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Six Feet Under – the superb TV series – came to a definitive end on 2005–08–21, nearly one year ago. That was for HBO subscribers…

The same fifth (and final) season arrived to the Portuguese public television, during 2006, but – very unfortunately –, ALL episodes were deformed, victims of a terrible Pan-and-Scan treatment. There were plenty of scenes as destroyed as, for example, (1) having two people talking, but fitting only one in the screen; and (2) having the actors faces filling the TV so much, that a casual viewer would think to be watching a Discovery Channel’s documentary on mouths and eyes.

What exactly is the purpose of buying (with public money) a superb tv series, and then compromise it, by cutting every frame’s area? That is a question anyone can ask RTP – but odds are there will be no reply.

Because of this, I decided to buy the fifth season, on DVD, via amazon.co.uk.
I am glad I did it. Each episode on DVD totally surpasses the TV experience, thanks to much better audio and video, not only in technical terms, but also – as mentioned – regarding respect to the original content.

It all ends on Season 5, episode 12, titled “Everyone’s Waiting”.

This 72 minutes episode is one of the most intense Cinema/TV experiences, ever. And I mean it. I really, really mean it. Basically, “Everyone’s Waiting” for his/her death, and everyone will die.

The final minutes of episode 12, show the viewer the death of all the relevant characters, from Ruth Fisher to Federico Diaz… It is painful, because those are/were such solid characters that, to the regular viewer, it was very much like being watching the death of someone close.

Six Feet Under is/was a landmark on TV series. Its quality is stellar, by all criteria.

The closing episode made me feel emotions like nothing else, on TV, ever did.

My rating: 10/10

List of all characters.

Buy, via Amazon.com:
Six Feet Under – The Complete Series (Seasons 1-5)
Six Feet Under – The Complete First Season
Six Feet Under – The Complete Second Season
Six Feet Under – The Complete Third Season
Six Feet Under – The Complete Fourth Season
Six Feet Under – The Complete Fifth Season

Buy, via Amazon.co.uk:
Six Feet Under 1-5 : The Complete DVD Collector’s Edition
Six Feet Under: The Complete First Series
Six Feet Under: Complete Series 2
Six Feet Under: Complete Series 3
Six Feet Under – The Complete Fourth Season
Six Feet Under – The Complete Fifth Season

David’s adopted children will continue the family business.

Brenda will meet a new companion, to help her raise Maya (left) and her premature born child (right).

 

Rico and Vanessa seem to be living in happiness.

Ruth and George are another couple that will endure until the end.

David and Keith get married.

Everyone is at D+K wedding party. Claire takes the pictures.

Ruth is about to die. Claire, David and George are with her.

Nathaniel Fisher, the first one to die on the series, watches his wife departure.

Ruth dies.

George cries on Ruth’s death.

Ruth…

Keith runs his own security firm, but he gets killed on a robbery.

Keith is gone.

Keith…

Claire gets married. The 2nd generation is there. David is on the middle of his adopted children and their companions.

Ted and Claire.

During a family party, David will die, after having a vision of Keith.

David having a vision of Keith – his last vision.

Keith appears to David – very emotive moment.

David…

Rico dies, with what appears Vanessa by his side, on a cruise. His death remembers Nate’s.

Rico…

Billy Chenowith will assist his sister’s death.

Brenda dies.

Brenda…

Claire on her dying bed… The viewer can’t recognise the nurse – that is because she dies very old and alone.

Claire is about to die, remembering all her photos.

Claire…

Claire, the young Claire, closes the TV Series.

The final scene. (Young) Claire’s Toyota Prius fades…