'Weeds': Sophomore Slump and Theme Songs
Here's a theory for you: The second-season downslide of Showtime's Weeds all began with the theme song.
In season one, Malvina Reynolds' folksy "Little Boxes" (1963), the ideal ditty to illustrate suburban monotony, opened up each show. Reynolds' unique twang and the song's undeniable hook went along well with a show that gave viewers a fresh look at soccer-mom culture, following the misadventures of Nancy Botwin, middle-class widow/pot dealer.
And the first season was an appealing mix of comedy and drama; Nancy, played very well by Mary-Louise Parker, was a character who made questionable decisions, but, underneath the sometimes hapless exterior, she exhibited a real humanity. Here was a woman who obviously loved her two sons, even though they often drove her crazy, and grieved for her husband, usually in private. One scene, in which Nancy cried while watching an intimate video of her and her husband, comes to mind; it was the kind of human touch that made you care about her character.
Cut to season two. The premiere again opened with the song "Little Boxes"–this time sung by Elvis Costello. Oh, Costello–cool, right?
No. Costello's remake lacked the charm of Reynolds' rendering, and right away the words "sophomore slump" entered my mind. And the first episode backed up my suspicions. Nancy Botwin, here, was suddenly an extremely unlikable character–all ditz, no substance. And while her mothering skills in season one would certainly not win her any Good Housekeeping awards, in this first episode, she honestly seemed to hate the two little buggers. Oh, where was the humanity??
The second episode opened with a Death Cab for Cutie version of "Little Boxes." OK, and I thought the Costello version was bad. Would Death Cab for Cutie mean death for Weeds? Well, the second episode certainly seemed to signify this. I waited hopefully for Nancy to display some of her old charm, but she remained charmless, a complaining, tired, uninteresting suburban pot mommy (who thought such a thing was possible?).
Episode three–Engelbert Humperdinck. Need I even go on? This episode was the worst of the lot, veering into a screwball-comedy area that seems to bode very poorly for the season's remaining episodes.
Now, I acknowledge that some critics are praising this second season and calling it superior to the first; I find that baffling, but an opinion is just an opinion, after all.
But for me, between Showtime's cancellation of the superior Huff (thank you, Blythe Danner, for putting the network in its place for that on Emmy night) and this lower-rent version of Weeds, the network is doubling up on the disappointment.
By Rebecca Stropoli
anticoke1@msn.com commented:
Everyone has an opinion on the opening theme song, but few aknowledge the fine tie-ins to the closing credit song selections. Cases in point: the happy clappy birthday song (my favorite), some times you feel like a nut!!
Pure genius!!!!
My opinion is they should have as much if not more credit.
MissTPitiestheFool commented:
The changes in the theme song are not a big deal. It gives you something to look forward to each week, much like the beginning of the Simpsons. Yea, Nancy's character is liess likeable. Did you think maybe this was purposefully done , as she falls further and deeper into the realm of drug dealing? You didn't expect her to sell dime bags to soccer mom's throughout the entire run of the show, did you? Booooring. WEEDS IS AWESOME!!!!
aa commented:
Season 2 is disappointing. Throwing plots twists at a wall and seeing which one stick is not very good writing.
There are some good moments, but overall, it is a disappointment...
Nancy's character is total mess. with each episode there should be some progression or development of the character. Nancy in season 2 is a mix of meet the real housewives of the oc with the element of weed. apparently batting your lashes and looking pretty answers all your problems...it can even conquer the drug world.
nicole commented:
weeds is brilliant. i like nancys character. best show ever for sure.
Taylor commented:
Please, the creators of the show are just exploring new boundaries with the different versions of the theme song. The "sophomore slump" you speak of is pure blasphemy.
Skunk commented:
Changing the theme song artists is a bit like swapping which side of the bed you sleep on with your partner. Once you get over the initial argument you may find it was a simple way of adding variety & altering routines.
Test commented:
Hi
G'night
JSL commented:
I started watching the first season of Weeds on Showtime on Demand when I was home sick. And I have not missed an episode of Season 2 yet. This is clearly the best show on tv -the writing is brilliant, the dialogue is very funny and I love the new theme song each week.
Will Weeds be back next season?
Lineo commented:
We are so use to theme songs staying the same for the start of every show throughout every season...the song is connected to the story line in Weeds, and this is part of what makes this show so good. Everything is connected, even the theme song...the first season you get hit with the same song over and over in the same way...little boxes, little boxes...I have to admit when the second season started and it was different, I felt robbed...i didnt get what I was expecting, I was suprised but have learned to enjoy the fact that this show, even before it starts, with their theme song they are already saying something...you are not going to get what you expect from Agrestic, from this show, from the characters...not even from the theme song, so sit back, relax and enjoy. The change in theme songs lets you know that you better let go of what you expect, so I suggest you deep breath, and enjoy the show because it is so well put together.
Olivia commented:
What? They cancelled HUFF?!!?!!!?? God what next...are they going to kill off a character on the L Word....wait..hmmm, they all ready did that...I guess they did cancel one of the best shows on television! Why!!!???!!!
phoobah22 commented:
this season is FAR superior--
a lighter tone with the underlying darkness. your analysis is WAY off base.
HEATHER commented:
I HATE THAT THE THEME SONG IS CHANGED. BUT I LIKE SEASON 2 JUST AS WELL AS THE 1ST SEASON.
Slightly Agree commented:
I don't completely agree that the 2nd season is going to pot. :) I do think that the whole Rabbi thing is dumb and should come to an abrupt end. The actress that plays that Rabbi chick is lousy. It also seems like they've focused more on the whole drug dealing aspect and less on the family mom torn between doing right by her kids and breaking the law.
As for the theme song: I think that by changing the extremely unique theme song, they lost some of the unique, yet familiar elements that went with the show. I miss the original song and I miss the darker family comedy that the show was. With that said, it's still one of the best shows on TV-- it's just lost a little bit of it's original appeal.
Veronica commented:
I couldn't agree more. I absolutely looooved the themesong in season 1, and now I can't get over the fact that they completely ruined it!!! COMPLETELY ruined it. it's brings a really bad start to the whole show, so I'm in a bad mood even before I start watching!!! Gimme the original back!!!! now!
Bobby Katz commented:
Really? That's how you judge a show? You've got to be kidding. Have you been WATCHING the show? I have. It's brilliant. Better this year than last. Look. Shows work like this: They introduce the characters in the first season and explore them more in the second. Why else are we seeing more of Dean, Celia's (Elizabeth Perkins') husband? The writers are exploring new territory...and you know what, as a comedy, and this is NOT realism, they can make dangerous choices. Applaud them for all the new choices they make. How narrow and foolish of you to write your article...I'm sorry they didn't like your spec script.
tdneel commented:
I like the new themes and I like the new season.
And I miss "Huff." I'll always wonder what happened to Russell, amazingly played by Oliver Platt.
bear hunter commented:
opinions are opinions, but yours are clearly way off base here... season 2 of weeds is even better than the remarkable season 1. yes nancy is less likable -- she's a DRUG DEALER who's putting her kids at risk through her escapades. but if anything, the writers and actors are doing a funnier, more frank job at exploring that messy character terrain.
Red City commented:
I don't really mind the theme song variety, but am I the only one who thinks the rabbical school subplot with Nancy's obnoxious brother-in-law is really stretching it? First, the registrar with all her cleavage accepting his "version of the Torah" written on the floor of a public bathroom??? What do the writers want the audience to think Judaism is?