Oh, you have a Claire icon! And an adorable one, too.
A warning: should you check my six foot under tag, avoid the poll I made about Ruth's and Claire's various boyfriends, as it has spoilers for the entire show.
I loved the Bren and Lisa bonding, too (and was very cheered to see Brenda having dealt with her issues, I remember thinking when I first watched the season). And yes, Lisa nags, but as you say, Nate isn't really invested, plus she herself is under a lot of pressure (s3 is the one with her ghastly landlady/boss, right?).
Generally, SFU does good in showing us how relationships develop beyond the giddy first falling in love stage, which is one of the many interesting aspects of the show. You mentioned Rico & Vanessa, who are another long term relationship throughout the seasons. We even, in addition to Ruth's current day status quo, get a good idea of what her marriage with Nathaniel was like even though he dies in the pilot. And of course the show presents various important friendships and family relationships. Your current marathoning has inspired me to start my own rewatch, btw. I just did the first two episodes and thought often, wow, such and such is already set up here - well done, writers!
Once you've reached mid season 4: I did write a pretty big SFU ensemble story set at that point, which is my fictional love declaration to the show; it's also crossover with Angel (the Buffy spin-off) in its fifth season. As both shows take place in Los Angeles and, err, someone dies in s5 of Angel, the premise of that person getting buried by Fisher & Diaz made for an ideal crossover excuse, and because the usual Six Feet Under episode deals with a death and the fallout featuring clients of the week whom we mostly haven't met before, I think one can read it even without knowing all the AtS folk.
It's from one of my favourite Claire moments! Whatta little moonlight can do for you :)
Yes, OMG! Lisa's boss lady was horrific. I don't blame Lisa one bit for quitting. Poor Lisa. (I'm up to 3x12 by the way. Lisa is missing and chances of her showing up alive are really not looking good. *sniff*)
Oooh, you're rewatching? I've a feeling I'll want to rewatch this show too eventually. Look forward to your your rewatch reflections. I've been trying to do a rewatch of BSG but that's been halted for SFU.
Good crossover concept! I'm afraid I never watched Angel (I only know Buffy). I'll take a look anyway though. I have read some of your earlier SFU reviews already.
PS. I finished S3 last night. Feeling so gutted about Lisa. Is it ever revealed how she died? I'm assuming she drowned but was it an accident or suicide or is it all left a mystery?
I'm feeling gutted about Rico and the stripper too. I didn't think he'd let off steam in that way.
Yes, we find out how and why Lisa died. Season 3 was actually my least favourite - not that I dislike it, but in terms of ranking the seasons if one has to: whereas I love, love, love season 4. (This, I'm told, is not a universal view, but it's mine.) The fact that Lisa's death isn't just brushed under the carpet in order to get Nate and Brenda together but has a long after effect (not just on Nate) is one of the reasons for that; it makes Lisa very much a part of the overall SFU story in her own right instead of a temporary relationship impediment.
Rico: that's why I didn't say anything to whether I'd pick him or Nate as a husband. :) More seriously, like everyone, he's flawed. But as I said - Rico and Vanessa are one of the long term couples of the show.
Good to know there is more to be revealed about Lisa. I was worried for a moment that they had closed the book on her death. I hope that (like Nate Sr.) Lisa will continue to appear long after her death.
Thinking about it, every major character apart from Claire has cheated on a partner at some point in the show. David cheated on Keith in the same episode and their relationship was actually in better shape that Rico/Vanessa's has been lately. I just always saw Rico as a very committed family man so it shocked me to see him turn cheater more so than other characters.
Let's just say it's not the last time you've seen Lisa on this show, though of course she remains really, truly dead. Also, the manner with which the immediate aftermath is handled foreshadows something very important towards the end of the show.
Incidentally, speaking of Claire as an exception to the general behavioural rule: one of the things that, looking back and knowing more about the overall American tv show context, strikes me as unusual is that here you have a regular female character, a sympathetic one, who has an abortion. Not because she got raped or something as dramatic, but because she doesn't feel she can handle having a child at this point. And she goes through with it, and the narrative doesn't punish her for it. (Though I must say: I was really relieved she had Brenda with her so she wasn't alone!)
Lastly: it's at the end of s3, isn't it, where we get that scene where David and Claire show up while Nate is waiting to hear about/ or has just heard about Lisa? I always wanted someone to make an icon from that scene of the three siblings together.
I was so glad Claire asked Brenda to take her to the abortion clinic. Even before it happened I was thinking Claire should turn to Brenda. As much as I love Ruth and her clumsy overbearing mothering, she's probably better off not knowing.
Yes! David and Claire showing up to support Nate was one of my favourite moments so far. That and the scene with Keith telling David he thinks he's beautiful and he can't understand why David doesn't know that already.
BTW, thanks so much for your answers on your fic meme. I'll be over on your LJ to discuss soon. *too sleepy now*
A warning: should you check my six foot under tag, avoid the poll I made about Ruth's and Claire's various boyfriends, as it has spoilers for the entire show.
I loved the Bren and Lisa bonding, too (and was very cheered to see Brenda having dealt with her issues, I remember thinking when I first watched the season). And yes, Lisa nags, but as you say, Nate isn't really invested, plus she herself is under a lot of pressure (s3 is the one with her ghastly landlady/boss, right?).
Generally, SFU does good in showing us how relationships develop beyond the giddy first falling in love stage, which is one of the many interesting aspects of the show. You mentioned Rico & Vanessa, who are another long term relationship throughout the seasons. We even, in addition to Ruth's current day status quo, get a good idea of what her marriage with Nathaniel was like even though he dies in the pilot. And of course the show presents various important friendships and family relationships. Your current marathoning has inspired me to start my own rewatch, btw. I just did the first two episodes and thought often, wow, such and such is already set up here - well done, writers!
Once you've reached mid season 4: I did write a pretty big SFU ensemble story set at that point, which is my fictional love declaration to the show; it's also crossover with Angel (the Buffy spin-off) in its fifth season. As both shows take place in Los Angeles and, err, someone dies in s5 of Angel, the premise of that person getting buried by Fisher & Diaz made for an ideal crossover excuse, and because the usual Six Feet Under episode deals with a death and the fallout featuring clients of the week whom we mostly haven't met before, I think one can read it even without knowing all the AtS folk.
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Yes, OMG! Lisa's boss lady was horrific. I don't blame Lisa one bit for quitting. Poor Lisa. (I'm up to 3x12 by the way. Lisa is missing and chances of her showing up alive are really not looking good. *sniff*)
Oooh, you're rewatching? I've a feeling I'll want to rewatch this show too eventually. Look forward to your your rewatch reflections. I've been trying to do a rewatch of BSG but that's been halted for SFU.
Good crossover concept! I'm afraid I never watched Angel (I only know Buffy). I'll take a look anyway though. I have read some of your earlier SFU reviews already.
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I'm feeling gutted about Rico and the stripper too. I didn't think he'd let off steam in that way.
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Rico: that's why I didn't say anything to whether I'd pick him or Nate as a husband. :) More seriously, like everyone, he's flawed. But as I said - Rico and Vanessa are one of the long term couples of the show.
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Thinking about it, every major character apart from Claire has cheated on a partner at some point in the show. David cheated on Keith in the same episode and their relationship was actually in better shape that Rico/Vanessa's has been lately. I just always saw Rico as a very committed family man so it shocked me to see him turn cheater more so than other characters.
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Incidentally, speaking of Claire as an exception to the general behavioural rule: one of the things that, looking back and knowing more about the overall American tv show context, strikes me as unusual is that here you have a regular female character, a sympathetic one, who has an abortion. Not because she got raped or something as dramatic, but because she doesn't feel she can handle having a child at this point. And she goes through with it, and the narrative doesn't punish her for it. (Though I must say: I was really relieved she had Brenda with her so she wasn't alone!)
Lastly: it's at the end of s3, isn't it, where we get that scene where David and Claire show up while Nate is waiting to hear about/ or has just heard about Lisa? I always wanted someone to make an icon from that scene of the three siblings together.
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Yes! David and Claire showing up to support Nate was one of my favourite moments so far. That and the scene with Keith telling David he thinks he's beautiful and he can't understand why David doesn't know that already.
BTW, thanks so much for your answers on your fic meme. I'll be over on your LJ to discuss soon. *too sleepy now*
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