If you think the extremely popular Netflix series Orange is the New Black is the first hit creator Jenji Kohan has had, you haven’t been watching enough television. Her Showtime original series Weeds debuted in 2005 to stellar ratings and excellent reviews and, while the critical acclaim dipped a bit in later seasons, the show didn’t slow down until its eighth and final season aired in 2012. Part of what made Weeds so funny was its crazy cast of characters, and none was crazier than Nancy’s brother-in-law, Andy Botwin. Played to perfection by Justin Kirk, Andy went through more transformations on the series than perhaps any other character. To celebrate the Blu-ray release of Weeds: The Complete Collection, Parade sat down with the actor to discuss the show, its iconic theme song, his guest spots on Modern Family, and when we might see him on Orange is the New Black.

Did you ever imagine, when you started Weeds that you’d end up with eight seasons, Golden Globes, and Emmy Awards?

I don’t know if you think about that. I supposed not. I came in during the fourth episode, and I thought it was a cool show. Most jobs people tell you, “Oh, get ready! This is the one that’s going to go for ten years.” And most of them don’t, but sometimes they do.

Is it incredibly rewarding to be involved in something that’s so long running?

It is, and it’s cumulative. As the years have gone by you really feel from the outside world what it becomes. And it’s especially nice to be on one that you’re proud of. I have friends that have been on something where they’re running around… It’s nice to be on a show where you’re glad it went for eight seasons. Let’s put it that way. [Laughs]

Aside from maybe Nancy Botwin, Andy probably goes through the most changes and crazy scenarios during the show’s run. What was your favorite incarnation of Andy to play?

I loved being a fetish porn star, of course. It was fun shaving my head and being hapless in the military for a minute. [Laughs] It was great being in rabbinical school and working with Meital Dohan. You could sort of just send that guy off into any crazy world, and they did.

Yeah, he found a way to fit in pretty much anywhere.

Yeah, that’s the great thing about Andy. He loved life and he loved the world and he just takes it in big gulps. I think he’s admirable in that way and I think that was the reason that life was fun for him.

Did you ever get to keep one of those Copenhagen Wheels?

No, and I just saw something that the real thing is finally coming to fruition. It’s a genius idea, it seems to me. Alas, I have no stake or money in it, so I can just watch. But, no, I did not keep the Copenhagen Wheel. What did I keep from Weeds? Oh, I have my El Andy velvet painting from when he and Doug were coyotes. [Laughs]

Doug also went through some crazy stuff.

That was a good pairing. Our first scene together was when I came over and watched porn with Doug on the couch. I think they thought, “Oh, these idiots work well together. This is OK TV.”

Are you satisfied with how the show ended?

I am. Yeah. First, I love our penultimate episode—number one hundred—when we went back to Agrestic and saw some old friends and had sad sex on the ground where my brother died. And I love how in the finale we jumped into the future and, suddenly, we became kind of a sci-fi show. [Laughs] With our little iPhones playing cards and stuff. I was really pleased.

I was so sad to see the opening theme song, “Little Boxes,” go away after the third season, but it made a comeback in the final season. The list of musicians that recorded that song is amazing.

I’ll tell you what: There’s a long list of people who recorded it that didn’t end up on there.

Really? For instance?

Really. I was in the producer’s office one day and I saw this huge list of like 100 names on his computer that had sent in versions of the song. One of my rock heroes, Bob Mould (from Hüsker Dü and Sugar) was on there. I was so excited! They had recorded it. It wasn’t just a list. They had gone into their studio and sent in their thing.

I think we need to talk to Jenji Kohan about putting out a box set of unreleased “Little Boxes” recordings.

Yeah! I suppose they’d probably have to license all the ones they never used and that might be expensive. I think Jenji has a new job now. [Laughs]

Do you have a personal favorite of the versions that did run?

It was pretty exciting to hear Elvis Costello, who is another hero of mine. He was one of the early ones and that’s when it was like, “Oh! Famous people know about our show.” [Laughs]

You’ve done some really funny appearances on Modern Family as Charlie Bingham. Are we going to see him return again?

I believe there’s one more. I did two this year and they’ve already shown the first one, where I hit on Haley. There’s another one in the can, but I do not know when it’s airing.

How is it different for you as an actor coming in for a part like that as opposed to Weeds where you’re there from the beginning?

It’s always a challenge to be a guest on another show just because it’s not your crew or your group, so you have to get in and get your footing right away. But that’s one of the most low-key, easiest sets I’ve ever been on. They work like eight-hour days over there. I think one director once bragged to me that they were done by noon. [Laughs]

What are the chances we might see you pop up on Jenji Kohan’s new Netflix series, Orange is the New Black?

[Laughs] That’s a good question. I actually just saw Jenji at Kevin Nealon’s 60thbirthday party. He threw this crazy party with like the world’s foremost Beatles tribute band playing. It was insane. There were probably more Weeds people there than I’ve seen since Weeds ended. Orange is the New Black has a bunch of our people on it, so you never know. It could happen.

Would you like it to happen?

Umm… Let me see… Who would I play? I certainly love the show. I was in New York shooting an episode of The Blacklist a few weeks ago and I watched the whole thing in my hotel room. It was great. I really liked it a lot.

Maybe Pornstache (Pablo Schreiber) has a brother that you could play.

Ohhh, let’s see! Maybe he’ll get arrested and go away and I can just step in and grow a mustache. I don’t know if I can get one that good.

Weeds: The Complete Collection is available on Blu-ray now.