"Mr. Medicinal" is the twelfth episode of the third season of the Adult Swim original series The Boondocks. It aired on July 18, 2010.
Plot
After a checkup, a doctor warns Granddad that he could die any day if he doesn't lower his stress levels. Not wanting to become dependent on, or afflicted by the potentially horrible side-effects of Zortafrinex or, legal pharmaceutical drugs, he decides to try Thugnificent's suggested alternative of medical cannabis. However, since medical marijuana is not legal in the Freeman's home state, this leads Granddad to the black market marijuana trafficking business.
Thugnificent warns Granddad that his dealer is the "Weed Kingpin", a high level criminal to be respected and feared. However the dealer, Grant, turns out to be totally harmless and his cannabis operation functions similarly to legal medical dispensaries, selling very specific and potent strains as well as edibles. The boys become alarmed by his new, slap-happy, well-adjusted, personality. Later, he sends Huey and Riley to stay the night at Tom's house. When the police are called to the Freeman household, Tom, Huey, Riley and Jazmine run across the street to find a completely naked Granddad playing the bongos while smoking marijuana, scarring Jazmine for life. Even after having to make an embarrassing apology to his grandchildren, he continues to smoke, eventually getting arrested for driving too slow in the fast lane. In court, Granddad pleads not guilty until the judge informs him that medical marijuana is only legal in certain states, like California, and remains illegal in others, like Maryland. Unsatisfied with substituting liquor for weed, he leads a protest to free a recently arrested Grant, not knowing he had been released on bail, and is subsequently incarcerated for a second time. During trial, he states to the judge that he has made plans to move to California, so as to be in compliance with the law. Unfortunately, his plans are thwarted when he is sentenced to three weeks of house arrest, two years of probation with mandatory drug testing, and community service.The episode ends with Riley mocking Granddad about not being able to leave the house, and Huey commenting that having "Old Granddad" back isn't so bad.
Critical reception
Leonard Pierce of The A.V. Club graded the episode an A-, complimenting it as "another top-drawer episode" though tempering his praise by noting some predictable bits and clumsy visual gags. Noting the difficulty of portraying the subject of marijuana use on television, Pierce felt the episode combined The Boondocks' best qualities, combining "solid political and social satire in the form of weed culture, increasingly sharp animation, and nice character-driven domestic humor."
Trivia
- This is the final episode that Uncle Ruckus did not make an appearance.
