Six Feet Under Laid To Rest

CAUTION: Includes spoilers.

The final episode of Six Feet Under aired on HBO last night and I've got to say I'm pleased with how they wrapped things up. If you've been recording or TIVOing the show and aren't caught up, you might want to skip the rest of this entry.

It was pretty shocking when we saw that white screen come up with Nate's name and dates a couple of weeks ago, although the foreboding music at the end of the previous episode should have told us things were not going to turn out okay.

So, it was with a little trepidation that my wife and I watched the final episode last night. We weren't sure what burst of creativity might come from a group of writers who have shown us over and over the variety of ways people die, from the mundane to the spectacular.

I halfway expected Billy Chenowith to show up at a family gathering and murder everyone, or some other violent end to befall the characters. Instead, we see that even though everybody is so screwed up, like real people they heal a little and go on with life.

David finally confronts the red-hooded-sweatshirt wearing spectre that's been stalking his dreams (in another dream sequence) and seems to put that fear behind him. Brenda is finally able to remember the loving side of Nate again, leaving behind the acusatory one that has haunted her since the birth of her baby. Ruth realizes she can't live with George, even though they will remain friends, so she goes off to live with Bettina, while David and Keith move into the Fisher house with their boys. Federico sells his portion of the business to David and Keith and sets out to buy his own mortuary, with Vanessa excited about the prospect of helping in the business.

There were a few loose ends that didn't get tied up. One of Maggie's last scenes is in the waiting room of a doctor, and my wife and I speculated that she might be carrying Nate's child. Maybe this was confirmed in one of the later scenes, but if so, I missed it. Then again, Maggie did work as a pharmaceutical representative, so it may have just been a scene from her work day.

And what about George's mental problems? They seem to have vanished, although true mental illness often behaves that way too.

I'm glad most of the major conflicts were resolved and we were able to see things getting better for everyone, aside from the inevitable disappointments and tragedies that pepper all of our lives from time to time.

But, it wouldn't be right if the writers didn't get a shot at killing off the characters they have so skillfully put through their paces over the life of the show.

So, as Claire finally makes her break from the family and is driving toward her new life in New York City, we see a sequence of shots showing each of the main characters expiring, many years in the future. We're left to imagine for ourselves the scenes that take place in hundreds of unwritten episodes that will document the rest of their lives.

Perhaps it's only Claire's imaginings as she travels a lonely stretch of highway.

Or maybe it's the actual way each of the characters meet their demise.

Either way, it's okay, because the characters, just like each of us, can't live forever. The writers give us one final chance at the Big Lesson of Six Feet Under, which is that each of us will die sooner or later, so we'd better get off our asses and start living while we can.

And for that I say: "Well done."