Episode Report Card Aaron: C+ | 1 USERS: A+ YOU GRADE IT 'Til Death Do Us Part
By Aaron | Season 1 | Episode 3 | Aired on 06.16.2001
Much like myself, the Ironic Segue Fairy apparently never gets a week off, as we cut from Nate's "I love that look" to one of this show's signature depth-of-field shots. David is slumped at the kitchen table in the foreground, with Mom scrubbing dishes at the sink behind him. He moans about all the nasty things Kroehner is doing to put them out of business. Mom feels he's being too dramatic, and that The Late Nate never let these sorts of things bother him. Claire comes down the steps, looking radiant in her red robe, and answers her mother's inquiry as to what's going on with, yep, that's right, a musical number. The house lights dim, and Claire rips off the robe to reveal a singularly unflattering sequined gown. Mom and Michael C. Hall appear behind her as backup singers and dancers, and I'll give you one guess as to which of those two looks as if they've actually worked on Broadway before. Anyway, Claire sings, David smiles, and the director apparently forgets everything he learned in composition class at film school as he cuts off half of David's head and can't keep his characters on their light marks. I also wonder if Peter Krause will be forced to retract his well-publicized criticism of Ally McStarfucker sometime soon. Thankfully, the song ends and we cut back to Claire at the table. Then Nate arrives and, much to David's dismay, divulges that he spent the night at Brenda's. "Why do you have to tell people everything you do all day?" wonders his brother, and Nate apologizes; he forgot they were all "supposed to live under a veil of secrecy." Anyway, Nate thinks they should sell, because it's an excellent offer. David is indignant, and they rehash much of the first two episodes' plotlines before Mom chimes in that she agrees with Nate. David storms off in a huff, angrily giving them permission to sell and "invalidate [his] entire life." Which, I thought, was precisely what he wanted. Nate announces that he'll inform Gilardi tomorrow.
Cut to The Sitting Room Of Coffin Selection, where Dumb's fat, frumpy wife and two thin, frumpy daughters (all of whom are apparently being played by Molly Shannon in full-on Superstar mode) are making funeral arrangements. They finally settle on a resting vessel with a satin interior, and then Bitchy Daughter (as opposed to Whiny Daughter) mentions that they only selected Fisher & Sons because the brochure promised a "gifted restorative artist." David is a bit taken aback by the idea that they might want an open casket for a guy who was essentially shredded, but readily agrees once they threaten to take their business elsewhere. I think I caught Whiny Daughter sniffing her armpits in that last shot. Cut downstairs, where Federico is inquiring about the "Humpty Dumpty." Get it? Because they have to put him back together again? What insouciant wit this show displays. Federico is airbrushing rouge (but not Regina Rouge) onto some dead woman's face as he explains that he can't pick Dumb up from the morgue because of a previous family commitment. David offers him some extra cash to do the job, but finally Federico convinces him to send Nate.