In HBO’s season-two trailer for Silicon Valley, a hulking, Birkenstock-wearing computer programmer grabs an enormous bong and fires it up to the relentless strains of Danny Brown’s “Smokin’ & Drinkin.’”

The series, which returned April 12, is but one of many premium, basic-cable and broadcast shows in which weed plays into the story line in one form or another. In Comedy Central’s Broad City and Workaholics; Showtime’s Episodes; IFC’s Maron; and even A&E’s Bates Motel, where the local town is run by a weed cartel, getting high is just something people do. On a fairly regular basis. And the act is not just implied or covered by a jump-cut to the after-effects; characters are casually toking away on screen.

Download the 4/20 timeline.

With 23 states and Washington, D.C., having legalized marijuana in one form or another, TV programming has gone to pot as well. Since the earliest references to weed in scripted TV shows to today, pot-related story lines have evolved from “Protagonist smokes weed — with disastrous results” to “with nostalgic results” to “with comic results” to, essentially, just “Protagonist smokes pot.” It’s tangential to the results.

Is TV merely reflecting the nation’s changing attitudes about pot or are we a nation under TV’s influence? In an effort to answer this 4:20-inspired question — that being the legendary time of day stoners would gather after school to get high, making the date April 20 a totem on the stoner calendar — Multichannel News presents this “4/20 Timeline” looking at the concurrent evolution of pot and plot.

IFC will premiere season three of comedy series Maron on May 14, the network said Monday (March 23).

The series, starring comedian, writer and podcaster Marc Maron with Judd Hirsch and Sally Kellerman as his parents, returns to find the title character facing down old demons as he tries to launch a new talk show, help a friend father a child (while avoiding his own dad) and salvage the relationships he actually has left. Along with Hirsch and Kellerman, other returning cast members are Troy Ruptash (Firsts, Prison Break) as Maron's brother, Andy Kindler (Bob’s Burgers, Everybody Loves Raymond) as his voice of reason and Dave Anthony (Walking The Room podcast) as his assistant, Kyle.

A host of guest stars are on tap for season three, IFC said, including Whitney Cummings (2 Broke Girls, Whitney), Andy Dick (The B-List), Dr. Drew Pinsky (Dr. Drew On Call, Loveline), Nelson Franklin (Veep), Adam Goldberg (Fargo), Elliot Gould (Ray Donovan), Patton Oswalt (The Goldbergs, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), Constance Zimmer (House of Cards, Entourage) and professional wrestlers Colt Cabana and CM Punk.

Marc Maron is the creator, executive producer and writer of Maron. Apostle’s Denis Leary and Jim Serpico are also executive producers, along with Michael Jamin, Sivert Glarum and Olivia Wingate. Tom Sellitti is a co-executive producer. Fox 21 Television Studios produces Maron for IFC. Series directors include Maron, Robert Cohen, Bobcat Goldthwait, Michael Glarum, Sivert Jamin, Richie Keen, Joe Kessler, Jim Serpico and Academy Award-winner Luke Matheny.

IFC has ordered a third season of Maron. The new season will consist of 13 half-hour episodes of the Marc Maron-created comedy, which is loosely based on the comedian's life and his popular WTF podcast. 

In announcing the renewal, IFC President Jennifer Caserta jokingly referred to Maron's honest portrayal of his personal life on his show and podcast. "Usually Marc has a hard time maintaining long-term relationships, but luckily not with us," said Caserta in a statement. "He's committed to bringing his wry humor and refreshing perspective back to IFC for a third season." 

Production on the new episodes will begin this fall, with an expected debut on IFC in spring 2015. The series is produced by Fox Television Production.

Maron also serves as executive producer of the show, alongside Apostle's Denis Leary and Jim Serpico and Michael Jamin, Silvert Glarum, Tom Sellitti and Olivia Wingate.