25 Years Later, HBO's 5-Part Psychological Drama Is Still One of TV's All-Time Greats

HBO developed its reputation for television excellence by making gritty, mature shows that included the sort of graphic content that would never be permitted on a network program. While the best shows in HBO history offered more than just shock value, the transgressive nature of the material suggested that it was “dangerous” in a way that was enticing to audiences. Compared to its contemporaries, Six Feet Under was a fairly traditional family drama that didn’t necessarily require a prestige distributor. However, Six Feet Underdistinguished itself as a probing exploration of life, relationships, and death that was as artful as it was authentic. The series managed to turn its dark subject matter into a poignant, occasionally funny encapsulation of the totality of human existence, and it still holds up just as well 25 years later.