Don't Fear the Binge
First, allow me to explain how my wife 
I work long shifts as the manager of a recreational cannabis dispensary in Southern Colorado. I have been working especially long hours in the last few weeks. As we live in an extremely beautiful part of the mountains, we see many out-of-state guests in the late summer. Business is good.
Carrie was coordinating a local music festival, so she had her hands full the last couple months as well. And since I have been spending nearly all my free time learning about cryptocurrency... Let's just say no one's been having trouble getting to sleep lately in my house. So we spent all day watching Netflix. Please don't judge us. Or judge us, if it makes you feel better.
I Hope SitComs Never Die
It's easy to forget how lucky we are to have grown up with sitcom television. For those who are unfamiliar, sitcom is short for Situational Comedy. Let me briefly explain. These simple stories tell us, though example, how to thrive in the most complicated social situations we will ever deal with. Through "canned" audience responses, they demonstrate what reactions are appropriate, and when. Perhaps it's no coincidence that when "Reality TV" overwhelmingly replaced sitcoms, the definition of appropriate became considerably foggier.
I'd love to put together a longer post with more of my thoughts about the relationships between TV/culture/society but for now I'm here to review.
DISJOINTED
Finally! A show about weed!
But that's not enough. We've had plenty of stuff about cannabis. Remember all those movies from the eighties and nineties that lovingly depicted stoners as slackers, losers, lazies and buffoons? I've got absolutely nothing against Half-Baked, but with medical marijuana now legal in more than half of US states, I think we can do better.
Cannabis is not a gateway drug. It's a community, a cause, a revolution and a life-changing medicine. This movement deserves a show that is just as likely to bring a new member to the community as to make a lifelong stoner belly-laugh.
It seems like we finally got the show we deserve.
Disjointed, in its ten 27-minute episodes, presents cannabis in nearly every possible light. Not everything is positive, but it's honest. The humor is not at all free of stereotypes, but neither is life. It's a wonderfully impartial, full-spectrum examination. Anyone who is new to cannabis or curious in any way will learn a great deal from Disjointed.
In fact, as an expert who works in the industry, I'm not ashamed to admit that I learned a bit myself. These people did their research.
Don't Worry - It's Not a Documentary
Don't get me wrong. There's some education, but... you'll laugh. A lot. It's freaking hilarious. And since Netflix doesn't have to abide by the abhorred FCC restrictions, cursing is a free-for-all. And we can all agree that potty-mouths make everything funnier, right?
SERIOUSLY, THOUGH
As funny a show as it is, no one can overlook the somber and dramatic undertones. You will cry. If this is a problem, BACK OUT NOW! It won't happen often, but at least once every couple of episodes, they'll hit you with something really heavy. Don't worry, it's over quick and followed by something hilarious every time. These moments may seem hard to watch, but remember: Sometimes the hardest moments for us to watch are the most important for us to see.
VISUAL CANDY
This show is a delight to watch. The actors are fantastic, especially Kathy Bates. There are sudden musical numbers that are over before you had time to ask yourself what's happening. There are extended musical animations a la Pink Floyd's The Wall. Plants talk sometimes. The colors are extremely bright and cheerful, and everyone is smoking weed all the time. It's really just wonderful for a pothead like me.
I really hope you decide to check out DISJOINTED. That is, check it out if you're going to watch Netflix anyway. In all honesty I would prefer that you go volunteer somewhere or spend some time out in nature. Maybe play a round of disc golf. If you'd like other leisure suggestions, follow me.
Images: Free from pixabay.com
(Except this one, this one's me.)
Thanks a lot for reading. Now let's all go make the world a better place!
