(S04E04) Nobody mourns like the Botwins. I can’t decide whose behavior was the least appropriate; there certainly were a lot of contenders. Lenny’s countdown was extremely insensitive, and his actions throughout the episode didn’t do him any favors, either. I’ll save the specifics for after the jump, but he made Nancy’s Andy-ditching look like an act of kindness. Not cool, BotWinBig, not cool.

I’ve really soured on Lenny now that he’s taken off with Nancy’s cash. Before the season began, the buzz was that Albert Brooks would appear on at least four episodes. After Lenny’s last exchange with Shane, I’m not sure if I want him to return. I wanted Lenny to be more than just a mean old man, but perhaps Shane was right: the lesson here is that Lenny’s an a**hole, nothing more. If that’s true, then Nancy had better not meet his demands. Ten thousand dollars a month is pretty steep for rent/blackmail.

So, Andy may or may not be on his way to Iowa. I hope this isn’t going where I think it’s going. The “Andy joins the Army” supblot was one of my least favorite parts of season three. Andy’s funnier when he’s mixing it up with the family. Why is there always a situation that separates him from the rest of the Botwins? I’ve always liked Andy as a partner in crime for Nancy, but the writers seem determined to give Andy his own subplots apart from the drug operation. If the previews for next week are any indication, Celia will be taking over the sidekick role for a while. Who else loved Nancy and Andy’s make-out moment, by the way?

No one, including Celia, could possibly have been surprised when Celia got caught. Till’s interest in Celia borders on creepy, and Ms. Hodes could be looking for a way out of their arrangement. I’m curious to see if she can get out of her situation without sticking it to Nancy.

The sitting shiva sequence is tied with Andy’s “blah” speech for funniest moment of the season. So many small details made those scenes great: the competing realtors, Rad, Guillermo’s hideous floral arrangement, and, of course, Doug. So far it seems like this season of Weeds has had a lot of great little moments. I wish that I had a better sense of the big picture, though. The writing is still clever in terms of dialogue and individual scenes, but I’m waiting for the storytelling to pick up.

We’ve had a few different versions of the opening credits, so now is the perfect time to share our thoughts about them. Does the “image of the week” work for you, or is it an indication that Weeds still hasn’t found its new identity? Last week, a few of you expressed disappointment with the new season. How much longer can the show’s transitional period continue before you lose patience? I’m anxious for the Botwin family to settle into some kind of a routine, and for Silas and Shane to have lives beyond Bubbie’s house. Silas’ trip to the impound lot was his first scene away from the house or the van. What would you like to see?

My favorite lines of the night:

• “OK, let’s take off our shoes and sit and pay respect to a courageous woman who escaped the clutches of Adolf Hitler to live a long, productive life, only to be snuffed out by a hypoallergenic pillow from Bed Bath & Beyond.” –Lenny
• “Hey man, they’re obviously lucky; she survived.” –Doug, on Lenny’s use of Bubbie’s Holocaust numbers.
• “Fine, it’ll add to the value of the house. Three bedrooms, two baths, and a little boy. I can sell it to a priest.” –Lenny

Next week–Nancy covers for Celia, and the ladies run a maternity store as a front.