Pilot (Six Feet Under)
Encyclopedia
"Pilot" is the original pilot episode
of the American drama
television series Six Feet Under. It premiered in the United States on the premium cable network HBO on June 3, 2001. The episode was written and directed by series creator Alan Ball
.
), owner of Fisher & Sons Funeral Home, is hit by a bus while driving his brand new hearse. His passing throws his family into emotional chaos as they attempt to deal with their grief. Nathaniel's death casts a pall over the return of his older son Nate
(Peter Krause
), who was hoping for a relaxing vacation before going back to his home in Seattle. On the flight, he meets and immediately has a sexual encounter with the mysterious Brenda Chenowith
(Rachel Griffiths
), a woman destined to change his life. Dutiful son David
(Michael C. Hall
), who is struggling to keep his true sexual identity and his new boyfriend Keith (Mathew St. Patrick
) from his family. Matriarch Ruth (Frances Conroy
) has her own secrets to keep, while youngest child and only daughter Claire (Lauren Ambrose) has her first taste of crystal meth
before finding out about her father and must now go through the experience while tweaking. Meanwhile, Nathaniel's spectre
repeatedly appears to each member of his family and forces them to face their own anxieties about life and death.
was only supposed to be introduced as "Claire's Meth Date" for the show's pilot, but director Alan Ball found his chemistry so satisfying with Lauren Ambrose that his role was developed into the character Gabe Dimas. Similarly, Dina Waters's and Gary Hershberger's roles were only listed as "Chatty Mourner" and "Kroehner Representative", whose roles were developed into Tracy Montrose Blair and Matthew Gilardi respectively, and would go on to have recurring roles.
The episode features humorous funeral home related commercials that would start each act, but the idea was abandoned and the pilot is the only episode in which they were used.
won for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series at the 54th Primetime Emmy Awards
, while the episode received nominations for Outstanding Art Direction for a Single Camera Series, Outstanding Makeup for a Series (Non-Prosthetic), Outstanding Single Camera Picture Editing for a Series, and Outstanding Single Camera Sound Mixing for a Series. Alan Ball also won for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series for the 2001 Directors Guild of America Awards. The episode won an Art Directors Guild
Award for Excellence in Production Design in 2001.
Television pilot
A "television pilot" is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell the show to a television network. At the time of its inception, the pilot is meant to be the "testing ground" to see if a series will be possibly desired and successful and therefore a test episode of an...
of the American drama
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
television series Six Feet Under. It premiered in the United States on the premium cable network HBO on June 3, 2001. The episode was written and directed by series creator Alan Ball
Alan Ball (screenwriter)
Alan E. Ball is an American writer, director, actor and producer for film, theatre and television.-Early life:Ball was born in Atlanta, Georgia, to Frank and Mary Ball, an aircraft inspector and a homemaker...
.
Premise
On Christmas Eve 2000, patriarch Nathaniel Fisher Sr. (Richard JenkinsRichard Jenkins
Richard Dale Jenkins is an American stage, film, and television actor. After beginning his career in theatre, Jenkins made his film debut in 1974, and appeared in supporting roles in numerous film productions in the 1980s and the 1990s. His breakthrough came in the 2000s for playing the deceased...
), owner of Fisher & Sons Funeral Home, is hit by a bus while driving his brand new hearse. His passing throws his family into emotional chaos as they attempt to deal with their grief. Nathaniel's death casts a pall over the return of his older son Nate
Nate Fisher
Nathaniel Samuel "Nate" Fisher, Jr. is a fictional character on the HBO television series Six Feet Under, played by Peter Krause.-Prior to the Pilot:...
(Peter Krause
Peter Krause
Peter William Krause is an American film and television actor and film producer. He is perhaps best known for his lead roles as Nate Fisher on Six Feet Under, Adam Braverman on Parenthood, and Casey McCall on Sports Night...
), who was hoping for a relaxing vacation before going back to his home in Seattle. On the flight, he meets and immediately has a sexual encounter with the mysterious Brenda Chenowith
Brenda Chenowith
Brenda Chenowith is a fictional character on the HBO television series Six Feet Under played by Rachel Griffiths. She was first introduced in the pilot, and remained until the series finale.-Prior to the Pilot:...
(Rachel Griffiths
Rachel Griffiths
Rachel Anne Griffiths is an Australian film and television actress who came to prominence in the 1994 film Muriel's Wedding and her Academy Award nominated performance in the 1997 film Hilary and Jackie....
), a woman destined to change his life. Dutiful son David
David Fisher (Six Feet Under)
David James Fisher is a fictional character played by Michael C. Hall on the HBO television series Six Feet Under. The character is the middle child of three and is a third-generation funeral director. Initially, the character is portrayed as socially conservative , dutiful to his family,...
(Michael C. Hall
Michael C. Hall
Michael Carlyle Hall is an American actor whose television roles include David Fisher on the HBO drama series Six Feet Under and Dexter Morgan on the Showtime series Dexter. In 2009, Hall won a Golden Globe award and a Screen Actors Guild Award for his role in Dexter.-Early life:Hall was born in...
), who is struggling to keep his true sexual identity and his new boyfriend Keith (Mathew St. Patrick
Mathew St. Patrick
Mathew St. Patrick is an American actor best known for his portrayal of Keith Charles on the HBO drama television series Six Feet Under.He was born and raised in Philadelphia and graduated from Olney High School....
) from his family. Matriarch Ruth (Frances Conroy
Frances Conroy
Frances Conroy is an American actress. She is best known for playing Ruth, the matriarch of the Fisher family, on Six Feet Under, which earned her a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild Award.-Early life:...
) has her own secrets to keep, while youngest child and only daughter Claire (Lauren Ambrose) has her first taste of crystal meth
Methamphetamine
Methamphetamine is a psychostimulant of the phenethylamine and amphetamine class of psychoactive drugs...
before finding out about her father and must now go through the experience while tweaking. Meanwhile, Nathaniel's spectre
SPECTRE
SPECTRE is a fictional global terrorist organisation featured in the James Bond novels by Ian Fleming, the films based on those novels, and James Bond video games...
repeatedly appears to each member of his family and forces them to face their own anxieties about life and death.
Production
Eric BalfourEric Balfour
Eric Salter Balfour is an American singer and actor of film and television. He is the lead singer of Born As Ghosts, formerly known as Fredalba...
was only supposed to be introduced as "Claire's Meth Date" for the show's pilot, but director Alan Ball found his chemistry so satisfying with Lauren Ambrose that his role was developed into the character Gabe Dimas. Similarly, Dina Waters's and Gary Hershberger's roles were only listed as "Chatty Mourner" and "Kroehner Representative", whose roles were developed into Tracy Montrose Blair and Matthew Gilardi respectively, and would go on to have recurring roles.
The episode features humorous funeral home related commercials that would start each act, but the idea was abandoned and the pilot is the only episode in which they were used.
Reception
The pilot episode was positively received and earned several award wins and nominations. Creator Alan BallAlan Ball (screenwriter)
Alan E. Ball is an American writer, director, actor and producer for film, theatre and television.-Early life:Ball was born in Atlanta, Georgia, to Frank and Mary Ball, an aircraft inspector and a homemaker...
won for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series at the 54th Primetime Emmy Awards
54th Primetime Emmy Awards
The 54th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards were held Sunday, September 22, 2002. Nominations were announced July 22, 2002. The awards show was hosted by Conan O'Brien and was broadcast on NBC...
, while the episode received nominations for Outstanding Art Direction for a Single Camera Series, Outstanding Makeup for a Series (Non-Prosthetic), Outstanding Single Camera Picture Editing for a Series, and Outstanding Single Camera Sound Mixing for a Series. Alan Ball also won for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series for the 2001 Directors Guild of America Awards. The episode won an Art Directors Guild
Art Directors Guild
The Art Directors Guild is an American labor union and branch of the International Alliance of Theatrical and Stage Employees representing almost 2,000 motion picture and television professionals....
Award for Excellence in Production Design in 2001.
External links
- "Pilot" at HBO.com