their hearts that Teri Hatcher is really quite scary looking.) Just give Weeds enough time, and you will be pleasantly surprised by its staying power and satisfying plot/character development.
2. At some point in the series, especially the episodes where they go to visit the legal pot clinic (it’s set in California) and, later, end up at the marijuana expo, you will be struck speechless. You will be overcome with an uncontrollable desire to relocate to southern California, or maybe Amsterdam. You will ask yourself, why, WHY do I not have that kind of access to that kind of quality? You will call your friends, and people you barely know, yelling about how you all deserve better, how you need to form CONNECTIONS. You will solemnly sit at your desk, devising complex plans to forge relationships with better dealers.
3. You will laugh yourself silly, especially when the prodigal brother-in-law character (played by the relatively unknown Justin Kirk) gives Parker’s barely pubescent son a comprehensive how-to talk about masturbation in season 2, episode 3.
In closing, the most beautiful thing about Weeds is that it’s on the air RIGHT NOW. Every Monday, a brand new episode airs, and every Tuesday, you can find it on the various torrent sites. As a bonus, that hot black dude from The 40 Year Old Virgin plays Conrad, an insidiously hilarious in-the-know dealer who eventually allies himself with Parker against his better judgement.
Come, friends, and join me in my newfound appreciation of Mary-Louise Parker and her character’s enviable access to hemp, the wonder plant.
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