It seems like a lifetime ago that Weeds season five ended on Showtime. The last scenes were of Shane Botwin, age 16, killing Pilar, the rich and powerful controller of Esteban (Nancy’s new husband and baby- daddy, who happens to be both a Mexican politician and a drug-running mafioso) with a croquet maillot, while Nancy stares at her lifeless body lying facedown in the pool in disbelief.

But, back it is, and it looks to be another great season. In the first episode, “Thwack,” Nancy takes the family on the run to protect Shane. Alanis Morissette is back as Dr. Audra Kitson, with whom brother-in-law Andy is obsessively in love.

On the lam, the family change their names from Botwin to Newman and Nancy, Andy and Silas get jobs at a hotel. Here’s Nancy as a chambermaid.

The hotel’s valet is also a pot dealer, but he’s on strike.

So Nancy, who had given up pot, turns to making hash in the hotel’s laundry room. Esteban’s boys are back as well, trying to hunt them down. Looks like they found Doug (who they try to torture with what looks to be like a modified waterboarding technique) but he has no clue.

Some more video previews: Here’s older brother Silas asking Shane if he feels any different now that he’s killed someone. And here’s the family packing up the car and Shane telling the baby’s sitter, who asks if him if he’s a killer, that he doesn’t like labels.

Is there anything not to like about Weeds? Only that each episode is only 30 minutes long and we have to wait a week to see the next one.

This season of “Weeds” went by so fast. Tonight is the finale:

When Nancy discovers what’s in store for Esteban… She does all that she can to protect herself and her family. Elsewhere, Andy decides it’s time for a significant change in his life. Dean, Doug, and Celia reach a truce of sorts. And Silas lends a hand to Adelita, who faces a troubling medical problem.

Update: The finale had three great parts: Adelita’s “medical problem,” Guillermo’s phone call and the ending which I doubt anyone saw coming. These might be the best script writers on television. Season-wise, Alanis Morisette was a huge bonus this season. I hope she’s back for Season Six. The only excess baggage is Doug and Celia’s ex-husband — same-old, same-old. The Celia-Raylene story line was much better. I wish we didn’t have to wait 6 months for what comes next.

Is Cesar the new fan fave on “Weeds?” I think so. Tonight is episode 2 of the new Season 5, “MACHETES UP TOP.”

Season 4 of Weeds with the addition of the “Mexican Mafia” was the most intense and best yet. The story line continues in Season 5, previews from Monday night’s show above.

“Weeds” is one of my favorite series, I’ll be updating after tomorrow night’s show.