SEASON 2

EPISODE 2: OUT, OUT, BRIEF CANDLE

A handome young college football player is doing sprints in the blistering California heat when he collapses and dies of heat stroke. This episode is definitely a good one to watch if you're looking to see what part the deceased plays in the storyline.

Brenda's childhood boyfriend Trevor ("fucking Trevor!!!") is coming to dinner. His accomplished wife is doing the Bill Maher show. Brenda, eager to prove her life is not as meaningless as it is, wants to impress Trevor and his family with a fancy meal.

Matt Gilardi of Kroenher Services International is still trying to seize ownership of Fisher & Sons, but he hasn't been too successful, and his boss, the brassy Southern Belle Mitzi Dalton Huntley, fires him. You never see him again, which is kind of sad, but Mitzi proves to be an even more evil (and more fun)corporate foe.

Rico and Vanessa Diaz are hunting for a new house. Like many first time homebuyers, and many young first time homebuyers, they go gaga over probably the first house they looked at, and don't delve far enough into its history to learn about potential problems.

When Nate has hands on dealings with the young football player, he becomes disturbed, knowing that he, like this kid, could drop dead unexpectedly, at a young age.

At Bonaventure High School, Claire and her friend Parker bicker until Gabe's friend Andy approaches them. He begins to scream and claw at himself, clearly wacked out on some fun recreational substance. Later, Claire finds out that Andy was on "fry", obviously something new, a joint cut with "God only knows what" and dipped in embalming fluid.

Rico asks the Fisher brothers for money for his new house, and is turned down. Later, David, tired of the confusion of using outdated casket catalogues, gets more excited than we've ever seen him over a casket display wall.

Ruth's florist friend Robby hasn't changed personality wise. He still resents Ruth for coming to work there, being romantic with Nikolai, existing, etc. After making his usual smart cracks, he invites Ruth to see him graduate from "the Plan".

Mitzi comes calling on the Fishers, and realizes how difficult a time Gilardi had with them. But she won't give up easily.

Rico is totally po'd about the casket wall, and tries to give Nate the guilt routine about how his kids have to "play in a parking lot next to a dumpster". Boo hoo hoo, Rico.

Ruth attends Robby's graduation ceremony, and is moved by several graduates' speeches. Before long, The Plan has a new enrollee.

Keith and David spend some "friendship" time together in spite of what Keith said last episode. They trek over to Keith's sister's home to celebrate his niece Taylor's (Aysia Polk) 9th birthday, but as sister Karla has been doing drugs lately, things are bound to be tense at the very least.

Brenda's dinner with Trevor and his is very strained and fake, and gets worse as it progresses. Maybe this will teach her not to have dinners with successful, fulfilled people when she herself feels the opposite of successful and fulfilled. And being Brenda, she's envious of Trevor's rounded life, but she's not sure if she truly wants such a "rounded" life for herself, or if she just hates people who conform to what society paints as the "perfect picture of family harmony" and all that crap. When talking to Nate, Trevor asks about Billy. Obviously, he has some fond memories of his own, of bombs, threats, etc. Later, Trevor acts just like all the other asses act once they learn Nate is in the mortuary business. And what is with that damn kid of theirs screaming right into Nate's eardrum??? Paddle his ass!!!

It seems that every time Nate feels like he's having a good time, just living in the moment, he has an image of the unfortunate young football star. He later tries to tell Brenda of his brain condition, but she's too busy rattling off ideas about how to better the world and contribute her meager existence, to be in any condition to listen.

Disappointed in the Fishers, Rico prepares to tell his wife that they won't be able to get their house, and Vanessa tells him that she borrowed the down payment from her sister, the actress Anjelica.

Claire has had some suspicions about where Andy got the joints coated in embalming chemicals, and she finally lets Gabe have it. When Gabe tells her about the convenience store hold-up from Season 1, one has to wonder, Did Gabe try to kill Andy to keep him quiet?

So tormented is Nate by his thoughts of the football kid who died too young, he finally decides to "look at" the truth and face it head on. He tells his brother David. It's a wonderful scene, with wonderful acting by both Krause and Hall, and always a joy to watch, to realize that although David rides Nate's ass a lot, these brothers will always be there for each other.

Another very strong episode that deserves an A or an A+.