SFU: Pilot

After seeing every episode of Six Feet Under at least twice, watching the series all over again for a third time is unexplainable. I know everything that happens and understand every reference that would be confusing to a newcomer.

Even as a newcomer, this show is amazing from the start. Upon news of Nathaniel's death, his wife, Ruth, absolutely goes bizerk and throws her pot roast onto the ground, knocks over everything in the kitchen, and wails like a banshee. I have no idea what I would do if I was in her situation, but her absolutely primal reaction is so real. David, on the other hand, is statuesque and unemotional throughout the entire ordeal, waiting for his family's return from the morgue standing on the stairway, hands clasped, suit straightened, posture erect, with a face of stone. He picks up his father's body from the morgue and speaks of it as if it is purely a business transaction ("Things have to be done. Federico's downstairs ready to start. Every second that we wait will only make Dad’s restoration more difficult"). Claire is high on Crystal Meth so her reaction is moot. Nate is understandably upset but it seems that his emotions come more from his guilt of leaving and not spending more time with his father than the basic notion that his father is now dead.

Reactions aside, the famous quote from the Pilot comes from Nate toward the end of the episode, "My father's dead, my mom's a whore, my brother wants to kill me, and my sister's smoking crack." Literally, all in the span of about 4 days he experiences all of this. His mother confesses her betrayal with a hairdresser. Nate--by allowing natural emotions to override emotionally-numbing funeral business "traditions"--pisses David off who attacks him after the funeral by basically telling Nate that he's not welcome in the family. And, as previously mentioned, Claire gets high on Crystal Meth before being notified of her father's death, and tweaks for a couple days. Basically a dysfunctional family dealing with a dramatic and ironic situation [death of an undertaker].

The drama that the family experiences is relatable, even in its extremity. Death of a family member, sibling rivalry, guilt, adultery, acceptance, new love, old love, business and pleasure, and all that holds it together. David is secretly gay and afraid of his family's rejection. The bottled up emotions over that as well as that which comes with the job description of an undertaker, it is understandable why he is such a statue and always business-like. But like a bottled soda, if shaken it will explode. When will this happen for David? [It's a sad day when someone hides his or her sexuality to prevent discrimination. You shouldn't have to hide it, but it's understandable when there are people out there who are so close-minded and unaccepting that it's not really an option to "come out." That's why I don't label my sexuality. It should just be "orientation" and not something to be called out on. Not okay in my book].

My favorite character on the show is Claire. She has her own side story throughout the series and, in a weird way [as Andrew put it after a brief discussion of her character], could have been cut from the show and had not as much of a dramatic effect as if it were Nate or David being cut. Her experiences and actions are amazing to go through as a viewer, relatable as they may or may not be. The first episode doesn't go into too big of depth into her life, but it's a great step onto the path of what she ends up doing.

As moving and exciting as this episode is, I still cringe thinking that "That's My Dog" is on the way [even though it is in Season 4]. I'm sure there'll be a blog when it comes time to experience it again. Very controversial and freaky! Hope I make it through without a blanket!