Missing scenes from Weeds

The following are extracts from a discussion at This Is Who We - Millennium Message Board, which related to missing or deleted scenes in the Millennium episode Weeds. These scenes were included in the paperback release of Weeds, only released and available to buy in Germany:

Don‘t get me wrong, but every time I watch "Weeds" I get the feeling that there were many scenes cut from the originally intended episode. Here in Germany the novel based on "Weeds" was published (unlike the US), and it includes many flashbacks into the childhood of the killer and the recent events leading up to his crimes. Especially the questions WHY he abducted those children, HOW he got to know about the sins of the fathers and WHERE he got all the blood from are answered in there but are missing in the episode.

Dammit! Why aren‘t the deleted scenes on the DVD sets?

(Replying) The Old Man:

Fascinating post MrCox! I wish there were deleted scenes for all episodes but a few would have been a start! If you ever get the chance, please consider posting the answers to those questions, we’ love to read them!

(Replying) Mr Cox:

As far as I remember the novel, there were some extensive chapters dealing with Petey‘ past:

- At the age of 8 he got to know a boy from his neighbourhood. Because Petey was very shy and often lonely this boy seemed to be his only "real" friend. But this friend made him steal money from his parents to buy a skateboard. Petey‘ parents found out that he stole money but they never punished him for this. Instead his mother explained to him that this friend made him choose the wrong path in life, showed him how easy it is to sin and to betray. She said something like "you must love and pardon him for that." This event in his life seemed to be the first encounter with sin in general and the beginning of his religious delusions.

- Petey is the chairman of Vista Verde and therefore feels responsible for his neighbours. What isn‘t mentioned in the episode at all is the fact that Petey was the only pharmacist near Vista Verde. This was why he got to know almost everything about the physical and psychological state of his neighbours.

- Petey witnessed the hit-and-run offence which caused Carl Burke‘ death and called the police anonymously. He needed to find out who the driver was and recorded who bought medicaments for what reason. Later he began to spy on his neighbours, eavesdrop on housewives, asked doctors or lawyers casual questions. He combined the things he heard with his own observations and discovered the sins of his neighbours. Because of this extensive spying he finally lost his job, but he never told anyone about this fact, not even his wife.

- At first the blood was his neighbours‘ blood he "collected" in a blood donation he once organized. Later he learned to tap his own blood and used it to cleanse the sons of their fathers‘ sins.

I guess these are the most important parts of the novel which are missing in "Weeds". But there are also more scenes with Frank in his basement and with Catherine and Jordan. Too bad every episode only got 45 minutes, "Weeds" would have been much more interesting with those "missing scenes" included.

"Weeds" seems to be a bit incomplete, just think about how little is shown about the killer. I even didn‘t realize he was the guy at the meeting where Frank is introduced to the community members.