Everyone's Waiting

Last updated

"Everyone's Waiting"
Six Feet Under episode
Sfu everyones waiting.png
The extended Fisher family toasts Nate's memory at Claire's farewell dinner.
Episode no.Season 5
Episode 12
Directed by Alan Ball
Written byAlan Ball
Featured music"Breathe Me" by Sia
Original air dateAugust 21, 2005 (2005-08-21)
Running time72 minutes
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
← Previous
"Static"		Next →
—
List of episodes

"Everyone's Waiting" is the series finale of the American drama television series Six Feet Under . It is the twelfth episode of the fifth season and the 63rd episode overall. It was written and directed by series creator Alan Ball and originally aired in the United States on HBO on August 21, 2005. The episode was met with critical acclaim from both critics and viewers alike, and is often being cited as one of the finest series finales in the history of television. [1]

Contents

Plot

The episode begins like no other in the series: not with a death, but with a birth. Willa Fisher Chenowith is born prematurely, and Brenda is plagued by visions of Nate, who vicariously conveys Brenda's internal fears that the child will not survive and insists that he cannot accept it if she does make it and that she is "damaged". Ruth stays by Brenda's side during Willa's recovery and stops fighting to keep Maya with her. Brenda later has a vision of Nate and Nathaniel holding Willa, with Nate showing his love for both Brenda and their daughter, suggesting that Brenda is finally positive for Willa's health and welfare.

Ruth sinks even deeper into her depression when Brenda takes Maya back. George tries to comfort her and promises he will help her get through it. Ruth is helped by a phone call to Maggie when she tells Ruth that Nate was happy the night he suffered his ultimately fatal stroke.

Claire gets back into photography with Ted's help, and later receives a phone call from a stock photography company in New York saying they have a position for her as a photographer's assistant. She later finds out that Olivier recommended her for the position. After finding her mother crying, she says she will stay at home to help her, but Ruth insists that she move to New York, so she will not regret it later. Ruth also unfreezes the trust fund set up by her father. Claire later finds out that the photo company consolidated its operations and her position is no longer available. As she considers calling off her trip, Nate tells her she needs to go to start a new life in New York anyway, as he did years earlier when he moved to Seattle with no guarantee of employment.

As per Keith's suggestion, David agrees to temporarily leave home, so he can recover from the loss of his brother, and returns to the funeral home. During a nightmare, he is confronted by Nathaniel about considering leaving the business and his sexuality. He is then confronted by the attacker in a red hooded sweater that has plagued his recent thoughts. This time, David fights back and finally sees his own face, allowing him to let go of his past

Rico, disillusioned by the direction Fisher and Diaz have been taking, encourages David to sell the funeral home as he has had the business valued and realizes that his 25% share is worth $500,000, which he and Vanessa want to use to buy their own funeral home. David initially agrees, but changes his mind after having a vision of his father Nathaniel telling him that the business is his birthright. Instead, David and Keith buy out Rico's 25% share using Keith's life savings, freeing the Diaz family to pursue their own venture. Brenda also agrees to give David and Keith as much time as they need to buy her share, which she inherited from Nate. Keith and David move into the funeral home with their sons Durell and Anthony and redecorate it. Ruth initially plans to move in with George but changes her mind and instead moves in with her sister while continuing her relationship with George in separate residences.

Nate visits Claire one last time as she prepares to leave for New York. Sfu everyones waiting b.png
Nate visits Claire one last time as she prepares to leave for New York.

The extended Fisher family (except the Diaz family who have their own family dinner to celebrate the buyout) has a farewell dinner for Claire where they reminisce about Nate, telling stories and toasting Nate's memory. The next morning, Claire has a tearful goodbye with her family and drives off into her future.

The episode ends with flash-forwards to milestone events in the main characters' lives and, ultimately, their deaths. The montage, set to Sia's "Breathe Me", is intercut with views of Claire driving out of Los Angeles.

In the flash-forwards, Ruth is seen enjoying life in Topanga; David teaches Durrell about embalming; the extended Fisher family celebrates Willa's birthday; and David and Keith get married. Ruth dies in 2025 of old age in the hospital, with David, Claire, and George at her side. She sees her deceased husband Nathaniel and son Nate before she dies. Ted shows up unannounced at Ruth's funeral; Claire and Ted later get married. Keith is shot and killed in 2029 by robbers while exiting an armored truck owned by his self-named security firm. At a family function in 2044, David dies of a heart attack after seeing a vision of a young Keith smiling at him. While on a cruise with his wife in 2049, Rico has a heart attack and collapses. Brenda dies of old age in 2051 at her home while her brother Billy talks to her about Claire and Ted. Finally, in 2085, having outlived them all, Claire dies at the age of 102 in her own home, with photographs of the Fisher family adorning her walls.

Reception

In 2006, the episode received five Primetime Emmy Award nominations at the 58th Primetime Emmy Awards. Creator Alan Ball was nominated for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series and Outstanding Directing for a Drama series; it was also nominated for Outstanding Art Direction for a Single-Camera Series and Outstanding Hairstyling for a Series. It would win for Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup for a Series, Miniseries, Movie, or Special. [2]

TV Guide ranked the episode #22 on its list of "TV's Top 100 Episodes of All Time" and also named it one of the best TV moments of the decade. [3] [4] Entertainment Weekly put it on its end-of-the-decade, "best-of" list, saying, "Wrapping up an acclaimed show is pretty much a no-win proposition (e.g., The Sopranos ). But Alan Ball's 2005 coda distilled all that we'd learned about life and death after five seasons with the Fishers." [5]

In 2011, the finale was ranked #8 on the TV Guide Network special, TV's Most Unforgettable Finales. [6] The finale's closing montage was directly parodied in the Season 29 finale for The Simpsons.

Related Research Articles

<i>Six Feet Under</i> (TV series) American drama television series

Six Feet Under is an American drama television series created and produced by Alan Ball that premiered on the premium television network HBO on June 3, 2001, and ended on August 21, 2005, after five seasons consisting of 63 episodes. The show depicts the lives of the Fisher family, who run a funeral home in Los Angeles, along with their friends and lovers.

<i>Rhoda</i> American television sitcom (1974–1978)

Rhoda is an American sitcom television series created by James L. Brooks and Allan Burns starring Valerie Harper that originally aired on CBS for five seasons from September 9, 1974, to May 18, 1979. It was the first spin-off of The Mary Tyler Moore Show in which Harper reprised her role as Rhoda Morgenstern, a spunky and flamboyantly fashioned young woman seen as unconventional by the standards of her Jewish family from New York City. The series was originally distributed by Viacom Enterprises.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kyra Sedgwick</span> American actress (born 1965)

Kyra Minturn Sedgwick is an American film and television actress. She is best known for her starring role as Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson on the crime drama The Closer (2005–2012), for which she won a Golden Globe in 2007 and an Emmy Award in 2010. She also starred in the 1992 TV film Miss Rose White, which won an Emmy Award. She was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for her performance in the 1995 film Something to Talk About. Sedgwick's other film credits include Oliver Stone's Born on the Fourth of July (1989) and Cameron Crowe's Singles (1992). She also had a recurring role as Madeline Wuntch on the sitcom Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Sedgwick is married to fellow actor Kevin Bacon.

<i>Kingswood Country</i> Australian television sitcom (1980-1984)

Kingswood Country is an Australian sitcom that was broadcast on the Seven Network from 1980 to 1984. It was created by Gary Reilly and Tony Sattler and produced by their production company, RS Productions. The series starred Ross Higgins, Judi Farr, Peter Fisher, Laurel McGowan and Lex Marinos, and was a spin-off from a series of sketches on the comedy sketch series The Naked Vicar Show.

David Fisher (<i>Six Feet Under</i>) Character from TV series Six Feet Under

David James Fisher is a fictional character played by Michael C. Hall on the HBO television series Six Feet Under. The character is the middle child of three and is a third-generation funeral director. Initially, the character is portrayed as conservative, dutiful to his family, emotionally repressed, and conflicted about his homosexuality. Over the course of the series, he faces struggles and triumphs both personally and professionally. His most significant challenges are related to keeping his funeral home in business, navigating his relationship with Keith Charles, surviving being carjacked, and coping with the death of his father. By the show's end, he reconciles his religious beliefs, personal goals, and homosexuality, and he and Keith settle down. They adopt two children: eight-year-old Anthony and 12-year-old Durrell. The series finale and official HBO website indicate that Keith is murdered in a robbery in 2029, and that David at some point finds companionship with Raoul Martinez, with whom he remains until David's death at the age of 75.

The Plan (<i>Six Feet Under</i>) 3rd episode of the 2nd season of Six Feet Under

"The Plan" is the third episode of the second season of the HBO series Six Feet Under. The episode was written by Kate Robin and was directed by Rose Troche. It first aired on March 17, 2002. The episode features a parody of the program used by est and The Forum.

<i>Damages</i> (TV series) American legal thriller television series

Damages is an American legal thriller television series created by writing and production trio Daniel Zelman, Glenn Kessler, and Todd A. Kessler. It premiered on July 24, 2007, on FX and aired for three seasons before moving to the DirecTV channel Audience Network in 2010, airing for two further seasons, and concluding in 2012.

Leverage is an American action crime drama television series, which aired on TNT from December 7, 2008, to December 25, 2012. The series was produced by Electric Entertainment, a production company of executive producer and director Dean Devlin. Leverage follows a five-person team: a thief, a grifter, a hacker, and a retrieval specialist, led by former insurance investigator Nathan Ford, who use their skills to carry out heists to fight corporate and governmental injustices inflicted on ordinary citizens.

Family Portrait (<i>Modern Family</i>) 24th episode of the 1st season of Modern Family

"Family Portrait" is the twenty-fourth episode and the season finale of the first season of the American family sitcom television series Modern Family and the twenty-fourth episode of the series overall. It originally aired on ABC on May 19, 2010. The episode was written by Ilana Wernick and directed by Jason Winer. It guest stars Kobe Bryant and Sean Smith.

"Pilot" is the pilot episode of the American funeral drama television series Six Feet Under. It premiered in the United States on the premium cable network HBO on June 3, 2001. The episode was written and directed by the show's creator, Alan Ball.

<i>Damages</i> season 3 Season of television series

The third season of the FX legal drama series Damages premiered on January 25, 2010 and concluded on April 19, 2010. It consisted of 13 episodes, bringing the series total to 39. Damages was created by brothers Todd and Glenn Kessler, along with Daniel Zelman, each of whom served as executive producer and contributed four scripts for the season, including the premiere and the finale.

<i>Mad Men</i> season 4 Season of television series

The fourth season of the American television drama series Mad Men premiered on July 25, 2010, and concluded on October 17, 2010. It consisted of thirteen episodes, each running approximately 48 minutes in length. AMC broadcast the fourth season on Sundays at 10:00 pm in the United States.

"Dyin' on a Prayer" is the 4th episode of season 4 of the supernatural drama television series Grimm and the 70th episode overall, which premiered on November 14, 2014, on the cable network NBC. The episode was written by Sean Calder and was directed by Tawnia McKiernan.

"Nobody Is Ever Missing" is the tenth and final episode of the first season of the HBO satirical comedy-drama television series Succession. It was written by series showrunner Jesse Armstrong and directed by Mark Mylod, and aired on August 5, 2018.

<i>Ted Lasso</i> American sports comedy-drama television series

Ted Lasso is an American sports comedy-drama television series developed by Jason Sudeikis, Bill Lawrence, Brendan Hunt, and Joe Kelly, based on a character Sudeikis portrayed in a series of promotional media for NBC Sports's coverage of England's Premier League. The show follows Ted Lasso, an American college football coach who is hired to coach an English soccer team whose owner secretly hopes his inexperience will lead it to failure, but whose folksy, optimistic leadership proves unexpectedly successful.

"Headspace" is the seventh episode of the second season of the American sports comedy-drama television series Ted Lasso, based on the character played by Jason Sudeikis in a series of promos for NBC Sports' coverage of England's Premier League. It is the 17th overall episode of the series and was written by Phoebe Walsh and directed by Matt Lipsey. It was released on Apple TV+ on September 3, 2021.

"No Weddings and a Funeral" is the tenth episode of the second season of the American sports comedy-drama television series Ted Lasso, based on the character played by Jason Sudeikis in a series of promos for NBC Sports' coverage of England's Premier League. It is the 20th overall episode of the series and was written by co-executive producer Jane Becker and directed by MJ Delaney. It was released on Apple TV+ on September 24, 2021.

"Midnight Train to Royston" is the eleventh episode of the second season of the American sports comedy-drama television series Ted Lasso, based on the character played by Jason Sudeikis in a series of promos for NBC Sports' coverage of England's Premier League. It is the 21st overall episode of the series and was written by Sasha Garron and directed by MJ Delaney. It was released on Apple TV+ on October 1, 2021.

"Inverting the Pyramid of Success" is the twelfth episode and season finale of the second season of the American sports comedy-drama television series Ted Lasso, based on the character played by Jason Sudeikis in a series of promos for NBC Sports' coverage of England's Premier League. It is the 22nd overall episode of the series and was written by main cast member Jason Sudeikis and executive producer Joe Kelly and directed by supervising producer Declan Lowney. It was released on Apple TV+ on October 8, 2021.

References

  1. ↑  • "Six Feet Under – The 100 Best TV Shows of All-Time". Time . September 6, 2007. Archived from the original on March 17, 2010. Retrieved March 28, 2010.
     • "5 Best TV Finales". Pop Vultures. March 14, 2008. Archived from the original on July 15, 2011. Retrieved March 28, 2010.
     • "The Best Series Finales". UGO.com. June 11, 2007. Archived from the original on August 24, 2010. Retrieved March 28, 2010.
     • "Top 10 TV Series Finales: The Sopranos, Friends, Cheers". Film.com. April 2, 2009. Archived from the original on March 16, 2010. Retrieved March 28, 2010.
  2. ↑ "Nominees/Winners". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
  3. ↑ "TV's Top 100 Episodes of All Time: #40-21". Archived from the original on April 9, 2010. Retrieved February 5, 2010.
  4. ↑ "Top Moments of the Decade". TV Guide . Archived from the original on July 12, 2010. Retrieved February 12, 2010.
  5. ↑ Geier, Thom; Jensen, Jeff; Jordan, Tina; Lyons, Margaret; Markovitz, Adam; Nashawaty, Chris; Pastorek, Whitney; Rice, Lynette; Rottenberg, Josh; Schwartz, Missy; Slezak, Michael; Snierson, Dan; Stack, Tim; Stroup, Kate; Tucker, Ken; Vary, Adam B.; Vozick-Levinson, Simon; Ward, Kate (December 11, 2009), "THE 100 Greatest Movies, TV Shows, Albums, Books, Characters, Scenes, Episodes, Songs, Dresses, Music Videos, and Trends That Entertained Us Over the Past 10 Years". Entertainment Weekly . (1079/1080):74–84
  6. ↑ TV's Most Unforgettable Finales – Aired May 22, 2011, on TV Guide Network
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.