Once a flagship series of Showtime now met with an abrupt ending after season 8. It left fans wondering whether their favorite Nancy Botwin will return with Weeds Season 9 in the future. But it’s more than a decade, and the network hasn’t opened up about the future of the series. So is it a done deal? Well, fans are curious, and their curiosity keeps increasing after the rumors surfaced that Nancy’s star is back on set. Are they looking forward to returning with Season 9? There are so many questions to answer, and a recent report claimed the possibility of its sequel. So without wasting time, let’s see what Showtime has to say about the future of Weeds Season 9.
A black comedy drama, Weeds tells the story of Nancy Botwin, a widowed mother who struggles to raise her kids. In order to live a normal life, she starts selling marijuana, but soon she is hit by plenty of challenges. Initially, her prime goal was maintaining the upper-middle-class lifestyle that her late husband originally provided. However, after entering this illegal drug trading business, she starts loving the amusement she gets from it. As the series progresses, Nancy becomes a drug dealer, spiraling her life.
Weeds Season 9: Latest News
Showtime’s dark comedy-drama Weeds took the world by storm with its 2005’s debut. Well, the network is known as the home for unique shows like Dexter. And with Weeds on board, the network became highly popular among the fans. But it’s been over 11 years, and Showtime hasn’t disclosed any latest update regarding Weeds Season 9. Fans want to learn whether it will return with the ninth season. But will they ever get to see their favorite protagonist back on the screen? As per the latest reports, the show is back with its reboot. A source also claimed that Weeds Season 9 is currently happening. So let’s take a deeper look at the news.
Weeds Season 9 Renewal Is In Limbo!
Unfortunately, Showtime canceled the show after eight successful seasons, despite Weeds being once the flagship show of Showtime. The groundbreaking dark dramedy challenged society’s morals and highlighted the crime world. It was inspired by crime series such as The Sopranos and The Shield. In such a way, an antihero was serving as the protagonist who was going against the norms of society. Soon after its debut, the show became the network’s flagship series. In fact, the loyal fans are still crazy about the show. Despite this, the network decided to cancel it a decade ago.
Well, the network canceled the series before season 8 could premiere. Showtime entertainment president David Nevins told EW that Weeds took the network to another level by bringing cutting-edge original storylines. Despite that, they wanted to conclude the show with the eighth season. David told the outlet that they wanted to give the show a perfect closure for the protagonist’s sake. Further, he added the audience had invested their time in the show. Thus it was crucial to justify the ending.
David also added that, typically, TV fans love to complain about the show’s ending. Thus they wanted to provide the audience with what they were asking for. However, creator Jenji Kohan stated that she was upset with this news. She had so many memories of the show. But she was thankful that they got a chance to end it creatively.
But Is It Happening Now?
Well, Showtime hasn’t yet commented on the possibility of Weeds Season 9, nor has the network announced its sequel or reboot. But a reputed source claimed that former Showtime chief Robert Greenblatt had a deal with the indie studio. As per the deal, they are planning to return with a reboot. Per reports, Greenblatt is trying to return with the ninth season. However, they failed to crack a deal with Lionsgate. In fact, there have been speculations that the show is currently under production. Well, this time of theory has been on the internet for a decade.
However, the reports suggest that Weeds Season 9 is currently under development, and all the stars have returned to reprise their role. But another source suggests that the chances of Weeds reboot are slimmer than expected. Further, the series star Justin Kirk discussed uncertainly regarding his return. He said his manager hasn’t yet received any news regarding Season 9. So he can’t comment on whether the show is happening as he hasn’t received the casting call for the next season. Thus Weeds renewal remains in limbo.
Reason Behind Weeds Season 9 Cancelation
Well, the main reason behind Weeds Season 9’s cancelation was the fall in viewership. By the time season 8 rolled around, viewers were less interested in exploring the Botwin family. Once, a highly-rated show on Showtime saw a massive fall in viewership. The viewership continued to fall after the fourth season, while the first three seasons were the blockbuster hit. It also made the series critically-acclaimed series by bagging many awards. However, by the time of the seventh season, the show only garnered 720,000 views per Nielsen. Thus the cancelation came out as no surprise.
While the drop in numbers was important for Showtime, leading to its cancelation, many believed the show lost its authentic self after the third season. The first three seasons were charming and easy to understand, focused on a widow and her struggle to raise her kids. But Nancy’s story became more twisted from the fourth run. She was caught up with outlaw Mexican dealers and bikers. That conflict led to an arson that destroyed everything in Agrestic. The following seasons had significant time jumps and some crazy storylines, including the protagonist moving to Mexico, a pregnancy, an assassination attempt, and a murder.
Just when it became hard to understand, the show faced AMC’s steller Breaking Bad. The series premiered in 2008 when Weeds entered its fourth season, a time when it experienced a drop in rating. So there were two shows that took the audience into the illegal drug trade, and luck hit Weeds hard again, as they became direct competitors on Sunday nights. With Breaking Bad growing in popularity, it became hard to manage the show’s ratings for Weeds. Thus it became arguably unlikable, leading to a drop in its viewership.
Will Weeds Season 9 Ever Return?
The eighth season brought a proper conclusion to Nancy’s story arc. Showtime has already canceled the show after its eighth season. So there’s no chance that Weeds Season 9 will return. But fans still invested in the show will be happy to hear that Nancy will be back. As per reports, Mary-Louise Parker is all set to reprise her role in Showtime’s famous Weeds spinoff Weeds 4.20. The series is in the development stage and will air on Starz.
It will pick up a decade after the events took place in the eighth season. Only little is known about the spinoff yet. Further, the conflicting statement by the network and Kirk left fans wondering whether the show is in cards. Well, per reports, the show is in the production stage, and filming has already started. The reboot perhaps introduces some new faces. But the network has yet to announce the status officially. So let’s wait for the official announcement.
Weeds Season 9: Release Date
As per the reports, the filming begin earlier this year. Although the production team hasn’t yet commented on the filming details, the source suggests that filming is currently in the final stage. Considering this, the filming will take a few more months to wrap up. Thus, Weeds Season 9 is expected to release in the first half of 2024. However, Showtime has yet to make an official statement. We will update you soon. Till then, stay with TechRadar247 for more such updates.