Weeds Cracks Its Way to a Great Finale

First of all, if you haven't seen the Weeds season 5 finale, STOP READING. MAJOR SPOILERS TO FOLLOW.

Well, for whatever else you might say about Weeds' fifth season, that was a pretty phenomenal way to end it. I'm not even talking about the full episode, I really mean just those last two minutes. Or how bout just that final image of Pilar floating bloody in the pool after Shane whacked her upside the head with a croquet mallet? That right there made any of the season's faults worth getting through, and easily renews my interest in watching a sixth season.

Thing is, Weeds has always had pretty great cliffhangers for a show that once called itself a comedy. Season 1 had the DEA reveal. Season 2 had that crazy shitstorm of a bad drug deal that still ranks as one of my favorite cliffhanger endings for any show. Season 3 had the burning of Agrestic, and season 4 had the pregnancy reveal that kept me watching into this season after the meandering waste of a season that preceded it.

It's unfair though to say that Shane's swing is all that made this year worthwhile. While still not really a comedy anymore and a far cry from the Agrestic years, season 5 was a vast improvement over season 4. Characters interacted with each other more, and weren't bogged down in as many pointless storylines (remember the coyote business and Mermex? I try not to). Sure, Silas and Doug's pot store ended abruptly, but at least it led into something else. And Andy actually got stories that affected the show instead of just launching him on a series of misadventures.

Some of the new characters are even starting to work for me. Esteban may not be the most exciting character ever, but at least he got to do more this season than go "I'm a drug kingpin AND a politician, isn't that wacky?" Cesar has become more than Esteban's lackey and always has some fun scenes with Nancy. And Ignacio (aka Perro Insano) is often the funniest part in any episode. Maybe it's cause he's the only one who ever seems to be having any fun.

Other things to look forward to: As much as Celia's been all over the place the past few seasons, having her resurrect Nancy's drug dealing organization is exactly the kind of return-to-the-show's roots that's needed. With Nancy having nothing to do with drugs this season, somebody's got to keep up the title of the show.

Still, that last scene was a whole other level of satisfying. After Pilar's whole big speech about her plans to dispose of Shane and Silas since they were "extraneous," a deathblow to the head was exactly what she needed. It was all the more surprising since tricky spoiler guru Michael Ausiello over at Entertainment Weekly had pretty much convinced all his readers that Shane would be shooting Nancy in the finale instead. All in all, a great ending to a so-so season. Not bad for a show that's been on this long.