Six Feet Under: Static
December 10, 2019 9:04 PM - Season 5, Episode 11 - Subscribe

A 22-year-old army vet who has lost both legs and one of his arms commits suicide in a VA hospital using a hypodermic brought to him by his sister. Six weeks after Nate's death, Ruth and George are still caring for Maya, and Billy is staying at Brenda's house. Maggie packs up and leaves town. David continues to struggle with his PTSD, to Keith's dismay and the boys' distress. A drunken Claire gets fired, is verbally abusive towards the deceased army vet's mother and sister, alienates Ted, and totals her car. Rico, who is attempting to run Fisher & Diaz by himself, calls Vanessa in to help out. Brenda conflicts with Ruth over the custody of Maya, and then goes into premature labour.

The obituary from this episode:

Paul Ronald Duncan (1983 - 2005)

Army Staff Sgt. Paul Duncan was born on March 12, 1983 and died on July 1, 2005 at the Veterans Administration Medical Center of Glendale. He received a Purple Heart Medal while serving his country in Iraqi with the 3rd Battalion, 16th Infantry.

Paul graduated from Bellflower High School in 2001, where he was part of the stage crew of the Drama Club and played timpani in the Jazz Band. He was the catcher for the Bellflower Little League for ten years. As Assistant Coach for the Girls' Junior Softball League he led the Jr. Angels to win the regional championship in 1999.

Paul leaves behind his loving sister Holly and his mother, Garland Duncan. He is pre-deceased by his father Robert. Funeral will be held on Wednesday, July 6 at 2 p.m. at Fisher and Diaz 2302 W. 25th Street in Los Angeles. Burial to follow at Los Angeles National Cemetery.
posted by orange swan (1 comment total)
 
Ugh, that cold open. How that sister is going to live with the secret of having enabled her brother's suicide for the rest of her life, I don't know.

This the last of the cold open deaths -- the next episode is the finale, and it begins with a birth, instead of a death.

The Fishers have been through a lot of major life changes in five years: three deaths (all sudden and tragic, and one a murder); Keith's (justifiable) fatal shooting of a suspect; David's abduction and PTSD; three weddings; numerous romantic relationships and break-ups; David's coming out; an abortion; a miscarriage; two births; the adoption of two more children. Claire's reaction seems over the top to me, but then she's very young, this is the third member of her family to die in five years, and she was not in the best place to begin with.

Her being an asshole to Kristen was bad enough (and I don't blame Kirsten for going straight to HR -- I'd have done the same thing), but her being an asshole to Garland and Holly Duncan was completely inexcusable. She didn't know that they'd just lost their son/brother to the Iraq war, but she should have fucking realized that hello, they were at her family's funeral home, and that meant they had almost certainly just been bereaved of someone.

And then she was a shit to Ted, who has been nothing but supportive and there for her. In his place I would have left as he did -- with the keys and the promise to return them the next day -- but otherwise I'd be done.

Billy's actually being very caring, practical, and functional. It's Brenda who's the dysfunctional one, and is turning to Billy in a... inappropriate... way. I suppose it's the extreme stress she's under, but ugh. I shall never be thankful enough that we got through the entire run of Six Feet Under without having to see those two get it on. Brenda's dream was WAY too close to that scenario for my liking.

Brenda is right to insist that Maya remain in her care. Brenda is a good mother. Maya will get to grow up with age-appropriate parents, and with her half sister, and it's less disruptive for Maya to stay where she is.

Rico must be swamped trying to do everything by himself -- running Fisher & Diaz is a job for three people. Good thing he has his capable, sensible wife to help him. And now Vanessa wants him to strike out for himself and buy their own funeral home. She has never liked the Fishers. But I think she's right -- Rico and David want different things, and Rico will never be happy until he can call the shots himself.
posted by orange swan at 12:13 PM on December 11, 2019


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