Disjointed is back for its second season and it's better than the first. Many cannabis users found Disjointed to be disingenuous when it debuted last year. They complained about trivializing medical marijuana, bad jokes and an intolerable laugh track. Those people may not be swayed by Season 2, but for people who like Disjointed's premise, characters and acting it's a joy to watch.
Ruth Whitefeather Feldman (Kathy Bates), who founded Ruth's Alternative Health dispensary, has a love interest in Season 2. Wally (Peter Riegert) wanders into the store and sparks up a romance over joints and vape pens. It turns out he has a secret medical condition.
Another main storyline is Olivia (Elizabeth Alderfer) being courted by Angelo DeStevens (Ken Marino), who wants to buy her Shitballs line of edibles and expand to include products based on other bodily emissions. It's gross, but the point is to satire the growing cannabis industry.
Stevens is modeled after industry leader Steve DeAngelo, who runs the highly profitiable Harborside Health Center in Oakland, down to his porkpie hat, braids and pets (in this case, two rabbits), and cast as the evil pot entrepreneur. Olivia initially buys into the deal, but then realizes Stevens is a "two-faced, sexist, pompous creep." I'm curious to know what DeAngelo, who starred in Weed Wars in 2011, thinks about the portrayal.
Also See: Steve DeAngelo Reacts to Disjointed Portrayal: "My Feelings Were Hurt"
Pete (Dougie Baldwin) starts a new grow operation after Season 1's DEA raid. But a device he installs, the "biowave harmonic subsonic wave generator" (voiced by Morgan Freeman), threatens the crop.
Jenny (Elizabeth Ho) and Carter's (Tone Bell) relationship evolves. While Carter takes a stab at standup, Jenny has to deal with her strict Chinese mother. Meanwhile, Ruth's son Travis (Aaron Moten) completely devolves into a nerd.
Strip mall neighbor Tae Kwon Doug (Michael Trucco) and Ruth's girlfriend Maria (Nicole Sullivan) provide some laughs. However, Dank (Chris Redd) and Dabby (Betsy Sodaro), the show's wild duo, suck the positive energy out of most of the scenes they're in, especially the coarse Dabby. Redd, who's an SNL cast member, does have some funny lines and facial gestures, and wears a lot of cool cannabis-inspired t-shirts.
Episode 6 its particularly strong. Wally enters the picture and an ad featuring former NFL stars advocating for medical marijuana is a major highlight and shows where Disjointed's heart really is.
I'm hoping potheads will give Season 2 a chance.
All 10 Disjointed Season 2 episodes are currently available on Netflix.
