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Six Feet Under Season 3 Episode 5

The Trap

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Episode Summary

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AIRED: 3/30/03

William Aaron Jaffe
1951-1975

Federico convinces Nate, David and Ruth to hire an apprentice to keep costs down. We also find out more about David's past as well as meet someone from Nate's.

FAN RECAP

Fan Episode Reviews (5)

305

7.0

By Canogaparkcindy, May 29, 2011

Did anyone else rejoice at the sight of Brenda? I know I did. Even though I have been waiting for her reappearance for a while now, her comeback didn't really live up to my expectations. I mean, I imagined the return to cause some conflict between Lisa & Nate, maybe will be the breaking point between the two. All I hope for is that this isn't the last time we see Brenda.

Kathy Bates is leaving for a while? Does this mean the show will return to form? Probably not, but at least with Kathy Bates gone, things will at least feel like how they used too be. Claire's story line wasn't very interesting, which isn't usually the case. It's pretty obvious something will happen between Claire and her professor. I called it since he was first introduced.

The Kieth & David stuff was a bit contrived. What exactly was the point of Kieth's scene? I thought infidelity was the theme of the episode, guess I was wrong. It was funny to see Rainn Wilson and Josh Radnor on Six Feet Under. Glad to know Rainn Wilson will be sticking around. Looking forward to the future dynamics he will bring too the show. Solid episode of the series.moreless
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Trapped in a literal sense

8.0

By PabloExobar, Jul 15, 2008

Bright point of the episode for me was the death of the episode. It was really creative and interesting. I enjoyed the preparations too. I thought this should've gotten a bit more attention, it was almost completetly ignored throughout the episode.

I really enjoyed the new character who is portrayed perfectly by Rainn Wilson. He's just as crazy as Ruth.... just in a male version. Nate's storyline this season is really deep, but I like it. For once I also enjoyed Brenda, especially because she wasn't acting crazy, wasn't analyzing anyone and was actually nice to Nate.

Davids storyline was sort of random, and a bit annoying. Keiths on the other hand was rather cool. What I like about this show is how basically neutral scenes can turn out really enjoyable.

Overall, a fine episode of SFU, but nothing earth shattering.moreless
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Season three continues to impress me, I'm enjoying all storylines!

9.5

By stewie1423, Feb 16, 2008

I'm really loving season three, the first episode was alright but from then on it's been brilliant. I find myself enjoying everyones story and i like nearly all the new characters bar Lisa, who is supposed to be annoying anyway. I'm sad to see Bettina go but glad to see them replace her with new character Arther, who looksa like he will be a great addition to the show, I really enjoyed his and ruths scenes.

Breandas return for me was unexpected but it was about time, I did keep telling myself it was another of Nates crazy mind illusions but it didn't turn out that way. Well Breanda did seem changed anyway but how can we be sure? Hope to see more of her later in the season. Still really like Claires story, Russel is a really interesting character, can't wait to see how he and the story develop. Don't like the new art teacher, you just know somethings gonna happen with him.

As for dDvid, I thought the concert story was amusing, I thought keiths scene in the rich mans house was a bit sudden and out there but it was reveasling none the less. Nate needs to get his life back on track, we don't want him to turn into a depressed whiner like his irritating wife Lisa. The next episode looks really good and if its anything like the last few episodes, I won't be dissapointed!moreless
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Trapped Written by Bruce Eric Kaplan Directed by Jeremy Podeswa

8.0

By shawnlunn2002, Nov 29, 2005

In any series, the return of a character as integral as Brenda would have been the main emphasis of the episode. Here, on the otherhand, it's mainly a side order as the exploration of how trapped Nate is in his marriage is brought to the fore.

First of all, there's Lisa's consistant criticising of his spending habits and her monitoring of him, which would kinda make anyone nuts, but the best example lies in Brenda's much needed at this point reappearance and this week's death - William Jaffe, who after 28 years, his remains are discovered. His son has no recollection of him and his wife admits to Nate that her and her former spouse "were one of those horrible got-married-too-soon-for-all-the-wrong-reasons couples", something which has becoming more and more clear to Nate about his own marriage. With him keeping secrets from his wife and his confrontation with Jaffe's ghost, in which Jaffe insists that ditching Lisa would be a better option all round for everyone and let's face it, you can't help but agree.

After all, Nate and Lisa, as a couple, quite frankly, suck. There is little to no trust or real honesty between the pair and their final scene together in the episode is a great example of that. Lisa's instant reaction over Nate and Brenda meeting up is a clear testament of how insecure she really is of him and his feelings towards her. And Nate can't but feel smothered by her and his new responsiilities as his last scene with Jaffe indicates.

Speaking of Brenda, while I was glad that the writers didn't dip into the cliche of making this entire episode about her, I was kinda hoping we would have had a little more of her. However, unlike Nate, she at least is on opposite form as she attempts to make amends for the damage she caused as well as face up to it. And after that, you'd think Nate could have been a little nicer to and about her.

Which leads me to an interesting point, now that Brenda is back and celebate, what role will she overall play in this season and the other characters lives? I wouldn't mind seeing her strike up a friendship with Keith, who definitely needs a confidant at the moment.

Yep, the red eyed monster has come back for more when Keith loses it with a fellow security guard and starts with the punching after said security guard starts messing up a few nick-nacks in a house that got robbed and which mess they are supposed to clean up. But it isn't just Keith who has something to hide as David tries to supress the fact that he once jerked off a fellow chorus member, Terry in a men bathroom a couple of years ago. Predictably enough, David tries to hide it, but later admits it as well as explaining to Terry that things back then were murky.

Speaking of murky, my feelings for Olivier are still ambivalent as everytime it apears that he's trying to help Claire, such as giving her the job of being his assistant, he also does something to cause a hindrance to her. Here he manages to stop her in his tracks from pursuing a relationship with Russell by playing on her insecurity with the Y-Chromosome by telling her about one of his own past break-ups which involved him putting a Jasmine bush in an ex-girlfriend's car. Whatever.

With Claire working for Olivier, Federico decides to hire a live in apprentice. Step in Arthur - an odd looking, but somewhat likeable bloke who quells Ruth's reservations about a new tenent, despite her drawing up a list so the pair would rarely interact. I have a feeling that list is going bye-bye like that poor mouse in the trap.

Also in "The Trap"

Death of the week: re William jaffe, it's the first time we've actually encountered the skeletal remains of a corpse on this show.

Claire:"Oh wait, this is for you"

Federico:"Is that a goodbye gift?".

Lisa (to Nate):"What are you doing? Do you even listen to me when I talk or do you just hear static every time I open my mouth? How on earth do you expect Maya to go to college? You're throwing everything away for fucking Beck?"

Anyone notice that waiter cruising Brenda? Nate sure did, and maybe that was a reason he trashed her in front of Lisa.

Brenda (to Nate):"Being alone is the prison. Just thinking about yourself, just trapped in this fucking vortex of always watching yourself. Which I suppose is okay if you're interesting but the truth is, noboby's that interesting".

Lisa is becoming bizarringly paranoid. She mentions an invisible force wanting to hurt her and of course "I never used to this clumsy". This is worrying.

Chronlogy is March 15th 2003.

Olivier:"Have you ever committed infidelity?"

Claire:"No, not yet but hopefully someday".

Russell's hair is getting messier looking by the episode. That guy ever think of washing it?

Bettina (re Arthur):"Uh oh, ugly cookies swallowed my tongue".

Standout song of the episode was definitely The Examples "Not Dead Yet" playing through the end credits.

There's a lot of interesting plots going on this episode, but somewhat of a lighter piece than last week's. I like the writers have set up Brenda's return to coincide with Nate and Lisa's marital woes and it does look like some intriguing plots for everyone is on the horizon. Keep it up guys.

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Gotta Get You Into My Life William Aaron Jaffe 1951-1975 Written by Bruce Eric Kaplan Directed by Jeremy Podeswa

9.0

By DFisher2005, Sep 12, 2005

"How on Earth do you expect Maya to go to college? You're throwing everything away for f****ng Beck?"--Lisa

As we enter mid-Season 3, relationships are building and trusts growing tighter and tighter. Friendships are being rekindled and some are even beginning to blossom. New opportunities are arising and the horizon looks up. Although most of us know that when you're dealing with the Fishers happiness is always brief followed by more pain, then more happiness which are followed by even more pain yet bittersweet moments and so on.

The opening death always clever makes us really think about our own lives. A middle aged married couple are walking a valley where they are quarrelling like it is going out of style they seem a lot like Nate and Lisa. When they get to a fork in the road they discover an older car which fell off a dirt road. When they approach the car, they notice the car has been sitting there for at least 30 years feeling as if someone is trapped inside they decide to open it up only to be frightened by birds who had been flew in and were trapped. When the wife questions why someone would abandon the car. The husband quickly gives her the reason: "Because their still in it."

When Nate and David make arrangements with his former wife who she had thought had left her and remarried must realize that he wasn't as she had previously thought and that all those years of pain had been for nothing since he had died in that car the morning he went to get a newspaper. She knows he did it on purpose since their marriage was always on the rocks. Nate can relate to this since his marriage which began to slip on the rocks slowly after Lisa had quit her cooking job. With Lisa playing housewife now, she is constantly monitoring Nate's activities and also his expenses. When Lisa tells Ruth that she will be staying home until Maya is 5, Nate soon finds out and forces her to reconsider. The next afternoon, a friend from the past pays him a visit: Brenda. Brenda then tags along with him when he has to do funeral related errands and the two catch up at a cafe where she apologizes for her infidelity. Nate accepts her apology and the two talk about marriage and how Nate is constantly trapped. Lisa then finds out and is hurt but is even more hurt when she finds out Nate bought a meal for her.

At William Jaffe's funeral, Nate is visited by William Jaffe where he claims that Nate is trapped for ever unless he resolves the issue as he did one morning in 1975. Nate feels he is not like him which makes William convince him even more. One night, Nate goes for a joy ride where he feels good to be alive but realizes it's only a daydream when in reality he is hiding outside to have a smoke dreading his return in to talk to his wife, Lisa.

Other important events in "The Trap"...

*Federico proposes for Fisher & Diaz to play house to a senior intern from Cypress College in order to save a few dollars. David thinks its a great idea until Ruth intervenes where she eventually agrees. The intern turns out to be a very eccentric young man named Arthur who was orphaned at the age of 5. When Bettina announces her departure in order to help her daughter in Montana, Ruth becomes saddened but later kindles a companionship with Arthur who indeed enjoys the company also.

*David and the chorus rehearse for a big recital where David will have his solo. At the same time, David meets a man he had met while he was in the closet. The friend claims that David gave him a handjob while shopping in the mall which David believes to be not true. Later, David confronts Terry and comes clean since it had been such a difficult time for him since he had been in the closet. Terry understands and the two manage to stay friends.

*Keith on the other hand is having problems with his job since it is not what he thought would be. While on patrol, one evening he comes late to a break-in where he and another guard enjoy a bottle of liquor at the owner's expense. The other guard becomes drunk and starts breaking the owner's assets. Keith manages to control the guard by bringing him to the floor and shoving him. The next day, he tells David that he will be looking for another job very soon.

*Claire is offered a job by her professor Olivier as an assistant which she gladly accepts however she doesn't realize that the job criteria is being his driver. Claire also becomes cozy with Russell who she breaks a date with when she explains to him she needs to take it slow. Russell like the gentleman he is completely understands.

*Even though a lot of people don't really like Lisa you have to feel bad for her when she breaks down after seeing the dinner reciept. She certainly doesn't deserve that as do anyone else in that situation.

*It was nice to see Rachel Griffiths back as Brenda. I had so missed her wonderful acting and her portrayal of Brenda. But Brenda's return can only mean bad in store with Nate and Lisa's rocky marriage.

A well written episode with a lot of fun and interesting scenes. Even in its third year strong, the dialogue is still fresh & keen and the excitement building. Making me kind of feel trapped in such a good show. It's not a bad thing!moreless
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Cast & Crew: STARS

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Peter Krause	Nate Fisher
Mathew St. Patrick	Keith Charles
Frances Conroy	Ruth Fisher
Lauren Ambrose	Claire Fisher
Freddy Rodriguez	Federico Diaz
Michael C. Hall	David Fisher

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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

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Josh Radnor	Will Jaffe	Guest Star
Silas Weir Mitchell	Dion Corelli	Guest Star
Matt Winston	Terry	Guest Star
Ben Foster (I)	Russell Corwin	Recurring Role
Kathy Bates	Bettina	Recurring Role
Rainn Wilson	Arthur Martin	Recurring Role

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (3)
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- Silas Weir Mitchell who plays Dion Corelli in this episode will go on to play the role of Ken Olson in the episode Dex, Lies & Videotape on Dexter which also stars Michael C. Hall.
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- Josh Radnor who plays the deceased William Aaron Jaffe in this episode plays Ted Mosby in the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother (2005-).
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- Silas Weir Mitchell, the actor who plays Dion Corelli, the security guard at the house with Keith, went on to play Charles "Haywire" Patoshik on Fox's Prison Break.
  
  Another famous Silas Weir Mitchell (January 15, 1829–1914) was an American physician and writer.
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QUOTES (1)
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- Nate: You know, Mom, you don't have to be a martyr all the time.
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NOTES (1)
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- Brazil title:"A Armadilha" ("The Trap")
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ALLUSIONS (0)
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