After a family member eliminates a competitor with a croquet mallet, the "Weeds" family hits the road again in the sixth season of the Showtime dramedy. With his relationship in tatters, Andy (Justin Kirk) joins up with Nancy (Mary-Louise Parker) and the boys. On the way to Seattle, the Botwins become the Newmans, who aim to lead a non-drug dealing existence. Promises Nancy: "It's a whole new life." All the while, her husband, Esteban (Demián Bichir), is on their trail.
In the Jet City, they find work at a hotel, where they tangle with a no-nonsense manager ("Mad Men"'s Patrick Fischler) and a sadistic chef ("Fargo"'s Peter Stormare). Soon, Nancy soon adds "herbal relaxation therapy" to the maid service she provides (Linda Hamilton plays her supplier), Silas (Hunter Parrish) gives college life a try, and babysitter Shane (Alexander Gould) falls in with a trio of soccer moms. (The show re-creates Washington in California.) After Esteban's men kidnap Doug (Kevin Nealon), they head towards the Midwest, where Nancy has a fling with a hunky bartender (Mark-Paul Gosselaar) on her way to visit a figure from her past (Richard Dreyfuss). In Michigan, Silas uncovers a family secret and one fugitive stops running.
If the year gets off to a bumpy start, "Weeds" finds its footing once the cast leaves Ren Mar (except for Elizabeth Perkins's Celia, who doesn't show up at all). As ever, Parker holds the scenario together by finding the likability in a character who often does unlikable things. Extras include a gag reel, three featurettes (including one in which Kirk and Nealon interview each other), and eight commentaries with cast and crew, plus guest stars Hemky Madera (Ignacio) and Enrique Castillo (Cesar), director Tate Donovan, and creator Jenji Kohan, who describes season six as "a sort of road movie." "--Kathleen C. Fennessy"