HBO’s Six Feet Under is like a perfect eulogy: it paints a full and complex picture of its characters, using its strong, dark sense of humour to illuminate poignant observations about life, death and everything in between. The creative and critically-acclaimed HBO series about a family-run funeral home ran for five seasons, during which it was nominated for 28 Emmys and amassed a cult following.

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How can I watch Six Feet Under?

Six Feet Under is available to stream in the UK via Sky On Demand, Amazon Prime Video, iTunes and YouTube (paid). You can also purchase the series on DVD.

How many series are there of Six Feet Under?

Six Feet Under first aired in 2001 and ran for five series, with the finale airing in 2005.

What is Six Feet Under about?

Peter Krause and Richard Jenkins in (HBO/Getty Images)
Peter Krause and Richard Jenkins in Six Feet Under (HBO/Getty Images)

Six Feet Under is primarily set in Fisher and Sons funeral home in Los Angeles. When patriarch Nathaniel Fisher Senior dies, he leaves the business to both of his sons, shocking the whole family, who continue to be haunted by the presence of their father.

The show's macabre humour, use of magical realism and creativity (including the occasional musical number) cemented Six Feet Under as one of the seminal programmes heralding television’s new golden age in the early naughties. As darkly funny as it is deeply moving, the acclaimed series created by Alan Ball (True Blood) won nine Emmy and three Golden Globe awards during its run.

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Six Feet Under also features an iconic theme tune by the legendary Thomas Newman:

Who is in the cast of Six Feet Under?

Six Feet Under has a truly stellar ensemble cast.

Peter Krause (Parenthood, Dirty Sexy Money) plays eldest son Nathaniel Jr, who reluctantly returns to his family having spent most of his youth trying to escape. Laid-back Nate immediately clashes with his younger brother, David.

Peter Krause as Nate Fisher in Six Feet Under (Sky)
Peter Krause as Nate Fisher in Six Feet Under (Sky)

Dexter himself, Michael C Hall, plays straight-laced David, who is shocked to learn about his father’s decision to split the business between the brothers. Adding to his stress, closeted David is trying to keep new boyfriend Keith (Reunion’s Mathew St Patrick) a secret from his family.

Michael C Hall as David Fisher in Six Feet Under (Sky)
Michael C Hall as David Fisher in Six Feet Under (Sky)

Only a high schooler when her father dies, youngest sibling Claire Fisher is played by Lauren Ambrose (Torchwood).

Lauren Ambrose as Claire Fisher in Six Feet Under (Sky)
Lauren Ambrose as Claire Fisher in Six Feet Under (Sky)

Frances Conroy won a Golden Globe for her portrayal of neurotic Ruth Fisher, the family matriarch.

Frances Conroy as Ruth Fisher in Six Feet Under (Sky)
Frances Conroy as Ruth Fisher in Six Feet Under (Sky)

Australian Rachel Griffiths (Brothers and Sisters) plays complicated Brenda Chenowith, Nate’s on-again, off-again girlfriend.

Billy Chenowith, Brenda’s brother who struggles with mental illness, is played by Jeremy Sisto, in a definite departure from his role as Elton in Clueless!

Jeremy Sisto and Rachel Griffiths as Billy and Brenda Chenowith on Six Feet Under (Sky)
Jeremy Sisto and Rachel Griffiths as Billy and Brenda Chenowith on Six Feet Under (Sky)

Ugly Betty’s Freddy Rodriguez plays Rico Diaz, the funeral home’s restorative artist.

Freddy Rodriguez as Rico Diaz in Six Feet Under (Sky)
Freddy Rodriguez as Rico Diaz in Six Feet Under (Sky)

Other notable cast members include Justina Machado (One Day at a Time), James Cromwell (24, Boardwalk Empire), Richard Jenkins (The Shape of Water), Kathy Bates (American Horror Story, Titanic), Patricia Clarkson (House of Cards), Ed Begley Jr (Arrested Development) and Rainn Wilson (The Office).

What are the cast members from Six Feet Under doing now?

Six Feet Under cast (Getty)
Six Feet Under cast (Getty)

Peter Krause has since starred alongside Donald Sutherland in law drama Dirty Sexy Money, where he reportedly had creative differences with ABC, before moving on to pay Adam Braverman on Parenthood, created by Jason Katims (Friday Night Lights).

The third series of FOX firefighter drama 9-1-1, featuring Krause as Bobby Nash, will premiere 23 September 2019.

Six Feet Under may have introduced television audiences to theatre actor Michael C Hall, but it was his stint as psychopathic Dexter that made him a bona-fide star and Golden Globe winner.

Frances Conroy has been a staple on horror hit American Horror Story alongside Six Feet Under alumni Kathy Bates and James Cromwell, and plays Penny Fleck in the new Joker film.

After Six Feet Under, Lauren Ambrose starred as Jilly Kitzinger on Torchwood and plays Dorothy Turner in M Night Shyamalan’s thriller series Servant.

Rachel Griffiths has been working steadily in television with roles in Brothers and Sisters and House Husbands.

Jeremy Sisto starred in two seasons of the CBS cop procedural FBI before filming Boston-set indie drama Last Night in Rozzie.

Onscreen couple Freddy Rodriguez and Justina Machado have both appeared in a number of television series since Six Feet Under. Rodriguez starred in CBS crime series Bull, and Machado plays the lead in the critically-acclaimed remake of One Day at a Time, recently saved from cancellation by Pop TV.


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