Six Feet Under (TV Series) Static (2005) User Reviews

So Why Not Be Happy While You're Here

[matthewjmiles · 9/10 · 16 January 2019]

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.

Missing Nate (19 August 2007)

[claudio_carvalho · 9/10 · 23 September 2009]

Holly, the sister of the mutilated soldier Paul Ronald Duncan, provides a lethal injection to him and he commits suicide. David is completely disturbed with the death of Nate and seeing Jake wearing a red hood. Brenda has an incestuous dream with Billy while Ruth insists on raising Maya. Claire is totally drunk and height everyday in her job, and after an argument with Kirsten, she is fired. When she arrives home and sees Paul's mother trunk with a plate "Support Our Troops", she offends the family with a political speech. Rico unsuccessfully tries to have a business meeting with David and Vanessa convinces him to schedule a visit with a real state agent to buy another funeral house, the Weingarden Mortuary. Claire capsizes her car after visiting Nate's grave.

In this episode, the Fisher family misses Nate. It is terrible to see an unbalanced woman like Ruth, who raised a dysfunctional family without any structure with an addicted daughter and a gay son, claiming that she is able to raise Maya. Claire makes a magnificent political speech in a very inappropriate moment. David is absolutely messed up and confused. Brenda seems to have resolved her incestuous issues with Billy. Rico will probably follow a professional way of his own with Vanessa. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): "Estática" ("Static")

Great episode

[jefunkrey · 9/10 · 15 August 2023]

"Static" is the penultimate episode of the fifth and final season of the HBO drama series Six Feet Under. It was written by Craig Wright and directed by Michael Cuesta. The episode aired on August 14, 2005.

The episode focuses on the Fisher family and their friends as they deal with the death of Paul Fisher (Michael C. Hall). Paul was killed in a car accident in the previous episode, and his death has left a profound impact on everyone who knew him.

The episode is full of grief, anger, and despair. The Fishers are all struggling to come to terms with Paul's death, and they are all dealing with it in different ways. Claire (Lauren Ambrose) is drinking heavily and lashing out at everyone. Nate (Peter Krause) is trying to be strong for his family, but he is also struggling to cope with his own grief. Ruth (Frances Conroy) is numb with shock, and she can barely function.

The episode also explores the theme of forgiveness. Billy Chenowith (Justin Theroux) returns to Los Angeles to offer his support to Brenda (Rachel Griffiths), but she is still angry with him for the way he treated her in the past. However, she eventually realizes that she needs to forgive him in order to move on with her life.

"Static" is a powerful and emotional episode that explores the different ways that people deal with grief. It is a must-watch for fans of Six Feet Under.

Here are some of the things that I liked about the episode:

* The acting was superb. All of the actors gave incredibly moving performances, but I was particularly impressed by Lauren Ambrose's performance as Claire. She was heartbreakingly raw and vulnerable.

* The writing was excellent. Craig Wright did a masterful job of capturing the raw emotions of grief and loss. The dialogue was honest and unflinching, and it never felt manipulative or exploitative.

* The directing was top-notch. Michael Cuesta did a great job of creating a visually stunning episode that was full of atmosphere and emotion.

Overall, I thought "Static" was a brilliant episode of television. It was beautifully written, acted, and directed. It is a must-watch for fans of Six Feet Under and anyone who has ever experienced the loss of a loved one.

Insufferably bad episode

[truebatmantd · 1/10 · 8 March 2023]

This has to be the cringiest episode of the entire series. The whole episode consists of people screaming at each other. First some random lady yells at people, then Claire screams at people for 20 minutes followed by Brenda screaming at people for another 10 minutes, then David and Rico screaming at each other. That's basically the summary of the entire episode, people screaming at each other, getting into shouting matches and yelling for 55 minutes.

I don't know why anyone in their right mind would rate this episode as a 10, 9 or even 8 unless something is seriously wrong with them.

One thing this show certainly lacks is character development. None of the characters grew at all since the first episode, they all act the same way they did 62 episodes ago after all this time.

I found myself sitting sideways

[moov_e_c_er · 5/10 · 25 September 2023]

I understand the writers and cast were trying to convey the different types and process of grief. But I was so far away from empathizing anything from any character. The moment where Claire is supposed to be drunk and yet screaming at the family of a dismembered soldier (or at least multiple amputee) felt more like a lazy psychotic attempt or an Unresearched drug overdose moment. The simplest thing would have been to tell her the body is a body destroyed by war especially when she was screaming about American and Iraq soldiers being killed and physically and mentally Destroyed from War.

I found myself physically facing away from The screen, no engagement and wondering how much though he was actually put into this episode. It felt more like each actor was given a thought instead of a scene or purpose just to see how they would do it. Nothing felt like an episode or purpose. This is why there are so many hands and people involved in the process of film and tv: every moment needs to have purpose, develop story or character, be the good or the bad or supporting characters, bring the audience into the moment and not feel like you stepped into an actor class where random moments are being practiced and no big show for the performance later that night.