Six Feet Under

I've only seen the first three episodes of this HBO series, but had to report immediately that it's a keeper. I was concerned that they would discuss death too flippantly and/or too sensitively, and they're doing neither. The pilot is one of the best I've ever seen (if you don't laugh at the fake commercials, you don't need to watch the rest of the series). The creators touch on numerous ways that people and cultures grieve, while at the same time establishing the important characters and their modus operandi. You also learn a bit more than is comfortable about "death care facilities," which gives the show a cool "gross" factor that must pull in teens. And the title music is spell-binding. I was still enamored with the series after the next two episodes, mostly because I enjoy the characters, in particular the uptight gay brother and the wacky sister. Rachel Griffiths won a Golden Globe for her role as the girlfriend of the laid-back brother, but hers is not my favorite portrayal to date. Again, though, I've only seen a few episodes. Oh! It might help to describe the show. A funeral home director is killed and his family has to soldier on with the business. Explaining more isn't necessary; you'll get the rest by watching.

year: 2001-?
length: season 1 on DVD, season 3 in play
rating: 3.5
IMDB link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0248654/combined