Six Feet Under

1 INT. COMMERCIAL SET/WHITE VOID - DAY 1

We HEAR an OPERATIC ARIA.

CLOSE ON A WOMAN'S WHITE-GLOVED HAND, gracefully trailing

along a reflective black surface. PULLING BACK to reveal a

beautiful MODEL in a sleek black gown, as she moves slowly

past a shiny black luxury car, trailing her fingers along its

contours. It seems as if we're in a television commercial for

some expensive, luxury automobile. Then we WIDEN TO REVEAL

the car is actually a contemporary-model HEARSE.

ANNOUNCER (V.O.)

(soft-spoken, soothing)

The new Millennium Edition Crown Superior

Funeral Coach. Sized to accommodate even

the largest caskets, the XL-500 offers

your loved one the very latest in style

and comfort--

The commercial ends abruptly, as if someone switched the TV

off. MUSIC ENDS and the SCREEN GOES BLACK.

We HEAR Bing Crosby singing "I'LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS."

2 EXT. STREET - AFTERNOON (DAY ONE) 2

SLOWLY TILTING DOWN past plastic CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS hanging

from streetlamps... to an URBAN STREET lined with small

businesses. A SALVATION ARMY SANTA stands on the sidewalk,

RINGING his BELL. This being Los Angeles, it's sunny and there

are palm trees.

A shiny black HEARSE, just like the one in the commercial,

glides beneath us.

3 INT. HEARSE - CONTINUOUS (DAY ONE) 3

NATHANIEL FISHER (56) drives, smoking a CIGARETTE. A somewhat

severe face, but too weary to be menacing. Bing Crosby sings

"I'LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS" on the RADIO.

NATHANIEL:

(sings along)

I'LL BE HOME FOR CHRIST--MAS... YOU CAN

PLAN ON ME...

A CELL PHONE RINGS. Nathaniel answers it.

NATHANIEL (CONT'D)

Nathaniel Fisher.

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2.

4 EXT. FUNERAL HOME - AFTERNOON, CONTINUOUS (DAY ONE) 4

We're MOVING slowly past a three-story HOME that's been around

for a while. REVEAL a SIGN that reads:

FISHER AND SONS:

FUNERAL HOME:

Dignified service since 1944

RUTH (O.S.)

Nathaniel, it's Ruth. Did you take your

blood pressure medication today?

NATHANIEL (0.C.)

(over phone line)

Yes.

RUTH (O.S.)

Don't lie to me.

NATHANIEL (O.S.)

I took it. What do you want me to do,

O.D. on it?

INTERCUT WITH:

5 INT. KITCHEN - AFTERNOON, CONTINUOUS (DAY ONE) 5

CLOSE on a WOMAN'S HANDS: slicing vegetables, grating

cheese,pounding meat, with alarming ferocity and speed.

RUTH:

Oh, and I just realized we don't have

any of that soy stuff Nate drinks. You

know, since he gave up milk? I don't

know what it's called.

NATHANIEL (O.S.)

(over phone line)

Why not just cut some milk with tap water?

He'll never know the difference.

We PAN up to RUTH FISHER (55), hunched over the kitchen

counter, holding the phone up to her ear with her shoulder.

Dressed conservatively, but there's a certain earthiness buried

underneath.

RUTH:

(not funny)

Look, if you don't want to go, I'll go.

It's not as if I don't have enough to do

already.

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3.

RUTH:

6 INT. HEARSE - AFTERNOON CONTINUOUS (DAY ONE) 6

NATHANIEL:

(sighs)

I'm kidding. I'll get some. But it'll

have to be after I pick Nate up at the

airport, I'm running late already...

He takes a drag off his cigarette.

7 INT. KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS 7

Ruth stops slicing and stands up straight.

RUTH:

Nathaniel, are you smoking?

NATHANIEL (O.S.)

(Over phone line)

No.

RUTH:

Yes, you are, I heard you.

NATHANIEL (O.S.)

I'm not.

RUTH:

Look, forget you'll give yourself cancer

and die a slow and horrible death. You

should not be stinking up that new hearse.

DAVID FISHER (31) sits at the kitchen table. Equal parts stuffy

and intense, he wears a tie. He looks up from the magazine

he's reading:
Mortuary Management.

DAVID:

I told you not to let him take it.

RUTH:

Like I could've stopped him. He's every

bit as proud of that thing as your fool

brother was of that damn motorcycle he

had in high school. And who still has a

pin in his foot?

(into phone)

Nathaniel, people want things to be nice

when there's a funeral. They don't want

their loved ones riding around in

something that smells like an ashtray.

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