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Six Feet Under

TV SERIES · 2001–2005 · USA

Six Feet Under

Created by
Alan Ball
Network
HBO
Seasons
5
Episodes
63
Studio
HBO, The Greenblatt Janollari Studio, Actual Size Films

12 archived facts 6 topics 1 source Last reviewed Oct 2026

When death is your business, what is your life? For the Fisher family, the world outside of their family-owned funeral home continues to be at least as challenging as—and far less predictable than—the one inside.

  • Six Feet Under — production image

12 Interesting Facts About Six Feet Under

Interesting Facts (1)

  1. #001

    The term “Narm,” for a moment meant to be serious that turns unintentionally funny, was born from Six Feet Under.

    Six Feet Under (2001) — In the kitchen, a woman stands seriously with her arms crossed while a young woman and a man sitting at the table look at her.
    Six Feet Under (2001): A serious moment in the Six Feet Under kitchenImage: IMDb

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Production Story (6)

  1. #002

    Alan Ball wrote the series in the wake of losing his sister.

    Six Feet Under (2001) — Frances Conroy cries at the head of a coffin in a cemetery; behind her, Michael C. Hall and Peter Krause are mourning.
    Six Feet Under (2001): A grieving family at the funeralImage: IMDb

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  2. #003

    HBO renewed the show for a second season within a week of the first episode airing.

    Six Feet Under (2001) — Two men are talking outdoors; one is wearing an apron, and there are people sitting at a dining table in the background.
    Six Feet Under (2001): Ed Begley Jr. and Michael C. Hall outsideImage: IMDb

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  3. #004

    Alan Ball wrote Federico Diaz with Freddy Rodriguez in mind.

    Six Feet Under (2001) — Freddy Rodríguez in a white gown stands at the head of a corpse lying on a table.
    Six Feet Under (2001): Freddy Rodríguez in the funeral roomImage: IMDb

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  4. #005

    Rachel Griffiths read the script and let the production know she very much wanted to play Brenda. The producers' one real worry was whether she could manage a convincing American accent, so she flew in from Australia to meet them already speaking with a flawless one, and landed the role.

    Six Feet Under (2001) — Rachel Griffiths, in red clothing with her hands clasped, looks at the person opposite her and smiles.
    Six Feet Under (2001): Rachel Griffiths as BrendaImage: IMDb

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  5. #006

    Alan Ball had only 13 days to shoot the pilot, which made him somewhat anxious, since he had never directed anything before.

    Six Feet Under (2001) — Two men, one in a police uniform and the other in a suit, standing side by side inside a building.
    Six Feet Under (2001): Two Characters in Six Feet UnderImage: IMDb

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  6. #007

    Rodrigo García, son of Gabriel García Márquez, directed some of the episodes.

    Six Feet Under (2001) — Five cast members sit on white chairs in a church hall, looking at the camera with serious expressions.
    Six Feet Under (2001): Six Feet Under cast in a churchImage: IMDb

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Behind the Scenes (1)

  1. #008

    The solitary tree in the opening sequence doesn't really grow on that hill; it was dug out of someone's back yard and planted there for the shot.

    Six Feet Under (2001) — A man in a suit and a young man in shorts standing among gravestones in a cemetery.
    Six Feet Under (2001): Two Men in a CemeteryImage: IMDb

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Characters & Cast (2)

  1. #009

    This was Michael C. Hall's first screen role; until “Six Feet Under” he had worked only on the New York stage. The first scene he shot was in the pilot, when David goes to the morgue to collect his father's body.

    Six Feet Under (2001) — Michael C. Hall in a suit holds a book titled 'Candidate Information Handbook'.
    Six Feet Under (2001): Michael C. Hall and the candidate handbookImage: IMDb

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  2. #010

    Rico's on-screen son Julio is played by Freddy Rodríguez's real son, Giancarlo Rodriguez.

    Six Feet Under (2001) — A woman and a young man, the young man wearing a beanie, both looking sad.
    Six Feet Under (2001): Elizabeth Rodriguez and Roger Velasco togetherImage: IMDb

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Easter Eggs & References (1)

  1. #011

    In season one, David and Nate worry about competition from the “Poseidon Society,” a fictional company specializing in cremation, which is a sly nod to the real “Neptune Society,” a nationwide cremation chain.

    Six Feet Under (2001) — Three men in open terrain, with white bags and tents behind them; the one in the middle wears a dark jacket, the one on the left a light-colored T-shirt.
    Six Feet Under (2001): Michael C. Hall, David Hornsby and Matt Winston in open terrainImage: IMDb

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Deeper Meaning (1)

  1. #012

    The show is set in Los Angeles because, as creator Alan Ball puts it, LA is the “world capital of the denial of death.”

    Six Feet Under (2001) — Three men in suits stand at the head of a coffin; inside the coffin are a corpse and a framed photo.
    Six Feet Under (2001): Three men at a coffin in the funeral homeImage: IMDb

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Sources & editorial notes

Reference databases

  • Wikipedia English Wikipedia article
  • IMDb IMDb title page (trivia)

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