★★★★★
Starring Peter Krause, Michael C. Hall, Rachel Griffiths, Frances Conroy, Lauren Ambrose, Freddy Rodríguez, Mathew St. Patrick
2001 – 2005 / 55 Minutes (63 Episodes) / HBO
It’s been a decade since Six Feet Under signed off and I’ve only finally had the chance to watch it. I started watching Season 1 about 5 years ago and was really enjoying it, but as I binge watched the first season I found it to be too heavy to endure every day. Every episode starts with a death, you’ve got to be in the right mood for that! So I took a break and finally sat down and forced myself to watch the rest of the series. It’s not that I wasn’t enjoying the first season, I really was, but the show was made in a time before binge watching and this one is a tough one to do that. Having said that I did get through the entire series in about a month and a half, maybe I was just in the right head space now to watch it. I also found that once Season 3 hit I was definitely hooked and intrigued by where every episode was headed.
Having finally finished this ground breaking series, I understand now why everyone was raving about it and why it was such a huge critical success, it was the water cooler show to watch then. Now, a decade later… I’m alone at the water cooler wanting to discuss what I just watched, but it’s been too long and you’ve all forgotten about it and moved on… I’m now just grieving that this show is over.
The writing is phenomenal! I see now the influence it had on so many of the shows that came after it. They went in directions you didn’t see coming. The writing felt real and every character was relatable at some point. As much as they were sometimes really annoying, I found myself thinking that in that same situation I would probably react the same way. The show never felt unbelievable and in it’s entire 5 season run it only got better and better until it’s final bow episode which was incredible. I could not stop watching the final 5 episodes and can not stop watching the last 5 minutes.
Sure there may have been some storylines, situations or characters that weren’t as memorable during, but once the show ended there was a feeling of the entire thing coming together and everything all fit and melded together nicely.
I wish I had watched this show back in the day, but I think where I’m at personally in my life and the things that I have gone through, love, loss, life… I think this was the perfect timing for me. I’m not so sure I would have had the same connection or love for it back then that I’m feeling for it now. This will hands down always be a favourite of mine and be at the top of my list of television shows. I even look forward to rewatching the entire series again someday where I think it will resonate even more.
Bravo to the cast and crew of this absolute brilliant work. I love it and I’m so sorry for having only seen it now, 10 years later.
Grade A+
