Aired 23 years ago - Aug 19, 2001
Lillian Grace Montrose
October 4, 1936 - June 14, 2001
Tracy Montrose Blair is back but for very different reasons this time. Her Aunt Lillian has passed away and David is the only one that can help her.
While David is trying to deal with Tracy's
outrageous demands and cope with her ever-changing ideas, Nate is trying to deal with Brenda and her family. Interrupted from his funeral director's exam, Nate scurries over to Brenda's so he can take her to visit Billy. Ruth finally decides she doesn't want to be involved with Nikolai and gets fired because of it.
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Aired 23 years ago - Aug 19, 2001
Marcus Foster
March 5, 1978 - June 5, 2001
Rico and Vanessa finally have their new son. Brenda tries to handle her brother's obsessiveness and suggests he give her back her house key and start back on his medication. Billy does not react too well
to this. David's feelings about his secret come closer to the surface due to a hate crime against a gay man, that the funeral home now must deal with. Ruth tries to get her son to bring up the subject, but has a very difficult time. Nate has a freakish encounter with Billy. Claire and Gabe continue their unusual relationship.
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Aired 23 years ago - Aug 12, 2001
Dillon Michael Cooper
May 4, 2001 - May 23, 2001
The day before Rico is expecting his own new baby, he must deal with handling a 3-week old dead baby.
Nate, David, and Brenda go to Las Vegas for a funeral director's convention. David continues to
"date" rather random men, and trying desperately to hide it from his mother and family. Ruth gets bold and actually attempts to ask David about whether or not he is g.... but David rudely interrupts her and says they can talk about it later. Claire is struggling with feelings for Gabe, whether they are guilt or adoration is a bit fuzzy. Ruth signs up for flower arranging classes to improve her skills, only to discover she's conceived as a bit controlling and tight.
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Aired 23 years ago - Aug 05, 2001
Jonathan Arthur Hanley
April 24, 1946 - May 4, 2001
Nate and David hire a replacement for Rico -- Angela. She's very good at what she does, but they have a hard time getting used to her willingness to speak her mind. Billy has a rather surprising gallery exhibit of some of his work.
And you're wrong. All she told
the police was that he was boring.
Open caskets. They already
put in the requests.
I'm the last person on earth
who gets to know these people.
So truth. Is this show good,
or is it just pretentious bullshit?
- This is Brenda.
- Good evening.
Brenda, I see a lot of you
in these photographs.
No, I just saw you one day
when I was taking pictures...
Who got hurt? Who died?
I went to Europe for three months.
Angela, we're sort of used to a more
professional appearance around here.
You want the picture
out of the show, fine.
Hey, do I get my fucking lunch or not?
I won't do it when he's around.
I mean, I just thought it was
kind of silly. But that's me.
Okay, fine. I was only inviting you
to be nice.
Meet me after fifth period
tomorrow by the gym.
...you realize maybe there's another side
to them that's worth knowing.
Luckily, Gareth isn't going
to press charges.
It certainly makes your lives easier.
It's beautiful.
But don't worry. I've already been
to my doctor and changed my dosage.
Angela had a long philosophical debate
about it...
You must be thinking of someone else.
Everyone else has gone home. I don't
know what you two are waiting for.
And I would never do anything
to jeopardize that...
Come on, David!
- Maybe Gabe just wanted to be alone.
- I know.
Just feeling really close to someone
then having them just disappear...
- So, what are you looking for?
- A nasty top to fuck my brains out,
I'm too tired.
Yoo-hoo, Brenda!
You know when you were
in Europe that summer?
I mean, all I did was try
to fix David up with this guy...
Aired 23 years ago - Jul 29, 2001
Anthony Christopher Finelli
April 12, 1995 - April 21, 2001
Claire runs into Gabe again, but not under the best circumstances. His brother died and his mother and he have come to Fisher & Sons for the services. Brenda and Nate visit several
different local funeral homes posing as mourning relatives in order to help Nate improve upon his salesmanship.
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Aired 23 years ago - Jul 22, 2001
Chloe Margaret Bryant Yorkin
January 7, 1959 - April 2001
Riding in a limo, a drunken Chloe is celebrating her new-found freedom with friends. she stands up with her head out the sunroof to scream it to the world... and loses her head,
literally.
The business is a bit slow these days, so Nate and David decide to rent out a room at the funeral home to supplement the loss. Frederico is being wooed by Kroehner's and he contemplates doing it for the experience and the money. Claire is hiking in the mountains but doesn't really understand the point of it all.
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Aired 23 years ago - Jul 15, 2001
Victor Wayne Kovich, PFC
January 16, 1971 - April 1, 2001
Billy tries to get in the way of Nate and Brenda's relationship. Ruth invites Hiram over for a family dinner, and also takes a florist job in Nikolai's shop. David meets an open-minded
associate priest and votes to keep him on for the church. Claire continues to have problems with school and life in general.
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Would you like some caffeine
with that tumor?
I said it. Let's just move on.
Claire, I've invited a friend of mine
over for dinner tonight.
Clark struck me as a player, man of God,
wants to listen, but there's ego there.
And as I said at the time,
your father was wrong.
I want to get something really weird
to plant out back.
He just wasted away
in and out of that hospital.
First, I just gotta talk to you
about something.
And he has never been happier!
Can you explain this formula
to the class?
Okay, X to the A power
times Y to the B power.
- You still have that sign in the window.
- Yes, you know somebody good?
- They recommend you highly.
- They always do after I'm gone.
- You should be in the Peace Corps.
- Already done it.
Because I can tell that right and wrong
actually matter to you.
Shouldn't just burn people
like they're garbage.
- Don't quote Castaneda at me.
- Why not? You quote Bob Dylan at me.
Because it would get you out of yourself,
get you out of your head.
It's mostly somebody else's writing
on the forms.
I only counsel. I'm not supposed
to interfere with what the family wants.
There's my little girl.
Claire, honey, this is Hiram Gunderson.
Oh, by the way, everyone, I got a job.
- I'm leaving.
- I'll walk you down.
- And, okay, edible underpants.
- That's a little scary.
I don 't want that to happen to St, Bart's,
I've been going there for 40 years,
Yes, sir, fuck me, sergeant,
So, what happens to you guys?
How about white tulips? Very simple.
Have you heard from Paul yet?
It's an option that can
easily be canceled at no charge to you.
He thought
I would've talked him out of this.
- Where is Ruth?
- She's in the back.
I'm so happy. I can't wait
to come back tomorrow.
Billy's got a show coming up
at a gallery in Westwood.
Right.
Aired 23 years ago - Jul 08, 2001
Mildred "Hattie" Effinger Jones
April 16, 1920 - March 21, 2001
Nate continues to learn disturbing things about his father. This time he finds out that sometimes his father would barter for funerals. In one case, he traded a room. While David is
pursuing a closer relationship with his church, a divorcee tries to pursue a closer relation with him. Claire meets Brenda's brother Billy and they hit it off extremely well. Ruth is still with Hiram, but is now also being pursued by her husband's florist, Nikolai.
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Every time she gets dumped by a guy,
she gets a puppy.
It means she was forced
into sexual intercourse against her will.
So you're the other Fisher boy, huh?
The one from where, Oregon?
Well, one for your wife, and one for you.
Next to each other.
Well, yes, sir, but...
Tracy, I told you, Jennifer and I
had broken it off years ago.
It's good to see you.
You look well.
Hello?
...to fuck my brother?
Come on. Surely you wouldn't begrudge
your father such a minor indulgence.
...who've incorporated all the very best
attributes from every race.
...but I have no interest in helping you.
- What's your favorite part?
- Oh, they're too numerous to mention.
She's Charlotte.
- I'm Claire.
- How do you know my sister?
Yeah, do your stuff.
You're lonely too.
I can tell.
- He used this how long?
- Seven years.
I don't know why you so excited.
They're just gonna shrivel up and die.
Lady wear red, she mean business.
Wow, you look great!
I think he's really in love with her.
No, Federico.
Go home to your family.
...sleeping in the same bed
with that woman.
I think that's the only picture
I had of him I didn't tear up.
But I didn't make any of that shit
happen. Right, I abandoned you.
I made the decision to become a fucking
undertaker because I thought it was...
Your grandfather was furious.
Aired 23 years ago - Jul 01, 2001
Jean Louise McArthur aka "Vivica St. John"
September 9, 1957 - February 17, 2001
David is trying to fill the void his father left in more than the business. He wants to become deacon at the family church, but Keith is having a problem with it. Ruth
has a difficult time with a group of mourners for a porn star. But she and Claire try to have more bonding time and visit their cousins. Nate has dinner with Brenda's parents, psychiatrists Bernard and Margaret, without Brenda. He also meets her brother Billy in an unorthodox manner.
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Aired 23 years ago - Jun 24, 2001
Manuel Pedro Antonio "Paco" Bolin
February 6, 1980 - February 15, 2001
The Fisher family wonder if Claire might have some part to play in the blaze across the street. Nate has Brenda over for dinner and it does not seem to go as well as expected.
Nate is dealing with issues from every side, including a feud between a deceased's family and gang about how to handle his services. But Nate finally gets enough courage to stand up to Gilardi and handle issues with Keith and the clients.
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Okay. We fucked.
- Can I go?
- I think we have everything we need.
No, why?
- Think I'm a suspect.
- That's ridiculous.
- Now we're buying him a coffin.
- Three in the morning.
- He's not our son!
- He's a gang leader. Alvarado Kings.
Federico, I need your help,
your expertise.
...you'd know there's 2400 miles
between Puerto Rico and Mexico.
Hey.
Look, if she set that fire,
she'll do what's right. I'll see to it.
- How's your day, man?
- You don't wanna know.
Nate, it doesn't matter if your
mother likes me or not. I don't care.
- So?
- So, what'd you do?
...like Sharon Stone in that movie?
- Claire.
I don't need to see it.
It's your business, not mine.
- I hope you stay for dessert.
- It's peach cobbler.
David, why did you stop
going to church with me?
I love you, Paco. Oh, God.
You're some kind of
tough, little bitch, huh?
You have your husband.
You have you.
I've been to a ton of funerals.
You seen one, you seen them all.
It was not going back to God
and saying, "Hey, what gives?
I'm not asking you to move backwards.
I'm just asking you to be patient...
...because you take every fucking feeling
you have, put it in a box and bury it.
Claire, are you okay?
We're never gonna be able to compete
in terms of size or market presence.
He wants to meet with us today.
...in front of your fucking kids."
There are tragedies
far worse than death.
He's a lot more fragile
than he'd like to think.
Lord bring peace to
them in their grief...
Burning up for your love.
Aired 23 years ago - Jun 17, 2001
Thomas Alfredo Romano
May 16, 1944 - January 21, 2001
The Fishers have decided to sell, but then back out at the last minute because Nate cannot stand Gilardi. Claire finds a rather interesting way to get back at Gabe for spreading rumors about her.
Gilardi find his own way of payback. He tells the Fishers that he is buying the rundown house across the street from them in order to provide a cheap alternative to Fisher & Sons. However, mysteriously, the house catches on fire after Nate and Brenda fool around in it.
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My dad had all these
old big-band records.
- No, they don't.
- Good morning.
Why do you have to tell people
every single thing you do?
Take my trust fund.
I'll take the cash.
It says in your brochure you have
a gifted restorative artist. Whatever.
Careful, that could be his head.
I wanna kill myself.
- Right?
- Are you kidding? You're still a baby.
- Oh, Ruth.
- Amelia.
The rest will follow after both our
lawyers have held up the process...
Andy. He just... He asked me what I did
the night before, so I told him. I mean...
- What are you talking about?
- Just let it out. That's why I'm here.
You see stories like that on the news
all the time. It's inspiring.
All right.
Sometimes, we sell again in the evenings
when we can't make a decision.
I know it's a lot to ask of you, I know,
but I just really think that we can do this.
Sign here.
Fine, I'll talk to you later.
...suddenly developed
some problem with Fisher & Sons.
- Lost what?
- Nothing.
I'd say it's an $8 million lawsuit.
His shoes.
To have fun. Aren't you having fun?
Plus, I really don't wanna let
that greedy little Nazi win.
There's no big investment. I mean, that's
part of the appeal for both of us.
Just stay there.
I'll call you in a half-hour.
All right, I'll take a look
where he said he tossed it.
Okay. Good.
I just wanted to shake him up.
So there was no baby christening
the other day. I lied.
Yeah, well, Gabe should learn that.
"Sorry I was speeding, officer, I guess
you'll have to punish me now."
You wake up one day
and your baby's stolen a foot.
Aired 23 years ago - Jun 10, 2001
Chandler James Swanson, Jr.
July 29, 1967 - January 8, 2001
During a get together around a pool, people discuss a franchise pyramid scheme. Chandler Swanson dives into the pool, but he doesn't come back up. He leaves a wife and an infant
daughter.
Nathaniel Fisher's will is read and Ruth gets money, stocks and insurance money. Nate & David are both given the funeral business. Claire receives college tuition, but she considers trading it in for cash.
In an effort to help the Widow Swanson, Nate starts learning a few things about the funeral business. First up, caskets cannot be rented. By law, a used casket cannot be re-sold.
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- Thank you for sleeping over.
- You snore.
Old, but recently reopened.
- Are you and Jennifer back together?
- No.
...the same wood used in luxury
automobile interiors.
...and fifty percent to my son
Nathaniel Samuel Fisher Jr."
Okay, spare me the tough-love
rationalization, just bottom-line it, please.
I can see through walls.
Who are you to buy us out?
- Hey, baby. Nate, look at you.
- Look at you.
Although, he does seem to take it
to this extra, Old Testament level.
Yeah. I don't meet that many
men with dead guys...
- Dad must've really hated me.
- Hush.
Well, there's a body that spent
over two hours in a van...
They'll be on opposite sides
of the goddamn freeway.
Shit.
We were always moving.
I thought it was...
And afterwards, we'll give you
his ashes in an urn.
I loved my husband.
How was I supposed to know that?
Now every part of your body
has a new meaning to me.
You're making my toe hard.
No, he went out for dinner
with his ex-fianc'ee.
You obviously liked some guy enough
to have his name burned into your flesh.
- What are you doing in there?
- Help me out, you fucking moron.
- 2:30, I think.
- Take your cell phone.
- Give me a number.
- Nine thousand.
...because very briefly,
it was occupied by another person.
...because we will put things in motion
either way.
Aired 23 years ago - Jun 03, 2001
Nathaniel Fisher, Sr.
1943-2000
Meet the Fisher family.
After the patriarch of the family, dies in a hearse-accident, the family comes together to mourn and decide the fate of the family Funeral Home. Nate, who works for an organic grocery store in
Seattle, has to deal with more than just the death of his father. His mother, Ruth, is taking the death especially hard because she had been having an affair with her hairdresser, Hiram. David, the closeted homosexual who has helped with the business, has a difficult transition running things. Claire, the youngest of the clan, is a teenager in high-school trying to get comfortable in her own skin. On top of everything the family is already going through, they have a corporate funeral company hounding them to sell out.
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Nathaniel, people want things
to be nice when there's a funeral.
Or heaven forbid, a man,
like my cousin Hannah's husband did.
I'm a sweet guy.
You carry a lot of tension
around in your lower back.
What?
So I guess this whole hellish experience
I'm about to go through...
Well, I left home before she was born
so I never really knew her that well...
Why are you asking me this right now?
,,, you can forget
about going to law school,
- So how did you and my son meet?
- In cooking class.
Well, well,
We should really get Nate home.
He's probably exhausted. Let's go.
We have to eat, Claire.
We didn't die.
,,, top morticians rely on Living Splendor
embalming fluid,
Say hello to Mr. Bloomberg.
I really appreciate you coming in
on Christmas Eve, Federico.
Listen, if you need anything,
don't hesitate to call me.
Vanessa's pregnant again.
He said not to wait up for him.
We should try and sleep.
...if I really wanted it, I'd never
have thrown it in the first place.
Other kids my age were going
to frat parties, I was draining corpses...
- You're friends with a cop?
- We play racquetball together.
- Oh, David, David.
- I know, Mom.
Told your father
I was visiting my sister.
- Breathe. You're gonna get through this.
- Oh, I know.
He knows everything.
I'm so ashamed.
O holy and merciful savior,
thou most worthy judge eternal.
Or an illustration in an antique book.
- Dave, please...
- You know nothing!
I'll call you when you've had some time
to recover from your loss.
- How's it going with you?
- Oh, it's great. Great.
I've got 10 nurses
buried under my house.