November 2nd has come and gone, and if you’ve been paying attention you’ll know that prop 19 has not passed. Although not every US state has similar methods of referendum voting such that exists in California, you can bet the ramifications and precedents set in tonight’s election will make headlines all across the United States. Chances are you’ve either had a hand in voting for the highly controversial Proposition 19, also known as the Control and Tax Cannabis Act, or have at least heard of it outside of California due to its controversial nature. While we cannot condone the use of illegal or illicit substances, we can pontificate on how this one measure may have affected that which we hold most dear to our hearts…our televisions.
Don’t say you didn’t see this one coming. Thankfully, we’re far enough into the storyline right now that social issues surrounding the illegal sale of Marijuana in an upscale, uptight, Southern California community are the absolute least concern for Nancy Botwin. Since prop 19 did not pass, I wouldn’t be surprised if we see some firsthand references to the decision should the series progress into a seventh season. Catch up on Weeds’ Season 6 premiere here from Showtime.
Never one to back down to network censorship or public watchdog groups, the producers of Family Guy may find themselves in a very unique situation in the coming months. The characters of family guy have both embraced and ridiculed marijuana use many times over the course of its nine season run. Culminating most evidently in season seven’s episode entitled “420,” in which one of its lead characters, Brian Griffin, openly advocates marijuana use and campaigns for its decriminalization. You can bet for sure the writer’s behind this famously controversial show will make their opinions heard reflecting the outcome of the November 2nd ballot.
Originally an Australian comedy broadcast on SBS TV in 2007, Wilfred recently made headlines with the news its been picked up for a 13 episode series to air on FX in 2011. What more could you expect from a series about a marijuana smoking dog attempting to compete with his master’s new boyfriend for her love and affection? With the original pilot available now on IFC, Wilfred’s American debut will up the ante substantially, adding the talented Elijah Wood to the cast as the lead role of Ryan. Oh yeah, there’s a catch, only Ryan can see Wilfred as a man wearing a dog costume. It will be very interesting to see how cable television audiences handle the blatant drug use of Wilfred as the series goes into production in the coming months.
Chappelle’s Show – Comedy Central
Can you imagine an episode of Chappelle’s Show where they didn’t use overt marijuana use as a vein for comedic situations? Me neither. Had this not been such a volatile and counter-culture issue at the time of the shows production run, you very well might have experienced a completely different side of Dave Chappelle. Already famous for his roles in movies such as Half Baked and Block Party, Chappelle’s Show solidified his rise to stardom and branded him the #1 pot comic of his era. But what if marijuana was legal and therefore not nearly as taboo a subject matter? Would people still care as much or find sketches such as this still poignant and funny? I guess it will be a while before we find out.
While this isn’t the only show that involves police officers busting criminals for possession of marijuana, it serves as a great example of how quality television programming has attempted to show the other side of the issue surrounding drug use and trade. In its sixth episode entitled “Marijuana Grow House,” the officers of the City of Detroit DEA expound on how the drug trade can affect communities negatively, and give prime examples of how dangerous drugs can be. It’s almost certain that since proposition 19 has not passed, you’ll see more and more television programs designed to highlight the circumstances and situations surrounding drug use, and the officers tasked to control them. The reason being that in the wake of such a controversial decision, anti-drug campaigns the nation over have a much needed win for their side and you can bet they’ll do their best to capitalize on the continued publicity. In this case, education is a key take away from these programs, and one that will surely be boon to the development of a safe and sustainable future for the next generation of TV watchers.
What do you think? Any shows we missed or ones you think might also make use of California’s legislation within a future storyline? Let us know in the comments. And if you voted, no matter what you voted for… THANK YOU.
