Which season of Six Feet Under was the best? Here’s the full ranking

When Six Feet Under arrived in 2001, it was clear television had found something a little different. At first glance, it was a story about a family running a funeral home. That setup could have easily slipped into gimmick territory or chased shock value just to grab attention.

Instead, creator Alan Ball shaped it into something far more grounded. The Fishers faced death every day, but the real focus was on how they lived - how they loved, stumbled, grew apart, and circled back to one another.

Humour often brushed up against heartbreak, and moments of the surreal blended into the ordinary in a way that felt natural, not forced. Over five seasons, the tone shifted. Some years leaned heavier on dark comedy, while others slowed down to give space for smaller, more reflective moments.

Each season had at least one scene that burned itself into memory - Ruth speaking the truth no one wanted to hear, Nate throwing himself into another impulsive choice, or David fighting through a personal storm.

Still, some seasons flowed more smoothly, told richer stories, and left a stronger impression overall. Looking back, here is how they stack up, from the season that landed with less impact to the one that closed the book in a way TV has rarely matched.

All seasons of Six Feet Under ranked

5) Season 4

Season 4 of Six Feet Under has plenty of standout scenes, but the year feels less focused overall. The pacing dips in places, and certain plots drag longer than they need to.

Nate is still reeling from Lisa’s death, and the grief storyline - while important, weighs down the middle stretch of episodes. George’s spiral into paranoia becomes repetitive, making it harder to stay engaged.

Even with its uneven stretches, the series offers moments that hit hard. David’s harrowing carjacking episode remains one of the most tense in the run, giving a raw look at trauma and the fight to make it through.

Claire’s stretch in art school brings a different energy, mixing sharp humor with pointed takes on ambition, ego, and the sting of creative missteps. Season 4 is far from bad - it just doesn’t quite keep the same balance that earlier and later seasons managed to hold.

4) Season 2

Season 2 of Six Feet Under widens the lens, giving us a fuller look at each character’s inner life, but in doing so, it occasionally loses its tonal footing.

The dream sequences and surreal flourishes are more frequent here - some are brilliant, others feel like they pull you out of the story. Nate’s discovery of his AVM changes everything for him, and Peter Krause gets some of his best material to date.

David’s slow, careful steps toward self-acceptance continue, with his relationship with Keith growing in ways that feel messy but believable. Ruth starts to look for life beyond the funeral home, and her tentative, sometimes clumsy efforts to form new bonds bring a quiet warmth to the season.

Season 2 lays much of the emotional foundation for what follows, but its uneven pace makes it a less steady watch when set beside the stronger runs ahead.

3) Season 1

The debut season earns credit for introducing a structure and tone unlike anything else on TV at the time. The Fishers are thrown into chaos right from the start with Nathaniel Sr.’s sudden death. The format - opening each episode with an unusual death - is instantly memorable and cleverly tied into the themes.

Frances Conroy’s Ruth makes an early mark, mixing a quiet vulnerability with sudden flashes of resolve. Nate takes on the role of the reluctant family anchor, while Brenda’s unpredictable energy pulls the Fishers in ways that both help and harm.

Even in these early episodes, the mix of humor, surreal touches, and grounded emotion feels well set. The seasons that come later, though, bring added layers of emotional depth, making Six Feet Under season 1 feel like a strong starting chapter rather than the show’s peak.

2) Season 3

Season 3 of Six Feet Under stands out as one of the most carefully put-together stretches of the series. The Lisa arc splits opinion, but it adds a constant ripple of tension and unease. The slow reveal of her fate is handled with care, keeping the sense of dread alive while balancing other storylines.

David and Keith’s relationship faces real challenges, with both juggling job pressures and private insecurities. Claire moves further into adulthood in a way that’s untidy but honest, weighing love, ambition, and the push to define herself.

The humor still slips in to ease the heavier moments, and the surreal elements come across as more deliberate this season. Season 3 feels sure of itself and emotionally rich, setting up the show’s closing run with weight.

1) Season 5

The last season of Six Feet Under is where everything comes together. From the opening episodes, you can feel the pull toward an ending.

Every character is moving toward closure in some way - Nate facing his heartbreaking fate, Brenda wrestling with the demands of motherhood, David quietly bracing for the future, and Claire questioning her own uncertain path.

The writing hits a fine balance here, folding humor into the darkest scenes without dulling their weight. The finale, Everyone’s Waiting, still stands as one of TV’s most talked-about conclusions.

By moving forward in time to reveal how each character’s life ends, it delivers something both deeply sad and, in its own quiet way, comforting. It’s not just the best season of Six Feet Under - it’s the one that makes the entire journey feel complete.

Final thoughts

In the end, Six Feet Under isn’t just something you watch - it’s something that stays with you. Seen in order, the five seasons read like chapters from one long book, each adding depth to the next.

When the final scene comes, it feels like you’ve truly lived alongside the Fishers through losses, awkward dinners, bursts of joy, and quiet shifts in their lives. More than just a drama set in a funeral home, Six Feet Under turned into a study of how people keep moving with death never far away.