It all started back in the mid 2000’s, when one of the first cannabis-related television shows hit the market and exploded into a mainstream cult-like following. Weeds, staring Mary-Louise Parker, Elizabeth Perkins, and Justin Kirk, had a tremendously successful eight season run on Showtime, which culminated in an Emmy award for Outstanding Cinematography for a Half-Hour Series in 2010. The success of this show combined with the growing momentum of the legalization movement have paved the way for numerous upcoming cannabis-related television programs debuting soon.
Here’s a closer look at some new shows hopping aboard the cannabis bandwagon within the next year. From Academy Award winners and nominees to Snoop Dogg himself, there’s plenty of canna-friendly entertainment to choose from this season.
Humboldt (Sony Pictures TV)
Toni Verd / Flickr
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Oscar-nominated actor John Malkovich has been tapped to star in Humboldt, a drama series that was inspired by Emily Brady’s best-selling book Humboldt: Life on America’s Marijuana Frontier.
The book’s plot revolves around the Northern California community that for nearly 40 years has existed primarily on the cultivation and sale of cannabis. Malkovich will star as the patriarch of the Humboldt crime family, with Michael A. Lerner acting as executive producer alongside Elliot Webb, Alissa Philips, Alex Goldstone and Adam Shulman.
Disjointed (Netflix)
Gage Skidmore / Flickr
Netflix recently ordered Chuck Lorre’s workplace cannabis dispensary comedy Disjointed, which stars Kathy Bates and has been greenlit for a 20 episode run with the streaming giant. Co-written by Lorre and David Javerbaum (The Daily Show), the show is based on a lifelong advocate for marijuana legalization who is finally living her dream as the owner of a Los Angeles-area cannabis dispensary. Joining her are three budtenders, her twentysomething son, and a deeply troubled security guard. (A release date for Disjointed has yet to be announced.)
Highland (Amazon Go)
Charlie Nguyen / Flickr
Another digital streaming platform, Amazon Go, recently announced a new show called Highland, starring actress, comedian, and cannabis advocate Margaret Cho. The hour-long series follows Cho, who after completing court-ordered rehab gets a chance to start over, but has to move in with her dysfunctional family who now runs a cannabis dispensary. (There has been no release date posted for this upcoming sitcom comedy.)
High Maintenance (HBO)
HBO picked up six episodes of High Maintenance, a comedy that made its original debut on Vimeo in 2013. Created by Katja Blinchfeld and Ben Sinclair, who also stars, it explores the private lives of some eccentric New Yorkers through a common thread: their cannabis deliveryman. The series centers on a Brooklyn cannabis dealer named “the Guy” and his eclectic group of clients.
(High Maintenance premieres on HBO Friday, September 16 at 11 p.m.)
Buds (NBC)
Ed Van-West Garcia/ Flickr
NBC will be teaming up with Adam and Naomi Scott to develop Buds, which received a script commitment and revolves around the day-to-day operations of a cannabis dispensary in Denver. “Buds” is a part of NBC’s 2015-16 development cycle, according to various outlets. The show is executive produced by Naomi Scott and her husband Adam, who starred in Parks and Recreation and has appeared in films like Stepbrothers and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. It’s the first sale since the Scotts’ production company, Gettin’ Rad Productions, signed a first-look deal with Universal TV in 2014. (Additional information on the show, including its premiere date, is TBD.)
Mary + Jane (MTV)
Rodrigo Díaz / Flickr
Last but certainly not least, Snoop Dogg is teaming up with MTV to create a cannabis-themed sitcom. Mary + Jane will be executive produced by Snoop, and he’ll even make a cameo or two when you least expect him. The show will star Jessica Rothe and Scout Durwood as they embark on a journey toward becoming “ganja-preneurs” while operating an all-female delivery service in LA.
Which cannabis TV show’s debut are you most excited to watch?
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Gage Peake is a former staff writer for Leafly, where he specialized in data journalism, sports, and breaking news coverage. He's a graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's College of Journalism and Mass Communications.
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