This episode stands out in importance both as the penultimate episode of the show and as the first episode truly without Nate, and I think it achieves the crucial task of beginning to conclude the message of the show and the stories of each main character. Everyone is trying to find and settle into a new life, which makes sense, though not all of them are particularly successful in their efforts. I can understand and empathize with all of them given the situation of Nate's sudden death: Ruth's emptiness from losing a husband and now a firstborn child, Brenda's questionable choices and mounting stress, Claire's upheaval of her new working life and relationships and David's mental deterioration and paranoia - all of them seem justified in this context, though I can't help but be upset every time they fall that bit further or attack the people they love. With the latter statement, I speak mostly of Claire. Her struggle dealing with the age she has reached and the subsequent responsibilities makes me worried for the same period of my life which is fast approaching, she's been forced to sacrifice her art and her integrity and I want her to keep pursuing that life, as I hope I would, but I don't know if I can say that is truly right for her.
I should mention a couple of uncomfortable - but understandable - decisions made by the characters, namely Ruth's hastily constructed family of Maya and George, and Brenda's closer than ever relationship with Billy. I always feel for Ruth, who has unquestionably been dealt one of the worst hands and has remained strong for her family, so I can't fault her for letting George back in, if only so she isn't alone. Maybe Maya would be better off in that environment, especially with the imminent pregnancy - even dangerously premature as we see at the end of the episode - but there is the question of whether Brenda giving her up will be her giving up on the memory of Nate. Again, only in the context would I deem this understandable, so Brenda coming to a realization that perhaps she should be with Billy seems right for her character arc - to have been trying and pretending for her whole life without anyone but her family ever truly understanding her, cut off from her life with the Fishers, she wouldn't have anywhere else to turn.
As has been the case for the past season, David takes the cake for the amount of suffering and distress that he has to go through. With an unknown serial murderer actually on the loose in the area, of course his PTSD is worse than ever and though his family are there for him, I think all of them know that nobody can do anything for him but himself. I'm sure some dramatic resolution is coming in the final episode, I hope he overcomes it but I won't know what to think until I see it. I did really enjoy the hostage episode from last season, despite its controversy, so I won't mind if the mad - if slightly unrealistic - criminal makes a reappearance.
I'm almost at the end now and I know I'm going to miss the show as soon as I finish, though it will definitely be due for a rewatch when I find the right person to show it to. This was a great penultimate episode and I think I'm nearly ready to say goodbye to the Fishers.
I should mention a couple of uncomfortable - but understandable - decisions made by the characters, namely Ruth's hastily constructed family of Maya and George, and Brenda's closer than ever relationship with Billy. I always feel for Ruth, who has unquestionably been dealt one of the worst hands and has remained strong for her family, so I can't fault her for letting George back in, if only so she isn't alone. Maybe Maya would be better off in that environment, especially with the imminent pregnancy - even dangerously premature as we see at the end of the episode - but there is the question of whether Brenda giving her up will be her giving up on the memory of Nate. Again, only in the context would I deem this understandable, so Brenda coming to a realization that perhaps she should be with Billy seems right for her character arc - to have been trying and pretending for her whole life without anyone but her family ever truly understanding her, cut off from her life with the Fishers, she wouldn't have anywhere else to turn.
As has been the case for the past season, David takes the cake for the amount of suffering and distress that he has to go through. With an unknown serial murderer actually on the loose in the area, of course his PTSD is worse than ever and though his family are there for him, I think all of them know that nobody can do anything for him but himself. I'm sure some dramatic resolution is coming in the final episode, I hope he overcomes it but I won't know what to think until I see it. I did really enjoy the hostage episode from last season, despite its controversy, so I won't mind if the mad - if slightly unrealistic - criminal makes a reappearance.
I'm almost at the end now and I know I'm going to miss the show as soon as I finish, though it will definitely be due for a rewatch when I find the right person to show it to. This was a great penultimate episode and I think I'm nearly ready to say goodbye to the Fishers.