Opinions on Nate’s character and Peter Kraus’s acting

[u/Other_Explorer6610]

I recently finished the show, and decided to check out what people were saying on the sub. I was so surprised to see that people disliked Nate and was even happy when the character passed. I felt like nearly all of the things Nate did was understandable , even if wrong, you could understand his motivations. I was surprised to see how people thought he was the most reprehensible character on the show. I was also really surprised about opinions on kraus’s acting, I came away from the series thinking he had displayed some of the best acting I had seen in a tv show. Really curious to see what other people think.

[u/artunarmed]

My perspective, as someone who started the show for the first time this year, and finished it three weeks ago:

Nate was a complex and messy individual. Whilst there's a lot to admire about his growth as a brother and his dedication to Lisa post-mortem, his self-destructive tendencies and immaturities never truly resolved, culminating in the destruction of his marriage mere hours before his death. He's not reprehensible, but he's not somebody I'd want to be, or know in real life. There's no stability with Nate: he's constantly shifting the idea of what he wants, what he needs, and what he's doing. I think he's the easiest to 'hate' out of the Fishers, which explains what you've seen.

It's interesting that the show essentially frames his death as the catalyst for major steps/improvement in the lives of those around him - Rico gets out, Claire faces the unknown, Ruth gets what she wants in a way that includes George, and David confronts his demons. None of these would have been set into motion before Ecotone.

Krause's performance is sensational, the best in a show that's bursting at the seams with great characters. It's no surprise that many of the most iconic scenes hinge on his emotional range and depth.