Six Feet Under: Death Is the Beginning
In the beginning of the last episode of this show, one almost expected the opening to fade to white with the following written in black: “Six Feet Under 2001-2005”. That’s how every episode started. Someone would die, the scene faded to white and the person’s life was summed up as simply as possible. Just a name and the years. But there was always much more to the deceased and that story colored what took place in the lives of the main characters in that episode. Rarely has life and death been so intimately and positively connected on TV as on Six Feet Under.
Its creator, Alan Ball, was fresh off his win of the Best Original Screenplay Oscar for American Beauty (1999) when he came up with this show. It certainly shared similarities in tone and content with Sam Mendes’ film and HBO became the natural network for it, one that encouraged Mr. Ball to explore the show’s darker sides (which he happily did). It was the story of the Fisher family who ran a funeral home in Los Angeles. In the first episode, Nathaniel Fisher (Richard Jenkins) was killed in a car crash and the family was left with the memories of him and a business to run. Neither one of the oldest sons, David (Michael C. Hall) and Nate (Peter Krause), were particularly interested in taking over, but they inherited the firm and had to start learning the ropes. David was gay but still in the closet, fighting his feelings. He dated a cop, Keith (Mathew St. Patrick), who did his best to support and put pressure on his boyfriend. Nate had just come back from Seattle and was David’s opposite, loose, relaxed and in a wild relationship with Brenda (Rachel Griffiths), the somewhat screwed-up daughter of two shrinks. Claire (Lauren Ambrose) was the Fishers’ teenager, artistic, curious and independent. Ruth (Frances Conroy) was the matriarch, devastated by losing Nathaniel but not just for the expected reasons; she was having an affair and her husband’s death became an important turning point in her rather dull life. Rico (Freddy Rodríguez) worked for the Fishers as their expert embalmer.
Alan Ball and his writers maintained an exceptionally high quality throughout the show’s run. The dialogue was always poignant and the storylines were similarly incisive and moving, showing real human beings going through stuff that happens to most people in life and never shying away from pain. It’s one thing to tell you that David goes through his period as a closeted homosexual, then builds a real relationship, is then attacked by a drug addict, tries to handle the psychological ramifications, and eventually adopts two boys with Keith. That doesn’t sound very sensational on paper, but the writers understand their character completely and bring his every emotion to life throughout this period. With the actor’s performance and the director’s eye for the visual possibilities, it all came together beautifully. And this was just one character. All the others were fascinating as well, not least Nate and his extraordinary life journey. One could argue that the Fishers had an unbelievable amount of problems, but who cares? I swear, watching an episode of this show was like going to a therapist and leaving truly enlightened about the facts of life. And these experiences were often unpredictable, hitting you hard in the gut.
The final episode was emotionally draining. To the tune of Sia’s gripping song “Breathe Me” we saw snippets of what happened to everyone in the future, leading up to Claire’s death in 2085 at the age of 102. So many deaths in the final five minutes, and yet the core audience will get that it isn’t really a downer. It’s just life.
The YouTube clip shows the opening credits.
Six Feet Under 2001-2005:U.S. Made for TV. 63 episodes. Color. Created by Alan Ball. Theme: Thomas Newman. Cast: Peter Krause (Nate Fisher), Michael C. Hall (David Fisher), Frances Conroy (Ruth Fisher), Lauren Ambrose, Rachel Griffiths, Freddy Rodríguez, Mathew St. Patrick, Justina Machado, James Cromwell (04-05).
Emmys: Outstanding Directing 01-02; Guest Actress (Patricia Clarkson) 01-02, 05-06. Golden Globes: Best Drama Series 02; Actress (Conroy) 04; Supporting Actress (Griffiths) 02.
Quote: “I know stealing a foot is weird. But, hello, living in a house where a foot is available to be stolen is weird.” (Ms. Ambrose)
Above Average
Andra bloggar om: tv
Comments
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L writes:
Just coming across this, I had to add to what you said. Though moved throughout the series, I remember the episode so startling and frightening was when David picked up the “attacker”, that never let up. Later, I cried pretty uncontrollably both when Nate is gone and again, during the last episode. The show was so well written and acted, the characters so interesting to watch, that I was riveted. I have felt this is the best thing I have seen on Television – unbelievably good. I still intend to purchase a copy of the series.