Six Feet Under/Clients

The first scene of nearly every episode of Six Feet Under introduces the client of the week: someone who dies, often in surprising or tragic circumstances, and is laid to rest by Fisher & Sons. The client's death and life circumstances can be thematically linked to that of the main characters.

Sometimes the main characters will imagine themselves conversing with the client during preparation of the body or the memorial service. These are open to interpretation as either internal strife manifesting as imaginary debates, or conversations with ghosts.

(Names and dates given here are taken verbatim from the episode's opening.)

Season One

• 1x01: Nathaniel Fisher, Sr. (1943–2000)
  While driving his new hearse, he is distracted from the road by his cigarettes and hit by a bus. (This episode did not display name at opening.)
• 1x02: Chandler James Swanson (1967–2001)
  During a small party at his home, he dives into a pool and strikes his head on the bottom.
• 1x03: Thomas Alfredo Romano (1944–2001)
  While cleaning out the inside of a large dough mixer, his co-worker accidentally hits the high-speed override.
• 1x04: Manuel Pedro Antonio "Paco" Bolin (1980–2001)
  A gang member out with his girlfriend, he is shot at point-blank range by members of a rival gang.
• 1x05: Jean Louise McArthur a/k/a "Viveca St. John" (1957–2001)
  Electrocuted in her bathtub when her cat knocks the electric hair-curler warmer into the water.
• 1x06: Mildred "Hattie" Effinger Jones (1922–2001)
  Dies in her sleep after leaving a bedroom window open on a cold night.
• 1x07: Victor Wayne Kovitch, PFC (1971–2001)
  Succumbs to Gulf War Syndrome in a veteran's hospital.
• 1x08: Chloe Anne Bryant Yorkin (1959–2001)
  Merrily drunk in a limousine, she stands up through the moonroof and is struck in the head by a municipal worker's low-hanging cherrypicker.
• 1x09: Anthony Christopher Finelli (1994–2001)
  Finds a gun under his mother's bed and shoots himself.
• 1x10: Jonathan Arthur Hanley (1946–2001)
  Killed in mid-sentence at the breakfast table by his frying-pan-wielding wife.
• 1x11: Dillon Michael Cooper (2001–2001)
  A three-week-old baby who dies in his crib.
• 1x12: Marcus Foster, Jr. (1978–2001)
  A young gay man beaten to death by two bigots.
• 1x13: Lilian Grace Montrose (1939–2001)
  Struck in the head by an errant golf ball while sitting in her garden.

Season Two

• 2x01: Rebecca Leah Milford (1980–2001)
  An actress, she overdoses on cocaine at the premiere party for a film.
• 2x02: Joshua Peter Langmead (1981–2001)
  A college athlete who dies after an exhaustive workout in extreme heat.
• 2x03: Michael John Piper (1952–2001)
  Dies in a hospital bed dreaming of his dog, with his wife and mother by his side.
• 2x04: Harold Mossback (1932–2001)
  Passes away quietly during a seniors' bus tour of Seattle.
• 2x05: Emily Previn (1954–2001)
  Chokes on a piece of her microwave dinner.
• 2x06: Matthew Heath Collins (1959–2001)
  Falls overboard while drunk at a company party held on a boat.
• 2x07: Jeffrey Marc Shapiro (1963–2001)
  Strangles himself with a belt during autoerotic asphixiation.
• 2x08: Jesse Ray Johnson (1944–2001)
  Motorcycling to work as a mall Santa, he waves at some children, then collides with a truck.
• 2x09: Dwight Edgar Garrison (1945–2002)
  Struck on the head by a metal lunchbox accidentally dropped by a construction worker.
• 2x10: Benjamin Srisai (1935–2002)
  Suffers a heart attack while pushing a recycling bin out to the curb.
• 2x11: Edith Kirky (1929–2002)
  Dies under mysterious circumstances in her hospital bed.
• 2x12: Leticia Perfecta Perez (1922–2002)
  Passes away at the beauty salon, sitting under a hair dryer.

Spoiler:

2x13: Aaron Buchbinder (1976–2002)
Succumbs to pancreatic cancer with Nate by his bedside.