Back to the Garden (Six Feet Under)
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| "Back to the Garden" | |
|---|---|
| Six Feet Under episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 2 Episode 7 |
| Directed by | Dan Attias |
| Written by | Joey Soloway |
| Cinematography by | Alan Caso |
| Editing by | Michael Ruscio |
| Original release date | April 14, 2002 |
| Running time | 56 minutes |
| Guest appearances | |
| |
"Back to the Garden" is the seventh episode of the second season of the American drama television series Six Feet Under. It is the 20th overall episode of the series and was written by producer Joey Soloway, and directed by Dan Attias. It originally aired on HBO on April 14, 2002.
The series is set in Los Angeles, and depicts the lives of the Fisher family, who run a funeral home, along with their friends and lovers. It explores the conflicts that arise after the family's patriarch, Nathaniel, dies in a car accident. In the episode, David and Keith try to resume their relationship, while Nate consults with a rabbi on the concept of death. Meanwhile, Claire goes with Sarah to a party for the weekend.
According to Nielsen Media Research, the episode was seen by an estimated 6.10 million household viewers and gained a Nielsen household rating of 4.0. The episode received highly positive reviews from critics, who praised the performances, pacing and tone. For the episode, Patricia Clarkson won Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series at the 54th Primetime Emmy Awards.
Jeffrey Shapiro goes to his private gym room, where he starts watching porn. He uses a weight machine to place his belt on his neck, performing erotic asphyxiation on himself. However, he gets stuck on the belt and ends up suffocating.
Keith (Mathew St. Patrick) begins to fantasize that he and David (Michael C. Hall) resume their relationship. After arguing with Eddie (Terrell Clayton), Keith decides to break up with him. He wants to be friends with David again, but he is still skeptical after Keith told him they could not be friends. Eventually, they agree to go on a first date, but their plans are cancelled when Taylor (Aysia Polk) has an emergency appendectomy. Keith blames himself for not prioritizing Taylor's pain, and gets into an argument with David. After talking with Keith and staying with her, Keith finds that David stayed in the hospital for the night.
Nate (Peter Krause) consults with Rabbi Ari (Molly Parker), who is working on Shapiro's Jewish funeral, to talk over the concept of death. She explains that she does not think of death and that her life seeks to honor God, while Nate admits his own uncertainty regarding God's existence. She also states she cannot save him, and that only Brenda (Rachel Griffiths) can make him change for the better. During this, Brenda meets with Margaret (Joanna Cassidy), who is delighted after finally separating from her husband. Brenda wants to help her move on, but Margaret reiterates she does not need her. Rico (Freddy Rodriguez) suspects his cousin Ramon is having sex with Vanessa, but when he comes home early he catches Ramon with another man. While upset as his children could have seen him, he covers for him with their wives.
Claire (Lauren Ambrose) visits Sarah (Patricia Clarkson) on the weekend of a big party, despite Ruth (Frances Conroy) opposing. Bored with the lifestyle of Sarah's friends, Claire hangs out with a boy named Toby (Stark Sands), who does not want for their relationship to move past intimate. Sarah also has a conversation with Claire over their treatment of Ruth, asking her to not reject her. When she returns home, she finds Ruth alone, realizing she is not too different from Sarah's lifestyle.
Production
Development
The episode was written by producer Joey Soloway, and directed by Dan Attias. This was Soloway's first writing credit, and Attias' first directing credit.[1]