|
Home | All Shows | Blog | Movie Reviews | Book Reviews | Site Updates | Articles | FAQ | About Us | |||
 |
||||
This review is also on our blog. |
 |
5.12 Everyone's Waiting Nate: "You can't take a picture of this. It's already gone." When this episode began with a birth, I thought, oh no, Brenda's baby is going to die. And then when Willa lived, I thought that this would be the only episode with no death. But no. That would have been wrong for this series. Instead, everyone died. The last six minutes of this series delivered an emotional punch that I have never experienced before with a television show. It was the best series ending I have ever seen. Ever. Period. It was a celebration of life, but completely in keeping with the chief premise that in the midst of life, we are in death. Death makes life important, as Nate said in season one. Everything ends. It isn't good, it isn't bad. It just *is.* Much of this episode was "Six Feet Under, the Next Generation," the ultimate truism that life goes on through our children. It was about the Fisher girls and the Fisher-Charles boys, and finally, finally, *finally* about Claire, who had always taken a back seat to her brothers. Claire was ready to give up her job opportunity in New York to take care of Ruth, and I loved that Ruth turned her down and gave her the trust fund money. Just like the spirit of Nate, Ruth encouraged Claire to leave home and make a life for herself. It was exactly what she should have done, the opposite of what she did with Nate when Nathaniel died. The Fishers and the Chenowiths finally became one family. Ruth was a mother for Brenda and there for her when she needed someone the most; I loved Brenda and Ruth finally making a permanent, loving peace. And I loved Nate and Nathaniel holding Willa. And Nate kissing Brenda goodbye. With Brenda's help (with Brenda's help!) David and Keith bought out Rico and made the Fisher house into something different and wonderful, a beautiful new home for their boys. At Claire's farewell party, everyone left their pain behind and reminisced tenderly about Nate. Claire left home, and the final six minutes of the series showed us the future as she drove away to find her own life. (Yeah, life is a journey -- got it.) There were so many emotional body blows in this segment; by the end, I had tears literally dripping off my chin. -- Ruth spent the rest of her life with her friends and her grandchildren. She started a doggie day care, and enjoyed it. She never remarried George, but kept him in her life. She died with David, Claire, and George at her side, and Nathaniel and Nate came for her. "Ruth O'Connor Fisher, 1946-2025." She was 79. -- Keith started his own business, too, Charles Security. He and David got married, hopefully after it became unquestionably legal because it freaking should be legal, dammit. Keith was shot and killed in a hold-up. "Keith Dwayne Charles, 1968-2029." He was 61. -- David taught Durrell the business, and I think Fisher & Sons went on. Right before David died of a heart attack at a family picnic, he saw Keith coming for him. That one made me cry the most. "David James Fisher, 1969-2044." He was 75. -- Rico dropped dead on a cruise ship. That made me laugh a little, maybe because he looked like a typical portly retired businessman and it was odd but believable to see sleek little Rico looking that way. He was still with Vanessa, which was nice. "Hector Federico Diaz, 1974-2049". He was 75. -- Brenda married again and had another baby, and she had a good life. Elderly Billy talked elderly Brenda to death, which actually made me laugh out loud. "Brenda Chenowith, 1969-2051." She was 82. -- Claire met Ted again when he came to Ruth's funeral, and they were married sometime after 2029, when they were middle-aged. She died surrounded by photographs of the many people in her life, and all that went before. "Claire Simone Fisher, 1983-2085." She lived to be 102, and that was the loveliest thing of all. The last shot was of Claire's blind eyes seeing something we couldn't see. I wonder who came for her? Maybe they all did. More about meaning: -- "Willa Fisher Chenowith, 2005- ." Appropriate that this final episode about the future began with a birth instead of a death. -- Claire's job that fell through was with a company called New Image. -- When Nate appeared to Brenda with apprehensions about the baby, he was often floating above her. -- Claire and Ruth had a conversation on either side of those internal windows in the Fisher house, just before they separated and Claire finally left home. -- Rico and Vanessa healed their marriage by going into business together. Rico needed and deserved his own business. In this episode's spirit of the next generation carrying on, Rico and Vanessa pretty much became the next generation of Fishers, too. -- In the final goodbye scene, Claire was wearing a tee-shirt with a white dove on it. -- I've always meant to mention that the opening discordant chords of the theme music sounded like the bell that tolls for thee. Better late than never. Bits and pieces: -- Pretty much everyone was in this episode, including Nathaniel. All except Patricia Clarkson as Sarah, who probably had another commitment. -- Billy and Olivier were wonderful comic relief. Goo-gooing over Willa, which made me again wonder about Nate's two daughters being raised by those lunatic Chenowiths. Olivier got Claire the job in New York, which was sweet and made me forgive him for being an asshole, even though the job fell through. And I loved Billy and Ted's conversation about Claire. -- Those final six minutes... was it intentionally six minutes, for Six Feet Under? Quotes: Ted: "You're too smart. You're too good. Don't waste that. (pause) Okay. I just turned into my father. Like, exactly. That was my father." Claire: "I'm eating fruit salad in bed with a naked frat boy who voted for George Bush. And we're listening to what sounds suspiciously like... Christian music?" Margaret: "Ruth, it isn't the fifties any more, no matter how you dress." Ruth had been wearing clothes she hated her entire life. Time to stop doing that, Ruth. Vanessa: "You know what, Rico? I liked when I helped you out with that funeral yesterday. It was sort of like being a nurse, but without all the blood and bedpans and pills. And I got to wear better clothes." Vanessa: "We could put an espresso bar in this nook." Rico: "I always wanted to do that, but David thought it would be disrespectful." Keith: "You could go back to school and become a lawyer like you've always dreamed." David: "I don't think I ever really even wanted to be a lawyer. I think I just wanted to have sex with Harry Hamlin." Margaret: "I've never seen you act this way." Olivier: "So?" Billy: "So it has to be analyzed and diagnosed and turned into an example of some kind of pathology. I mean, this is the Chenowith family." Brenda: "Come on. We're family." David: "We are." Keith: "Yes, we are." I loved this. It was beautiful. The thing about Bern's money also explained how Brenda could afford that house. Claire: "You're too smart. You're too good. Don't waste that." Ted: "I promise." Bettina: "It's gay. This is a one hundred percent gay kitchen." I could write a novella about this episode (I almost have), but I'm going to stop here. Like I already said, this was the best, most appropriate, most moving series finale I've ever seen. It was practically perfect, a fitting end to an extraordinary series. All possible stars, Billie View all comments or post a comment. |
 |
Season 5 Video on Demand |
Home | All Shows | Blog | Movie Reviews | Book Reviews | Site Updates | Articles | FAQ | About Us