By ALISON LESTER
Managing Editor
PUBLISHED OCTOBER 25, 2011
Some of you reading this may be wondering why I am reviewing a television show that has been off the air since 2005. Some of you reading this may have never even heard of it. To both of those things I say, “Because it’s one of the greatest shows to ever grace television” and “Shame on you.”
Six Feet Under, which was created by Alan Ball of American Beauty and True Blood fame, is a drama/dark comedy series that ran on HBO from 2001 to 2005. It follows the hilariously twisted lives of the Fisher family who live in and operate the Fisher and Sons Funeral Home in Pasadena, California. The show primarily explores the themes of how we deal with life and death in our culture, and how everything we know can change in an instant. However, it is not all darkness and mortality. This series successfully examines controversial topics in our society, such as sexual orientation and religious views, while at the same time generating amusing scenarios that keep you coming back for more.
A death (or multiple deaths) occurs at the beginning of most of Six Feet Under’s episodes, usually followed by the show’s trademark white screen of doom, which gives you the newly deceased person’s name, year of birth, and year of death; it is reminiscent of a tombstone. This often sets the stage for how the death will impact the main characters of the show during that episode.
There are several main characters in Six Feet Under, but all of them contribute to the show’s storyline in significant ways. The immediate Fisher family consists of five characters. Nathaniel Fisher, Sr., played by Richard Jenkins, appears on the show after his death at beginning of the pilot episode in his family’s imaginations and memories. The other characters are the mother Ruth Fisher, played by Frances Conroy; the oldest son Nathaniel (Nate) Fisher, Jr., played by Peter Krause; the middle child David Fisher, played by Michael C. Hall; and only daughter Claire Fisher, played by Lauren Ambrose. Other important main characters include Nate’s significant other Brenda Chenowith, played by Rachel Griffiths; the skilled mortician Federico Diaz, played by Freddy Rodriguez; and David’s significant other Keith Charles, played by Mathew St. Patrick.
I would love to talk in depth about each main character, as well as all of the important supporting characters. However, I cannot fit a whole novel into The Chronicle, so I am forced to pick and choose a couple to focus on, which is very difficult considering how well-developed and fascinating each character on Six Feet Under is.
When you see Michael C. Hall, your first thought is probably “Dexter Morgan, the serial killer.” When I see Hall, my first thought is “David Fisher, the gay funeral director.” Hall’s performance as David Fisher is, in a word, phenomenal. While David sometimes acts uptight towards the other characters in the show, the audience can see right away that this is a front to hide his true self from everyone in his life. David’s character frequently deals with accepting his own sexual orientation, as well as various anxiety issues that plague his life throughout the show’s five seasons. He is easily relatable to anyone who has struggled with self-acceptance.
Claire Fisher appeals best to adolescent/early twenties viewers of the show. We watch her character grow from a cynical teenager to a more hopeful artist. She often struggles with trying to find out who she is and what she wants to become. Her romantic life is full of ups and downs. As she points out, “Why is it I attract every screwed up guy in the state?” Before this show, I had only seen Lauren Ambrose act in the 90’s teen movie Can’t Hardly Wait. Her acting in Six Feet Under surpasses that movie greatly, and effectively shows her abilities as a more serious actress.
Six Feet Under’s soundtrack should be noted. It consists of songs from a wide variety of genres and artists, most of which I have added to my music collection, that always perfectly complement a scene. The use of Coldplay’s “A Rush of Blood to the Head” in the season 3 promo and the season’s first episode is one of Six Feet Under’s most memorable uses of music. I’m not even a big Coldplay fan but whenever I hear this song I always think about the promo, which is a work of art in itself, and everything big that happened in that middle season.
In my unashamed public display of “fangirling,” I hope I have convinced you to give Six Feet Under a try. I have “forced” many friends to watch it over the years, and I have yet to receive one complaint. It will make you laugh, it will make you cry, and it will make you question your views on the world. I daresay it is the greatest television show I have ever had the pleasure of watching. My only complaint about Six Feet Under is that it had to end.
