Real mourners don't eat quiche

Six Feet Under Ep. 61

Spoiler. The stiff of the week is, of course, Nate... and the episode deals with all the aftermath. David's decided to divert his grief by pouring it all into putting the funeral together - at the expense of his sanity. David picks up Nate's organ harvested body and begins to crack as he briefly sees red-hooded Jake, the Meth-addict who took him on the scary joy ride last season. Ruth joins David washing Nates body for a touching moment... until Ruth continues her accusatory questioning regarding Nate's mysterious death - to which David replies "At least I was there!" Claire sees and hears this and freaks out (having eaten what little pot she had left,) calls Ted and they go on a top 40 radio joyride where, much to Claire's distress, she can only the bad moments with Nate. Ted's uncomplicated tastes provide a sturdy post for her addled-mind to lean on.

Maggie shows up at Brenda's with a quiche ("Is this some sort of Quaker thing, you fu*k someone's husband to death and make a quiche?") and predictable awkwardness ensues (you'll notice there's no welcome mat in front of the door.) Keith discovers that Roger had videotaped their tryst last season, and decides it's time to end his employment, stranding Roger's latest errand (and the video leak) at the airport. Brenda's mom comes by for moral support, only it turns out she's the one asking for it since Olivier left her. As if Brenda has any left... as exemplified in her quick temper with Maya, who's now lost both her parents (winner of the deserving empathy contest.)

Ruth talks with the priest before the service and Aunt Sara (Patricia Clarkson) overhears their conversation and says "God is a huge asshole for this!" Claire makes it back from top 40 land, in her jeans and t-shirt (David: "everyone else mustered up enough to get dressed," Claire: "I guess everyone wins!") The service starts and Rico gets up and makes an awkward but somewhat touching speech in a Rico-naive sort of way. David gets up and starts to tell a story about getting beat-up as a kid and Nate's advice ("just laugh,") but again sees his red-hooded mirage and instead of "just laughing" at it, panic attacks begin in full. George gets up and proves to be the sanest one of all, encapsulating Nate's character with his description of Nate's idealized idea of life and love.

The family heads out to the park together for the burial, with Brenda isolating herself even further (she's ignored at the service and funeral,) by driving alone. David's red-hooded panic-attack is at it's peak now and it takes Ruth's stubbornness to break him of it. Aunt Sara reads the poem (Rumi's "Mystic Odes 833",) and we're given some things to chew on... eyes ("Fix your eyes on God and do not talk about what is invisible" Nate's lost his, and David's fixing his on the invisible red hoody) and that blasted bird again ("The bird of vision is flying towards You with the wings of desire.") Claire flashes back to when Kurt Cobain died and a distraught Nate ("he was just too pure for this world, man!") is smoking pot and listening to In Utero. Nate offers Claire some pot, and this turns out to be her fond memory. When Brenda's car won't start on the way back, Nate comes as a vision in passenger seat to berrate her as only a dead Nate can. This encounter, and her short-temper with Maya, has led her to drop Maya off indefinitely at the Fisher household that night. Returning home, Brenda finds Billy there and they give eachother a crazy-eyed hug. This can only end in ruin.

Full tracklisting with scene descriptions

Previously
Surf's up, Nate (Ep. 60)
A 'Giant Sucker' Punch (Ep. 59)
Staring into the abyss, Quaker style (Ep. 58)
The loss of the loss of virginity (Ep. 57)
Accept, adapt and adopt (Ep. 56)
Life is not a vending machine (Ep. 55)
Six Feet Under: Ep. 54
Mortality, insanity, paternity and more insanity (Ep. 53)
Requiem for a soap opera (Ep. 52 - Season 5 premiere)

tags: playlist, six feet under, television, soundtrack