Netflix’s Disjointed

With Cannabis becoming legal for recreational use in California a lot of Geeks might be turning to entertainment content for reference into the marijuana culture. If that’s the case, I say that Netflix’s Disjointed is to the cannabis industry as Fifty Shades of Grey is to the BDSM lifestyle. It’s strictly for entertainment purposes only! I’m a geek who has been involved in the cannabis industry both as a patient and as a member in various capacities. I’ve always been a strong advocate for the use of cannabis for its many proven healing properties. I have also always said that part of being a geek is having an understanding and an appreciation for weed. Not all Geek smoke weed, but a lot have tried it and have no problem with others who do. Nerds will often argue against pot because it’s “illegal” status or its potential negative side effects because of “smoking”. Most Nerds don’t like weed, most Geeks Do.

Being involved in the industry, I was a little put off by Disjointed at first. I was disappointed to see how they are portrayed the industry that I do have a lot of faith in. The shows facts are off about how a dispensary is run. As well as with dosing and the process in making edibles, prices, laws and regulations. For comedies sake, I can see where they were going with it, but it does make the industry look bad. Especially for those who are unfamiliar with actual cannabis dispensaries and how professionally most of them are operated.

Kathy Bates delivers an excellent comedic performance as the dispensaries owner Ruth Feldman. A little too tough and militant perhaps. She’s a hippie guru with a law degree who runs the shop with her half black son, Travis (Aaron Moten). The show revolves around their relationship and co-running their fledgling pot shop. Their relationship is strained due to their disagreement on choices and decisions Ruth made in Travis’ upbringing and his decision to become a straightlaced businessman. Even though he’s cool enough to smoke weed and runs and the dispensary with her. He doesn’t care for the hippie aspect side but he does realize it’s good business and it does help heal those in need. The rest of the shop is staffed by stereo typical yet lovable characters. The former military now security guard who suffers from PTSD Carter (Tone Bell) was a real touching look into the patients who find relief from medicating with cannabis for postwar Trumatic stress.
Overall the show was very entertaining and funny. For comedic affect the show took some liberties with the effects of weed. Hopefully this don’t scare off potentials who were interested but now might be scared or turned off by the portrayal of the effects. Let me clear some of those things up right now. You do not get shared hallucinations and visual trips. You will not act out of character aside from smiling and laughter.

I was hoping the show would stress dosing moderately for new users. Their new user was Maria, played by Nicole Sullivan. Maria was a very endearing character but also a very extreme portrayal of the truth. You will get very hungry. And you will laugh at things that probably aren’t that funny and will cry with laughter at things that are actually hilarious.

The saving grace and best part of the show hands down were the characters Dank and Dabby played by Betsy Sodaro and Chris Redd. And extreme stereo type of two stoners in love. They are an unlikely pairing but so goddam hilarious! They had too many laugh out loud moments. You can watch the show just for them and it would not be a wasted season.

Disjointed had some pretty real moments like dealing with Carters PTSD, the death of a close friend of Ruth’s, and the real issue shops have with storing money. It’s illegal for banks to accept cannabis industry money because of the federal regulations banks are under. Cannabis is still federally against the law.

Disjointed is entertaining. Although it did portray cannabis users in an unflattering light most of the time and was way off in the effects of cannabis it end with Cheech and Chong in a Meta moment for the ages that sets the record straight. Nice save! Watch Disjointed. It’s fun, Season 2 lights up on Jan 12th!