Episode Report Card Aaron: A | 1 USERS: A+ YOU GRADE IT Dia De La Muerta
By Aaron | Season 2 | Episode 12 | Aired on 05.18.2002
In any case, the fight eventually moves out into the hallway, where Brenda reminds Nate that he picked her, and that he knew how "fucked up" she was and loved it, because "it made [him] feel good about [himself]." Well, at least she's adept at analyzing others, even if she can't see her own faults. "You just can't see it," she continues obliviously, "because you're so in love with the idea of Nate the good guy, Nate the hero, Nate the fucking saint with the fucking great haircut. The truth is that you would run from real love if it ever came at you." Um, "the fucking great haircut"? I can't tell if that's supposed to be a shout-out or a commentary on just how insane Brenda really is. I still laughed like a little girl, though. I'd also like to take a quick moment to give credit to both the actors and the director for this scene. Peter Krause and Rachel Griffiths are as terrific as you'd expect, and the director's decision to film everything with a hand-held camera really helps to capture the tension of the scene. I've yelled at them for being too "edgy" with the camerawork in the past, but here it totally works. Once the screaming is finally done, Nate stares at his fiancée for a moment, and then angrily yanks the engagement ring off his finger. "Don't you throw that ring at me," sobs Brenda. "That is such a fucking cliché. I'll fucking barf." And with a withering glare, Nate does exactly fucking that. "Here," he says, tossing it into the air. "Barf." It's the perfect line to end their relationship on, and he turns to leave The Promiscuity Palace forever. ["And Samson said unto them, 'Though ye have done this, yet will I be avenged of you.'" -- Judges 15:7]
Now see, on most shows, that would be more than enough for the final climactic scene. But not on Six Feet Under, no sirree Bob. Now we cut back to the Fortress, where Ruth is frantically cleaning everything in sight. She's interrupted by a phone call from Lisa, who's asking for Nate. After some small talk that makes it clear that these two are at least familiar with each other, Lisa drops the big baby bombshell -- namely, that said baby has arrived (early, allegedly, although that's up for debate, and has been in the forums all week). Lili Taylor manages to justify all the great things people always say about her acting with nothing more than a look of wistful annoyance when she discovers that Nate hasn't even told his own mother about his daughter. As she explains, and reveals that she's named the child Maya, Ruth is completely speechless. On the other hand, at least she doesn't have that evil smile she was wearing the last time she met Nate's kids.