Six Feet Under (HBO)

Five season impeccable (!!!) family drama created and produced by Alan Ball. Aired 2001 to 2005 but is as relevant as ever.

 

Recently finished this and I think about the finale almost every day. This is the kind of show I could've happily asked for five more seasons. Still, it's nearly flawless as it is, and ended in a devastating, hopeful, unexpected (but so obvious!), and thought-provoking way. I hope with a thread up now, we can stir up discussion and hopefully introduce some new fans to this incredible series.

 

It is probably the worst show I have watched in entirety. The legs from American Beauty (including remaking the awful mother character), it is the worst kind of melodrama, not really touching on the ways people actually live and process their emotions.

It looks really bad when you compare it to the strength of HBO's work at that time. The Sopranos, The Wire, and Deadwood challenge their viewers and seek to explore complex ideas. Meanwhile, Six Feet Under consisted of cartoon villains like the funeral home conglomerate, California hippie portrayals, and increasingly silly plot devices to keep the story going. Claire's boyfriend being aimless is not enough; why not make him into a drug addicted criminal? How do we get rid of this new woman in Nate's life? Kill her off in a love triangle!

 

Blasted through it after your posts in the other thread. Really loved it, all the characters had such satisfying arcs and storylines. All the themes and ideas in the show resonated with me and it had a great sense of humor too. Finale had me crying for sure.

 

I'm not even going to bother responding to your arguments. The thread for this show literally JUST opened up and you have to make a post like this? Find something better to do with your time!

 

We aren't allowed to talk about the show you made a thread about unless it is positive? What value is there in that?

 

it’s very good. wild post.

 

I think it's pretty normal for us to want to avoid arguments in a thread where most of us love the show. What value is there in arguing about a show you don't like? Not gonna make it so easy for you. It's annoying because I started this thread to get people into the show and start a conversation about why we love it, and you felt compelled to instigate something with absurd hyperbole (the worst show I've ever seen), like come the fuck on.

 

i do think an echo chamber of only positive discussion is a pretty bad vibe and critiques should be allowed anywhere. i just entirely disagree with the post lol

 

That's fine, but it was the first page, like give it a few posts at least before you come in here guns blazing.

 

There was no hyperbole. It is the worst show I have ever watched in its entirety. The only thing close is Rome.

I would never want to avoid debates about a show or movie I enjoy. That is the whole point of discussion. I remember being really annoyed when virtually everyone loved Boyhood in 2014 so I actively looked for negative discussions about it to see if my praise held up.

 

Great show, absolutely is part of HBO's peak tv

 

Boyhood is amazing as well

 

Never seen Boyhood, but I admittedly have heard it's boring. I still want to see it one day.

I just don't see at all how someone could watch every single episode and think "yeah this show doesn't really portray people working through the nuances of their emotions." Did we watch the same show?

One of the most affecting storylines for me was George's arc at the end. Man, that scene where Ruth finds the food in the pockets broke my heart--from both sides of the relationship. Also, the tribute he gives in the final episode actually helped me, as a viewer, put Nate's death into perspective. These moments of television are special, perfect examples of how we dig deep into these characters' lives and identities. Their mistakes, their regrets, their memories, their conflicting emotions.

I'm still mad at Nate, and processing the huge mistake he makes moments before his final moments. I feel for all of the people who loved him, especially Brenda, who has been through enough. But I suppose that's who he is, and by that point, we understand that's who he is. We've gotten to know him on every level--he's the runner, who Claire imagines she passes as she drives away in that last sequence.

*using spoilers in case we have anyone who has never seen before

 

It's been I think 5 years so I've watched it so I've lost a lot of little details and can really only speak to the broad strokes. I don't think the show is above critique - as I mentioned in the other thread I feel like the middle-2/3s mark is uncharacteristically melodramatic compared to the rest - but wholesale dismissal feels absurd to me. Every main character is so real and fully formed, and I don't think I've seen another show that explores siblinghood better.

 

This is still one of my favorite shows all around. It's up there with the best of the best for me personally, but not THE best. One of my favorite casts and soundtracks to this day. It also helped me out a lot personally and I think made me a better person. I don't think any series finale is better either. (Only one has come close since and that is Mr Robot)

To the guy who instantly bashed this show: Cool bro. Sure, the show isn't perfect. I don't think any show is. They can all get nit-picked to death and changed up. Easy for anyone to say. If you disliked it so much, then why did you even continue watching it? And why even say anything in here? Makes no sense to me.

 

Why wouldn't I say anything in here?

I continued watching it because I used to really like it. I was 17 and I didn't know any better. I also used to really like American Beauty and I even owned the DVD, but Alan Ball has a painfully simplistic view of the world and paints every character outside of the few he wants you to like with very broad caricature strokes. The funeral chain that tries to buy them out in the beginning does everything but twirl their mustache and tie the mother to the railroad tracks.

 

just started

love it

 

Kinda like you @angrycandy it was fun for me at the beginning trying to figure out the tone of the show. I also came in expecting this bleak experience but its oftentimes pretty wholesome and uplifting (except, of course, when it isn't). Sopranos is also hilarious at times, but this show has a distinct lightness to it that I came to appreciate as I got deeper into this series, and when shit really hits the fan.

 

the amount of casual sex on this show is incredibly jarring

 

HBO overdoes it in general I think. It may have gotten more excessive as time passed tbh. Always jarring for me but I should expect it by now haha.

 

i actually think it was more casual/done more frequently in the early era of HBO. people were less used to it and it became sensationalized. with the exception of GOT, where it decreased as the show continued, there haven’t been any shows as frequent as that early HBO run

true blood was the biggest offender

 

I see that, but some recent ones are a lot too. I tried the show Industry a couple weeks ago and was really excessive, turned me off the show actually.