A Coat of White Primer

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“A Coat of White Primer”
Six Feet Under episode

Claire's wedding photo of Nate
Episode no. Season 5
Episode 1
Written by Kate Robin
Directed by Rodrigo Garcia
Original airdate June 6, 2005
Episode chronology
← Previous Next →
"Untitled" "Dancing for Me"
List of Six Feet Under episodes

"A Coat of White Primer" is the 52nd episode of the HBO original series, Six Feet Under. It was the season premiere for the show's fifth season. The episode was written by Kate Robin and was directed by Rodrigo Garcia. It originally aired on Sunday June 6, 2005.

Contents

[edit] Guest Starring roles

[edit] Episode Recap

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Nate and Brenda prepare for their wedding day which will occur two days later. As Brenda struggles with morning sickness due to her pregnancy, she watches Nate and Lisa's wedding video in order to not make the same mistake. Shortly after this, Brenda vomits in the bathroom as Nate drinks coffee. Later that evening, Nate and Brenda hold a pre-wedding dinner for David & Keith and Claire & Billy. Ruth is not attendance due to the fact that she wants to be alone "for one more quiet night". At the dinner, David and Keith discuss their plans to either adopt a child or pursue the option of surrogacy. While David would rather adopt, Keith prefers surrogacy since the child would have his DNA. The three Fisher siblings then sit on the porch where they smoke pot and talk as their significant others are still inside.

Ruth is having a difficult time with George. Shortly after his finding of the family's bomb shelter, he has began to live in it and never come out talking to an imaginary person. Ruth comes to the final straw and is forced to commit George to a mental hospital. The doctor explains to Ruth that George has a psychological disease and that in the past he has regressed. When the doctor discovers that George is not getting better, he recommends shock treatment. Both Maggie and Ruth agree and George begins receiving weekly sessions. On his final session, the doctor tells Ruth that George is ready to come home. Ruth is shocked by this saying that he is not ready. The doctor allows George to stay one more night but that the hospital needs the bed. Ruth enjoys the night alone watching Thelma and Louise and talking with Federico.

Claire begins to be on the outs with Ruth after quitting art school and becoming closer to Billy. Ruth is upset with Claire because she does not want her to regret not receiving a college degree. Due to the fact that she spends almost all of her time at Billy's, he invites her to remain there permanently. Claire gratefully accepts stating she will be happy not to ever see her mother again.

Months after his separation to Vanessa, Federico has moved on and has entered the world of online dating. While working on a body in the prep room, Rico receives an instant message from a girl he met on match.com. He is then forced to break up with her when he tells Nate and David that she was a "total downer". The following evening, Federico goes on a date with Sharon Kinney, a dental hygenist from Columbus, Ohio who is fascinated with Rico's profession. After dropping the boys off at home, Rico invites Vanessa to Nate's wedding but she regrets that she cannot go since she has a lot of errands. Vanessa recommends that Rico take Sharon to the wedding since they seem to have a good relationship.

Brenda awakes in the middle of the night when she begins bleeding from her vagina. Nate and Brenda then go to the gynecologist's office the following day where she tells Brenda that she has suffered a miscarriage. In order to stop the leaking, Dr. Melnick would like to have a procedure to remove the remainder of the fetus. They are forced to postpone the procedure because their wedding is the following day. The night before the wedding, Brenda cries on the couch as she takes vicodin. Nate recommends that they proceed with the wedding and that they move on. As Brenda gets dressed the following morning, she is comforted by her mother Margaret who tells her that she is not the only person to suffer a miscarriage and that she should not feel alone.

At the wedding, Brenda and Nate exchange vows and are pronounced husband and wife by the justice of the peace. Afterward, Claire takes the family photos and continues to feel tension and awkwardness around her mother. While Ruth is cleaning a wine stain off of George's shirt, Claire takes several portraits. Ruth becomes deeply perturbed at this and proceeds to slap her advising her to have "a little respect". Nate then confronts Ruth afterwards which describes her feelings of resentment towards George and that she cannot do anything to help him because she will always be there against her will.

Brenda then wanders off alone as she watches the waves on the beach. She is then visited by Lisa who taunts her on her miscarriage and how everyone around her is pregnant and fertile and that she is punished for being a former sex addict. Brenda tells her that she will get her baby and that Lisa will never be able to experience these things because she is dead. Nate then finds her sitting by herself and comforts her. They then return to the party where they have their first dance. As Nate dances with Brenda, he discovers a seagull near the wedding cake. Nate looks surprised and continues to look at it.

The following day while in the waiting room, Brenda is called in for her procedure. The nurse tells Nate that he is not allowed to go in. Nate stays in the room and begins to cry as he finally mourns the loss of his dead baby.

[edit] Deaths of the week

  • Andrea Kuhn: (1963-2004) impaled in the eye by brass andirons

[edit] Title reference

  • Carol describes weddings as a new beginning like "a coat of white primer".

[edit] Chronology

The episode spans two days beginning on October 14, 2004 and ends on October 16, 2004. It takes place six months after "Untitled".

[edit] Quotes

  • Margaret: More women have miscarried than they have masturbated with a dildo.
  • Lisa: (to Brenda) You're a slutbag.
  • Claire: (to Billy, when suggesting she move in with him) I'll be relieved to never see my mother again.
  • Lisa: (to Brenda, after the wedding) You're never going to have a happy ending, no matter how many white veils you put on, honey. You're just too fucked up for that.

[edit] Music

Featured music includes:

  • "Camilano" by Southern Music Library
  • "But Not for Me" by Doris Day
  • "Aganju" by Bebel Gilberto
  • "The Last Run" by Extreme Music Library
  • "Teach Me Tonight" by Dinah Washington (closing credits)
  • Nate and Brenda's wedding music was provided by The Martini Kings located in Los Angeles.


Preceded by
"Untitled"		 Six Feet Under episodes Followed by
"Dancing for Me"
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