Product Description

One of TV's most acclaimed drama series the Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning Six Feet Under concludes its groundbreaking five season run. Each of the main characters will come to embrace the cycle of life - birth death and re-birth - in ways that are both unique and interconnected. Everything. Everyone. Everywhere. Ends.Running Time: 780 min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA UPC: 026359314421 Manufacturer No: 93144

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1178 in DVD
• Brand: Warner Brothers
• Released on: 2006-03-28
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Formats: Box set, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD-Video, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English, Spanish, French
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish, French
• Dubbed in: French
• Number of discs: 5
• Dimensions: 1.05 pounds
• Running time: 735 minutes

Amazon.com
So much anticipation pools up around the concluding episode of this concluding season that you might be tempted to head straight for said finale, titled "Everyone's Waiting" (and it's so rich you'll find yourself drawn to repeated viewings). But if you can avoid that impulse, it's worth following the full build-up of one crisis after another to get the real payoff. On an episode-by-episode basis, Six Feet Under's fifth season has a decidedly uneven quality, shifting in tone far more drastically, say, than the intensely dark season 4. Character traits that have already been developed at length begin to seem annoyingly repetitious--Nate's (Peter Krause) self-centered frustration and furious lashings out, Billy's (Jeremy Sisto) resurgent psychosis--like leitmotifs run amuck. But this season also benefits from the knowledge we've developed, over the years, of the Fisher family and their loved ones, so that what they end up facing has a real emotional wallop, sometimes jump-starting the drama just where it seems to be in danger of churning itself into circles.

It's hardly a spoiler to mention that 6fu's final season, though bookended by the promise of new beginnings (a wedding in episode 1 to a departure for new prospects in the 12th episode), centers around loss and a pivotal death. The scripts contain more than an occasional sense of inconsequential filler, while some of the recurring thematics seem forced (we see David continue to cope with the scars from his abduction in the previous episode via over-obvious imagery of facing his "inner demons"). Other issues receive especially compelling treatment, above all Brenda's (Rachel Griffiths) desire to have a child and David and Keith's (Mathew St. Patrick) choice to adopt. But the real strength of this season lies in several gripping performances. Ruth (Frances Conroy) touches off a complex series of reactions, simultaneously sympathetic and judgmental, transcending the tendency to appear as a neurotic caricature. The super-talented Lauren Ambrose brings off Claire's emerging self-awareness and maturity with moving touches (she's also got some of the funniest moments as she takes on a stint as a temp in scenes that call to mind the hysterics of The Office). Griffiths' Brenda for her part undergoes a parallel maturing process. And as George's daughter Maggie, Tina Holmes adds a welcome tone of contrast.

6fu, of course, has always been about the paradoxes of finality. But anyone who has developed an attachment to the show's unique tone and creative sensibility will have a tough time saying goodbye. Alan Ball outdoes himself with his script (and direction) for the finale, "Everyone's Waiting," seeding it with echoes from the pilot episode that will enchant aficionados. And the famous fast-forward visions coursing through Claire's imagination as she heads down the highway give the perfect seal to this set of characters. Extras include especially insightful commentaries, including Ball on the finale, retrospectives, and a mini-feature on 6fu's cultural impact. It's safe to say that the show leaves some pretty unforgettable impressions in its wake. --Thomas May

Customer Reviews

Fade to White...
It's a struggle for me not to give this season my "10/10 Classic" rating, because the last handful of episodes--the ones I've seen most recently, so which naturally have the biggest impact--were nearly perfect. However, the season as a whole did indeed have some minor blips that keep it from being as great a collection as Season Three or as consistent as thefirst two seasons. However, as I said before, the way this season--and series--ends is quite beautiful, and those episode leading up to the pitch perfect swan song do, indeed, make up for the awkwardness of the way the season started.

After the somewhat weaker fourth season, "Six Feet Under" bounces back with more beautiful and hilarious episodes showing the Fishers and those around them struggling with death in brand new, heart-wrenching ways. As stated before, the first few episodes of this season do indeed have the directionless feeling that the fourth season suffered from. However, even when it's at its weakest, there is such intelligence and heart put into the writing and, at another level, a bubbling tension that makes you know they're building up to something bigger and tragic. And indeed they are.

From the shocking "Ecotone," to "All Alone," a perfect dissection of grief that, quite frankly, is better than any literature, to the series finale "Everyone's Waiting," this show hit its high note in the end, surpassing the brilliance that had been achieved in earlier seasons. By the time you're watching that final goodbye montage, you'll have forgotten all about the weaker moments earlier in the season. I very much recommend this, but only if the show is watched in order, from start to finish.

It's not a perfect season, and it's not a 10/10. But it's damn close. Perhaps it's not consistent, but each episode has something hilarious, something smart, and something beautiful, and even at it's weakest, it's better than most everything else on television. I'll miss this show dearly, because not only are the character's one of a kind, the show itself is one of the top five of all time. Creator Alan Ball has gained a life-time fan.

9/10

Everyone is Waiting!
This show will stay with you for a long time. The characters are quirky and likable. "Breathe me" by Sia will become a favorite. And the... slight spoiler here.... end - Nate telling Claire " You can't take a picture" it already happened will definetly find you wiping tears away! And gosh could the guys be any sexier? And good for her for being the one to go.

LIFE CHANGING!!!
LET ME JUST SAY THIS: IF YOU DIDN'T LIKE THE FINAL SEASON, YOU'RE AN IDIOT. PLAIN AND SIMPLE. I WILL NEVER FORGET THIS SERIES. IT IS THE BEST SERIES OF ALL TIME. IT IS SUCH A CLASSIC THAT I FEEL I COULD PROBABLY NEVER WATCH IT AGAIN BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T BE DUE JUSTICE. UNBELIEAVEBLE SERIES... GET IT!!!