It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year (Six Feet Under)
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| "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" | |
|---|---|
| Six Feet Under episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 2 Episode 8 |
| Directed by | Alan Taylor |
| Written by | Scott Buck |
| Cinematography by | Alan Caso |
| Editing by | Sue Blainey |
| Original release date | April 21, 2002 |
| Running time | 54 minutes |
| Guest appearances | |
| |
"It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" is the eighth episode of the second season of the American drama television series Six Feet Under. It is the 21st overall episode of the series and was written by supervising producer Scott Buck, and directed by Alan Taylor. It originally aired on HBO on April 21, 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, the family is forced to work on Christmas for a funeral, which coincides with Nathaniel's death anniversary.
According to Nielsen Media Research, the episode was seen by an estimated 6.97 million household viewers and gained a Nielsen household rating of 4.3. The episode received critical acclaim, with critics praising the performances, writing, tone, flashbacks and ending.
Jesse Johnson reluctantly accepts his wife's request to start his seasonal job as Santa Claus at a mall. As he drives off on his motorcycle, he salutes three children who call him from a bench in the park. Distracted, he accidentally crashes with a car, dying.
Johnson's family pays Fisher & Sons to set up his funeral for Christmas Day, paying more than usual as the family does not usually work on that day. The family is not completely delighted with the holiday, as it marks the one-year anniversary of Nathaniel's death. Ruth (Frances Conroy) makes Claire (Lauren Ambrose) accompany her to church, and she in turn decides to hang out with Toby (Stark Sands), whom she now considers her boyfriend. However, Claire's family and personality end up being too much for Toby, and they decide to break up. When Vanessa (Justina Machado) questions Rico (Freddy Rodriguez) for firing Ramon, he finally admits that he caught him having sex with a man.
The holidays also mark the anniversary of Nate (Peter Krause) and Brenda (Rachel Griffiths), who visit Margaret (Joanna Cassidy). However, Brenda is shocked that Margaret is now taking care of Billy (Jeremy Sisto), who has left the hospital. Brenda is not content, as she believes she only brought him so she would not be alone rather than care for him. She continues having brief sexual encounters with men and discussing it with Melissa (Kellie Waymire). On Christmas Eve, Ruth visits Nikolai (Ed O'Ross), and is surprised to see that he was mugged. He decides to take him to her house, telling her family that he will stay with them for a few days. David (Michael C. Hall) convinces Keith (Mathew St. Patrick) to come along with Taylor (Aysia Polk) to the Christmas dinner.
Throughout the episode, flashbacks depict the last conversations that Nathaniel (Richard Jenkins) had with his family before his death; while he had mixed encounters with his children, he had a last tender moment with Ruth, and was on good terms with Rico, telling him to have a day off to be with his family. As David and Keith take Taylor home, they are surprised when Karla shows up with gifts. Nate and Brenda start having sex, but Nate has a severe seizure. He finally reveals his AVM to Brenda. While shocked, she comforts Nate. The following day, Nate finds that Johnson's wife has given him a motorcycle for helping with the funeral. He takes the motorcycle and rides off into the highway.
Production
Development
The episode was written by supervising producer Scott Buck, and directed by Alan Taylor. This was Buck's first writing credit, and Taylor's first directing credit.[1]