Showtime

Found a new show kids. If you don’t have Showtime by now, you need to get it. Call Time Warner or your cable provider today and sign up. By now you should know I wouldn’t lead you astray. First of all, you’ve been missing out on “Weeds” which is on par with “Entourage,” I shit you not. Season three just kicked off last night, and after you call and order Showtime you should run out to Blockbuster and rent the first two seasons.

Here’s the premise of the show: Cute and sassy soccer mom with two boys starts selling weed in her suburban (very Johnson County) California town after her husband dies. Soccer mom played by Mary Louise Parker, whom I have a slight crush on after her time on “The West Wing.” Her timing is perfect, and she is equally charming when chewing on the straw of her frozen Starbucks drink, dealing her youngest and his gangsta rap song or home made terrorist video, or dealing dime bags to her neighbors. Kevin Nealon plays her accountant and number one customer, and he hits it out of the park. Also hitting homer runs is Romany Malco, who you’ll recognize from 40 Year Old Virgin, and Elizabeth Perkins. There’s a fantastic mix of interesting pot, I mean, plot twists, ichronic, er ironic, commentary about life in the ‘burbs and the highs of parenting. Damnit, I meant ups and downs. Okay, that really didn’t work as well as I had hoped. Basically, it’s a good damn show and you should be watching it.

Last night Showtime premired a new show, “Californication.” David Duchovny plays, tell me if you’ve heard this before, a struggling narcissistic writer trying to find the inspiration to reclaim his voice and spends his time drinking and bedding more women than Wilt Chamberlain in his prime. He’s separated from, yet very interested in his ex and mother of his 12 year old daughter. And evidently, he often smells like pussy. How much wishful thinking do you think goes in to the writing? You know all the writers on staff are wishing this was their life. That they really were these tortured souls, and even though they are complete assholes to everyone they know, gorgeous women just can’t wait to “defile” themselves for these pasty nerds who only have great conversations with their keyboards.

Let’s run down movies and shows that had a similar premise: Permanent Midnight, Basketball Diaries, “Studio 60,” Closer, Wonder Boys, Sideways, and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Anyway, that’s just for those keeping score at home. “Californication” may not be the most original idea, but it’s well done. I’ve never really cared for Duchovny, but he plays a likeable jackass. He’s arrogant, un-apologetic and strangely sincere. After one episode, I’m definitely looking forward to seeing more, but it isn’t a “can’t miss.” I’d DVR it, but I as of now, I wouldn’t feel as if I have to watch it as soon as humanly possible. There’s just isn’t a “Sopranos” rule in effect, but that could change.