Everything ends

The latest “Nyt viikkoliite” had an article about “Six Feet Under”, apparently the 5th and final season is starting soon on Finnish TV. It’s been a while since I watched that, but the whole series remains one of the most memorable and, well, “important” things I’ve seen on TV, on the fictional side.

Ouch I have lost myself again
Lost myself and I am nowhere to be found,
Yeah I think that I might break
I’ve lost myself again and I feel unsafe

Be my friend
Hold me, wrap me up
Unfold me
I am small
I’m needy
Warm me up
And breathe me

– Sia, “Breathe Me”

That song, which forms the core for the incredible last 15 minutes of the last episode of the series, pretty much describes everyone in the series at one point or another. Everyone is seaching for what or who they really are, and everyone needs help from their friends and family even though they might almost hate same friends and family at the same time. It works because the series is just so well written, you know these people, you know what makes them tick. They are not abstract stereotypes, or shiny happy people who have been given a few small flaws to keep them “real”. They are complex, messed up and very real characters.

On the whole, this is probably the bravest and most human TV-series I know – if the stereotypical alien landed right now on the lawn and demanded to know about humanity, I’d just give it the DVD box sets and tell it to get back to me after having watched them. The series tackles pretty much all the tough questions there are in the modern world without resorting to cheap solutions or glossing over the ugly parts. The additional presence of death as the motif of the series brings another angle into play, and also a surprising amount of black humor. It’s heartbreakingly sad at times, almost unwatchably intense at other times, and really, really funny whenever you least expect it.

Yeah, I like the series. A lot. If it has a flaw, it’s that it becomes maybe a bit too dark during the fourth season; at times it’s no longer fun or entertaining, it’s just… rough. You also have to watch it from the beginning; not because there are deep plot twists you have to follow, but because it’s the only way to get to know the characters… and without that, you won’t really understand what happens, or more importantly, why.

It probably says way too much about me that I identify a lot with Nate in the series. Not in all details, of course, but… yeah.

1 comment »

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  By Reko Fri, 06 Oct 2006 23:24:34 GMT

  I was introduced to the series only a month ago and I’m currently plowing through the first season. All in all, it has been really fantastic. I can’t really point my finger at it and say all the reasons, but everything from the writing to casting and DOP are excellent. Looking forward to getting the season 1-5 DVD box from somewhere and I hope the keep up the quality throughout the series.

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