Take 4 TV: Six Feet Under - Season Four

Six Feet Under - Season Four (2004)

What’s Going On? We’ve been through the tribulations of the Fisher family and their funeral home for three years now, weathering both life and death, comedy and tragedy. This, the fourth season, sees each member of the household undergoing their own personal trials: Nate dealing with the death of his wife; David experiencing what is arguably the most terrifying ordeal in the entire Six Feet Under series; Claire experimenting with her art, education, friendships and sex; and Ruth discovering that the man she married at the end of last season is hiding more from her than he is sharing.

Leading the Line-Up: Peter Krause (from Sports Night) plays Nate Fisher, who three seasons ago came back to Los Angeles for his father’s funeral, and ended up staying and filling his dad’s role at the family funeral home. He has a much less central role in this season than he has in past seasons, though. Conversely, Lauren Ambrose, who plays young art student Claire Fisher, has a much juicier role than she has in past seasons, and perhaps undergoes a larger transformation than any of the other characters.

Things to Look Out For: Episode 5: “That’s My Dog” – It’s one of the most intense and emotionally impactful episodes of a drama that I’ve ever seen. I was watching the second half of it on the edge of my seat, jaw open, mind racing…very involving, hard-hitting, and apparently raised a lot of internet chatter about the unwritten contract that the creators of a series have with their fans.

Special Features: You’ve got your standard array of commentaries for seven of the twelve episodes here, but if you catch only one, listen to the commentary on Episode 5 (after having watched the entire series). It made me appreciate one of my favorite episodes that much more. Also, on the final DVD of the season, you have a mix of random special features. You can check out the track listings for the Season Four soundtrack and listen to a remix of the music from the opening title sequence (it’s catchy, but repetitive) and watch the standard issue deleted scenes…although there are only three of them and they are all from Episode Four, strangely. You might as well invest the three minutes it takes to check them out. There is also a 20-minute featurette on the editing of the series, “Cut by Cut,” which I was expecting to be a big yawn-fest…but which really paints the editors of a television series in a light I’d never considered before: sculptors of video, you take a mass of raw footage and search through it to find the great moments that, when put together in the right way, tell an even greater story. Definitely check it out. Finally, there’s an interview of the cast by Bob Costas on Costas Live. This is an odd one. You get to see the four main actors, out of character. But the questions Costas asks…very odd. “Have you ever had any near death experiences?” As Costas himself says, it’s like listening to a 2am dorm conservation back in college. But…it somehow works and is interesting. Give it a shot; it’s only 15 minutes long.

Random Trivia: The series is set in Los Angeles because, according to series creator Alan Ball, LA is the "world capital of the denial of death.”

And I Quote: Art Student: “Is this more lesbian stuff?” Photography Instructor: “Yes, I have to meet my quota so I get my toaster oven.”

Life Lessons from Six Feet Under: 1) Be certain you know the person you marry. 2) Give credit where credit is due in creative collaborations. 3) Don’t talk to strangers. Even cute ones.

Curt’s Take: “Must See” – If you haven’t seen Six Feet Under, I’m here to tell you it definitely lives up to the hype. Last August, I gave Season Three a “Worth Considering,” assuming you’d seen the prior seasons as well. I also expressed my hope that Season Four would be much more enjoyable and engaging…and I got my wish. Sure, a lot of it has to do with how well I thought Episode 5 was crafted, but it was definitely just one part of the larger picture. I look forward to (sadly) the final season, Season Five.

Next Time on Take 4: Diner breakfasts. Cheeseburgers. Onion rings and fries. Get ready for a four-course cinematic tribute to greasy foods. No Olivia Newton-John or John Travolta, I promise.