A show about death that teaches us how to live, paradoxical yet true. Six Feet Under guides us, through its characters' journeys, to embrace the absurdity of life. I watched it at the perfect time in my life, and it allowed me to connect deeply with both its characters and themes. At this point, Six Feet Under has solidified itself as one of my favorite shows, ranking #4 in my top list. Emotionally, it’s one of the most impactful series I’ve ever watched, along with The Shield, while objectively, it stands as one of the greatest of all time in my list, #2, right after The Sopranos. The review contains spoilers, so don't read further if you haven't watched it. SEASONS 🚍 Season 1 represents an incredibly solid introduction, mixing heavy symbolic and thematic depth with moments of dark humor. The directing and stylistic choices, with that slight touch of surrealism that I personally love, immediately caught my attention. The character work is strong right from the beginning, with David standing out. The pilot and season finale are the best episodes. 👩🏻‍❤️‍👨🏻 Season 2 focuses on Brenda’s downward spiral, shaped by social constructs, family pressures, and the suffocating, yet subtle, nature of her relationship with Nate. Their drama is fantastic and well written, though I found the pacing a bit slow at times, probably something that would improve on a rewatch. The final episode is particularly strong. 👨🏻‍🍼 Season 3 was a highlight for me. The final stretch completely immersed me in the show’s melancholic poetry. Nate’s arc, especially in his dynamic with Lisa (which I’ll discuss later), is phenomenal. The subplots are also engaging, particularly Claire’s storyline, which expands on the theme of art. 🐕 Season 4 is underrated by many, but I found it masterfully constructed. It serves as a strong build-up while remaining consistently engaging, as every episode presents meaningful content. Character development is remarkable on a collective level, and the drama between Brenda, Joe, and Nate works exceptionally well. The best episode is That's My Dog which signs the start of a compelling and well written trauma and suffering arc for David. 📸 Season 5, there are no words to fully capture its brilliance. This might be Nate’s peak as a character, and the season as a whole is remarkably consistent, with every episode maintaining a high standard. The final stretch is a journey into the very core of Six Feet Under, overwhelming you with its depth, raw emotion, and flawless writing. And of course, it all culminates in a 10/10 finale. CHARACTERS 🕊️ Nate is an imperfect man, full of flaws. He represents what we would never want to become, someone who reaches the end of their life without ever coming to terms with who they are or resolving their own issues. He’s introduced as a free spirit detached from his family’s reality. He loved his father, but he always wanted to be different from him, especially when it came to work and responsibility. From the very beginning they introduce this escapist trait which is something we see throughout the whole series. From season 2 onward, his relationship with Brenda becomes a major narrative pillar. Nate is constantly seeking approval, emotional support, and authenticity, but he does it through his pain. His irresponsibility and weakness lead him to relationships that don’t demand much from him, and when real responsibilities do come up, he either escapes or reacts in toxic ways. This is crystal clear in his conflict with Brenda in 2x13 and is further reinforced through his arc with Lisa in season 3. Nate felt trapped by routine and responsibilities, torn between his role as a husband and his own desires. Lisa’s death, besides tying into several of the show’s themes, has a deep emotional impact on him. The ambiguity surrounding her death leaves Nate wondering: Did she die because I didn’t love her enough? He regrets not giving her the love she deserved, which sends him into a spiral of self-destruction and guilt that peaks in Falling Into Place. In season 4, we see a more childish Nate, seeking comfort in shallow relationships and even clinging to spiritual beliefs as a way to escape grief. His connection to spirituality is interesting, he seems deeply drawn to it, but in reality, it’s just a way to avoid facing his pain face to face. This becomes evident in the Quakerism arc in season 5. In season 4, Nate and Brenda reconnect, and their relationship becomes a major focus of season 5. It’s incredibly well-written. Once again, Nate, overwhelmed by the responsibility of a new baby on the way, Brenda’s needs, and his own issues, finds refuge in an affair with Maggie. Here, we see his more narcissistic side, though I don’t think Nate is a pathological narcissist, he definitely exhibits some of the traits, as Brenda points out. He pressures Maggie into and intimate relationship, using her for comfort, validation, and self worth. One thing that really struck me in this season is the symbolism of the bird in 5X4, it enters the house and repeatedly crashes into the walls, representing Nate’s endless cycle of contradictions and self-destruction. The bird’s death is melancholic because it symbolizes the death of any hope that Nate will ever change. In the final episodes, Nate dies. The final sequences of his death are filmed perfectly. The ocean scene is incredibly poetic, the movement of the birds, the place where Lisa died, the deep symbolism of the sea. But Nate ultimately accepts it. He comes to terms with death and almost seems at peace, despite being an incomplete man who never found his place in the world. In the final episodes, through visions, he helps others, especially Claire, find their own path and ultimately, to their death. At this point, Nate is one of my favorite protagonists. In terms of writing, I’d rank him #2. 🤵🏻‍♂️ David is a fantastic deuteragonist. I’m not sure where I’d rank him yet, but he’s definitely in my top 5, though Chris and Shane are still my favorites. His homosexuality is, of course, one of the most interesting aspects of his character, not just in terms of relationships, but on a deeply personal level. He was my favorite character in season 1 because of how well his internal conflict and struggle for self acceptance were written. It’s some of the best psychological character work in the show. David’s development is incredibly strong, running parallel to themes of modern masculinity, showing its challenges and contradictions. Beneath his professional, rational exterior, we slowly see a man who is deeply insecure, a people-pleaser. That’s My Dog is an unconventional but brilliant way to explore these insecurities. His PTSD and his journey toward partial acceptance and eventual healing are some of the show’s most powerful moments. His relationship with Keith never bored me, which is rare, I usually don’t find long-running relationships in TV all that compelling. But theirs was written in a way that kept it engaging for five whole seasons. Their arguments, shaped by their different upbringings, the support they offer each other through trauma, the open relationship debate, the adoption storyline, every aspect of their relationship kept evolving, adding new layers to the show without ever feeling repetitive. 👰🏻‍♀️ I had to put Brenda above Claire at #3, I absolutely loved her writing. She might even be my favorite female character ever. Brenda is fascinating, both in terms of her personality and as a social archetype. Her background is compelling, she defies societal constructs, rules, and dogmas. She’s extremely intelligent but also deeply flawed. In season 2, we see her escapist and self-destructive tendencies, but from season 4 onward, we witness her slow, painful redemption. It’s brilliantly built up, her growth is messy, filled with setbacks and doubts. Her breakup with Joe prove this. Even though her marriage with Nate seemed happy, she still had lingering doubts. She didn’t feel worthy, and, more than anything, she felt guilty. Guilt is probably the biggest theme in Brenda’s story, making her one of the most complex characters in the show. In the final episodes, this guilt resurfaces with Willa’s birth, she feels responsible for bringing a life into a world where pain and death are inevitable. But in the end, accepting Willa is also Brenda’s final redemption, she finally embraces motherhood. 📸 What is art? What’s its role? Art can be something undefined, a fleeting or lasting emotion, a way to express ourselves or connect with an audience. The show brilliantly avoids over-explaining or forcing labels on art. It’s one of the most powerful, well-written explorations of art I’ve ever seen on TV, presented through Claire’s journey. Through her artistic pursuit, Claire explores not only art itself but also her identity, her doubts, dreams, uncertainties, and struggles. In seasons 3 and 4, her artistic growth is deeply existential, giving her arc a powerful depth. But in season 5, everything shifts, she’s lost, uninspired, stuck in a job that feels like a prison. I loved this arc because it shows the different paths life can take and the opportunities we have to create for ourselves. That’s why her final moments with Nate in Everyone’s Waiting is so emotional. It’s about overcoming the fear of making choices, taking risks, and carving out your own future. 👩🏻‍🍼 Ruth is an incredibly solid secondary character. She’s a painfully realistic portrayal of a woman who has spent her entire life in the role of a mother, a role she embraced fully, but at the cost of her own dreams. She sacrificed so much that, beyond being a mother, she’s not even sure who she is anymore. Nate Sr’s death is a massive turning point for Ruth. At the same time that she’s grieving, she’s also realizing that her children are growing up and moving on. This leads her to explore who she really wants to be. On one side, she has a new adventurous, passionate side, on the other, there’s a deep nostalgia for the role that once gave her identity, as well as sadness over her lack of connection with her kids, especially Claire. Her relationship with George is fascinating, watching her slowly get trapped in taking care of him was an incredible arc. Ruth’s ending is beautiful. Her final conversation with Claire is deeply touching, as if she’s passing a part of herself on to her daughter. And in the final montage, we see her doing what makes her happy, until the moment of her death, when she sees Nate. Absolutely heartbreaking scene. SIDE CHARACTERS While in the early seasons the roster of side characters wasn’t particularly interesting, from the third season onward, it took a compelling turn. Keith is a character whose psychological development I truly loved, the way he dealt with the trauma caused by his relationship with his father, which had made him a toxic individual, and how he ultimately became a caring father and a supportive husband is beautifully portrayed. Rico offers a glimpse into Latin culture, exploring the theme of family unity. His arc in season 4, besides being well-written, is extremely entertaining and kept me engaged. George is a deep character, also traumatized by his past and struggling with mental health issues. His relationship with Ruth is very intriguing, and his personal growth in the later stages of the series is nicely executed. I also want to mention Nate Sr, a fascinating character who delivers some of the best dialogues in the series. He is excellently written, especially in the way each character perceives him in their hallucinations, he serves as a powerful symbol of the show's themes surrounding death. STYLE, THEMES & FEATURES From the very beginning, the series captivated me with its style, blending dark themes with a fast paced and often witty narrative. As the show progresses, it acquires a more tragic maturity, but this initial feature is still maintained in some instances. SFU for me ranks among the series with the best camerawork and direction I’ve ever seen. Some might say I’m exaggerating, but great cinematography doesn’t require flashy shots or excessive stylization, what truly matters is how camera movements enhance the storytelling, and SFU excels in this aspect. The series features excellent camera work and, in some cases, impressive technical choices. Thanks to this and its incredibly coherent and brilliant writing, it stands as one of the most auteur driven series I’ve ever watched. Discussing all of this show's themes would be overwhelming because every episode is rich with psychological and philosophical content. I love how the theme of death is handled, I initially expected a direct and potentially repetitive exploration of the subject as the seasons progressed. While direct exploration is present, particularly through the allegories involving Nate Sr, it is executed in an intelligent and non-redundant way. The show doesn’t just tackle death explicitly, it also does so indirectly by illustrating how one should live in awareness of death. The narrative heavily revolves around the concepts of acceptance, denial, or awareness of death, closely resembling Heidegger’s Being-toward-Death, in fact Heidegger might be the philosopher whose ideas align most with the show’s philosophy. Alan Ball doesn’t merely suggest a connection between life and death, he goes beyond the conventional notion of death. Contrary to how one might initially perceive it, death is not just an endpoint, it is a fundamental component of being. Without it, we wouldn’t feel the urgency to be alive, to want to live, and to pursue what we desire in life. The entire narrative structure is built around this concept. If you're interested in further analysis, I recommend checking out @Nily__ 's TikTok reviews on this topic. Another crucial aspect of the series is its naturalistic portrayal of human relationships, particularly romantic ones, which are depicted with an exceptional level of emotional depth, psycho-philosophical exploration, and outstanding performances. These elements bring the story to life in a harmonious way. The writing is meticulous, and while other great shows have explored similar themes, Six Feet Under remains, without a doubt, the best at doing so. RANKING SEASONS #🥇 / SEASON 5 / 9.5 #🥈 / SEASON 3 / 8.7 #🥉 / SEASON 4 / 8.6 # 4 / SEASON 1 / 8.5 # 5 / SEASON 2 / 8.3 TOP 5 EPISODES #🥇 / Everyone's Waiting 512 / 10 #🥈 / All Alone 510 / 9.4 #🥉 / Ecotone 509 / 9.4 # 4 / Falling Into Place 401 / 9.0 # 5 / I'm Sorry, I'm Lost 313 / 9.0 # 6 / Static 511 / 9.0 # 7 / Pilot 101 / 8.7 # 8 / A Coat of White Primer 501 / 8.6 # 9 / Time Flies 504 / 8.6 # 10 / Perfect Circles 301 / 8.6 TOP 10 CHARACTERS #🥇 / Nate Fisher #🥈 / David Fisher #🥉 / Brenda Chenowith # 4 / Claire Fisher # 5 / Ruth Fisher # 6 / Keith Charles # 7 / Nathaniel Sr Fisher # 8 / Federico Diaz # 9 / George Sibley # 10 / Lisa Kimmel SHOW RATING: 9.4