The BEST episodes of Six Feet Under season 1

Every episode of Six Feet Under season 1, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Six Feet Under season 1!

A chronicle of the lives of a dysfunctional family who run an independent funeral home in Los Angeles.

Last Updated: 8/11/2024Network: HBOStatus: Ended
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A Private Life
star
7.93
1025 votes

#1 - A Private Life

Season 1 - Episode 12 - Aired 8/19/2001

Marcus Foster, Jr. March 5, 1978 - June 5, 2001 Rico and Vanessa finally have their new son. Brenda tries to handle her brother's obsessiveness and suggests he give her back her house key and start back on his medication. Billy does not react too well to this. David's feelings about his secret come closer to the surface due to a hate crime against a gay man, that the funeral home now must deal with. Ruth tries to get her son to bring up the subject, but has a very difficult time. Nate has a freakish encounter with Billy. Claire and Gabe continue their unusual relationship.

Directors: Rodrigo Garcia
Writer: Kate Robin
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Life's Too Short
star
7.83
1041 votes

#2 - Life's Too Short

Season 1 - Episode 9 - Aired 7/29/2001

Anthony Christopher Finelli April 12, 1995 - April 21, 2001 Claire runs into Gabe again, but not under the best circumstances. His brother died and his mother and he have come to Fisher & Sons for the services. Brenda and Nate visit several different local funeral homes posing as mourning relatives in order to help Nate improve upon his salesmanship.

Directors: Jeremy Podeswa
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Knock, Knock
star
7.82
920 votes

#3 - Knock, Knock

Season 1 - Episode 13 - Aired 8/19/2001

Lillian Grace Montrose October 4, 1936 - June 14, 2001 Tracy Montrose Blair is back but for very different reasons this time. Her Aunt Lillian has passed away and David is the only one that can help her. While David is trying to deal with Tracy's outrageous demands and cope with her ever-changing ideas, Nate is trying to deal with Brenda and her family. Interrupted from his funeral director's exam, Nate scurries over to Brenda's so he can take her to visit Billy. Ruth finally decides she doesn't want to be involved with Nikolai and gets fired because of it.

Directors: Alan Ball
Writer: Alan Ball
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Familia
star
7.78
1140 votes

#4 - Familia

Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 6/24/2001

Manuel Pedro Antonio "Paco" Bolin February 6, 1980 - February 15, 2001 The Fisher family wonder if Claire might have some part to play in the blaze across the street. Nate has Brenda over for dinner and it does not seem to go as well as expected. Nate is dealing with issues from every side, including a feud between a deceased's family and gang about how to handle his services. But Nate finally gets enough courage to stand up to Gilardi and handle issues with Keith and the clients.

Directors: Lisa Cholodenko
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Pilot
star
7.75
1876 votes

#5 - Pilot

Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 6/3/2001

Nathaniel Fisher, Sr. 1943-2000 Meet the Fisher family. After the patriarch of the family, dies in a hearse-accident, the family comes together to mourn and decide the fate of the family Funeral Home. Nate, who works for an organic grocery store in Seattle, has to deal with more than just the death of his father. His mother, Ruth, is taking the death especially hard because she had been having an affair with her hairdresser, Hiram. David, the closeted homosexual who has helped with the business, has a difficult transition running things. Claire, the youngest of the clan, is a teenager in high-school trying to get comfortable in her own skin. On top of everything the family is already going through, they have a corporate funeral company hounding them to sell out.

Directors: Alan Ball
Writer: Alan Ball
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The Room
star
7.74
1025 votes

#6 - The Room

Season 1 - Episode 6 - Aired 7/8/2001

Mildred "Hattie" Effinger Jones April 16, 1920 - March 21, 2001 Nate continues to learn disturbing things about his father. This time he finds out that sometimes his father would barter for funerals. In one case, he traded a room. While David is pursuing a closer relationship with his church, a divorcee tries to pursue a closer relation with him. Claire meets Brenda's brother Billy and they hit it off extremely well. Ruth is still with Hiram, but is now also being pursued by her husband's florist, Nikolai.

Directors: Rodrigo Garcia
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An Open Book
star
7.74
1098 votes

#7 - An Open Book

Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 7/1/2001

Jean Louise McArthur aka "Vivica St. John" September 9, 1957 - February 17, 2001 David is trying to fill the void his father left in more than the business. He wants to become deacon at the family church, but Keith is having a problem with it. Ruth has a difficult time with a group of mourners for a porn star. But she and Claire try to have more bonding time and visit their cousins. Nate has dinner with Brenda's parents, psychiatrists Bernard and Margaret, without Brenda. He also meets her brother Billy in an unorthodox manner.

Directors: Kathy Bates
Writer: Alan Ball
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The Trip
star
7.70
914 votes

#8 - The Trip

Season 1 - Episode 11 - Aired 8/12/2001

Dillon Michael Cooper May 4, 2001 - May 23, 2001 The day before Rico is expecting his own new baby, he must deal with handling a 3-week old dead baby. Nate, David, and Brenda go to Las Vegas for a funeral director's convention. David continues to "date" rather random men, and trying desperately to hide it from his mother and family. Ruth gets bold and actually attempts to ask David about whether or not he is gay but David rudely interrupts her and says they can talk about it later. Claire is struggling with feelings for Gabe, whether they are guilt or adoration is a bit fuzzy. Ruth signs up for flower arranging classes to improve her skills, only to discover she's perceived as a bit controlling and uptight.

Directors: Michael Engler
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The New Person
star
7.59
1022 votes

#9 - The New Person

Season 1 - Episode 10 - Aired 8/5/2001

Jonathan Arthur Hanley April 24, 1946 - May 4, 2001 Nate and David hire a replacement for Rico -- Angela. She's very good at what she does, but they have a hard time getting used to her willingness to speak her mind. Billy has a rather surprising gallery exhibit of some of his work.

Directors: Kathy Bates
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The Will
star
7.54
1383 votes

#10 - The Will

Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 6/10/2001

Chandler James Swanson, Jr. July 29, 1967 - January 8, 2001 During a get together around a pool, people discuss a franchise pyramid scheme. Chandler Swanson dives into the pool, but he doesn't come back up. He leaves a wife and an infant daughter. Nathaniel Fisher's will is read and Ruth gets money, stocks and insurance money. Nate & David are both given the funeral business. Claire receives college tuition, but she considers trading it in for cash. In an effort to help the Widow Swanson, Nate starts learning a few things about the funeral business. First up, caskets cannot be rented. By law, a used casket cannot be re-sold.

Directors: Miguel Arteta
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Crossroads
star
7.52
1027 votes

#11 - Crossroads

Season 1 - Episode 8 - Aired 7/22/2001

Chloe Margaret Bryant Yorkin January 7, 1959 - April 2001 Riding in a limo, a drunken Chloe is celebrating her new-found freedom with friends. she stands up with her head out the sunroof to scream it to the world... and loses her head, literally. The business is a bit slow these days, so Nate and David decide to rent out a room at the funeral home to supplement the loss. Frederico is being wooed by Kroehner's and he contemplates doing it for the experience and the money. Claire is hiking in the mountains but doesn't really understand the point of it all.

Directors: Allen Coulter
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Foot
star
7.51
1288 votes

#12 - The Foot

Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 6/17/2001

Thomas Alfredo Romano May 16, 1944 - January 21, 2001 The Fishers have decided to sell, but then back out at the last minute because Nate cannot stand Gilardi. Claire finds a rather interesting way to get back at Gabe for spreading rumors about her. Gilardi find his own way of payback. He tells the Fishers that he is buying the rundown house across the street from them in order to provide a cheap alternative to Fisher & Sons. However, mysteriously, the house catches on fire after Nate and Brenda fool around in it.

Directors: John Patterson
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Brotherhood
star
7.31
995 votes

#13 - Brotherhood

Season 1 - Episode 7 - Aired 7/15/2001

Victor Wayne Kovich, PFC January 16, 1971 - April 1, 2001 Billy tries to get in the way of Nate and Brenda's relationship. Ruth invites Hiram over for a family dinner, and also takes a florist job in Nikolai's shop. David meets an open-minded associate priest and votes to keep him on for the church. Claire continues to have problems with school and life in general.

Directors: Jim McBride
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