Six Feet Under - season 5 (2005) - The groundbreaking drama ends perfectly

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+ Best Title of the Year

+ Best American Title of the Year + Best Drama of the Year + Best Los Angeles Title of the Year + Best Returning TV-series of the Year

Claire Fisher's beautiful green hearse speeds towards the horizon on this great poster for the 5th season of Alan Ball's Six Feet Under

The world's arguably best TV-series at its time, - and perhaps one of the best of all time, - creator Alan Ball's (Virtuoso (2015, TV movie)) Six Feet Under ends dignified in its fifth season by not making it an easy passing for characters and audiences alike: Season 5 is as hard and depressing as any in the formidable funeral business family drama's run.

The following season recount contains SPOILERS:

Nate's (Peter Krause (Beastly (2011))) new wife Brenda (Rachel Griffiths (Muriel's Wedding (1994))) is dealing with her losing their coming child. His mother Ruth's (Frances Conroy (Stone (2010))) new husband George (James Cromwell (ER (2001, TV-series))) is in shock therapy to rid him of his delusions and depression. Meanwhile Ruth herself is attacked by depression; and when George is finally ready to leave the psychiatric hospital, neither Ruth nor his daughter Maggie are much interested in dealing with him, (or his surprise new wife.)
Nate's brother and business partner David (Michael C. Hall (The Trouble with Bliss (2011))) and his steady boyfriend Keith (Matthew St. Patrick (Alien Raiders (2008))) arrange a double adoption; and Brenda's troubled brother Billy (Jeremy Sisto (Don's Plum (2001))) attempts rape on Nate and David's young artist sister Claire (Lauren Ambrose (About Sunny (2011))). She later decides to start working in an office, doubts her own artistic side and finds a new boyfriend in her new environment. 
Ruth goes camping with the flirting Hiram; and Nate has sex with Maggie and passes out, especially unnerving since he has previously been operated for a brain tumor.
As David and Keith are kept busy trying to manage and parent their adopted two big boys, Nate wakes up after a new operation, determined on a new direction in his life that involves leaving Brenda, - just before he dies.
Grief following his surprising death overshadows everything, and he gets buried in nature. Brenda later gives birth to their first child. Claire rages out on drugs and goes through a serious accident as a result, and David, who is also coping with the aftereffects of a destructive kidnapping and violent attack recently, is nearly losing his mind.
Claire decides to move to New York without a safety net; David and Keith take over the funeral business and Fisher home, as Ruth moves in with her sister Sarah in Topanga Canyon.
The death-centered show ends with all the major characters dying; not suddenly but in each their time, (with wobbly aging makeup applied), naturally.

The ending of Six Feet Under must be the most cathartic period of television ever made. It will have any fan balling his or her eyes out.
The characters and relationships in the show are truly still as pathetic, crude, narcissistic and egotistical as the ones we are likely to encounter in real life, including ourselves. They are human, wonderful, and often do and say the wrong things. Six Feet Under is a formidable dramatic chronicle of life in the 2000s.

Best episodes:

5: Eat a Peach - Written by Rick Cleveland (Mad Men (2008, TV-series)), Tim Williams; directed by Daniel Minahan (Ray Donovan (2013, TV-series))
Developments for all characters; Claire tries to see herself in a new environment, a dull office.

9. Ecotone - Written by Nancy Oliver (Windfall (2006, TV-series)); directed by Minahan
David and Keith has their work cut out for them as sudden parents to two adopted boys, as Nate wakes up after surgery with new insight.

10. All Alone - Written by Kate Robin (The Affair (2014, TV-series)); directed by Adam Davidson (Bosch (2006-07))
Grief following Nate's death. Joanna Cassidy (The District (2001-02)) is outstanding as Brenda's mother. Music by The Dixie Chicks, Nirvana and Eric Clapton.

12. Everyone's Waiting - Written and directed by Ball
The intensely moving goodbye to the characters and show

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Six Feet Under - season 4 (2004) - Transgressive bite and lots of drama characterize great S4
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Six Feet Under - season 3 (2003) - The Fishers endure to meet a new profound loss in spectacular drama
American Beauty (1999) or, Escape by Death  

Watch a trailer for the season here

Cost: Unknown
Box office: None - TV-series
= Uncertain
[Six Feet Under - season 5 was originally broadcast from 6 June - 21 August at HBO and runs 12 x 55 minute episodes, totaling approximately 660 minutes. Shooting took place in California, including Los Angeles. The season averaged 2.5 mil. viewers in the US, more than a million down from the previous season; the show's lowest average rating. Besides the ratings the show has enjoyed a solid afterlife on home video and now streaming platforms, generating more - regrettably unpublicized - revenue. The season was nominated for 6 Primetime Emmys, winning one, and 4 Creative Emmys, winning one. The show sits at #89 on IMDb's user-generated Top 250 for TV, between Dark (2017-) and South Park (1997-). Ball returned with something different with Towelhead (2007), which he adapted, produced and directed. Krause returned in Civic Duty (2006); Hall in a video game, a short and a TV documentary before hitting theaters in Gamer (2009); Conroy in The Aviator (2004) and Broken Flowers (2005), and Ambrose in Diggers (2006). Six Feet Under - season 5 has the show's highest average rating; it is certified fresh at 97 % with an 8.9/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Six Feet Under season 5?

Six Feet Under - season 4 (2004) - Transgressive bite and lots of drama characterize great S4

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+ Best Continuing TV-series of the Year

The Fishers caught in a mid-air moment of lightness on this poster for the fourth season of Alan Ball's Six Feet Under

The following review of creator Alan Ball's (True Blood (2008-14)) seminal drama series, which revolves around the funeral home-running Fisher family in Los Angeles, contains SPOILERS.

The season's first death, (every episode opens with a death, - usually a person that will subsequently pass through the funeral home in the course of the episode), is an LSD-trip, which ends in a fatal free-fall; an appropriate anti-drug message from a show with lead characters that don't shy away from drug experiences themselves. 
The season kicks off right where season 3 ended: Nathaniel's (Peter Krause (Cybill (1995-97))) wife Lisa has been found dead after going missing, and Nate and his brother David (Michael C. Hall (The Trouble with Bliss (2011))) drive north to claim her remains. Nate overhears Lisa's family's requests and instead buries his late wife in nature, as she had wished it. He experiences problems working in the funeral home subsequently and takes a temporary leave to readjust himself while working as a dog-walker.
Long-time employee and now also a partner in the business, embalmer and restorative artist Rico (Freddy Rodríguez (Bull (2016-19))) starts a demanding relationship on the sly with a stripper, which his wife Vanessa (Justina Machado (The Call (2013))) discovers: She consequently trashes the woman's car and throws Rico out of their home in a bout of fury.
Nate and David's mother Ruth's (Frances Conroy (Angela (1995))) new husband (following the sudden death of their father and her husband through decades, Nathaniel, at the first season's outset) aloof George (James Cromwell (Babe (1995))) gets turd sent in the mail, which plants a doubt about him. Strange employee Arthur (Rainn Wilson (Uncanny (2015))) gets wrongfully fired as a result, before George comes clean about its being his alienated son Kyle, who is sending the unenviable mail.
David's long-time boyfriend Keith (Matthew St. Patrick (Alien Raiders (2008))) goes on a tour as security for young pop-star Celeste, whom he has sex with - and gets fired by. 
David goes through the worst day of his life (episode 5: That's My Dog): A sickening episode in which a psychopathic hitchhiker tortures and threatens David for hours through LA.
Nate and David's younger sister, live-at-home art student Claire (Lauren Ambrose (Swimming (2000))) experiments with her sexuality with power-dyke co-ed Edie (Mena Suvari (American Beauty (1999))) and gets to put up an art show. Ill-equipped to handle the pressure and attention, on the big night she is pompous and coked out. She later enjoys her first orgasm, given to her by Peter Facinelli (The Lather Effect (2006))).
Nate reconnects with past girlfriend and long-time affair Brenda (Rachel Griffiths (Hacksaw Ridge (2016))), who is taking classes to become a therapist.
The season wraps up with intense drama on several fronts: Though Nate has just started connecting a bit with difficult George, he and Ruth's paths stray, as she gets into tantra following a liberating Mexico trip with her wild spirit friend Bettina (Kathy Bates (Valentine's Day (2010))), and he moves into his bomb-shelter in their basement, increasingly paranoid, needing attention from his daughter Maggie (Tina Holmes (Buoy (2012))). David suffers greatly in the aftermath of his attack; he sees the attacker in prison, but this does not change his wounds. - Meanwhile he and Keith plow on in planning to start a rainbow family with surrogacy and adoption.
At an ash-ceremony in Lisa's native Idaho, Nate is attacked by her family for his disposal of her body, but he also learns through a photograph in a book the awful truth behind her mysterious lapse: Her sister's husband was behind her death on a run-away trip as part of a longer affair between the two. As this is revealed, the man, Hoyt, takes his life in front of his family.

Season 4 is packed, at times volatile, and transgressive. It holds each character's dramatic journey authentic and believable, with powerhouse performances across the board, and remains a must-see.

Best episodes:

Episode 5: That's My Dog - Written by Scott Buck (Rome (2007, TV-series)); directed by Alan Poul (The Newsroom (2012-14))
David's life is shaken to its core, as he only just escapes a devastating encounter with random violence and cruelty, taken prisoner by a psychopath hitchhiker one day.

Episode 6: Terror Starts at Home - Written by Kate Robin (One Mississippi (2016-17)); directed by Miguel Arteta (Youth in Revolt (2009))
An incredibly strong and jam-packed episode: Ruth and George's deteriorating relationship worsens; David is falling apart, and Brenda feels claustrophobia in her increasingly serious relationship with her neighbor Joe (Justin Theroux (Bumblebee (2018))).

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American Beauty (1999) or, Escape by Death 

Watch a promo for season 4 here

Cost: Unknown
Box office: None - TV-series
= Uncertain
[Six Feet Under - season 4 was originally broadcast from 13 June - 12 September at HBO and runs 12 x 55 minute episodes, totaling approximately 660 minutes. Shooting took place in California, including Los Angeles. The season averaged 3.7 mil. viewers in the US, a million down from the previous season; probably instrumental in its being decided that the 5th season would be the show's last. Besides the ratings the show has enjoyed a solid afterlife on home video and now streaming platforms, generating more - regrettably unpublicized - revenue. The season was nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys and 3 Creative Emmys. The show sits at #89 on IMDb's user-generated Top 250 for TV, between Dark (2017-) and South Park (1997-). The show returned on 5 June 2005 with the concluding season 5. Ball returned with something different with Towelhead (2007), which he adapted, produced and directed. Krause returned in Civic Duty (2006); Hall in Bereft (2004); Conroy in Catwoman (2004), and Ambrose in Admissions (2004). Six Feet Under - season 4 has been given a 4.4/5 rating by audiences at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Six Feet Under - season 4?

Six Feet Under - season 3 (2003) - The Fishers endure to meet a new profound loss in spectacular drama

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+ Best Continuing TV-series of the Year + Best Drama of the Year + Best Los Angeles Title of the Year

The Fishers and their closest others are gathered in a curiously profound vacuum with many-colored roses surrounding their darkness on this terrific poster for the third season of Alan Ball's Six Feet Under

The third season of creator Alan Ball's (Oh, Grow Up (1999, TV-series)) drama series, which centers on the Los Angeles-centered Fisher family, who run their funeral home business as best they can in the wake of the sudden death of their husband and father and head of the business, Nathaniel, continues as a powerful and intense life's drama.
The following recount includes several SPOILERS:

As the season kicks off we make a leap forward in time: Despite uncertainty-sparking déjà-vus, Nate Fisher's (Peter Krause (Civic Duty (2006))) brain tumor removal operation goes well, and in the period around it his mercurial lover Brenda (Rachel Griffiths (Cosi (1996))) has left him, and he has instead married his old Seattle flame Lisa (a brilliantly acted portrayal of a nervously disturbed woman by Lili Taylor (Pecker (1998))) and together they have created a little gemstone in a baby girl named Maya.
The season introduces a string of new characters: Nathaniel's widow Ruth Fisher's (Frances Conroy (Queen (1993, miniseries))) rebellious friend Bettina (Kathy Bates (The Waterboy (1998))), the funeral home's new intern Arthur (Rainn Wilson (Dominion (2006)) plays the strange bird with humor and sincerity), whom their solid restoration expert Rico (excellent Freddy Rodríguez (Ugly Betty (2007-10))) dubs "very home-schooled", and whom Ruth has a weird crush on for a while. - That is before she happens upon the charismatic, six-times-married George (James Cromwell (Marshall (2017))) at a weak moment following a funeral, whom she later marries, rather impulsively. Her independent art student daughter Claire Fisher (Lauren Ambrose (The Return of Jezebel James (2008, TV-series))) enjoys her new life at the LAC Arts school, where she strikes up a relationship with co-student Russell, (Ben Foster (The Program (2015)) is terrific as the ambiguously masculine deceiver), who screws his male teacher, lies about it and gets the boot.
Brenda is eventually reintroduced to Nate's life, as her new celibate life dictates her taking rounds and excusing her past mistakes. She begins dating her neighbor (Justin Theroux (On the Basis of Sex (2018))), before Nate turns up on her doorstep, busted up and in disintegration: His and Lisa's marriage has slowly deteriorated, and despite a recent reunification at Claire's art school event, Lisa goes missing and stays missing for 3 torturously good episodes (episodes #11-#13, the season's last), - until she is found dead.
In the meantime, Rico's wife Vanessa (Justina Machado (Bones (2010, TV-series))) has become a depressed pill-addict; and the Nate's brother, working bee David (Michael C. Hall (Gamer (2009))) has broken up his long relationship with cop boyfriend Keith (Matthew St. Patrick (Ice Cream in the Cupboard (2019))), - and gotten happily back together with him again.

The performances are all terrific, and the dramatic weight episode for episode is impressive, - somehow without marring the show's realism and authenticity. TV-series only very rarely reach the heights that Six Feet Under steadily navigates.

Best episodes:

11. Death Works Overtime - Written by Rick Cleveland (Inhumans (2017, miniseries)), Nancy Oliver (Lars and the Real Girl (2007)); directed by Daniel Attias (The Americans (2014-18))
Nate files a missing person's report for Lisa, and her disappearance takes its toll on him.

12. Twilight - Written by Craig Wright (Greenleaf (2016-19)), Oliver; directed by Kathy Bates (Have Mercy (2006))
Nate continues to be miserable in a state of unknowing; and Brenda helps Claire have an abortion.

13. I'm Sorry, I'm Lost - Written by Jill Soloway (I Love Dick (2016-17)), Oliver; directed by Alan Ball (True Blood (2008, TV-series))
Nate snaps and unravels in the stress of Lisa's disappearance, when finally definitive news arrive.

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2003 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]  

2003 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]

Watch a promo for season 3 here

Cost: Unknown
Box office: None - TV-series
= Uncertain
[Six Feet Under - season 3 was originally broadcasted from 2 March - 1 June 2003 at HBO and runs 13 x 55 minute episodes, totaling approximately 715 minutes. Shooting took place in California, including Los Angeles. The season averaged 4.7 mil. viewers in the US, where the season marked the show's decline, as its 5.6 mil. peak with season 2 thereafter diminished to 2.5 mil. by the last, 5th season. Besides the ratings the show has enjoyed a solid afterlife on home video and now streaming platforms, generating more revenue. The season was nominated for 9 Emmys and 5 Creative Emmys, winning one; it was also nominated for 3 Golden Globes. The show returned in on 13 June 2004 with season 4. Ball returned with something different with Towelhead (2007), which he adapted, produced and directed. Krause returned in We Don't Live Here Anymore (2004); Hall in Paycheck (2003) and Bereft (2004); Conroy in Die, Mommy, Die! (2003), and Ambrose in Admissions (2004). Six Feet Under - season 3 is the show's 3rd-highest rated; it is fresh at 92 % it has a 6.75/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Six Feet Under - season 3?

Dexter - season 1 (2006) - Manos Jr.'s blood-splatter show provides the cheap thrills it promises

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+ Best Miami Title of the Year

Michael C. Hall is James Manos Jr.'s Dexter

Dexter is Showtime's biggest TV series hit yet, which ended in 2013 after impressive 8 seasons. It is created by James Manos Jr. (The Sopranos (1999), co-producer), and master filmmaker Michael Cuesta (L.I.E. (2001)) is the most recurring director (with 5 out of 12 of the approximately 55 minutes long episodes) in the series' first season.

Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall (Six Feet Under (2001-05)) is a blood splatter expert with the Miami Police. But privately he is also a resourceful, socially inhibited serial killer.
Miami now gets haunted by a clinical serial killer known as the ice truck killer, who sends Dexter messages, while he in turn savors his hunt for this somewhat related, sicko subject.

Supplying the subplots that fill out the majority of the show we have:
Jennifer Carpenter (Faster (2010)), (who since married and divorced Hall in real life), as Dexter's clingy sister/co-detective Debra; Christian Camargo (The Hurt Locker (2008)) as Debra's creepy boyfriend Rudy; David Zayas (Annie (2014)) as co-detective Angel, who faces divorce from his beloved wife; Erik King (Oz (2000-01)) as the suspicious co-detective Doakes; James Remar (Sex and the City (2001-04)) as Dexter's stepfather Harry, whose 'code'/childhood teachings, about how Dexter should put his savage personality to appropriate use, Dexter refers to time and again; C. S. Lee (True Detective (2015) TV-series) as sex-crazed co-cop Masuka; Lauren Vélez (Ugly Betty (2009-10)) is good as the struggling boss Lieutenant Maria LaGuerta; and finally there's Julie Benz (Rambo (2008)) as Dexter's girlfriend Rita, whose ex-husband/co-parent causes disturbances for their tentative, new family.
The Guardian calls Dexter an "amorality tale" on the poster above, and that description is to-the-point; the show's title hero's several vigilante killings are in a way implicitly justified by the show and its audience as it moves along. - And perhaps due to this moral grey zone which Dexter rests in, the show has inspired several killers in real life, which you can read about here.

The main cast of James Manos Jr.'s Dexter season 1

The details:

Dexter is a glitzy, vulgar, gory and amoral entertainment injection, lighted and shot in a TV-trashy, cheap style, not necessarily cheaply made, but cheap in the sense of promiscuous or simple: Dexter's dense narration throughout the season, (about his childhood, actions, feelings, kills, personality, philosophy etc.) gets to feel like getting spoon-fed in the series' worst passages.
But besides sometimes being a bit contrived and convoluted, Dexter is also filled with game actors, at times smart writing and enthusiastically morbid, if sometimes overly disgusting, visuals, (as in episode 10, Seeing Red, in which SPOILER Dexter and Co. discover a completely blood-covered hotel room.) The show has some real Miami flavor and ambiance, which adds to the experience.
Dexter marks itself as entertaining television, but nothing much more than that, in its first season, which ends well, leaving us with the feeling that more mysteries, intrigues and cases await around the corner.

Best episodes:

Episode 11: Truth Be Told (directed by Keith Gordon (The Killing (2011-13)))
With guest star Margo Martindale (August: Osage County (2013)). The loop tightens, (and gets more suspenseful), as Rudy proposes to Debra, and Dexter finally learns the identity of the ice truck killer.

Episode 12: Born Free (directed by Cuesta)
LaGuerta suffers for her macho boss' mistakes, as Dex confronts the sociopath killer.

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Watch an official promo for the first season of Dexter here

Cost: Unknown
Box office: None
= Uncertainty
[Dexter's first season won 2 Primetime Emmys; for Best Editing and Best Main Title Design.]

What do you think of Dexter? 
Over-all and season by season?