Ep 9. Someone Else's Eyes

In the ninth episode of the second season of Six Feet Under, titled "Someone Else's Eyes," tensions continue to mount between Rico and Vanessa as they struggle to reconnect after their separation. Meanwhile, a chance encounter with a stranger causes Ruth to question her own perspective and priorities, and Nate is forced to confront the reality of his own mortality when he is diagnosed with a potentially life-threatening condition.

As the episode opens, Rico and Vanessa are still trying to find their way back to each other after the discovery of Rico's brief affair with a client. Despite her initial anger and hurt, Vanessa seems to have forgiven Rico and genuinely wants to make things work, but Rico is overly defensive and keeps pushing her away. When Vanessa suggests that they both see a marriage counselor, Rico balks, insisting that he doesn't need therapy. Instead, he throws himself into work, desperately trying to distract himself from his own guilt and the possibility of losing his wife and family.

Meanwhile, Ruth is struggling with her own issues of perspective and identity. While on a shopping trip to the mall, she runs into a friendly older woman named Bettina, who invites her to join a group of women for a glass of wine. At first, Ruth is hesitant, but she eventually decides to take the plunge and join in the fun. As the evening wears on, Ruth finds herself enjoying the company of these new friends, but she also starts to feel a sense of unease as she realizes how much she has been defined by her role as a wife and mother. The experience causes her to question her own values and priorities, and she begins to wonder if there is more to life than the safe and predictable existence she has always known.

At the same time, Nate is dealing with his own mortality after being diagnosed with a potentially life-threatening condition. At first, he tries to shrug it off and go about his daily routine as usual, but as the reality of his situation sinks in, he becomes increasingly depressed and withdrawn. His family is worried about him, but they don't know how to help him when he won't even acknowledge his own fears and anxieties.

As the episode unfolds, each of these characters must confront their own limitations and imperfections, and learn to find a way forward despite the obstacles in their path. Through it all, they cling to the hope that they can find a way to be happy and fulfilled, even if it means looking at life through someone else's eyes.