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The Casketeers - General Discussion


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This is a reality series made by TV New Zealand that has been picked up by Netflix. Season 1, consisting of 6 episodes, has been on Netflix for a few months, and Season 2 just started in New Zealand. It's about Francis and Kaiora Tipene, the husband and wife team who run a Maori funeral home, and its fantastic staff.

Look, I fully expect that this thread will be pretty dead (WORDPLAY!). But, you guys, I lowkey love this show. It's so gently hilarious -- mostly because Francis, with his combination of vanity, kindness, obliviousness, persnicketiness, and quirkiness, is so amusing -- and yet so informative (in an utterly respectful way) about funerals and attitudes towards death in Maori culture.

As someone who's watched the first ep of Season 2 Through Methods, I'm also happy to report -- minor spoiler -- that the biggest cliffhanger of Season 1 (namely: will Francis ever get a new leaf blower!!???) is satisfactorily resolved within a few minutes of the new season.

  • Love 5
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I watched the whole season in one sitting and loved every second. Francis cracks me up, I love how gentle and kind he is. He's a little silly sometimes. I love Kaiora too. She knows his follies and is mostly amused by them. It is very interesting to see how death and dying are treated in Maori culture. and I love the singing, its so moving. 

The leaf blower drama was hilarious. 

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(edited)
On 1/17/2019 at 1:51 AM, Corgi-ears said:

It's so gently hilarious -- mostly because Francis, with his combination of vanity, kindness, obliviousness, persnicketiness, and quirkiness, is so amusing -- and yet so informative (in an utterly respectful way) about funerals and attitudes towards death in Maori culture.

On 2/10/2019 at 9:40 AM, Pepper Mostly said:

I love how gentle and kind he is. He's a little silly sometimes. I love Kaiora too. She knows his follies and is mostly amused by them. It is very interesting to see how death and dying are treated in Maori culture. and I love the singing, its so moving. 

I loooooove this show, too, and am so happy that there are even two other people who appreciate it.  For me, this is what reality tv should be.  I like it for all of the reasons that you do.

And if I believed in past lives, I'd believe that one of my best lives was as a Maori.....

New season on Netflix now.  Goodbye to any of my "productive weekend" plans!

Edited by OldButHappy
grammar
  • Love 3
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I just watched the first few episodes of season 2 on Netflix. I love Francis. He is adorable. I love how gentle he is, and his soft spoken ways. Maybe because I am a boisterous, noisy person myself. I love the window into the Maori, Samoan and Fijian perspectives on death and dying. I love how kind Francis and his staff are, and how respectfully and gently the dead and their families are treated. And I LOVE the singing, and the haka. My appreciation for these families, who allow themselves to be filmed at their moments of such great vulnerability, knows no bounds. 

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I also love this show! I especially appreciate the sheer respect for humanity, family, and community shown throughout.

Now Francis’s relationship with plants and clunker vehicles on the other hand... 

  • Love 3
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Just finished season 2. This show is made of awesome. I love how they juxtapose Francis and Kaiora's everyday life and concerns with the services they perform. The business with the Buick has me rolling. And Francis knows his wife well! "Either she'll lose her temper or she will start laughing". Cut to Kaiora falling down laughing at the ridiculousness of that car. She's hilarious and I love her good humor. Six boys! She's so unflappable. I guess she'd have to be. I did feel a little pang when Francis admitted that he was hoping for a daughter this time. He's the kind of dad who should have a little girl to spoil.

I lost it when that little boy got up to speak at his nan's funeral. What a little darling.

I'm knocked out by the closeness of the families and how no one is shy about showing emotion. Its really very moving.

I also enjoy that the subplots feel organic, not like other reality shows. The yoga class, the shopping for the car, the leaf sucker....all so funny and felt authentic.

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Thanks to Pepper Mostly for turning me on to this little charmer. I've only had time to watch a couple of episodes from Season 1. I want to hug them all! I'll probably watch the rest over the weekend. 

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(edited)

Lapping up this gem of a show......gentle humor, great humanity and a fascinating window opened to us.

Frances’ love for his cleansers, trolls statues to cheer his staff and  showmanship are endearing.

Scottie’s emotion break for the twin Jeremiah is heartbreaking.

Fiona is a star.

Glimpses of worlds that we are usually not privy...

Binged every episode in ONE sitting like France's beloved leaf sucker.....

Wonderful and heart warming....

Edited by humbleopinion
  • Love 4
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Francis cracks me up! He's so very particular. But I loved his reasoning--if a family comes in who are grieving a loved one, they should feel that they are the first people there; there shouldn't be any evidence that anyone was there before them. I really appreciate how thoughtful he is. And the singing knocks me out! I love how someone is standing at the door singing as the family comes in, I love it when the family members perform a haka, I love it when Francis pulls out his guitar and sings. He has a beautiful voice! 

Kaiora is the unsung hero of the family--she just laughs and shines everything on. 

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Kaiora plays the straight man to Frances' vanity and many grand projects...his decorating with 2 or 3 of everything, his dandy suits, his love of a bargain like that junky packers' van ...oy vey!

We all need a Kaiora  in our corner, she does the computer work, the finances, the voice of reason  and is the eye roll when Frances gets too big (or in his case, shrinking) britches...taking care of 6 boys+Frances, her 7th boy...

A well deserved  second oy vey! and two (of course) fisted props bump to her and her loving charm...

 In the THs, Frances embraces his many foibles...as does his family and staff.

But that's what we love..the humaness, the love me as I am....

His high pitched hyena laugh is so far from his solemn funeral director demeanor...it is startling the first time you hear it...

His love of pies....cheese and meat...

When visiting NZ last fall, the pies sustained us for brekky, for a snack, for fun.....the venison with mint and lamb curry ones...ahhhhhh

What a show.....

  • Love 4
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Watched both seasons this weekend. Loved it. The singing is so beautiful and the island traditions are touching. When I hear a haka or see them hongi, it really gets to me. They are so open with their emotions and it's a beautiful thing to witness. Every person seems geniunely kind. I cried many times, especially for the twins who died years apart and the young lady who was a dancer/performer. Their services were lovely. I like how respectful they all are, and you never actually see the corpse. They lovingly dress each body and talk to it in such a calm and even voice.

I was recommending it to my sister about it and it sounded weird: "Yeah, it's a show about a funeral home in New Zealand and it's funny and warm and sad and touching....yes, a funeral home. In New Zealand..."

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I should be busily packing for a long trip we're leaving for in a few days, but I just needed to sit down and watch a few episodes of Casketeers. 

I love every one of them.  I think I am a female Francis, so I'm really enjoying his character.

The beginning of the third episode, with the tiny casket for the baby, and no one there but Francis and Nona . . . but they still gave that little guy reverence and recognition.  I sobbed.

And the last episode I watched was when they had two bodies in the same room, and Francis introduced them to each other.  So sweet.

Turned to my hubby and said, "Do you think it's possible to hire Maori dancers for a funeral in Arizona?"  I used to want bagpipes, but those Maori dancers give you a real sendoff.

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It knocks me out, the kindness and reverence they show for the departed. Francis always uses such diplomatic words when talking about them. Bodies aren't "exhumed" they are "uplifted", for example. I love how he never brings in the clinical, workaday side of what they do. He keeps everything on a more elevated level.

My son always says "Mom. You're going to have a Viking funeral!" when I say something like "oh, just plant a tree or something. Shoot me into space." I really don't care. I'll be dead. But a bunch of Maori dancers would be fab. Don't think there are too many Maori in the Boston area though....

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12 minutes ago, Pepper Mostly said:

Bodies aren't "exhumed" they are "uplifted", for example.

I think that when Francis is getting ready to "uplift" a body, that means that he is going to pick them up to move them to the funeral home.  He said in one episode they were going to "uplift" a body from the airport and transport it to prepare it for viewing and visitation.  It was almost funny when he said that the Australian funeral directors didn't have the attention to detail that is more the custom in NZ, so he was sure there would be some work necessary.  

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I was trying to remember if he used a different term! I think he also used "uplift" for an exhumation too. Either way, he never uses a word that sounds like a chore! He doesn't say "exhume" or "removal", but the gentle "uplift". He really does pay attention to detail!

You can tell that Francis takes pride in his work. It must be very comforting for the families he deals with.

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On 7/14/2019 at 4:04 PM, OoogleEyes said:

They do "PR" at rest homes and hospices! That's brilliant.

They keep showing those angel statuettes, it's like they're the Greek Chorus 

Loved it when Fiona was doing the hula and Francis providing a voiceover.  But they were so kind to the residents.  So glad I found this show.

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I know the US only got two season of this show on Netflix, but "elsewhere," the show just ended its six-season run. Though episodes got a little repetitive, it's still worth commemorating this sweet little show.

There will apparently be a new show, "The Casketeers on the Road" or something, where Francis and Kairora visit different countries and cultures to learn about their funeral customs -- indeed, the series finale seemed like it was something of a backdoor pilot, if there is still such a thing, or a proof of concept.

Edited by Corgi-ears
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7 hours ago, Corgi-ears said:

I know the US only got two season of this show on Netflix, but "elsewhere," the show just ended its six-season run. Though episodes got a little repetitive, it's still worth commemorating this sweet little show.

Coincidentally, hubby and I were just talking about Francis Tipene yesterday.  The man who does our yard work was here, and he always does a wonderful job of cleaning up dead branches, leaves, etc., after he works.  Hubby said, "His leaf blower is much better than what we have.  It's like a backpack, and has a lot more power."  We looked at each other, laughed and said, "Casketeers!"  How Francis loved using a leaf blower.

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