1x01 Pilot - Six Feet Under Episode Guide

Six Feet Under

- Episode 01x01

Episode: 01x01 (pilot)
Title: Pilot
Type: Regular Episode
Production Code: N/A
First Aired: Jun. 03, 2001

Season 1 » Episode #01 - Pilot

Summary: Los Angeles, Christmas Eve, Nathaniel Fisher, owner of the Fisher and Sons Funeral Home, is killed when a municipal bus broadsides his new hearse. The tragedy casts a pall on the holiday homecoming of son Nate (who works for an organic food co-op in Seattle), as he must not only deal with the death of a father, but the fragile egos of mother Ruth (who has been having a secret affair with her hairdresser, Hiram), brother David (a closet homosexual seeing a black policeman named Keith), and a sister Claire (a rebellious high-schooler who receives the bad news after dropping crystal meth with new boyfriend Gabe). The only good thing to happen to Nate is Brenda, a passionate women he met on the plane, just before learning of his father's death. At home, David eschews the talents of his young mortician, Fredrico, to personally undo the damage of his dad's accident. The ensuing funeral leaves the family's deepest emotions exposed, and calls into question some of our more absurd rites of passage. At the gravesite, David is not amused by the advances of Matthew Gilardi of Kroehner Service Corporation, a funeral- home conglomerate looking to buy out the Fishers business. As for senior Nathaniel, he may have been laid to rest- but has plenty left to reveal to his family.

Who appeared in this episode?

Guest Stars:

Federico 'Rico' Diaz	played by Freddy Rodr�guez
Claire's Meth Date	played by Eric Balfour
Kroehner Representative	played by Gary Hershberger
Chatty Mourner	played by Dina Waters
Woman Mourner	played by Sharon Madden
Young Nate	played by Hayden Tank
Young David	played by Maximillian Kesmodel
Market Clerk	played by Dennis Anderson (II)
Elderly Man	played by Harper Roisman

Season 1 / Episode 1: - Pilot

Nate Fisher: Look, I have to go identify our dead father's body. I'm sorry you're having a bad drug experience, but deal with it.

Season 1 / Episode 1: - Pilot

Nathaniel Fisher: [David is covering his father's wounds with wound filler, as he looks on disapprovingly] Oh, no. You're doing me? You're the worst one we've got.
David: [monotone] Thanks, Dad.
Nathaniel Fisher: [frantic] Where's Federico?
David: It's Christmas morning. He's with his wife and kids. He'll be in later.
Nathaniel Fisher: [impatient] Ooh, couldn't this wait? I don't want you ruining my face.
David: It's a little late for that.
Nathaniel Fisher: Not funny.

[More Quotes]

MISTAKES/GOOFS

[none added]

TRIVIA

The pilot's opening death was the only one not to be announced by an obituary, since it was Nathaniel's death that set the series in motion, and also because the mock funeral product ads took up screen time.
Eric Balfour was only supposed to be introduced as "Claire's Meth Date" for the show's pilot, but the director found his chemistry so satisfying with Lauren Ambrose that his role was developed into the character Gabe Dimas. Similarly, Dina Waters's and Gary Hershberger's roles were only listed as "Chatty Mourner" and "Kroehner Representative (though the latter was already identified by the name Matthew Gilardi in the episode).
According to the Six Feet Under obituaries, Nathaniel Samuel Fisher's, the only one never to be shown on the show, is 1943-2000 (though it was mistyped to read 2001, the year which the first season's other deaths occurred in after New Year's).