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Finally! After far too long, the second season of Six Feet Under has been released on DVD. I don’t understand how HBO releases DVDs… things like The Sopranos come out quite quickly, but stuff that I really, really want to see such as Six Feet Under or Mr. Show show up years later. While I wish that I could have seen it sooner, one of the great things about having a DVD of a series is that you can watch it all closer together instead of parcelling it out over four months. I’ve tried to avoid finding out a lot about how the show has progressed, but that’s not really the point, as what makes the show interesting isn’t the surprises, but the amazing cast combined with the quirky writing and directing.
I’ve only watched the first episode of the second season, but I really liked it and I can’t wait to wade through the other episodes. It’s awkward at first, but everyone seems to know that. The characters are reestablished slowly and the whole thing feels like someone you’ve known and loved for a long time that you finally see again. They’ve changed a bit, but they’re still the same person and you’ve forgotten a few things about them which can be a bit awkward. The big difference on the other side of the camera was that the show became popular which can change things. Luckily in the hands of Alan Ball and the cast and crew it still works.
I love the show and I love the cast. Peter Krause is one of my favourite actors. Maybe it’s because he’s not overexposed and that he’s got a knack for portraying a character in a subtle way that makes you forget that he’s an actor. Years ago when I saw the pilot for Six Feet Under I stayed up far too late because I saw Krause and couldn’t stop watching. Krause, along with the whole cast is trying to figure out who he is and what he is supposed to do. How do you fit in with your family? What is the right choice? There are no easy answers and we watch a group of people that we care about struggling with their lives. In the vast wasteland that is television today with the channels filling up with less original material and more “reality” it’s good to see something well-crafted that has respect for the craft of drama and respect for the audience.
