Works Cited

Bessman, Jim. “Folkie Rolls TV Hit.” Billboard 29 Oct 2005: 68. Print.

This article details the use of the folk song “Little Boxes” by Malvina Reynolds in the show Weeds. Music supervisor Christopher Noxon discusses growing up hearing the song, and how the nature of the song’s lyrics were a perfect fit with the themes of the show. He also discusses the other music utilized in the show, and licensing issues therein. Bessman also relates facts about little known artist Reynolds, her age at the song’s date of release, as well as her inspiration for writing the song. I found this article quite helpful in supporting my theory as to the use of the song in the series, as well as my inference that the use of lesser-known acts would pose fewer licensing and monetary issues for the show’s producers.

Hutton, Fiona. “Risky Business: Gender, drug dealing and risk.” Addiction Research & Theory 13.6 (2005): 545-54. Print.

Hutton examines the effects on gender in the role of a drug dealer by interviewing two male drug dealers and one female drug dealer. She covers topics such as the differences in visibility and risk associated with drug dealing between genders, as well as discussing the pervasive theme of the drug underworld, which is the idea of “hegemonic masculinity”. Hutton has authored several articles pertaining to drug use and club culture in New Zealand and Australia, and fully discloses her methodology and means of finding information. This article is extremely helpful in disseminating Weeds, as it is one of few articles of its kind- the world of drug dealing itself is very private, and female drug dealers are highly elusive creatures, as Hutton points out. Many of Hutton’s findings help to illuminate the major themes of the show, especially the idea of the “passive and unsuitable” female, and the subsequent power struggles.

“Kicking the Caffeine Habit.” Running & FitNews July/August 2008: 5-6. Print.

This article highlights the effects of caffeine use and the main reasons Americans use caffeine. The American acceptance of such a drug often goes without recognizing the symptoms and consequences of addiction. While the article itself is short, the topics covered are concise and help to bolster the claim that Nancy’s addiction to caffeine is as unhealthy as the mainstream stigmas regarding consumption of marijuana as highly unhealthy. I chose this article because I wanted to highlight the fact that while caffeine is legal, it still has profound effects on the body and mind (which for Nancy is both a blessing and a curse), much in the same way that marijuana has, despite it being illegal and somewhat widely used.

King, Ryan S., Mauer, Marc. “The war on marijuana: The transformation of the war on drugs in the 1990s.” Harm Reduction Journal 3.1 (2006): 6-17. Print.

The aim of King and Mauer’s article was to display the research regarding marijuana rates of offense and arrest, use of the drug, and the budget implications on local and national governments between 1990 and 2002. They surmise that while marijuana offenses have increased, this is mostly a result of the push by the Reagan administration in the 1980s to crack down on all drug offenses, and that despite the increase in marijuana-related charges, use has also increased. This research vilifies the “war on drugs” through actual results, which contrasts the information the government continually releases about the severity of drug use, despite lacking concrete statistics. I found this information to be extremely helpful in conveying the idea that the show’s creators also want viewers to question the motives of the drug war.

Reynolds, Malvina. “Little Boxes.” Sings the Truth. Columbia, 1967. Digital File.

This song, released in 1964, discusses the outgrowth of cities into suburban communities in the post-World War II era, and the implications therein. Reynolds tells of the “little boxes” that each member of suburbia is put into, and the expectations for each person, which is essentially to replicate the lifestyle through the generations. “Little Boxes” serves as the theme song to Weeds, and of course has large significance to the themes of the show itself. Breaking down the meaning of the song is highly important to an analysis of the series.

“ticky tacky.” Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. 6 June 2010.

The term “ticky tacky” was used and popularized by Reynolds’ song, “Little Boxes”. One meaning is “shoddy and unimaginatively designed”, which references the pre-packaged houses found in suburbia. I wanted to include this term in my analysis, as the constraints of living in a box of similarity are a theme of the show, and a struggle that Nancy must deal with.

“weed.” Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. 27 May 2010.

The definition of “weed” details seven different meanings of the word in the English language. My reference to the dictionary definition of “weed” serves to highlight the alternate definitions of the word; American society most widely uses the term to reference marijuana, or “undesirable or troublesome plants”. I wanted to understand and relate all of the definitions to Weeds, because whether it was intentional or not, the alternate definitions do indeed apply to other aspects of the show, beyond the title being the colloquialism for marijuana.

“Doing The Backstroke.” Weeds: Season 3. Writ: Jenji Kohan. Dir: L. Rose, B. Steers. Lionsgate Home Entertainment, 2007. DVD.
“Go.” Weeds: Season 3. Writ: Jenji Kohan. Dir: L. Rose, B. Steers. Lionsgate Home Entertainment, 2007. DVD.
“Must Find Toes.” Weeds: Season 2. Writ: Jenji Kohan. Dir. C. Zisk, B. Gordon. Lionsgate Home Entertainment, 2006. DVD.
“You Can’t Miss The Bear.” Weeds: Season 1. Writ: Jenji Kohan. Dir: Brian Dannelly. Lionsgate Home Entertainment, 2005. DVD.

Weeds is the inspiration and basis for this blog. It is unlike many other broadcast programs, insofar that it features a heavily flawed female lead, Nancy Botwin (Mary-Louise Parker), who is involved in dealing marijuana in order to maintain the affluent lifestyle she and her family had enjoyed prior to her husband’s sudden death. The show challenges the idea of the illegality of marijuana by depicting its general acceptance by the suburban populus, and avoiding portraying the legal repercussions of drug trafficking at all costs. The lifestyle isn’t necessarily all fun and games, but generally speaking Nancy finds herself in a plethora of alarming situations and manages to always come out on top. At the same time, Weeds is a portrait of a dysfunctional family, a departure from the nuclear families of other broadcast programs, one that is likely closer to the American standard. Nancy’s successes but mostly failures as a mother are also highlighted, as she navigates the drug underworld and focuses too often on her own well-being. This source is utilized heavily, considering it is the focus of my writing, and I use references to episodes to provide a snapshot of issues as they occur in the series.