List of Six Feet Under episodes

Six Feet Under, an American television drama series created by Alan Ball, premiered on the premium cable network HBO in the United States on June 3, 2001, and ended its original run of five seasons and 63 episodes on August 21, 2005. The series chronicles the Fishers, a family of funeral directors who struggle with relationships and their own personal demons, while trying to maintain a small funeral home. All five seasons are available on DVD in individual box sets and in a collected volume.

Series overview

Season	Episodes		Originally aired
			First aired	Last aired
1	13		June 3, 2001 (2001-06-03)	August 19, 2001 (2001-08-19)
2	13		March 3, 2002 (2002-03-03)	June 2, 2002 (2002-06-02)
3	13		March 2, 2003 (2003-03-02)	June 1, 2003 (2003-06-01)
4	12		June 13, 2004 (2004-06-13)	September 12, 2004 (2004-09-12)
5	12		June 6, 2005 (2005-06-06)	August 21, 2005 (2005-08-21)

Episodes

Season 1 (2001)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	U.S. viewers (millions)
1	1	"Pilot"	Alan Ball	Alan Ball	June 3, 2001 (2001-06-03)	4.97
On Christmas Eve 2000, patriarch Nathaniel Fisher (Richard Jenkins), owner of Fisher & Sons Funeral Home, is hit by a bus while driving his brand new hearse. His passing throws his immediate family into emotional chaos as they attempt to deal with their grief. Nathaniel's death casts a pall over the return of his older son Nate (Peter Krause), who was hoping for a relaxing vacation before returning to his home in Seattle. On the flight, he meets and later has sex with Brenda Chenowith (Rachel Griffiths). Dutiful son David (Michael C. Hall) is struggling to keep his true sexual identity and his new boyfriend Keith (Mathew St. Patrick) from his family. Matriarch Ruth (Frances Conroy) has her own secrets to keep, while youngest child and only daughter Claire (Lauren Ambrose) has her first taste of crystal meth before finding out about Nathaniel's death and must now go through the experience while tweaking. Meanwhile, Nathaniel's spectre repeatedly appears to each member of his family and forces them to face their own anxieties about life and death.
2	2	"The Will"	Miguel Arteta	Christian Williams	June 10, 2001 (2001-06-10)	3.89
Chandler Swanson, the inventor of a large-scale pyramid scheme, is killed when he hits his head on the bottom of the pool. His young widow is shocked to learn that her husband’s business was actually a scam and that she has inherited massive debts. Meanwhile, the reading of Nathaniel’s will drives a wedge between Nate and David when he leaves them each half of the business. Claire, angry that she must either go to college or wait until she is twenty-five to get her inheritance, starts getting closer to Gabe (Eric Balfour), the boy who got her high the night Nathaniel died and they have a close encounter involving Gabe’s toe. Ruth goes on a hiking trip with her boyfriend Hiram (Ed Begley, Jr.) and decides that from now on, she does not want to be involved with the family business, leaving all the responsibility to the brothers. David reconnects with his ex-fiancee Jennifer while pushing Keith away. Brenda helps both Nate and David deal with their grief and reconnect with each other in a surprising way.
3	3	"The Foot"	John Patterson	Bruce Eric Kaplan	June 17, 2001 (2001-06-17)	4.16
Thomas Alfredo Romano is cut into pieces and killed when the dough mixer he is cleaning is accidentally turned on. Nate persuades the others to sell Fisher and Sons to a large chain, Kroehner International, but Nathaniel’s presence gives him second thoughts. Claire is humiliated when her car is vandalized at school with phrases like “toe slut” and “this little piggy lover”. She takes her revenge by stealing one of Romano's severed feet and putting it in Gabe’s locker. Nate must make a choice between taking the money and running from the business he hates and fears, or staying and using his gifts to help people. He and David decide to turn down Kroehner, but their refusal has serious consequences when the large corporation plans to open a cheap cremation house just across the street. Ruth decides to have a little fun and ends up losing $25,000 betting on horse races. The family discovers that Claire stole Romano's foot and events take a surprising turn when Kroehner's new property catches on fire.
4	4	"Familia"	Lisa Cholodenko	Laurence Andries	June 24, 2001 (2001-06-24)	5.68
A gang member, Manuel "Paco" Bolin, is shot to death by a rival gang and Fisher & Sons arranges his funeral, but Nate and David have to turn to Federico (Freddy Rodriguez), their restorative artist, to help with the interference of gang leader Powerful. Meanwhile, Nate and Brenda are questioned over the fire, but Nate is more suspicious of Claire, given her recent behavior. Ruth hosts a dinner to meet Brenda, but walks in on her and Nate in a compromising position. The police rule the fire was started by "causes unknown", letting Fisher & Sons off the hook. An incident involving Keith forces David to confront his self-loathing, and David is antagonized by the spectre of Manuel about his "run-and-hide" attitude toward life.
5	5	"An Open Book"	Kathy Bates	Alan Ball	July 1, 2001 (2001-07-01)	4.64
Viveca St. John (Veronica Hart), a famous porn star, is electrocuted in her bath tub, bringing much needed business to Fisher & Sons, but her less than conventional circle of friends makes for an interesting funeral and shocks Ruth. Elsewhere, David is invited to be a deacon at his mother’s church and this causes problems with Keith, who wants David to keep coming to church with him. Nate is introduced to Brenda’s psychiatrist parents Margaret and Bernard (Joanna Cassidy and Robert Foxworth), who reveal a few of Brenda’s darker secrets. Acting on the advice of Claire’s guidance counselor, Ruth tries to form a closer relationship with her daughter, which does not go as planned. David comes out to Nate, but when he refuses to let Keith come to church with him, Keith accuses him of being a coward and breaks up with him and David later denies his sexuality to his brother. Nate meets Brenda’s brother Billy (Jeremy Sisto), who is unstable and suffers from bipolar disorder.
6	6	"The Room"	Rodrigo García	Christian Taylor	July 8, 2001 (2001-07-08)	5.29
Mildred “Hattie” Jones dies in her sleep, leaving her husband to arrange the funeral. Nate discovers some irregularities on the Fisher & Sons books, and discovers that Nathaniel used to trade funeral services for favors, such as getting marijuana from a local businesswoman and renting a room above an Indian restaurant, leading Nate to ponder just how well he really knew his father. Claire takes an interest in Billy, but when he later rejects her, she takes little comfort from Brenda’s kind words. Tracy, a woman who has been aggressively pursuing David, makes him realize how lonely he is without Keith and he takes to trolling gay bars for companionship. Mr. Jones himself dies at his wife’s side after her viewing and Ruth reignites her romantic relationship with Hiram the hairdresser.
7	7	"Brotherhood"	Jim McBride	Christian Williams	July 15, 2001 (2001-07-15)	5.33
A young veteran, Victor Kovitch, dies from supposed Gulf War syndrome and his brother Paul, who refuses a military service because he and Victor were fighting the Army for compensation, arranges the funeral. Nate soon discovers that Victor loved the Army and wanted a military burial but had never wanted to cause trouble with his brother. Nate and Brenda plan a trip away for the weekend, but their plans are interrupted by Billy, who is having an emotional crisis. David interviews a progressive priest for a position at the church, which forces him to consider his own place within the congregation. Ruth brings her boyfriend Hiram over for dinner and introduces him to the family, and takes a job working for Nikolai (Ed O'Ross) at his flower shop. Fisher & Sons holds a funeral for Victor without Paul's permission but Nate manages to convince Paul to give his brother the funeral he really wanted.
8	8	"Crossroads"	Allen Coulter	Laurence Andries	July 22, 2001 (2001-07-22)	5.69
It's a dry season in the funeral business for the Fisher family, and Rico takes the opportunity to test his skills and his income by freelancing with Kroehner. Business is so slow that Nate and David rent out their slumber room to a seniors' dance class, and David finds a short-term, drug-laced romance in the class's young male dance instructor. Nate is angered to discover Brenda's Australian friend is staying at her home and sleeping in her bed. He gets high and blows up at Brenda but the two later apologize for their erratic behaviors toward one another. Claire gets herself kicked out of a school trip after the leader finds marijuana in her bag. She befriends a classmate, Parker, and learns that people are not always what they seem. Ruth finds herself torn between the comfort that Hiram offers her and the spirit of adventure she finds in Nikolai.
9	9	"Life's Too Short"	Jeremy Podeswa	Christian Taylor	July 29, 2001 (2001-07-29)	5.82
When Gabriel's six-year-old brother dies of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Claire finds herself softening toward her ex-boyfriend. David hits the dance clubs with his new lover and discovers the joys of ecstasy—as does his mother, Ruth, when she takes the pills that David left in the aspirin bottle. David ends his relationship with his lover when he tries to coax him into a threesome. He later runs into Keith and his new boyfriend at a club. While under the influence of ecstasy, Ruth dreams of reuniting with her husband, Nathaniel. Brenda comes up with a scheme to improve Nate's management abilities by taking a whirlwind tour of some rival funeral homes after he flunks the funeral director's exam.
10	10	"The New Person"	Kathy Bates	Bruce Eric Kaplan	August 5, 2001 (2001-08-05)	5.54
The Fishers need to replace Rico and they hire outstanding but outspoken embalmer, Angela (Illeana Douglas). Brenda and Nate's relationship faces a mounting crisis when her brother, Billy, includes in his art exhibit a portrait of an unsuspecting Nate urinating against a wall. Finding Billy off his "meds" one time too many, Brenda's parents think he should be sent away for treatment. David orchestrates a meeting with his ex-boyfriend, Keith, which ends with David coming on to and being rejected by Keith, who is seeing someone new. Claire finds herself enmeshed in a deep relationship with Gabe, but it may be shallower than she thinks when he lies to her about going to visit his father, who Claire later finds out died when Gabe was four. David fires Angela for breaking one of his mother's wine glasses, and on her way out, Angela reveals to Ruth that her son is gay. Nate tracks down Rico, and he agrees to return to Fisher and Sons temporarily because of his new-found unhappiness at Kroehner. He also informs Nate that Kroehner set the house across the street on fire in order to collect insurance money, and they are not through with their take-down of Fisher & Sons.
11	11	"The Trip"	Michael Engler	Rick Cleveland	August 12, 2001 (2001-08-12)	4.33
David, Nate and Brenda attend a funeral directors' conference in Las Vegas where David successfully speaks on the role of independent funeral homes as he faced the "suits" from Kroehner. David's fellow funeral director friends pay for a female stripper to give David a lap dance, and he is forced to reveal that he is gay. He calls a male prostitute and is later arrested for having sex in public. David calls Keith to bail him out of jail. Keith is able to have the charges dropped, but he is disappointed that David was having unprotected sex with a prostitute. Brenda and Nate are disturbed to discover that Brenda's psychotic brother, Billy, followed them and broke into their hotel room to photograph them naked and asleep in bed. Meanwhile, Rico has rejoined the firm and faces a tough emotional challenge with his first client, a three-week-old infant who died of SIDS, which causes him to worry about the impending birth of his own child. Ruth attends a class to make her flower arranging less funereal after a suggestion from Nikolai. Claire finds out that Gabe overdosed on heroin and visits him in a hospital. The episode ends with Claire and Gabe professing their love for one another and the birth of Rico and Vanessa's son, Augusto.
12	12	"A Private Life"	Rodrigo García	Kate Robin	August 19, 2001 (2001-08-19)	6.67
The homophobic killing of a young man forces David to re-examine his lifestyle and his family relationships. Brenda is trying her best to break from her brother, Billy. Nate goes to pick up a body when in reality, Billy had lured him there, where he displays pictures of himself kissing Nate's sister, Claire, and of Nate and Brenda having sex. He threatens Nate with a knife, but Nate is able to escape. Brenda then breaks up with Nate, telling him she needs space. Later, Billy breaks into Brenda's home, showing her that he has removed his tattoo on his lower back of the name "Isabel" by cutting off his own skin. He tries to remove Brenda's matching tattoo, but she is able to knock him unconscious and call an ambulance. She decides to have Billy committed, and she and Nate reunite. Ruth suspects that David is gay. She asks Robbie, her homosexual co-worker, how he came out to his mother, and he tells her that it is not her business. Eventually, David comes out to an accepting Ruth and a disgusted Rico. At the funeral, Keith is on patrol to protect the family from homophobic rioters. David assaults one of the rioters in retaliation, and Keith covers for him. Claire is concerned that Gabe's overdose was not accidental and is concerned for his well-being.
13	13	"Knock, Knock"	Alan Ball	Alan Ball	August 19, 2001 (2001-08-19)	7.06
Tracy Blair arranges a funeral for her aunt but keeps changing her mind and refusing to sign an official contract leading to a revelatory conversation with Nate. Nate and Brenda work past their problems and recommit to each other. Nikolai fires Ruth from the flower shop out of jealousy, but later they make up, passionately. David is thrust into a conflict with the other church deacons when Father Jack officiates at a lesbian wedding. Later he is verbally comforted by Keith. Claire attends a wild party with Gabriel but it seems he's becoming more unravelled. Brenda visits her brother Billy in the mental hospital. The season ends in joy as Federico holds a christening party for his son Augusto at the Fisher residence.

Season 2 (2002)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	U.S. viewers (millions)
14	1	"In the Game"	Rodrigo García	Alan Ball	March 3, 2002 (2002-03-03)	6.24
Rebecca, a young coke-addicted actress, overdoses and dies at the premiere party for her new horror movie. Her boyfriend knows Federico's sister-in-law. Nate and Brenda, who is still traumatized from the car accident, face some difficulties in their sex life. Claire has difficulties with Gabriel. David finds out he has gonorrhea; later he returns to Keith's church to find Keith happy with his current boyfriend. Ruth researches homosexuality and holds a dinner in David's honor. Nate gets high accidentally from the ecstasy in the aspirin bottle and embarrasses himself. Later he finds out that he finally passed the licensing exam.
15	2	"Out, Out Brief Candle"	Kathy Bates	Laurence Andries	March 10, 2002 (2002-03-10)	4.64
A college football player dies of heat stroke. Ruth attends a session of a self-help group called 'The Plan' with her coworker Robby. Nate battles with keeping his arteriovenous malformation (AVM) secret but eventually tells David. Brenda stresses about having dinner with an ex-boyfriend and his new family, but they turn out to be far from perfect. The Fishers invest $20k on a casket wall to raise profits, much to the chagrin of Rico who had asked for a loan to buy a new home. Vanessa goes against Rico's wishes and accepts money from her sister. Dave and Keith get closer while spend time with Keith's addict sister and her neglected daughter. Claire rages at Gabriel for stealing embalming fluid from her family.
16	3	"The Plan"	Rose Troche	Kate Robin	March 17, 2002 (2002-03-17)	5.68
The funeral for a psychic's husband raises many interesting questions. Ruth attends a "The Plan" self-help seminar and tries to make "renovations" in her life, but ends up deciding it's all bullshit and telling the whole seminar group so. Dave and Keith continue to bond while Keith frets about his absent addict sister and her daughter. Claire tries to help Gabriel as the cops close in on him for armed robbery but he shoots a driver in a fit of rage. As Mrs. Piper transitions her husband into the afterlife, the ghost Nathaniel questions his sons about their beliefs.
17	4	"Driving Mr. Mossback"	Michael Cuesta	Rick Cleveland	March 24, 2002 (2002-03-24)	4.43
Nate and Claire travel to Seattle and stay with Nate's ex-girlfriend Lisa before retrieve the body of an old man (Mr. Mossback) who died on a tour bus after his surviving children insist that he must be driven and not flown. While there, Nate has an attack related to his AVM and reconnects with Lisa. David babysits for Keith's niece after her mother disappears. Brenda's mother becomes obsessed with her father's infidelity. Ruth tries to make amends with people from her past in line with "The Plan" with mixed results.
18	5	"The Invisible Woman"	Jeremy Podeswa	Bruce Eric Kaplan	March 31, 2002 (2002-03-31)	5.37
Emily, a solitary woman, chokes to death in her house. Ruth takes an interest in her as she died without any family or friends. Nate continues to deflect questions about his health. Keith, in the midst of trouble with both his niece and his boyfriend, is forced to shoot a man in the line duty. David starts to date a new man but makes love to Keith when he comes by after the shooting. Brenda has trouble starting a novel and turns to a prostitute friend for inspiration, going with her on a date. Later, Brenda asks Nate to marry her.
19	6	"In Place of Anger"	Michael Engler	Christian Taylor	April 7, 2002 (2002-04-07)	6.60
Matthew, a drunk businessman, falls off a boat and drowns. Nikolai stays overnight with Ruth and tries to make himself part of the family. Ruth's sister Sarah visits unannounced causing tumult throughout the family and making Ruth tremendously uncomfortable. Nate and Brenda announce their engagement to the family. The Fishers are visited for a second time by Mitzi Dalton-Huntley who offers them a huge payout to sell.
20	7	"Back to the Garden"	Dan Attias	Jill Soloway	April 14, 2002 (2002-04-14)	6.10
A Jewish funeral leads Nate to question the Jewish point of view on death with a female rabbi. Claire visits Aunt Sarah. David begins seeing Keith again.
21	8	"It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year"	Alan Taylor	Scott Buck	April 21, 2002 (2002-04-21)	6.97
Christmas signals the one year anniversary of Nathaniel's death, causing everyone to reminisce. Margaret has a special present for Brenda. Nikolai is beaten and mugged on Christmas Eve and Claire brings her new boyfriend to dinner.
22	9	"Someone Else's Eyes"	Michael Cuesta	Alan Ball	April 28, 2002 (2002-04-28)	6.25
Nate learns through a chance meeting that Lisa is pregnant with his child. Keith checks up on Karla. Nikolai continues to recuperate at the Fisher's. Claire is asked to help Billy with a project.
23	10	"The Secret"	Alan Poul	Bruce Eric Kaplan	May 5, 2002 (2002-05-05)	5.66
Brenda realizes that she has a problem. Karla has a secret that will affect her relationship with Keith and David. Claire illegally takes portraits of the deceased for a school project.
24	11	"The Liar and the Whore"	Miguel Arteta	Rick Cleveland	May 12, 2002 (2002-05-12)	5.79
Vanessa loses her job after being negligent. A lawsuit from a previous client turns out beneficial. Nate tells Brenda about Lisa's pregnancy after Rabbi Ari recommends they be honest with each other before moving forward with marriage.
25	12	"I'll Take You"	Michael Engler	Jill Soloway	May 19, 2002 (2002-05-19)	4.29
David and Keith greet a social worker. Federico unexpectedly gains an inheritance. Brenda's parents renew their wedding vows. Nate discovers Brenda's infidelity, which results in an explosive breakup.
26	13	"The Last Time"	Alan Ball	Kate Robin	June 2, 2002 (2002-06-02)	5.49
Fisher & Sons has an unannounced inspection which turns out positively for Federico. Nate undergoes surgery for his AVM as his family anxiously await the outcome.

Season 3 (2003)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	U.S. viewers (millions)
27	1	"Perfect Circles"	Rodrigo García	Alan Ball	March 2, 2003 (2003-03-02)	5.09
A year after the events of the previous episode, Nate has recovered from the operation and is married happily with Lisa and their daughter Maya. Fisher & Sons is now Fisher & Diaz; David and Keith attend couples' counseling; Ruth becomes obsessed with her granddaughter. Claire is at college and believes the work is pointless.
28	2	"You Never Know"	Michael Cuesta	Scott Buck	March 9, 2003 (2003-03-09)	5.13
David and Rico are at odds over the death of a telemarketer; Lisa and Nate hold a dinner for David and Keith.
29	3	"The Eye Inside"	Michael Engler	Kate Robin	March 16, 2003 (2003-03-16)	4.41
David and Keith go on a much needed vacation; Ruth has fun at the mall with Bettina; Claire breaks up with Phil.
30	4	"Nobody Sleeps"	Alan Poul	Rick Cleveland and Alan Ball	March 23, 2003 (2003-03-23)	4.13
A man arranges an operatic tribute for his lover; Lisa arranges a birthday dinner for Ruth. David yearns for the closeness a deceased client had with his lover in his relationship with Keith.
31	5	"The Trap"	Jeremy Podeswa	Bruce Eric Kaplan	March 30, 2003 (2003-03-30)	4.87
Ruth sets ground rules for a new live-in apprentice Arthur; Brenda returns to apologize to Nate; David encounters a face from his past.
32	6	"Making Love Work"	Kathy Bates	Jill Soloway	April 6, 2003 (2003-04-06)	5.23
Nate and Lisa take Maya camping; Ruth enjoys spending time with new friend, Arthur; Claire and David talk about sexuality.
33	7	"Timing & Space"	Nicole Holofcener	Craig Wright	April 13, 2003 (2003-04-13)	3.90
Brenda's father dies and Nate attends the funeral to Lisa's chagrin; David and Keith attend a brunch; Claire spends a lot of time with Russell.
34	8	"Tears, Bones and Desire"	Dan Attias	Nancy Oliver	April 20, 2003 (2003-04-20)	4.48
Fisher & Diaz plays home to a deceased patriarch's children and several wives; Keith gets his revenge on David's friends. Lisa becomes increasingly curious to learn about the details of Nate's break-up with Brenda
35	9	"The Opening"	Karen Moncrieff	Kate Robin	April 27, 2003 (2003-04-27)	4.62
Claire, Russell and Billy display their art at an alumni show; Ruth gets close with Arthur; David and Keith set ground rules on threesomes. Nate and Lisa unexpectedly meet up with Brenda at the art show.
36	10	"Everyone Leaves"	Dan Minahan	Scott Buck	May 4, 2003 (2003-05-04)	5.15
Keith confronts his father after his aunt's funeral; Lisa travels to her sister's to give herself and Nate much needed relief; Claire gets a confession from Russell and later discusses her flawed relationships with her mother.
37	11	"Death Works Overtime"	Dan Attias	Rick Cleveland	May 11, 2003 (2003-05-11)	5.07
Fisher & Diaz brims with activity after receiving a trio of unrelated deaths. Ruth stays optimistic on Lisa's whereabouts. Claire is visited by Russell who begs for forgiveness and later finds out that she is pregnant.
38	12	"Twilight"	Kathy Bates	Craig Wright	May 18, 2003 (2003-05-18)	4.66
A funeral for a serial killer causes Nate to ponder many scenarios about Lisa as he temporarily finds relief with the killer's daughter. Claire has an abortion. Ruth and George become engaged. Tensions between David and Keith come to a head.
39	13	"I'm Sorry, I'm Lost"	Alan Ball	Jill Soloway	June 1, 2003 (2003-06-01)	5.78
Nate's behavior grows increasingly self-destructive. Ruth and George marry. Brenda goes on a date with a neighbor. David reunites with Keith.

Season 4 (2004)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	U.S. viewers (millions)
40	1	"Falling into Place"	Michael Cuesta	Craig Wright	June 13, 2004 (2004-06-13)	4.20
Nate is at odds with Lisa's family; David and Keith look for ways to start over; Claire reunites with Russell.
41	2	"In Case of Rapture"	Dan Attias	Rick Cleveland	June 20, 2004 (2004-06-20)	3.93
George's routines irk Arthur; Brenda slowly plans her relationship with Joe; Keith begins a new job. Rico has a fling.
42	3	"Parallel Play"	Jeremy Podeswa	Jill Soloway	June 27, 2004 (2004-06-27)	N/A
The Fishers hold a yard sale; David gives Arthur more responsibility. Nate warms up to a divorcee at Maya's Mommy and Me class.
43	4	"Can I Come Up Now?"	Dan Minahan	Alan Ball	July 11, 2004 (2004-07-11)	N/A
David's ex-fiancée asks him to arrange her father's funeral. Nate has a psychic rendezvous. Ruth discovers the identity of George's stalker.
44	5	"That's My Dog"	Alan Poul	Scott Buck	July 18, 2004 (2004-07-18)	3.66
David is taken for a ride by a hitchhiker; Nate attends a bereavement support group; Ruth plays matchmaker to George's son.
45	6	"Terror Starts at Home"	Miguel Arteta	Kate Robin	July 25, 2004 (2004-07-25)	3.80
Ruth throws a birthday dinner for David who is struggling in the aftermath of his carjacking; Claire gets "closer" with some friends; Vanessa begins to suspect Rico's infidelity.
46	7	"The Dare"	Peter Webber	Bruce Eric Kaplan	August 1, 2004 (2004-08-01)	3.49
Ruth and George go fossil-hunting, but take an unexpected detour to her sister's. Keith comes out to his co-worker buddy; Vanessa follows Federico to Sophia's house.
47	8	"Coming and Going"	Dan Attias	Nancy Oliver	August 8, 2004 (2004-08-08)	3.95
Rico and Ruth come to melting points in their marriages. Claire gets comfortable with Edie. Keith finds solace away from David. Joe catches Brenda having sex with Nate.
48	9	"Grinding the Corn"	Alan Caso	Rick Cleveland	August 15, 2004 (2004-08-15)	3.30
Ruth and Bettina travel to Mexico. David experiences worse side effects of post-traumatic stress disorder. Claire achieves her first orgasm with the help of classmate Jimmy by performing a coital alignment technique (grinding the corn).
49	10	"The Black Forest"	Peter Care	Jill Soloway & Craig Wright	August 22, 2004 (2004-08-22)	3.36
Nate, Brenda, and Maya attend a memorial service for Lisa in Idaho. Claire comes to final blows with Edie at Jimmy's party. Ruth reconciles with George.
50	11	"Bomb Shelter"	Nicole Holofcener	Scott Buck	August 29, 2004 (2004-08-29)	3.53
George becomes increasingly paranoid about Armageddon and discovers the family's bomb shelter. Ruth wants to attend a sex workshop. David and Keith face a lawsuit. Barb confronts Nate about "Lisa's" ashes.
51	12	"Untitled"	Alan Ball	Nancy Oliver	September 12, 2004 (2004-09-12)	3.73
Ruth discovers another secret about George during a lunch with his daughter; David confronts his carjacker. Claire sacrifices her friendships for fame at an art show. Nate confronts Barb and Hoyt after David receives a message from Michaela.

Season 5 (2005)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	U.S. viewers (millions)
52	1	"A Coat of White Primer"	Rodrigo García	Kate Robin	June 6, 2005 (2005-06-06)	2.62
Nate and Brenda prepare for a big day; Ruth is far from ecstatic on George's return home; David and Keith consider being parents.
53	2	"Dancing for Me"	Dan Attias	Scott Buck	June 13, 2005 (2005-06-13)	2.10
Nate hangs with friends from high school; Brenda starts her internship; Maggie gives Ruth much needed relief.
54	3	"Hold My Hand"	Jeremy Podeswa	Nancy Oliver	June 20, 2005 (2005-06-20)	1.92
Claire is seduced by Billy's newfound lust for life; George is haunted by visions from his mother's death. Ruth and Claire are at odds over Claire's inheritance money and lifestyle.
55	4	"Time Flies"	Alan Poul	Craig Wright	June 27, 2005 (2005-06-27)	2.19
On Nate's fortieth birthday, Brenda learns that she is pregnant again. She throws a surprise party for him that ultimately goes awry. David and Keith "propose" to a potential surrogate.
56	5	"Eat a Peach"	Dan Minahan	Rick Cleveland	July 4, 2005 (2005-07-04)	1.50
Ruth finds a way to relax without George. David and Keith consider adopting a child named Anthony. Nate and Brenda consider giving Maya a coherent narrative.
57	6	"The Rainbow of Her Reasons"	Mary Harron	Jill Soloway	July 10, 2005 (2005-07-10)	2.23
Sarah visits with bad news. David and Keith begin experiencing difficulties on how to discipline their new foster children. Vanessa hires a nanny.
58	7	"The Silence"	Joshua Marston	Bruce Eric Kaplan	July 17, 2005 (2005-07-17)	2.29
David and Keith struggle to create boundaries for their new sons. Brenda and Nate receive some ambiguous news; Ruth fills her schedule with activities.
59	8	"Singing for Our Lives"	Matt Shakman	Scott Buck	July 24, 2005 (2005-07-24)	2.46
When David attempts to make a bid on a crematorium, Federico refuses and pushes for another employee. Brenda receives information from her doctor. Nate begins attending Quaker services with Maggie, to the chagrin of Brenda. Ruth goes to see her ex-boyfriend, Hiram.
60	9	"Ecotone"	Dan Minahan	Nancy Oliver	July 31, 2005 (2005-07-31)	2.54
After suffering a massive stroke, Nate is taken to the hospital. As Nate undergoes surgery, tension ensues between Maggie and Brenda in the waiting room. Elsewhere, Ruth is still camping in the wilderness with Hiram and is completely oblivious to what is happening with her family in L.A. Nate dies from his stroke.
61	10	"All Alone"	Adam Davidson	Kate Robin	August 7, 2005 (2005-08-07)	2.85
Nate's funeral divides the family; David deals with being left in charge of the family business, Keith makes an embarrassing discovery on the job; Brenda is challenged by Nate, and makes a painful decision about what to do with Maya; Maggie gets a door shut in her face.
62	11	"Static"	Michael Cuesta	Craig Wright	August 14, 2005 (2005-08-14)	3.25
As David's fears take over, Keith tries to protect him – and the boys; visions of Nate compel Brenda to make a decision about her relationship with Billy, who is supporting her; George wants to help Ruth with Maya. Claire's grief begins to cause her to drink heavily and hallucinate while at Nate's gravesite. Rico pushes for a talk about the business.
63	12	"Everyone's Waiting"	Alan Ball	Alan Ball	August 21, 2005 (2005-08-21)	3.89
David finally embraces his demons; Nathaniel Sr. talks to his younger son; Brenda delivers early and fights Nate's negativity; Margaret is impressed to see Olivier's nurturing side; Rico and Vanessa celebrate an investment; the family toast Nate's memory at a farewell dinner for Claire; Claire's departure reveals what's to come for her family members and herself.

External links

• Episode guide at HBO.com
• Six Feet Under at IMDb
• Template:Tv.com episodes