Ep 7. He Taught Me How To Drive By

The Weeds Season 3 Episode 7 titled “He Taught Me How to Drive By” takes its viewers through another emotional rollercoaster. The episode marks Nancy's (Mary-Louise Parker) desperate move to protect her family by picking up a gun. Nancy had sold marijuana to Sullivan’s (Matthew Modine) rival, U-Turn, who made her pay the price for it. U-Turn sent her on a hit mission, and Nancy found herself in an unfamiliar territory of drugs, thugs, and illegal possibilities.

In this episode, we see Nancy's emotions contrasting sharply with her new environment where violence and crime seem to be the norm. She is desperate to keep her hand off the trigger since this can backfire badly. Besides, she is always making things up as she goes, hoping that she'll wing it through the night. As she goes on this dangerous mission, she sites a kindred spirit in the car thief, Conrad, who also finds himself caught up in U-Turn's spiderweb. Conrad becomes Nancy's accomplice as they navigate through the city streets, making their way to the target.

On the other hand, things are heating up between Heylia (Tonye Patano) and Vaneeta (Indigo) as they grapple with their mutual secret, much to Conrad's chagrin. Nancy, too, is not amused by the turn of events as she feels her once-solid relationship with Heylia slipping away. The feud only grows worse when Vaneeta decides to move in with Heylia, and her new gangster boyfriend comes into the picture.

In this episode, silences speak louder than words, and tensions simmer amongst characters. Relationships that were once solid are slowly disintegrating, and new alliances are being forged. U-tun's high command, particularly his new girlfriend, rattles Nancy. She feels threatened and out of place, and her nerves are frayed. With a gun in her hand, Nancy questions her morals and values. Does she have to resort to violence to protect her family? Does her newfound world mean forfeiting her very essence as a person?

To add more salt to Nancy's wound, her elder son Silas (Hunter Parrish) is struggling with his own life challenges. His love interest has rejected him, and he is clueless about what direction his life is taking. Shane (Alexander Gould), on the other hand, is finding himself at the center of his mother's criminal exploits, even though he is trying hard to be a responsible kid.

In “He Taught Me How to Drive-By,” the characters are expanding and moving in different directions. The once-predictable storylines have turned into multifaceted dramas, every character fighting their own personal wars. The characters’ moral compasses deviate from what is conventionally acceptable, and the viewers see the darker side of human nature.

Overall, this episode of Weeds is intense and captivating, setting the stage for what is going to be a gripping season. As always, the show's writers never disappoint, staying true to their fans by delivering excellent scripts and even better episodes. Whether you're a longtime fan of the show or just getting into it, this episode is a must-see.