George R.R. Martin’s excellently named blog, Not A Blog, can be a wonderful window into the best-selling author’s worldview, as well as a nice source of news about his projects. On occasion, the writer also reveals interesting tidbits about his own media preferences, such as his very surprising pick for the best TV series finale of all time: the “Six Feet Under” season 5 ender, “Everyone’s Waiting.”
In a 2023 post on Not A Blog, Martin discussed Vanity Fair’s (at the time) recent listing of best TV episodes in history, which included “Blackwater” – the classic “Game of Thrones” season 2 episode Martin himself wrote. The episode has indeed received plenty of love. In fact, “Blackwater” sits on top of the mountain on our list of 27 best “Game of Thrones” episodes.
While he was at it, Martin also took the time to sing the praises of the “Six Feet Under” series finale. He went as far as to admit that he considers it to be miles above the competition:
“I liked that series well enough, though I cannot say I loved it as much as I loved ‘Rome’ or ‘Deadwood’ or ‘Fargo’ or a few other shows missing from the [Vanity Fair] list, but that last episode was far and away the best finale in the entire history of television, and I cannot imagine how anyone could possibly do better.”
In a way, the Six Feet Under finale is a perfect choice for George R.R. Martin
George R.R. Martin isn’t alone in his assessment of “Everyone’s Waiting.” Per /Film’s Caroline Madden, “Six Feet Under” really does have the best finale of all time, in no small part thanks to the episode’s incredible decision to commit to the bit.
Throughout its run, “Six Feet Under” presented us with one death after another, allowing the Fisher funeral home family’s stories to intertwine with the many faces of human demise. “Everyone’s Waiting” brings this storytelling device to its logical extreme by depicting the myriad ends of the Fishers themselves. With Sia’s “Breathe Me” serving as the perfect soundtrack, the show wraps up with a glorious montage of the key events in the main characters’ lives — and, eventually, their deaths. Some of them pass away peacefully. Others face tragic, touching, and even violent ends. As is the show’s way, the occasional death even veers toward dark comedy. It’s not just about tugging heartstrings, either — this is a well-made show choosing to end on its own, extremely conclusive and thematically appropriate terms.
There are many reasons to appreciate the way Alan Ball’s brilliant HBO black comedy drama chooses to wrap things up, from the series finale’s punchy opening (A birth instead of death!) to its traditional series finale antics, which are excellent even before that gut punch montage. In the very specific case of Martin, there’s an extra layer, too; Considering his penchant for killing off major characters, it’s easy to see why the “A Song of Ice and Fire” author would get a particular kick from the way “Everyone’s Waiting” opts to end things.
