An Expensive Conduit of Cinnamon Toast

THESE ARE MY THOUGHTS ABOUT THE SHOW SIX FEET UNDER. IT’S A RANT. AND IT’S CORNY. REALLY CORNY. BUT YOU CAN READ IT IF YOU’D LIKE.

So, I started watching Six Feet Under in the beginning of the summer, and I finished it a little more than a week ago. I started watching it for no other reason than I was curious to see Michael C. Hall in another role. Someone who had seen the show told me they had never watched Dexter, and that they couldn’t ever imagine Michael C. Hall being another character besides David Fisher. Well I felt that way about Dexter Morgan. My curiosity was breached. I did what any reasonable person would do. I Wikipedia’d it.

Upon my Wikipedia research, I read the following:

Six Feet Under received widespread critical acclaim, particularly for its writing and acting, and consistently drew high ratings for the HBO network. Six Feet Under has frequently been described by critics as one of the greatest television series of all time as well as having one of the greatest series finales of all time. It won numerous awards, including nine Emmy Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, and a Peabody Award.

That is one of the better reviews I’ve ever heard. Of anything. So that was it, I’d watch it all. I downloaded every episode, and I did just that. 

Sorry, couldn’t resist.

As the pilot episode came to a close, I felt intrigued.  I wasn’t blown away in any regard.  The episode was ending, and Nate was standing there, watching the people pass him.  I knew there was some sort of significance.  I realized at that moment that this wasn’t a show that I could watch if I wasn’t ready to give myself completely to every single character in this world.

I have plenty of favorite shows.  L O S T, Arrested Development, Dexter, and Extras all pop into my mind when I think about them.  But the thing about these shows is, at the end of the day, they’re shows.  Because when I’m done watching Jack try to save everyone on the island or laughing til my sides hurt because of whatever antics the Bluth boys have gotten themselves into, I’m always able to slip back into the real world whenever.  They don’t leave some sort of real-life imprint that makes me try to think about what I’ve learned from watching that episode, or how I can apply these lessons to my life.

Those sort of thoughts were in my head after every single episode of Six Feet Under.  And they didn’t leave my head until I sat down to watch the next episode.

I’ve met a great deal of people in my life that have told me how something changed their lives.  I’d never quite understood this.  I was never sure how one thing can alter a person so drastically.  At least, not until I met the Fishers.  

I don’t want to say Six Feet Under changed my life, because it didn’t.  I’m still the same person.  But I can say Six Feet Under changed the way I look at my life.  The inherent, basic, and beautiful message of the show engrained itself so far into my head that I don’t think there’s been a day I haven’t thought about it since I learned what it was.

This isn’t an analysis of the show’s message, so I don’t really want to get into that type of nonsense.  The point is, that message is with me now, in a way that was a bit overwhelming at first.  I just can’t get this series out of my head.  I’ve never had such a strong reaction to any sort of media.  Ever.

I’m going to live differently because of this show.  And I’m not really sure if there’s any possible way a television show could be more successful.

I’d recommend Six Feet Under to any person.  Any at all.  And not just because of entertainment value.  I legitimately believe that any person who watched the entire series would have a better life.

So, I guess what I’m getting around to is this:

Dear Nathaniel, Ruth, George, Nate, Brenda, Maya, Willa, Claire, David, Keith, Anthony, Durrell, Rico, Vanessa, Billy, and Lisa;

Thanks for everything.  I will never forget you, as long as I live.  However long that happens to be.

Wilder