Pilot

Before I go any further, I must state two things. One, I have never before seen 'Six Feet Under' so the task of reviewing a pilot to a show that I have never been exposed to is difficult for me. And secondly, I have given this episode a distinguished star rating that I very rarely give to movies or TV shows/episodes and for this episode, a pilot, to earn it must say something about how much of an immediate impression the series has made with this one episode.

The opening credits is the viewer's first glimpse into this series and right here, I was glued to this show. The hypnotic, mildly dark and gloomy score combined with the elegant, stylized cinematography that invites the viewer into the world of the show completely spoke to me. By the end of the opening credits, I was invested into the series before a moment of 'actual' footage began. There's only one other pilot to a show that accomplished a similar feat for me personally and that was 'Twin Peaks'.

To combine such contrasting tones of humour and drama around the sensitive and deeply personal subject matter of death is a risky endeavour to put it simply and the end result could have very easily been a disaster. But because of realistic characters at the forefront as well as a restrained use of black comedy within the script, Alan Ball has created a wholesome work.

All the characters introduced here are simply fantastic and I mean no hyperbole. Among all, my favourites were Peter Krause and Michael C. Hall as brothers Nate and David Fischer respectively. There's immediately such high tension between the two characters that I cannot wait to see play out during the show and both Krause and Hall are simply magnificent here. I hope the quality level of their performances do not drop because they translate such wonderful humanity to the characters from script to screen.

The cinematography deserves another mention outside of simply the opening credits. This is a beautifully shot episode, superbly framed (many great uses of high angle shots and tight framing) and beautifully lit (whether it's having the camera bask in the warmth of the daylight or immersing the camera into gloomy scenarios) and the direction is equally fantastic. The cinematography serves the direction and the direction does a stellar job of bringing the material to life.

I absolutely adore this pilot episode. It's one I was hoping to enjoy but for it to have made such a high immediate impression was not something I was necessarily expecting. The world that is created here by Alan Ball is one that I find totally immersive once this first hour ends and the pacing within the hour is perfect. It's an episode that hits the nail on the head for both the drama and the comedy, an uneasy task and in doing so, creates such a uniquely engaging world. The characters all feel so sincere, credit to excellent writing and wonderfully honest lead performances. I cannot sing praises enough for this episode and am curious how it holds up in the context of 'Six Feet Under' as a whole.

Cannot recommend highly enough.

The pilot episodes mostly normal and tells the show is about what and what we are going to watch.

But the pilot of Six Feet Under is totally changes that idea. First of all the scene where Ruth screams after finds out her husband's dead. I was shocked and said to myself this is not a normal show. And i was totally right the black comedy and the emotional funeral scene of Nathaniel Fisher was one of the most beautiful things i've seen on the show.

If you're planning to watch the show you're about to watch an amazing pilot episode, believe me. 10/10.

I haven't really watched many T.V. shows and the ones that I have watched have been anthologies, sketch comedies, sitcoms, or just really short, but after loving both series of "Twin Peaks" and now having nothing left to watch after the season three finale, I decided to finally begin exploring the acclaimed dramedy "Six Feet Under", which has been one my watchlist for quite some time.

The series was created by Alan Ball, who also wrote the screenplay for "American Beauty", which continues to be one of my all time favorite films, no matter how many times I see it. Based on the first episode alone, this series seems to have quite a few similarities with "American Beauty" including a powerful examination of themes of life, love, loneliness, death, secrets, etc., as well as a brilliantly black sense of humor and the occasional satirical wink. Also like "American Beauty", many scenes in this pilot episode are simultaneously sad and funny, which is something I am always impressed heavily by whenever it is done right, and I think that it is pulled off even better and more noticeably here than it is in "Beauty".

It's a very engaging watch for the first time viewer. Right away, we are faced with a hectic situation and are introduced to the cast of complicated and dysfunctional characters in a way that really entertained me while also being genuinely and heavily emotional throughout. I both laughed out loud and cried over the course of this over sixty hour long show's first hour, which is quite impressive and has me hyped for more!

Without a doubt one of the best pilots I have ever seen. The hour makes you laugh and also reflect on the dilemmas of each character. I am hooked from the beginning, I really have to commend the writing and acting. In terms of visuals, many of the scenes arise through rich compositions, which I am sure will be improved upon over next episodes. I'm just so surprised that this is a great pilot.

The Pilot of the series plunged me into a world where death becomes the starting point for contemplating life. Nathaniel Fisher's initial moments of death not only shock but also inspire profound reflections on the fragility of life. Each character is vividly portrayed, and their individual stories weave the fabric of family relationships, creating a captivating emotional landscape. The shock effect here is not just for dramatic purposes; rather, it sets the tone for a series boldly exploring existential questions that permeate our human existence. This episode not only establishes the tone for the series but also prompts contemplation on the meaning of existence and the importance of connections with loved ones.