Six Feet Under: Hold My Hand

November 13, 2019 8:10 PM - Season 5, Episode 3

George relives his childhood memory of the day of his mother's death, and experiences worsening symptoms. Nate begins to get to know Maggie. Brenda begins to learn to deal with her patients, and gets a glimpse of what a therapist's family can be like. David and Keith do their adoption paperwork, but forget to include a crucial piece of information. Billy begins dreaming of moving to Europe, and goes on a shopping spree. Claire discovers her mother has tied up her college trust fund. Rico runs into his former wife Vanessa at a singles event, and former Fisher & Sons employee Angela at a funeral director's conference.

The obituary from this episode:

Loretta Smith Sibley

Loretta Smith Sibley left this world on September 9th at the age of 47. Loretta grew up in Paoli, PA and earned a degree in Art History from Bryn Mawr College in 1920. She worked as an administrator for the Philadelphia Council for the Arts for nine years. Loretta leaves behind her cherished son George and is survived by her two loving sisters Abigail Smith and Marie Altman. Private services will be held for the family at Becker Family Mortuary on Spruce Street.

posted by orange swan (2 comments total)

I'd somehow forgotten about the horrific cold open involving George's mother's suicide. His mother must have been more than just depressed to do such a thing to him -- that was narcissistic. No wonder George has such problems maintaining emotional connections with others and has serious mental health problems. And he has told Ruth nothing of this, and she can still barely contain her boiling resentment over finding herself married to someone who is serious mentally ill.

Nate comes across rather well in this episode in his concern and care for George. The Fishers have accepted George as a member of their family, and even have affection for him. Nate also appreciates that George loves Maya, who would be grandfatherless if not for him -- I don't suppose she'll be seeing her Grandfather Kimmel much.

Another thing I'd forgotten was that Maggie has lost a child and is divorced, as well as having a distant and mentally ill father. She's had a hard life. She seems quite Ruth-like, as Lisa did: gentle, caring, responsible. Brenda is more like Nathaniel, and like Nate himself: sardonic and heedless. Maybe Nate really does need the balance of a Ruth-type.

Brenda getting assaulted by that student was shockingly abrupt. I hope they expelled that asshole, and that he faced charges. At least it led to her getting invited home to dinner by her supervisor, which led in turn to her realizing that therapists can have normal, supportive, happy families.

Keith handled David freaking out at him over the adoption application denial very well. David so was out of line to act as though it was Keith's fault that his arrest for banging a hooker torpedoed the adoption process, yet Keith handled it with patience, understanding, and honesty. But... I don't know how they got even that far in the process. Both of them have fairly recent documented incidents of assaulting someone.

Billy's manic, though at present it looks like fun and games.

In Ruth's place I would have refused Claire the use of her college fund too, though I would have told her in advance -- preferably before she decided to leave school -- rather than leaving her high and dry with no warning. Claire should be either going to school or working, not running through her inheritance. I know she's producing artwork, but if she isn't selling enough to live on then she should find a source of regular income. Claire really is rather spoiled. She's 21 and has never had a job (unless you count working for Olivier briefly) and has never even had to do any housekeeping (her mother vacuums her room for her). Consequently, in her mind, she believes she should just be able to do what she finds meaningful and live off money from her parents. Time for a reality check.

Rico and Vanessa have achieved civility with each other unrealistically fast. It has only been seven months since Vanessa found out about Sophia.

Rico's foray into amore with Angela was one of the few good scenes to come out of his marital difficulties plotline. Man, I still wish she had lasted longer as a Fisher & Sons employee. Or that she had lasted longer as Rico's love interest. Basically I just want more freaky, motor mouth Angela.
posted by orange swan at 3:59 PM on November 14, 2019

Rico's foray into amore with Angela was one of the few good scenes to come out of his marital difficulties plotline. Man, I still wish she had lasted longer as a Fisher & Sons employee
A Six Feet Under where Angela has been the one the one to stick around with Fisher and Son's while Rico went elsewhere would have been compelling, in fact.

I love Billie and Claire's plan to move to Europe - but not to France or Italy because that would be too cliché - instead for Claire to make in Barcelona with her high school Spanish - while maybe picking up some Basque. Good luck with that plan!

Digital cameras just starting to take over from analogue for serious photographers at this point. For dramas that means the loss of many great scenes set in dark rooms - watching people noodle around with layers in Photoshop does not really have the same dramatic appeal.
posted by rongorongo at 12:09 AM on July 8, 2022