The other day, when I was halfway through the season, I was explaining to a friend what the show was about. It's about this high school chemistry teacher who finds out he's dying, has a handicapped teenage son, and a wife who is mid-pregnancy. He obviously has to leave them something to survive on so he uses his talents to start cooking crystal meth.
Her response was simply, "So it's Weeds, but with meth?" And honestly, to someone who hasn't seen it, that's exactly what it sounds like. But no. It's not that simple. I do love Weeds, with it's off the wall "this is fucked up" humor, but this show somehow creates an ambiance of seriousness about itself that makes it feel real to the viewer, and I do think that's what really keeps the viewer in.
On the other hand, I found the show very funny at times. The characters have very human reactions to these situations. They go through some really tough stuff, but at times I couldn't help but laugh at how you can see the characters thinking out their actions in the most bizarre situations. And it's in these moments where the acting in this show really shines through, when not only do you believe the character, but you can tell how he arrives at his actions though the thought process. Blogger's note: I'm trying really hard here not to spoil anything. Also, I love breaking the fourth wall.
Another thing that adds to that realism vibe is the chemistry. I have no clue how this all works, science is not my strong suit, and I've never cooked meth... But in my eyes they could have been doing some really illegal stuff on that set.
So no... It's not like Weeds. When I think about it, it's more like the Yang to it's Yin. And come on, who doesn't love a show about illegal things?
7/10
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