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Guest MillenniumIsBliss

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Guest MillenniumIsBliss

For some reason I had a craving for something from season 1 tonight... Something I haven't seen often and haven't seen in a while. Due in part to some recent brief discussion, "Weeds" somehow seemed to fit the bill. As I have mentioned recently, I got hooked on season three for a long time after I got the DVD set, and then kept going back to season two to satisfy my occasional cravings, so season one really seemed fresh again tonight. When was it released anyway, August of 2004? That's getting close to two years sense I have seen some of these episodes, so I am about due to revisit some of early episodes that I haven't overdosed on. I have to say that, while I know it is not a super popular episode, and only received a 2 out of 5 on the Millennial Abyss, I found it to be very entertaining and interesting. As I have mentioned many times, each season has a different feel to it, and for some reason S1 episodes just seem so much older to me than S2 and S3. It's hard to pinpoint, but Lance actually even looks a little different in S1 than in later seasons. He kind of reminds me of Bishop from Aliens a little more than in later episodes. Anyways, I really did enjoy the episode, although, if I had to nominate an S1 episode for a Grammy, this one would not be on my list to consider. Still, it held my interest and kind of made me reminisce about the time frame when it was released. Geez, we are quickly approaching a 10 year reunion with these S1 episodes, and as I remember way back when I first saw this episode, it feels like another lifetime. I had a different job, different friends, only one niece and no nephews, and compared to now, not a care in the world. It's funny how much things can change from age 28 to age 38. OK, getting back to the episode, I enjoyed it, and although I have the utmost respect for the Millennial Abyss, I think the 2 out of 5 rating is a little harsh. According to my math, that would work out to a 4 on a scale of 1 to 10 and, although I can see some flaws in the episode, I would give it a solid 7 out of 10, and I really liked the feel of it. It had that S1 feel about it. Although the series did tackle some complicated themes and messages, I think it was also usually very clear in what it was trying to say, while at the same time not insulting the viewers intelligence by spelling out every last detail. This episode was no exception. I might not be the brightest bulb on the Christmas Tree, but I hate that feeling at the end of a show or a movie where you are trying to figure out what the heck you just watched, for example, the recently discussed Mulholland Drive. Although Weeds had some flaws, I found the plot to be very coherent and the overall experience very entertaining.

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  • Elders (Admins)

I enjoyed Weeds too, it was a good example of what the first Season was about, Frank being given a job to consult on and going off to do it, in this case assisted by Peter which I always enjoyed when they teamed up.

I think the rating is a little hard too, it was a good episode, had a good story and some good images plus very good acting by all concerned. Your post would make an ideal review for our new episode guide if I could include it!

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Guest MillenniumIsBliss
I enjoyed Weeds too, it was a good example of what the first Season was about, Frank being given a job to consult on and going off to do it, in this case assisted by Peter which I always enjoyed when they teamed up.

I think the rating is a little hard too, it was a good episode, had a good story and some good images plus very good acting by all concerned. Your post would make an ideal review for our new episode guide if I could include it!

Sure, you could definitely include it, although I don't exactly consider my writing style to be eloquent, I would be honored. Then again, this is a fan forum and not entertainment weekly, so I can get away with it. The Forth Horseman's reviews, on the other hand, could probably be published. They are very well done. I swear, every time I read something by the Horseman, I have to break out my dictionary, and I mean that in a good way.

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Guest MrCox

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? :cry:

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  • Elders (Admins)
Sure, you could definitely include it, although I don't exactly consider my writing style to be eloquent, I would be honored. Then again, this is a fan forum and not entertainment weekly, so I can get away with it. The Forth Horseman's reviews, on the other hand, could probably be published. They are very well done. I swear, every time I read something by the Horseman, I have to break out my dictionary, and I mean that in a good way.

Exactly, its about fans reviews and articles not about journalism professionality (if there is such a thing!), but there is nothing wrong with it at all! This is the kind of review I would like to see online though, much akin to reading book and dvd reviews at Amazon from the customer.

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? :cry:

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'd love to read them!

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Guest MillenniumIsBliss
Exactly, its about fans reviews and articles not about journalism professionality (if there is such a thing!), but there is nothing wrong with it at all! This is the kind of review I would like to see online though, much akin to reading book and dvd reviews at Amazon from the customer.

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'd love to read them!

Yes, I agree. If I am interested in a movie I go to the Amazon reviews long before listening to the critics. The last time listened to the critics hype I found myself watching "The Piano" :puke: Actually, that was more like the worst time than the last time, and I apologize in advance to those who liked the movie.

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Guest MrCox
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'd love to read them!

As far as I remember the novel, there were some extensive chapters dealing with Petey's 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's 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's 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. :yes:

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  • Elders (Admins)

Thanks for the post - much appreciated indeed. Do you think those were real scenes based perhaps on the original script? I was wondering if they were actually shot at all but the book would have been released after the show aired.

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Guest MrCox

As the other two novels, "The Frenchman" and "Gehenna", follow the stories of the aired episodes, I guess there were scenes cut or even never shot. There are some moments in "Weeds" that look like fragments of scenes cut.

Somewhere on the forum there was a discussion whether Giebelhouse can be seen at the beginning of the graveyard scene at the beginning. S. J. Lang can be seen for parts of a second indeed, so I guess this scene was cut down to the most important parts. But I don't know, maybe I'm just a little bit paranoid. :rofl:

But I think some chapters / flashbacks are necessary for the story. "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. :death:

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  • 3 years later...
Guest WaveCrest

Watched "Weeds" again last night, and even on repeated viewings it remains one of the best MM episodes from the first season. I discovered some details in the story which I missed on previous viewings.

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