photo courtesy of "Weeds"

For fans like myself, of Showtime’s hit TV series Weeds, I’m sure you’re aware of this week’s Season 5 premiere. Although I have yet to watch the newest episode (as I remain quite anticipated…). And wonder what impact a show called Weeds, a blatant drug reference, is having on immigration.

In an interview with “LAist” last year, creator Jenji Kohan stated that with season 4 airing during the election year with immigration being a huge topic, the writers wanted “to be there in the eye of the storm and get in there and talk about the border, Mexico, free trade, immigration and really be part of the zeitgeist.”

In one sense the show mocks the almost tyrannical border control. Nancy Botwin, who is portrayed as a seductive, self-centered, yet ballsy woman who is physically frail-looking and beautiful, seems quite un-phased by border control. In one episode, the outrageously long wait and security at the border is satirized by Nancy peeing in a cup nonchalantly while waiting. And in others, Weeds negatively associates those that are undocumented with the drug trade. However, the show has been telling at times in regards to racial-profiling and the harsh living conditions of many immigrants.

For me, the show’s fundamental purpose is to entertain. But we must ask if the show is educating the public on border control issues and larger immigration issues to those that aren’t aware of what is truth and what is TV. We hope that viewers take the time to educate themselves and “weed” out fact from fiction.

June 10, 2009 by rachel
Tags: border, culture shockers, immigrant, immigration, Nancy Botwin, Showtime, Weeds