Still no hints as to Nate’s “dead or alive” status. And speaking of, I heard someone in their car in the parking lot outside my apartment blasting Dead Or Alive’s “Brand New Lover” at about 1am this morning. That was a treat, especially since I think it was a remix. I’m willing to follow the writers into whatever purgatorial narrative they devise for us, but if this turns out to be one long dream sequence I’m going to be royally pissed off.
Loved the fake out in the beginning death sequence, which turned out to be one of the most graphic ones I’ve seen on the show. Not including, of course, the one where the woman gets her face smashed in with the cherry picker, but we didn’t see that happen in the same way that kid gunned down his officemates. I only question the versimilitude of a man staying on the phone with a telemarketer long enough to hear all that happen.
Lisa is turning into a delusional (“Nate and I never fight”) nag, but I think a lot of her behavior is caused by the way her boss treats her. I’d freak out over things like using the right laundry detergent and Q-tipping my baby’s ears if I had someone calling me up at all hours screaming for a salad dressing recipe. How long will Nate remain the relatively long-suffering husband? It seemed like he needed an escape from her while watching Pet Psychic.
Ruth grew a spine! Somewhat. It’s so great to see her doing something other than scrubbing the floors and counters of the Fisher home with that sad look on her face. Although most of what she’s doing has to do with getting her sister clean, it seems (from the previews for the next episode) she’s going to get out of the house and start doing her own thing. I believed her when she said she’d “break this arm if I have to!”
The standout performance last night was Claire in the Fisher kitchen with Phil. Lauren Ambrose is one gifted actress. I’d swear fifty different emotions flew across her face after Phil told her of course he sees other women. Then she goes and sleeps with him anyway.
Best exchange of the episode:
Ruth: “I don’t know how you stay so calm!”
Bettina: “I took a Vicodin.”
Y’know, Rico used to sorta bug me, but now he’s turned into a full-fledged pain in the ass. He should start seeing David and Keith’s therapist for his own anger management issues.
I don’t think this living Nate is a dream sequence. He’s just too much of an integral part of the show. I mean, when they started to fake me out last episode, I applauded the producers’ bravery, but I figured I wouldn’t be watching the show too much longer without Nate. And doing a “dream sequence” thing would (hopefully) be too “Dallas” cheap for Six Feet Under.
They’re sure foreshadowing problems between Lisa and Nate. I think he’s loving the role as husband and father, he’s just not with the right woman. They may not argue, but their little tension-fests are even worse than arguments.
Claire’s heading straight for another twisted relationship. Is that other guy (Russell?), the one that listens well, really gay or is that an assumption of Claire’s? Because I could kinda see him pining for her.
And it’s great to see Ruth with a smile on her face, even if it’s Vicodin-induced. Kathy Bates is just what Ruth needs to get off the martyr kick for a while.
I love the dynamic between David and Keith. Just when you think there’s no hope for them, they surprise you with playful passion. It’s a pretty realistic depiction of a relationship on the verge, IMHO. I’m looking forward to seeing them happier.
All in all, a solid episode. It’s getting back to the SFU I know and love. Now I just have to wait patiently for Brenda to return, and I will be truly satisfied.
I found the concept of having a murder victim and the murderer being handled by the same funeral home a bit contrived. I would think that common decency would make a funeral director shy away from such a conflict.
I think Lisa is a complete neurotic nut job, and therefore a fine addition to the show. “We never fight.” Ack! The only reason Nate is with her is because he almost died, and because of the baby. I’m not sure which of them is more disconnected from reality right now. And maybe the kid’s not even his, who knows? I think one more episode of “domestic bliss” before one of them goes bonkers.
Her “Well are you going to do it, or are you going to try to do it?? Because if you’re not then I can just …” to Nate made my teeth ache. Jesus, I would have gotten up and left at that point.
Another thing I realized last night: I know the writing has to be crazy strong for this show. It just hit me that although I love the show and I am addicted, I can’t stand any of the characters. About the only ones I cant even stomach are Nate and Keith, and I’m not even really crazy about them. Keith is a dick and Nate is borderline looney.
Yup. I think the same thing. Things are too perfect and there’s this weird underlying vibe of tension going on. I think Lisa is going to do something nuts–she’s a ticking timebomb.
I loved that last scene with Kathy Bates and Ruth. That was one of the best moments in the whole series, IMHO.
Ruth: It’s so peaceful out here.
(Sister screams bloody murder from inside the house and Ruth ignores her)
Who is Kathy Bates’ character? Did I miss something or is she just a friend of Ruth’s sister that has never been introduced before?
The scenes with Ruth, Bettina and Sarah were genius, golden. Three terrific actresses . . . and I too believed it when Ruth said “Do you want me to break this arm? I will, you know!” – Bettina looked impressed!
Could Rico have that stick shoved a little farther up his ass? Please tell me that he will be taken down a couple of pegs in coming episodes. Sanctimonious little fart, I could have smacked him. And he is NOT GOOD with living people, is he? If I were a partner, I’d leave him in the basement putting faces back on people.
This season is turning out to be far more interesting than last season’s Peyton-Place-in-a-funeral-home. The humor is more subtle.
I couldn’t believe what a sanctimonious prick Rico was being. Saying the parents were to blame for their son’s crime, and his comment about the brother, “Did you frisk him?” I wanted to slap him after he said that.
The last thing Nate ever wanted was to work at Fisher & Sons and Rico’s big thing is how much of an inspiration Nate Sr. was to him, how much he admired him and how he went into the line of work he chose because of him, but from day one Nate seemed to fit into the work of a funeral director naturally and Rico barely seems to know how to talk to people. Partner or no, why do they even let him out of the basement?
It seems like Rico had some weird idea of what becoming a partner would entail. He’s been acting like a jerk this season, apparently because it doesn’t meet his expectations. It’s the same as it ever was only now his name is up on the sign, what does he expect with only three people working for Fisher & Diaz?
I agree. I think it could be one of two things:
a) The baby is NOT Nate’s. Real Dad shows up to claim the child and the annoying granola crunching mother. Nate is bereft because the child is out of his life or. . .
b) There IS something wrong with the baby’s hearing. Maybe it’s a brain tumor. Baby dies and becomes one of the Fishers’ guests. Nate goes bonkers from the loss. (This is not my preferred story line. I don’t like the thought of dead babies, especially dead Fisher babies. And haven’t we already had a dead infant as Death of the Day? SIDS or something?)
I like what’s happening with Rico. Last season (with the exception of his homophobia, which always seemed tacked on) he was the loveable martyr character who could do no wrong despite his shabby treatment at the hands of the Fisher brothers. Now, he is becoming more fully realized like most of the rest of the show’s characters, with both good and bad characteristics. He was surprising in his vindictiveness towards the shooter this episode, but he still did the work – he didn’t even make David do it, which he has in the past. Plus, wasn’t it Rico’s dad who died suddently when he was sixteen? After the session with the grieving widow, I think he probably identified her with his mother, so his horror at having to deal with her husband’s killer is understandable.
One of the things they did really well in this episode was have scenes surprise you in where they went. First was the already-mentioned David and Keith being unexpectedly playful before Nate answered the door. Then was the scene with Nate, Lisa and Maya in bed near the end. I felt certain they were going to have ahuge blow-up, and all of a sudden the conversation took a completely unexpected turn and they were all smiles and giggles. That’s exactly how my own relationships work, and it’s surprising to see it portrayed on TV.
IIRC, Rico’s dad died when he fell off the roof of their home and landed face-first into a pile of bricks. The young Rico (I don’t remember how old he was, but he seemed to be a teenager, at least) was astonished at the restoration work Nate Sr. did on his father, and began working at the home.
I’m still worried that something’s going to happen to Julio, Rico’s older son. Remember that scene last season when Julio was running the bathwater and they kept calling to him, with no answer? He was okay and all, but I got a definite sense of foreboding then.