Baby Boy Botwin and the "Bimah" in Weeds

It was good to see Andy agree to be Baby Botwin's father on Weeds 5.8 last Monday. He's morphed from a sage, hilarious nut to a sage, hilarious nut who also has deep sense of responsibility and Jewish tradition. Andy was always a good uncle. Now he's stepping up to be a good father, with all the Jewish trimmings. He tells Nancy he'll be there on the "bimah" (also spelled bima, and bema) with his new "son" - the bimah is the raised platform in the synagogue on which the Torah is read and Jewish boys are barmitzvahed - and names him Avi Melech (my father the king).

In contrast, Esteban the biological father is losing luster with every episode. He walks out on Nancy and the baby after his political handler - an attractive woman whom Nancy has an apt word for - tells Esteban he can't be the father of this son and win elections in Mexico. In place of the dashing, powerful mayor and drug lord of last season, we have a mean-spirited, not very brave loser.

Esteban comes to Nancy after Avi's "bris" (circumcision) and insists their son is not Jewish, and will be baptized in a Church. But Nancy will have none of it.

You can't put the toothpaste back in the tube. More important, it's great to see Nancy finally standing up for herself and her family.

Yet, interestingly, Avi Melech's English name is "Stevie Ray" ... not a sound-alike of Avi Melech (many English Jewish names sound like the Hebrew name - Morris for Moshe) but an homage to well ... Not likely the singer, and Esteban Reyes would be Steven Ray...

There was lots of humor and weed in this episode, but the starring theme was a clash of cultures, and it made for the best episode so far this season.

See also: Weeds Season 5 Sneak Preview Review


5-min podcast review of Weeds

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