Weeds - Season 8 Episode 5 - Recap and Review - Red in Tooth and Claw

In "Red in Tooth and Claw," Weeds drummed up the one thing its final season has been lacking... Conflict! Thus far, season eight has been mostly about the tying up of loose ends or coming back full-circle, but how does a massive extended family living under one roof pay the bills when some are jobless, some are inept, and most are lazy?

The episode opened with Nancy Botwin (Mary Louise Parker) suggesting little Stevie start playing soccer, instead of merely gluing his eyes to televised soccer matches. Jill (Jennifer Jason Leigh) claims she tried to sign him up but was two weeks too late. Jill has developed an obsessive couponing habit since breaking up with Andy during the prior episode. She finagled a deal garnering seventy-five Glade plug-ins for fourteen dollars. They have no money! She has to do something. Nancy thinks she needs to screw Andy.

Nancy's attempt to enroll Stevie in the better soccer league didn't go so well. Apparently, they lied to Jill. The truth is, the spots are coveted and are only given to families who offer big donations. Nancy calls the young manager out. The league is racist and reserved for white people only. Stevie is half Mexican. By the way, did you recognize that actor, Brendan Robinson, from this show?

Nancy took some pictures on her phone and threatened, quite nicely so, to run to the press with the manager's information. Stevie got his spot on the team and as it turns out, he has a knack for soccer. The other parents were not amused by "some housekeeper's kid" outdoing their own. One dad forced the coach to put Stevie in the goal, but Nancy had him run a point all the way from one goal to the other. The father spewed some more racist jabs, claiming the sport to be in his blood. Nancy agreed with a smirk, reveling in Stevie's skills. She's back to the pilot episode! Little Shane played soccer, too. Inevitably, Nancy was forced to agree to a donation. As it turns out, that angry father owns the newspaper. What will Nancy do for cash?

Showtime "Weeds"

Andy (Justin Kirke) spent the episode wondering how he was born so irresistible to women. In fact, he ended up sleeping with the roller derby referee. He claimed his charm to be evolution based. Having lived countless lives as honorable creatures, he's begin gifted women by the universe. The roller derby chick claims she was just looking to get bragged about, and her TiVo was out.

After confessing to Jill, who was ready to get back together after days of intensive couponing, Jill slept with Doug (Kevin Nealon) out of revenge. Now they're even! That's how things usually work on Weeds, at least for Andy.

Shane (Alexander Gould) is still pursuing Angela. Andy thinks he should pay more attention to her pupils to detect pheromones. He takes Andy's advice on trying a double date, too, but Shane doesn't have any friends. He sets up a double date with Officer Ouelette and his girlfriend. The night turns into a drunken mess at Ouelette's apartment. Ouelette ranted about Obama to Angela because she's African American. Angela got a kick out of it, though. She grew up around cops and she likes Shane.

Silas (Hunter Parrish) ran into some problems this week. Shane thought it was strange that R.J. and Silas had a slumber party, but Silas just laughed it off obliviously. The next day in the grow house, R.J. put the moves on Silas, claiming he was just into experimenting as friends. Silas got freaked out because he's straight, and R.J. claimed that he is, too! That freaked Silas out much more so. After parting ways, Silas returned to the grow house later to find his pot plants missing!

Showtime "Weeds"

Kiku is losing it. She can't keep control of the business in New York without Nancy fully on board, and Nancy wants out. She has decided that the new Nancy is going straight and visited Kiku to make a buyout offer. She found Kiku surrounded by Dmitry's goons, the three tool brothers. Apparently, she has stooped that low. Nancy gives her a plant, a plain old house plant, and advises her to use lots of protection. Later, Kiku paid Nancy a visit. There is no money in the company, so she paid Nancy out in weed.

Nancy swam in her neighbor's pool again. It's becoming a season ritual. Only this time, the man came out to speak with her. It's the rabbi, David (David Julian Hirsch) from the season premiere! He consoles Nancy as he did Andy prior. Nancy says his pool feels like a baptism. Rabbi David informs her that in Jewish baptisms, you don't only get one renewal, you get as many chances to start over as you'd like. Nancy, who at first attempted to kiss the Rabbi, decided to really try to make better decisions.

Showtime "Weeds"

As it turns out, R.J. did steal and hide Silas' pot plants. He believes that marijuana is ancient and alive, not a dead drug. He took the plants from Silas because they would control Silas, as opposed to Silas controlling them. Silas listened on baffled to his loopy babbling.

The episode ended with R.J. narrating his views over images of Nancy shredding the weed Kiku delivered her as payment.

What did you think of the episode? Are you pleased with how the final season is going? Will Silas get his weed back? Will Nancy really get an average 9-5 job? Were you happy to see Rabbi David pop up again?