When using superlatives with this show it is totally fair. This show does something all other movies, shows, etc cannot do: it can safely apply any genre and still function as a deep and very entertaining show. As everybody episode goes by the show only becomes more addictive. It taps into almost every aspect of life. Every emotion is shown; love, hate, forgiveness, triumph and the list goes on and on. In fact this show depicts life the most realistically. The strangeness and peculiarity of the many themes perfectly displays the confusion in life and how it affects us. The show displays confusion in the clearest way making it almost impossible not to some how relate to the characters in the show. Not to mention also the series ends on one finest note you will ever see not just satisfying the viewer but taking the show to a level far and above anything else I have ever seen before. This show does the impossible twice over.
405 Reviews
A true classic!
estelle587 November 2021
Even more profound almost 20 years later
aabonander27 January 2021
I watched Six Feet Under when it originally aired on HBO. Hard to believe that was almost 20 years ago. At the time I remember thinking this was the best thing I'd ever seen on television. It was too good for television. It just transcended anything I had ever seen. Over the years I've recommended the show to countless others. After recommending it to another friend recently I decided to rewatch the show. I finished the series in less than two weeks and it is still one of the best things I've ever seen on TV. The effect this show has on me is even more profound today than it was the first time I watched it. This show punches you in the gut. It makes you think. It makes you reflect. It makes you question your choices. It makes you evaluate life.
A lot of incredibly great television series have come along since Six Feet Under originally aired but none of them will hit you as deep as this show.
Raw, personal conflict was never so mesmerizing
stonedonkies22 August 2005
Six Feet Under is meticulous, beautiful, daunting, and powerful. One way or another, it will connect with you, perhaps in places you didn't expect and aren't willing to expose. At times wrenching, at other times cathartic, but always staring back at you knowingly, this show stands head and shoulders above the advertising-driven fare that clogs network TV with mediocrity, token minorities, and jarring commercial breaks. It changed the way I view television, and I recommend it to anyone who's tired of the same old crap.
After watching the series finale (which I won't spoil, don't worry), I sat in bed, unable to sleep. After poring over everything I'd seen over the past season, it struck me that SFU is the most raw and personal television show I've ever seen. Even more, there are no stand-alone episodes for easy syndication. Every single installment is part of a huge puzzle, or a few more miles on the Fisher family's road. I've always found Peter Krause to be a disappointingly flat performer, which is unfortunate because his character anchors the show, but the other actors are often transcendent. Regardless, every one of them radiates with a sometimes painfully familiar pathos. The cinematography is also staggering sometimes, taken from film rather than typical 3-camera TV work. If that's not enough, the music they choose to score the episodes is almost symbiotic; it seems ingrained into the film itself, even when you know it was just licensed.
This is not really a family-friendly show, though, encompassing profanity, nudity, violence, drug use, "alternative lifestyles" ... So in other words, it's just like real life. And despite the interpersonal conflicts that fuel the narrative to the point of melodrama, the show isn't afraid to pause every once in a while and let the show communicate without dialogue.
I feel very gratified to have watched SFU, and I've never felt that way about any other show in the almost-27 years I've been alive. Hopefully it will start a trend, if only on premium cable.
After watching the series finale (which I won't spoil, don't worry), I sat in bed, unable to sleep. After poring over everything I'd seen over the past season, it struck me that SFU is the most raw and personal television show I've ever seen. Even more, there are no stand-alone episodes for easy syndication. Every single installment is part of a huge puzzle, or a few more miles on the Fisher family's road. I've always found Peter Krause to be a disappointingly flat performer, which is unfortunate because his character anchors the show, but the other actors are often transcendent. Regardless, every one of them radiates with a sometimes painfully familiar pathos. The cinematography is also staggering sometimes, taken from film rather than typical 3-camera TV work. If that's not enough, the music they choose to score the episodes is almost symbiotic; it seems ingrained into the film itself, even when you know it was just licensed.
This is not really a family-friendly show, though, encompassing profanity, nudity, violence, drug use, "alternative lifestyles" ... So in other words, it's just like real life. And despite the interpersonal conflicts that fuel the narrative to the point of melodrama, the show isn't afraid to pause every once in a while and let the show communicate without dialogue.
I feel very gratified to have watched SFU, and I've never felt that way about any other show in the almost-27 years I've been alive. Hopefully it will start a trend, if only on premium cable.
This moved me...please read...my opinion
StevenCouras20 March 2009
I started watching this show cause it was on cable HBO on-demand a few months ago. I always heard good things about it. Plus I figured HBO has provided me with some of my favorite shows in the past few years (Entourage, The Sapranos, True Blood) so this should be pretty good.
The show came out while I was in college, where we had no cable since I lived on campus but my friends and stuff that went home on the weekends raved about this show.
So needless to say I gave it a try. I was hooked every month HBO on demand would give us 7 new episodes and I would watch them all within the first 3 days.
4 months later I was up to the first half of season 4. Finishing those episodes pretty fast I went online and started watching the second half and all of season 5 online cause I could not stop, I was SO hooked.
I just finished watching the final episode WOW.
This show came full circle and ended so perfectly. Watching all 5 seasons, I was moved. The final 8 minutes I watched 4 times cause it was done so well, I was moved I lost a best friend of mine a year ago to a tragic accident. I think about her every day. Death has always scared me, its my biggest fear and watching this show sometimes made me go nuts with all the analyzing of death and life but I still watched and sometimes it made me feel better and gave me some perspective on the subject.
I really related a lot to the character of Nate. He reminds me of me in a lot of ways and I liked Clair also but towards the end of the series I fully understood each character, their pain, their lives, everything I have family and friends just like them, we all do.
This show really captures life. The bad and the good and the really bad and the moments in between.
I am 26 years old, and I don't think their will ever be another show like this on TV ever again. I am even a little bit sad that I wont be keeping tabs on the Fisher family and their friends ever again now that the show is over.
"Everyone, Everything, Everywhere, ends" and so did Six Feet Under.
Thank you to the writers, producers, director, and actors for making this important show about life and death. It helped me in some ways with my own views on death and life Thank you.
The show came out while I was in college, where we had no cable since I lived on campus but my friends and stuff that went home on the weekends raved about this show.
So needless to say I gave it a try. I was hooked every month HBO on demand would give us 7 new episodes and I would watch them all within the first 3 days.
4 months later I was up to the first half of season 4. Finishing those episodes pretty fast I went online and started watching the second half and all of season 5 online cause I could not stop, I was SO hooked.
I just finished watching the final episode WOW.
This show came full circle and ended so perfectly. Watching all 5 seasons, I was moved. The final 8 minutes I watched 4 times cause it was done so well, I was moved I lost a best friend of mine a year ago to a tragic accident. I think about her every day. Death has always scared me, its my biggest fear and watching this show sometimes made me go nuts with all the analyzing of death and life but I still watched and sometimes it made me feel better and gave me some perspective on the subject.
I really related a lot to the character of Nate. He reminds me of me in a lot of ways and I liked Clair also but towards the end of the series I fully understood each character, their pain, their lives, everything I have family and friends just like them, we all do.
This show really captures life. The bad and the good and the really bad and the moments in between.
I am 26 years old, and I don't think their will ever be another show like this on TV ever again. I am even a little bit sad that I wont be keeping tabs on the Fisher family and their friends ever again now that the show is over.
"Everyone, Everything, Everywhere, ends" and so did Six Feet Under.
Thank you to the writers, producers, director, and actors for making this important show about life and death. It helped me in some ways with my own views on death and life Thank you.
Timeless
emmjaycruz1 June 2023
I watched this series weekly when it first came out and fell in love with the Fishers. I watch it faithfully once a year. The finale is the best finale of any show ever.
I hear there might be a reboot. Please don't ruin my all time favorite show with a whack reboot. It's perfect as it is.
It's got everything. Comedy, drama, sorrow, intrigue, sex,drugs, musical numbers and plenty of dead bodies. Probably one of my favorite aspects of this show is how every episode begins with a death. Some are weird, some are quite, some are gruesome.
And the commercials in the show for embalming fluid etc are hilarious.
I hear there might be a reboot. Please don't ruin my all time favorite show with a whack reboot. It's perfect as it is.
It's got everything. Comedy, drama, sorrow, intrigue, sex,drugs, musical numbers and plenty of dead bodies. Probably one of my favorite aspects of this show is how every episode begins with a death. Some are weird, some are quite, some are gruesome.
And the commercials in the show for embalming fluid etc are hilarious.
Glad I finally gave this a chance!
Rob133129 September 2022
I've been hearing about how great Six Feet Under is since it was on nearly 20 years ago and thought I'd finally give in and watch with the pandemic hitting and having so much free time. I'm glad I finally gave it a chance. I can now see why it won so many awards and why so many people love this show. It's about a messed up family who run a funeral home and the lives of each of the family members. Each episode begins with a death and shows the lives about that person and how they died. It really is an interesting show. While I wouldn't rank it among the best shows I've ever seen it's still a good show that's definitely worth watching. They say the writing and acting are some of the best in television history, especially Michael C. Hall & Peter Krause! It also has one of the best final episodes of any show ever.
The Greatest Show I've Ever Seen
cmelleno1 December 2006
Warning: Spoilers
It took me six months to watch the last season of Six Feet Under...because I couldn't bear for it to end. Finally, my ex-husband, who'd seen it, volunteered to watch the last show with me so I could get on with grieving its loss...knowing I'd never see these characters (I mean people) again, their incredible lovely, funky, quirky, unpredictable, moving, funny, loving interactions. Somehow, sitting down with that show made me feel at home in myself and I love myself more for it. So, tonight, I saw the last episode and I'm here because I needed to tell someone...I miss it, I love it, I'm sad, I'm better for it. Thank you Alan Ball and everyone connected with making it happen.
Well, that's what I wrote last night. This morning I'm beside myself and I think this is the best place for me to talk about it (I see my therapist on Monday and of course will discuss it then). I don't know many people who've watched SFU. Many of my friends fear seeing it and my clients who've seen it -- sometimes due to my recommendation -- didn't want to "spoil" it for me and it's really not appropriate to bring it up now...like, "hey, I just saw the last episode of SFU and I'm crying all the time." About an hour ago I realized that I saw everyone I love on SFU die. That's a lot to deal with. I'm flooded with thoughts and feelings about these characters and my own life. My past is churning up inside of me and I wish my mother was still alive to talk to and to comfort me. I'm really sad. I hope other people will write about their experience of the show, what it has meant to them, not just review it. It is brilliant television...the actors are beyond the beyond...blah, blah, blah, but the real change, the surge, the action is what's happening inside of me. How about you?
Charlotte
Well, that's what I wrote last night. This morning I'm beside myself and I think this is the best place for me to talk about it (I see my therapist on Monday and of course will discuss it then). I don't know many people who've watched SFU. Many of my friends fear seeing it and my clients who've seen it -- sometimes due to my recommendation -- didn't want to "spoil" it for me and it's really not appropriate to bring it up now...like, "hey, I just saw the last episode of SFU and I'm crying all the time." About an hour ago I realized that I saw everyone I love on SFU die. That's a lot to deal with. I'm flooded with thoughts and feelings about these characters and my own life. My past is churning up inside of me and I wish my mother was still alive to talk to and to comfort me. I'm really sad. I hope other people will write about their experience of the show, what it has meant to them, not just review it. It is brilliant television...the actors are beyond the beyond...blah, blah, blah, but the real change, the surge, the action is what's happening inside of me. How about you?
Charlotte
The best series finale ever
yann-pastor1 August 2021
Absolute Perfection
DSchrute18 June 2008
Having just watched the series finale I sit here at my work desk unable to cope with the "real world". What can I find now that will fill the void left by this deeply moving and profound masterpiece?
SFU deals with many taboo life events and leaves one with a sense of empathy and sheer admiration at how beautifully the writers roll up their sleeves and sully their hands with topics such as incest and drug abuse.
Having recently experienced the death of my own father I can honestly say SFU invoked feelings and emotional responses that I didn't realise I was capable of experiencing. I would even go as far to say it has helped me identify and ultimately cope with my own loss.
Superb characters, inspired story lines and a thoughtful soundtrack make SFU easily the best TV programme I have ever watched (and I have watched a lot of TV in my 30 odd years).
I make no apologies when I raise my hand to my heart and honestly state that watching SFU has put a new perspective on my life and made me a better person.
Congratulations America for making this superbly refreshing and often dark masterpiece.
SFU deals with many taboo life events and leaves one with a sense of empathy and sheer admiration at how beautifully the writers roll up their sleeves and sully their hands with topics such as incest and drug abuse.
Having recently experienced the death of my own father I can honestly say SFU invoked feelings and emotional responses that I didn't realise I was capable of experiencing. I would even go as far to say it has helped me identify and ultimately cope with my own loss.
Superb characters, inspired story lines and a thoughtful soundtrack make SFU easily the best TV programme I have ever watched (and I have watched a lot of TV in my 30 odd years).
I make no apologies when I raise my hand to my heart and honestly state that watching SFU has put a new perspective on my life and made me a better person.
Congratulations America for making this superbly refreshing and often dark masterpiece.
One of the best show's of all time
bbgrl9317 October 2018
This is by far one of the best shows I've seen. As with every show, there were a few episodes that were dry but overall it was really good and I couldn't resist binge watching episodes! The shows final finale was by far one of the best I've ever seen, couldn't help but shed some tears. They tie everything together perfectly, I would deff rewatch this series
Old but great
jefunkrey24 July 2023
Six Feet Under is a critically acclaimed American drama television series created by Alan Ball. The show aired on HBO from June 3, 2001, to August 21, 2005, for five seasons. The series follows the lives of the Fisher family, who own and operate a funeral home in Los Angeles.
Six Feet Under is a beautifully written and acted show that explores the themes of life, death, and everything in between. The show is not afraid to tackle difficult subjects, and it does so with a refreshing honesty and humor. The characters are complex and relatable, and the show's depiction of grief and loss is both heartbreaking and ultimately uplifting.
Six Feet Under is also a visually stunning show. The cinematography is often breathtaking, and the show's use of music is masterful. The show's pilot episode, in particular, is one of the most visually stunning episodes of television ever made.
Six Feet Under is a show that has stood the test of time. It is still as relevant today as it was when it first aired. The show's depiction of death and grief is still as powerful, and the show's characters are still as relatable. If you haven't seen Six Feet Under, I highly recommend it. It is a truly special show that will stay with you long after you've finished watching it.
Here are some of the things that make Six Feet Under such a great show:
* The writing is sharp and witty, but it also deals with serious subjects with sensitivity and intelligence.
* The acting is superb, with all of the main characters giving award-worthy performances.
* The show is visually stunning, with beautiful cinematography and a memorable soundtrack.
* The show is thought-provoking and challenging, but it is also funny and heartwarming.
If you're looking for a show that will make you laugh, cry, and think, then Six Feet Under is the show for you. It is a truly special show that will stay with you long after you've finished watching it.
Here are some of the reasons why Six Feet Under is still relevant today:
* The show's depiction of death and grief is still as powerful as it was when the show first aired.
* The show's characters are still as relatable, as they deal with the same issues that we all face in our own lives.
* The show's themes of life, death, and everything in between are still as relevant today as they ever were.
If you're looking for a show that will help you understand the meaning of life and death, then Six Feet Under is the show for you. It is a show that will stay with you long after you've finished watching it.
Six Feet Under is a beautifully written and acted show that explores the themes of life, death, and everything in between. The show is not afraid to tackle difficult subjects, and it does so with a refreshing honesty and humor. The characters are complex and relatable, and the show's depiction of grief and loss is both heartbreaking and ultimately uplifting.
Six Feet Under is also a visually stunning show. The cinematography is often breathtaking, and the show's use of music is masterful. The show's pilot episode, in particular, is one of the most visually stunning episodes of television ever made.
Six Feet Under is a show that has stood the test of time. It is still as relevant today as it was when it first aired. The show's depiction of death and grief is still as powerful, and the show's characters are still as relatable. If you haven't seen Six Feet Under, I highly recommend it. It is a truly special show that will stay with you long after you've finished watching it.
Here are some of the things that make Six Feet Under such a great show:
* The writing is sharp and witty, but it also deals with serious subjects with sensitivity and intelligence.
* The acting is superb, with all of the main characters giving award-worthy performances.
* The show is visually stunning, with beautiful cinematography and a memorable soundtrack.
* The show is thought-provoking and challenging, but it is also funny and heartwarming.
If you're looking for a show that will make you laugh, cry, and think, then Six Feet Under is the show for you. It is a truly special show that will stay with you long after you've finished watching it.
Here are some of the reasons why Six Feet Under is still relevant today:
* The show's depiction of death and grief is still as powerful as it was when the show first aired.
* The show's characters are still as relatable, as they deal with the same issues that we all face in our own lives.
* The show's themes of life, death, and everything in between are still as relevant today as they ever were.
If you're looking for a show that will help you understand the meaning of life and death, then Six Feet Under is the show for you. It is a show that will stay with you long after you've finished watching it.
It starts strong, then goes downhill
eternal-doomside7 August 2017
I absolutely loved seasons 1 and 2, they were clever, with the right mixture of dark humor and drama, the characters were still interesting, and the stories were entertaining. However, at some point in season 3 things began to go downhill, character development started to go nowhere. I grew sick of the characters, especially Nate and Brenda, everyone became a narcissistic sex-addict asshole, they cheated on each other all the time, argued all the time, and complained and whined about everything, to the point there was no one to root for. The show turned in an unbearable soap opera with characters that weren't likable at all. There were glimpses of quality in season 4 and 5, but the clever writing wasn't there anymore, and most of it felt like filler, unfortunately.
Entrancing, confronting, charming, absolutely mindbending. Feels like an insult to call it television
automation2131 May 2002
And I rarely even watch television. I'm a book person.
Not since the "X-Files" has a TV show been so intriguing. Every time I watch an episode, I am struck back be depth of storyline, the intricate characters and the left-of-the-middle storytelling. I literally cannot control myself from discussing each new episode with (bored) family members.
SFU is a very introverted show - it resembles more a book or play than television. While the latter is extroverted and relies on events happening to characters (eg: the overboard emergencies of ER or the romances in soaps) to carry the story, Six Feet Under wants to communicate the deepest feelings and ideals of the people on screen. As a result, it not only stimulates the mind but also helps us analyse ourselves.
In the hands of any other creators, this would make for a very dull hour of suburban spirituality, but Allan Ball's menagerie of ghosts, (past characters influencing the present) trippy daydream sequences, surreal atmosphere and some wicked black humour make for a very entertaining show and sell what would otherwise be a marketing disaster to the masses. On top of that, every component from acting to directing to screenplay is flawless. (the dead boy's ghost in "a private life" still chills me to the bone).
Most, of all I admire the characters: some of the most complex and enchanting creatures ever to grace the idiot box. After a few episodes, they feel like a second family.
While I do have my complaints about the amount of obscenity, (I can swear that sometimes the writers want to offend us just for fun) I have to give my show the highest commendations. There are, of course, moments when I feel like throwing my chair at the television, but that is simply the consequence of watching a show that challenges me, rather than offer cheap amusement.
SFU may take a while to get into, but the rewards are bountiful.
Not since the "X-Files" has a TV show been so intriguing. Every time I watch an episode, I am struck back be depth of storyline, the intricate characters and the left-of-the-middle storytelling. I literally cannot control myself from discussing each new episode with (bored) family members.
SFU is a very introverted show - it resembles more a book or play than television. While the latter is extroverted and relies on events happening to characters (eg: the overboard emergencies of ER or the romances in soaps) to carry the story, Six Feet Under wants to communicate the deepest feelings and ideals of the people on screen. As a result, it not only stimulates the mind but also helps us analyse ourselves.
In the hands of any other creators, this would make for a very dull hour of suburban spirituality, but Allan Ball's menagerie of ghosts, (past characters influencing the present) trippy daydream sequences, surreal atmosphere and some wicked black humour make for a very entertaining show and sell what would otherwise be a marketing disaster to the masses. On top of that, every component from acting to directing to screenplay is flawless. (the dead boy's ghost in "a private life" still chills me to the bone).
Most, of all I admire the characters: some of the most complex and enchanting creatures ever to grace the idiot box. After a few episodes, they feel like a second family.
While I do have my complaints about the amount of obscenity, (I can swear that sometimes the writers want to offend us just for fun) I have to give my show the highest commendations. There are, of course, moments when I feel like throwing my chair at the television, but that is simply the consequence of watching a show that challenges me, rather than offer cheap amusement.
SFU may take a while to get into, but the rewards are bountiful.
The greatest show in history that never got the attention it deserved
killercola25 March 2022
It's that show. The unexpected hidden gem. During its time The Sopranos, Oz and The Wire garnered most of the attention on HBO. All of them great shows to be sure but Six Feet Under quietly premiered a new episode every Sunday night and would become one of the all time great shows with perhaps the greatest show finale ever. If you haven't seen this show you're doing yourself a disservice. Yes, it's that good.
Really Good!
Supermanfan-1311 August 2021
I've been hearing about how great Six Feet Under is since it was on nearly 20 years ago and thought I'd finally give in and watch with the pandemic hitting and having so much free time. I'm glad I did! I can now see why it won so many awards and why so many people love this show! I wouldn't rank it among the best shows I've ever seen but it is def really good. The writing and acting are some of the best in television history, especially Michael C. Hall & Peter Krause!
The greatest show in the history of television.
curb_your_enthusiasm198331 July 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Although it is dead and buried, at least physically, Six Feet Under lives on as simply one of, if not, the greatest television show of all time. Event television is something that doesn't come along very often but the likes of Twin Peaks, The Sopranos and Six Feet Under are perfect examples of 'must see TV'.
The perfect combination of humour and tear jerking emotion, Six Feet Under brings with it a legacy of creating television that you don't just watch. You live it. These characters became YOUR family. We all wanted to shake some sense into Nate when he began spiralling out of control in the third seasons thrilling climax, we all desperately wanted Keith and David to get together and stay together during the second season, and we felt for Ruth as she dealt with borderline depression and agonising loneliness during the fifth season.
These are just a few of the dozens and dozens of complicated, beautiful and thought-provoking plot threads that weaved in and out of the Fisher family and their extended families.
It showed us death was something that happened and it wasn't anything to be scared of. It allowed us a glimpse into the lives of a few very special people. It gave us a sense of belonging that very few if any television shows can bring us.
To this day, over a year since the final ever episode aired, a masterpiece in itself, there is not one day that goes by that I don't think about and wish I could still visit with my friends the Fishers and spend some quality time with some old friends.
R.I.P. Six Feet Under 2001 - 2005
The perfect combination of humour and tear jerking emotion, Six Feet Under brings with it a legacy of creating television that you don't just watch. You live it. These characters became YOUR family. We all wanted to shake some sense into Nate when he began spiralling out of control in the third seasons thrilling climax, we all desperately wanted Keith and David to get together and stay together during the second season, and we felt for Ruth as she dealt with borderline depression and agonising loneliness during the fifth season.
These are just a few of the dozens and dozens of complicated, beautiful and thought-provoking plot threads that weaved in and out of the Fisher family and their extended families.
It showed us death was something that happened and it wasn't anything to be scared of. It allowed us a glimpse into the lives of a few very special people. It gave us a sense of belonging that very few if any television shows can bring us.
To this day, over a year since the final ever episode aired, a masterpiece in itself, there is not one day that goes by that I don't think about and wish I could still visit with my friends the Fishers and spend some quality time with some old friends.
R.I.P. Six Feet Under 2001 - 2005
A masterful look at life through death
MaxBorg892 August 2008
For five years Six Feet Under entranced, entertained and moved audiences all over the world with its black humor, sharp characterization and flawless cast. It is now justly remembered as one of the best programs in television history, and can undoubtedly be considered HBO's masterpiece, hand in hand with The Sopranos - that's how groundbreaking its five seasons and 63 episodes were and still are.
The show was created by Alan Ball, the Oscar-winning writer of American Beauty, and it is easy to see how SFU is Beauty's small-screen companion piece: they're both poignant, funny, original studies of traditional American values and families gone wrong, two pitch-perfect satires that hit the target with unprecedented accuracy, unafraid to use foul language, sex, drugs and - a truly brilliant choice, this - dream sequences to achieve their goal.
What the Burnhams did on the big screen, the Fishers do on the small: they appear to be normal, but are really too dysfunctional to even accept themselves. Of course, "normality" is a bit of an odd concept when your house is a funeral parlor and you spend day after day comforting strangers while wearing a mask of thinly veiled hypocrisy.
From that situation Ball got the premise of the show: what if one day you had to bury a family member? When Nathan Samuel Fisher Sr. (Richard Jenkins), owner of Fisher & Sons, is run over by a bus in the first scene of the series, the rest of the family slowly falls apart: the adulterous widow Ruth (Frances Conroy) is overcome by guilt; the eldest son, Nate Jr. (Peter Krause) is forced to reluctantly join the business; his brother David (Michael C. Hall) is completely dedicated to the family trade, but also gay and a bit awkward when he has to express his feelings; and the youngest sibling (Claire) has a thing for experimenting with drugs and dating the wrong boys. Helping them, or possibly not, in their attempts to cope with the new situation, are Federico Diaz (Freddy Rodriguez), who embalms the corpses over at Fisher & Sons, Keith Charles (Mathew St. Patrick), an African-American police officer who is dating David, and Brenda Chenowith (Rachel Griffiths), Nate's girlfriend, who has to deal with a twisted brother of her own, the mentally disturbed Billy (Jeremy Sisto).
Six Feet Under was an essential tool in dealing with one of the biggest taboos in television: death. Every Single episode begins with someone biting the dust, often in a darkly comic way (the porn-star who gets electrocuted by her cat in the fifth episode comes to mind). Subsequently, the Fishers have to arrange the burial, and in most cases the departed come back in ghostly form to offer advice (the most notable case is that of Nathaniel Fisher himself, who pops up regularly in all five seasons). Many people were shocked by the almost grotesque tone of the series (the pilot episode even had fake commercials for funeral products), but what they failed to understand is that Six Feet Under deals with death as a means to celebrate life. To fully embrace existence implies that at some point one must also discuss the end of it all, and like Alfred Hitchcock used to say in his own TV series, what better way to face death than with a smile on your face? In its own, twisted way, this show confirmed that once again laughter is the best medicine.
That doesn't mean the series should be mistaken for a full-on comedy, though: like stablemate The Sopranos, Six Feet Under remains, at its core, a pure American tragedy, the black humor being there just as a partial relief from the bleaker events occurring throughout the show's five-year run. The drama is perfectly served not just by the outstanding writing, but also, fundamentally, by the actors: Krause and Hall received most of the early praise, the former for acting as the audience's guide into the Fishers' twisted world, the latter for playing a believable, three-dimensional gay person, as opposed to the deliberately excessive and flamboyant characters depicted in another HBO hit, Sex and the City. The truth is, everyone gives their best, both the show's regulars (Rodriguez and Griffiths in particular) and the magisterial guest stars, including Patricia Clarkson, Lili Taylor, James Cromwell and Kathy Bates (who also directed a few episodes, like Steve Buscemi in The Sopranos).
With its unique perspective on life and death, which was controversially amusing and surprisingly serious at the same time, Six Feet Under stands out as one of the edgiest, most brilliant and thought-provoking products American TV has ever spawned, a series whose reflection on the American way of life has few rivals in any artistic category.
The show was created by Alan Ball, the Oscar-winning writer of American Beauty, and it is easy to see how SFU is Beauty's small-screen companion piece: they're both poignant, funny, original studies of traditional American values and families gone wrong, two pitch-perfect satires that hit the target with unprecedented accuracy, unafraid to use foul language, sex, drugs and - a truly brilliant choice, this - dream sequences to achieve their goal.
What the Burnhams did on the big screen, the Fishers do on the small: they appear to be normal, but are really too dysfunctional to even accept themselves. Of course, "normality" is a bit of an odd concept when your house is a funeral parlor and you spend day after day comforting strangers while wearing a mask of thinly veiled hypocrisy.
From that situation Ball got the premise of the show: what if one day you had to bury a family member? When Nathan Samuel Fisher Sr. (Richard Jenkins), owner of Fisher & Sons, is run over by a bus in the first scene of the series, the rest of the family slowly falls apart: the adulterous widow Ruth (Frances Conroy) is overcome by guilt; the eldest son, Nate Jr. (Peter Krause) is forced to reluctantly join the business; his brother David (Michael C. Hall) is completely dedicated to the family trade, but also gay and a bit awkward when he has to express his feelings; and the youngest sibling (Claire) has a thing for experimenting with drugs and dating the wrong boys. Helping them, or possibly not, in their attempts to cope with the new situation, are Federico Diaz (Freddy Rodriguez), who embalms the corpses over at Fisher & Sons, Keith Charles (Mathew St. Patrick), an African-American police officer who is dating David, and Brenda Chenowith (Rachel Griffiths), Nate's girlfriend, who has to deal with a twisted brother of her own, the mentally disturbed Billy (Jeremy Sisto).
Six Feet Under was an essential tool in dealing with one of the biggest taboos in television: death. Every Single episode begins with someone biting the dust, often in a darkly comic way (the porn-star who gets electrocuted by her cat in the fifth episode comes to mind). Subsequently, the Fishers have to arrange the burial, and in most cases the departed come back in ghostly form to offer advice (the most notable case is that of Nathaniel Fisher himself, who pops up regularly in all five seasons). Many people were shocked by the almost grotesque tone of the series (the pilot episode even had fake commercials for funeral products), but what they failed to understand is that Six Feet Under deals with death as a means to celebrate life. To fully embrace existence implies that at some point one must also discuss the end of it all, and like Alfred Hitchcock used to say in his own TV series, what better way to face death than with a smile on your face? In its own, twisted way, this show confirmed that once again laughter is the best medicine.
That doesn't mean the series should be mistaken for a full-on comedy, though: like stablemate The Sopranos, Six Feet Under remains, at its core, a pure American tragedy, the black humor being there just as a partial relief from the bleaker events occurring throughout the show's five-year run. The drama is perfectly served not just by the outstanding writing, but also, fundamentally, by the actors: Krause and Hall received most of the early praise, the former for acting as the audience's guide into the Fishers' twisted world, the latter for playing a believable, three-dimensional gay person, as opposed to the deliberately excessive and flamboyant characters depicted in another HBO hit, Sex and the City. The truth is, everyone gives their best, both the show's regulars (Rodriguez and Griffiths in particular) and the magisterial guest stars, including Patricia Clarkson, Lili Taylor, James Cromwell and Kathy Bates (who also directed a few episodes, like Steve Buscemi in The Sopranos).
With its unique perspective on life and death, which was controversially amusing and surprisingly serious at the same time, Six Feet Under stands out as one of the edgiest, most brilliant and thought-provoking products American TV has ever spawned, a series whose reflection on the American way of life has few rivals in any artistic category.
One of the GOATs.
jmichellecorey28 January 2022
If I had to pick any one show to universally recommend to the public, it would be Six Feet Under.
I know that a lot of people wouldn't watch it. Reading through some of these reviews, you can see the people who didn't understand the show, who were offended and dismissive of the characters, their decisions, the "extreme" content. People say the show is too slow, too dry, too boring, "nothing happens", and the characters are "unlikable".
To those people, and to anyone who may be reading this, I just want to provide my perspective and urge you to consider it.
Six Feet Under is a character study, particularly in relation to death, and grief. It is very much character driven versus plot driven. You will need to have these expectations in place going into the show; don't hate it for not being something it was never trying to be. What you will find is one of the most intricately written- beautiful, flawed, loveable and detestable, and above all else strangely vulnerable and relatable, sometimes at the most unexpected moments- cast of characters in any series. They have different races and ethnicities, genders and sexualities, political and religious views, ages and financial statuses. They make poor decisions. They start doing better. They fail. They get back up and keep trying. If you truly give these characters a chance and look at them with empathy, even if at times you feel frustrated and disappointed in their choices and actions, in the end, they will move you. Simply put- they feel REAL and personal on a level a TV show rarely reaches.
THAT is what outstanding writing is (in conjunction with some of the most talented actors of our time). When watching this series, it won't spell everything it's trying to say out for you all the time. It is very encouraging of self reflection on your own life and relationships, to find your own answers, and these are not easy answers. If you're not up for that kind of thing, SFU probably isn't your show right now. But I would recommend trying again, maybe at a different point in your life, because this show could change your life.
I know that a lot of people wouldn't watch it. Reading through some of these reviews, you can see the people who didn't understand the show, who were offended and dismissive of the characters, their decisions, the "extreme" content. People say the show is too slow, too dry, too boring, "nothing happens", and the characters are "unlikable".
To those people, and to anyone who may be reading this, I just want to provide my perspective and urge you to consider it.
Six Feet Under is a character study, particularly in relation to death, and grief. It is very much character driven versus plot driven. You will need to have these expectations in place going into the show; don't hate it for not being something it was never trying to be. What you will find is one of the most intricately written- beautiful, flawed, loveable and detestable, and above all else strangely vulnerable and relatable, sometimes at the most unexpected moments- cast of characters in any series. They have different races and ethnicities, genders and sexualities, political and religious views, ages and financial statuses. They make poor decisions. They start doing better. They fail. They get back up and keep trying. If you truly give these characters a chance and look at them with empathy, even if at times you feel frustrated and disappointed in their choices and actions, in the end, they will move you. Simply put- they feel REAL and personal on a level a TV show rarely reaches.
THAT is what outstanding writing is (in conjunction with some of the most talented actors of our time). When watching this series, it won't spell everything it's trying to say out for you all the time. It is very encouraging of self reflection on your own life and relationships, to find your own answers, and these are not easy answers. If you're not up for that kind of thing, SFU probably isn't your show right now. But I would recommend trying again, maybe at a different point in your life, because this show could change your life.
After 20 years still relevant. Like it's made yesterday...
ingmarbeldman-753-92721223 February 2020
I have seen SFU three times in 10 years, 5 seasons,always within a week. Why actually? Why is this my favorite show?
The show is a dark comedy about a seemingly unusual funeral home family, with additional family, friends and colleagues who, like the family, are equally disturbed and often depressed. But if you look deeper, the series is mainly about death. In all its forms. And that is as confrontational as it is liberating.
The end..... Oh boy, that famous end, that brilliant end, in which there are so many bitter-sweet feelings of farewell, that even after a third viewing, i am overwelmed with my own mortality and love for life.
SFU is more than a brilliant series. It is a lesson in accepting death. And that doesn't hurt every now and then.
The show is a dark comedy about a seemingly unusual funeral home family, with additional family, friends and colleagues who, like the family, are equally disturbed and often depressed. But if you look deeper, the series is mainly about death. In all its forms. And that is as confrontational as it is liberating.
The end..... Oh boy, that famous end, that brilliant end, in which there are so many bitter-sweet feelings of farewell, that even after a third viewing, i am overwelmed with my own mortality and love for life.
SFU is more than a brilliant series. It is a lesson in accepting death. And that doesn't hurt every now and then.
Probably most underrated show - best TV series ever
DagRos20 July 2018
I have seen all major TV series: Sopranos, Wire, Breaking Bad, Games of Thrones, Mad Men, Downton Abbey etc etc etc.. and this is the best show of them all without hesitation. This is an excellent drama about relationships, family, life and death. After having watched this series you will be a slightly different and better person. Don't miss this great opportunity! Don't be held back that this is an older series, invest your time and you will be greatly rewarded for doing so.
Everything else about this series has been said in the reviews below. This is my first review on IMDB and I just felt I needed to post one after having watched this series, and hopefully bring some more attention to this fantastic masterpiece.
Put this on the top of your list and start watching asap !
Everything else about this series has been said in the reviews below. This is my first review on IMDB and I just felt I needed to post one after having watched this series, and hopefully bring some more attention to this fantastic masterpiece.
Put this on the top of your list and start watching asap !
Mandatory viewing for all humans
stoplisteningtothestatic3 July 2019
I discovered this show super late so i know everything I have to say has probably been said by now but wow this is my favorite show of all time sorry game of thrones /: Somehow its both the funniest and saddest show i've ever seen.. no other series has played with my emotions like this.. maybe bojack or shameless but if you like dark humor and real, gritty drama like those then watch this
Where it started to go wrong...
Irie21231 May 2016
Warning: Spoilers
In spite of really superior elements, including writing and acting, by the middle of the second season, "Six Feet Under" began to feel like a soap opera, albeit with a dark side.
The handful of principal characters, all interconnected, mostly in dysfunctional ways, get buried in problems the way the brothers buried the dearly departed. There's drug addiction, armed robbery, loan sharking, mutilation, a hit-and-run accident, brain disease, homophobia, manic depression, and the inevitable out-of-wedlock pregnancy that results from one copulation.
Of course a drama needs dramatic incidents, but I began to look at the extras on street scenes and wonder if they, too, were swamped by a tsunami of devastating problems. Am I the only person in America who life isn't a day-to-day morass of social issues? It was overwhelming for the wrong reason: I couldn't bring myself to care about any single individual because they were all swimming in the same lukewarm sea of troubles.
It was also in the 2nd season when many of the characters became so predictable that I knew I could fast-forward through their scenes and miss nothing. This was especially true of secondary characters, such as Brenda's parents (Joanna Cassidy and Robert Foxworth), who are not only predictable, but implausible. Cassidy's dialog, in particular, seems to have been written to strike as many outrageous notes as possible. There was no truth there; just showmanship. Ultimately, I lost interest. There are so many great TV series now, particularly on cable, that there's no reason to keep bingeing on one that's gone flat.
The handful of principal characters, all interconnected, mostly in dysfunctional ways, get buried in problems the way the brothers buried the dearly departed. There's drug addiction, armed robbery, loan sharking, mutilation, a hit-and-run accident, brain disease, homophobia, manic depression, and the inevitable out-of-wedlock pregnancy that results from one copulation.
Of course a drama needs dramatic incidents, but I began to look at the extras on street scenes and wonder if they, too, were swamped by a tsunami of devastating problems. Am I the only person in America who life isn't a day-to-day morass of social issues? It was overwhelming for the wrong reason: I couldn't bring myself to care about any single individual because they were all swimming in the same lukewarm sea of troubles.
It was also in the 2nd season when many of the characters became so predictable that I knew I could fast-forward through their scenes and miss nothing. This was especially true of secondary characters, such as Brenda's parents (Joanna Cassidy and Robert Foxworth), who are not only predictable, but implausible. Cassidy's dialog, in particular, seems to have been written to strike as many outrageous notes as possible. There was no truth there; just showmanship. Ultimately, I lost interest. There are so many great TV series now, particularly on cable, that there's no reason to keep bingeing on one that's gone flat.
I've never hated a fictional family more than the Fishers.
lilooolaura9 March 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Where do I even start. I just finished this show, and I could NOT wait to write this review. This show was recommended to me, and after sifting through the other reviews, I thought it must be pretty great. I finished the first episode and I thought it was OK, maybe it'll get better as it goes on. Yes, it's unique and tackles death in a different way, the story lines weren't anything spectacular to me. The only thing that seemed to increase as I went through season after season was my hate for pretty much all of these characters. Let's dive in.
Ruth Fisher: The matriarch of this dysfunctional family. From the fist episode I did not care for Ruth. With all her outbursts and emotional breakdowns, I found her character extremely unpleasant. The way she bounced from man to man, desperately searching for happiness because she was incapable of making her own was pathetic and sad. I could not for the life of me figure out how she had any friends throughout the series, I found her to be a terrible person.
Nate Fisher: The prodigal son. My first impression of Nate was that he was a free spirit, the black sheep of the family who had to venture out to find himself. No. Nate was just a terrible person. Ego maniac, narcissist. Nate was so angry all the time and resentful of his family. With what few flashbacks we saw, I couldn't see any reason for this. His parents didn't abuse him physically or sexually, they didn't neglect him. Yes, he grew up in a funeral home, but boo hoo. Where did he get off thinking he could ravage the lives of so many others, just because? The way he treated Brenda, and pretty much any other women he came into contact with was appalling. He is unfaithful, gets some other woman pregnant, and acts like it's everyone else's fault. He becomes angry with Lisa and claims she "trapped him into marriage", but it takes two. He states many times how unhappy he is with her, how much he wants out and how much he does not love her whatsoever. But when she passes away, he becomes a sullen shell of a person, like he has just lost his best friend. Make up your mind! Did you hate her, or what? Seriously. I almost stopped watching because of this story line. All his outbursts and how he treated his family when they were just trying to console him, because someone he didn't even love had died. Whatever. I have never been happier to see someone die before. But when Nate flat lined, I was elated. I wish it had been slower and more painful for him. I hope his character is burning. Oh, and for killing that beautiful blue bird? I wish someone would have done that to you. It was just living. You were a parasite.
Claire Fisher: This character seemed to be SO inconsistent. The first season she was misunderstood outcast, whatever. But as the show progressed, she never developed her own personality. I felt as though she was completely fake the entire time. She was however a completely spoiled brat. She felt entitled to the world yet worked for nothing. By the last season, I couldn't tell if she was on drugs the entire time, or if she had just fried her brain to the point of no return. Glassy eyed, irrationally screaming all the time. Yeah, no thanks. I couldn't and never will take her seriously as an "artist".
Nathaniel Fisher Sr.: Now, I didn't get much of a feel for him, but what I could gather was he was just unhappy in life. Yeah, he had all these secrets he kept from his family. Were they malicious? Nah. Harmless. He was just trying to break up the monotony of life. And if I had to go home to Ruth everyday, I would have had a secret life too.
David Fisher: Now I actually really loved David. He was the saving grace of the show. Without him, I would have stopped watching. He gave me hope, he was the only actual good, pure member of this family. Sure, he had some bumps in the road on the journey of coming out, but we all have those rocky periods when we are coming into our own. He was so genuine with his entire family, even when they treated him like garbage. He stuck by Keith because he loved him so much, even when Keith was a terrible human being. He comforted his extended family in crisis. He adopted two boys who had been thrown away by the world and the system and changed their lives, and loved them more than anything. He was the true black sheep of this family. He did not belong, and they did not deserve him. I'm so glad he was able to have a long life with Keith and that he was able to know true love. He deserved it.
Rico (honorable mention): Rico wasn't a bad character, but the Fisher's definitely rubbed off on him. What he became throughout the seasons was really hard to watch.
All in all, I would not recommend this show honestly. I don't see where people come to the conclusion that this "is the best show ever made", but I am entitled to my own opinion just as they are. The entire last season felt like one big fantasy of one of the characters. I kept waiting for them to get back to reality, but it never happened. I'm glad they all died. Eventually.
Ruth Fisher: The matriarch of this dysfunctional family. From the fist episode I did not care for Ruth. With all her outbursts and emotional breakdowns, I found her character extremely unpleasant. The way she bounced from man to man, desperately searching for happiness because she was incapable of making her own was pathetic and sad. I could not for the life of me figure out how she had any friends throughout the series, I found her to be a terrible person.
Nate Fisher: The prodigal son. My first impression of Nate was that he was a free spirit, the black sheep of the family who had to venture out to find himself. No. Nate was just a terrible person. Ego maniac, narcissist. Nate was so angry all the time and resentful of his family. With what few flashbacks we saw, I couldn't see any reason for this. His parents didn't abuse him physically or sexually, they didn't neglect him. Yes, he grew up in a funeral home, but boo hoo. Where did he get off thinking he could ravage the lives of so many others, just because? The way he treated Brenda, and pretty much any other women he came into contact with was appalling. He is unfaithful, gets some other woman pregnant, and acts like it's everyone else's fault. He becomes angry with Lisa and claims she "trapped him into marriage", but it takes two. He states many times how unhappy he is with her, how much he wants out and how much he does not love her whatsoever. But when she passes away, he becomes a sullen shell of a person, like he has just lost his best friend. Make up your mind! Did you hate her, or what? Seriously. I almost stopped watching because of this story line. All his outbursts and how he treated his family when they were just trying to console him, because someone he didn't even love had died. Whatever. I have never been happier to see someone die before. But when Nate flat lined, I was elated. I wish it had been slower and more painful for him. I hope his character is burning. Oh, and for killing that beautiful blue bird? I wish someone would have done that to you. It was just living. You were a parasite.
Claire Fisher: This character seemed to be SO inconsistent. The first season she was misunderstood outcast, whatever. But as the show progressed, she never developed her own personality. I felt as though she was completely fake the entire time. She was however a completely spoiled brat. She felt entitled to the world yet worked for nothing. By the last season, I couldn't tell if she was on drugs the entire time, or if she had just fried her brain to the point of no return. Glassy eyed, irrationally screaming all the time. Yeah, no thanks. I couldn't and never will take her seriously as an "artist".
Nathaniel Fisher Sr.: Now, I didn't get much of a feel for him, but what I could gather was he was just unhappy in life. Yeah, he had all these secrets he kept from his family. Were they malicious? Nah. Harmless. He was just trying to break up the monotony of life. And if I had to go home to Ruth everyday, I would have had a secret life too.
David Fisher: Now I actually really loved David. He was the saving grace of the show. Without him, I would have stopped watching. He gave me hope, he was the only actual good, pure member of this family. Sure, he had some bumps in the road on the journey of coming out, but we all have those rocky periods when we are coming into our own. He was so genuine with his entire family, even when they treated him like garbage. He stuck by Keith because he loved him so much, even when Keith was a terrible human being. He comforted his extended family in crisis. He adopted two boys who had been thrown away by the world and the system and changed their lives, and loved them more than anything. He was the true black sheep of this family. He did not belong, and they did not deserve him. I'm so glad he was able to have a long life with Keith and that he was able to know true love. He deserved it.
Rico (honorable mention): Rico wasn't a bad character, but the Fisher's definitely rubbed off on him. What he became throughout the seasons was really hard to watch.
All in all, I would not recommend this show honestly. I don't see where people come to the conclusion that this "is the best show ever made", but I am entitled to my own opinion just as they are. The entire last season felt like one big fantasy of one of the characters. I kept waiting for them to get back to reality, but it never happened. I'm glad they all died. Eventually.
See also
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