Ep 4. Familia

Familia is the fourth episode of the first season of Six Feet Under. The episode begins with Nate, David, and Claire attending their aunt Sarah's funeral. Although the funeral service is meant to be a solemn event, the Fisher siblings cannot help but squabble over their respective roles in the family-owned funeral home.

Meanwhile, their mother, Ruth deals with the news of her sister's passing by attempting to reconnect with her estranged younger sister, Sarah's daughter, Maggie. Ruth's attempts at reconciliation prove futile, leading her to feel more isolated than ever before, and she eventually retreats into herself.

Nate, who has always been somewhat of a wild card, takes the news of his aunt's death hard. He begins to experience flashbacks to his childhood and remembers when he and his sister Claire would spend time at his aunt's house. He recalls a vivid memory from his childhood when he witnessed his aunt have an affair with another man, and this memory emerges in the present as he begins to grapple with his own relationships.

David, on the other hand, is still struggling with his own sexuality. His boyfriend Keith comes to visit him at the funeral home, and while David is excited to see him, Keith seems distant and uninterested in David's job and family. This leaves David feeling even more alone, and he begins to wonder if he should be living a life that is more true to who he really is.

Meanwhile, Claire is still trying to find her place in the world. She begins to feel increasingly isolated from her family, particularly her mother, who she feels is not there for her. Claire takes some of her frustration out on her fellow students at school, where she is given an assignment to photograph her family, an assignment that proves to be more difficult than she initially thought.

Throughout all of these different storylines, the theme of family is explored in depth. The Fisher family is dysfunctional in many ways, but what is clear is that they are all connected in some way, and that they need each other. The episode ends with them all coming together for a family dinner, where they try (albeit not successfully) to put their differences aside and connect with one another.

Familia is a poignant episode that explores the complexities of family relationships. It is a reminder that families come in all shapes and sizes, and that even the most dysfunctional family can still find a way to come together and support one another.