consciousness bristling

among the ashes of other tv shows rose a brilliant phoenix. actors with the uncanny ability to wear the skin of a character thus transporting viewers into their world of death and life and more death. writers intelligent, smart, philosophical, brave enough to delve into the scariest abyss known to the thinking mammal. a creator courageous enough to breathe life into his idea for a show that explored, exploited, and exalted death and what it means to die, and live. it all equaled a welcome hour reprieve from the drivel clogging the tv air waves (yes, i mean every reality show, even the ones you swear are really good and really realistic). six feet under ran for 5 seasons and ended last night with a show that made me cry, laugh and dream of better days when all programs created for the public aimed at the high level of thought and raw emotional catharsis brought on by spending an hour with the fishers. death remains one of the most elusive and terrifying ideas for humans, and it is so often couched in terms of lightness: angels and fluffy clouds and all the chocolate you can eat FOREVER. but death is messy and complex and can be treated reverently while not being taken too seriously. it happens, and if you worry about it all the time, you become an automaton, going through the motions thrust upon you by birth, class, or environment. yet you can't forget that it's coming because then the wonder and joy and amazingness of living can be taken for granted. one theme that drew me to this show was that of risk and redemption. if you take a chance, on love, marriage, career change, leaving your house every morning, whatever, you will experience the totality of being alive and that will save you. not from death, of course, but from being dead while still moving and interacting with other people, while existing in this form for the time you're given.

so, all that from a tv show? pretty fucking amazing tv show.