Six Feet Under was one of my favorite shows of the very early 2000s. I could have sworn it ran in the late 90s, but it was on for five seasons, from 2001 to 2005. It’s one of those shows that’s so iconic and cinematic that I have memories of what I was doing when I was watching it. Without giving spoilers (because you can still watch it) the show ended kind of perfectly and practically shut the door to a follow-up. It doesn’t need a spinoff or a reboot, but it’s getting one. Details so far are really sparse. We don’t know which actors will be involved, the time frame it will cover and whether it will be a spin-off or reboot, but it’s happening according to Variety.
A follow-up to “Six Feet Under” is in very early development at HBO, Variety has learned exclusively from sources.
At this time, no writer is attached to the project. Likewise, no plotline has been decided, meaning it could be a reboot or more of a sequel series following up on existing characters from the show in the present day, but no decision has been made.
Original series creator Alan Ball and executive producers Bob Greenblatt and David Janollari are all attached to executive produce the new project. At this time it is unclear if the project will move beyond the discussions phase, particularly given that the original series finale is held up as one of the best and most definitive of all time.
Reps for HBO declined to comment. Reps for Ball did not immediately respond to Variety’s request for comment.
I’m glad that creator Alan Ball and the original executive producers are involved, but I have mixed feelings. I loved Six Feet Under and would like it to stay as complete and pure as it was when we left it. However Breaking Bad got a spinoff and a movie and both were very well done. Prestige shows can get solid spinoffs.
As for which actors will be involved, Michael C. Hall is busy with Dexter: New Blood and Peter Krause is a lead on 911. That show is so popular it will run for a million seasons. Frances Conroy has been on AHS and Lauren Ambrose is on Servant on Apple TV, which I haven’t watched. Ambrose was awful on the X-Files reboot and is not my favorite actress although she was decent on Six Feet Under. I wouldn’t mind seeing more of Mathew St. Patrick and Freddy Rodriguez, but I really disliked Rachel Griffith’s character and hope she’s in the rear view. Just the fact that I’ve thought this much about it shows there’s demand for another show in the Six Feet Under universe. If this gets made I’ll watch it.
As an aside I would love a True Blood spinoff or reboot. That show was phenomenal yet trashy enough that they wouldn’t spoil anything by showing us more of our favorite characters.
For the love of all that is holy, will we never be free of these reboots, remakes, spin offs???
A pox on Hollywood at this point.
I just re-watched the entire series with my daughter who was too young to have seen it. It stands up still and is just as emotionally devastating as in its original run. I really hope that the focus of whatever this becomes is not on the Fishers since their story was so completely and well told.
Arthur, perhaps? Angela?
I really love how the show portrays grieving and that you could grow up around death, have death be the family business but it is still going to hit you like a freight train when it’s your loved ones. Grief makes you crazy even if you’ve prepared for it, no pre-need will make the loss make sense.
I am 100% with you. They wrapped perfectly, a reboot can’t possibly involve the original Fishers, right? I sobbed all of the tears, as each sibling’s life story was played out to the end. This is a complete series that doesn’t need an epilogue, IMO.
Ugh, I love this show and the finale was perfect. Why mess with that?
There are no new ideas because there are new ideas, but the money people don’t want to take a chance on anything that isn’t based on a previous success.
Yes – the finale absolutely perfect in every way. I left that series with so much love and feeling like it was all said. I dislike the idea that they’ll mess with perfection.
Agreed. Don’t touch it, for god’s sake.
Ugh, NO! Six Feet Under was one of the few shows that ended perfectly. I really hope it’s a spin on it or an origins of the beginnings of the funeral home. And not just dredging up the orginal characters again since we all know how they died in the end.
I get nostalgia sells but this is getting to be a bit much. Also, it lessens what made these shows so special in that time period.
Terrible idea. This show is regarded as having one of the best finales ever, and rightfully so. Leave it alone. Come up with something new.
These reboots are just a cheap way to get a lot of free publicity and cash in on viewers without really caring about the integrity of the work.
Oof. That show had a perfect ending. Why oh why would they mess with it?
I’ve watched the whole thing through twice and now will probably gear up to watch it for a third time. It has such deep emotional meaning for me, beyond mere entertainent. I don’t think I could bear to watch a reboot.
I think if they’d focus on the number of unforeseen ways death can impact life, I think it could really work. A funeral home is a great location for a series, so many different people stopping by for a brief but monumental moments in the lives.
The family in the original was such a solid ensemble, but they don’t need to recreate those specific characters.
I’d be interested in the show if they did a spin off with a completely different family. It seems like the concept might still work. I just don’t want to see any of the main characters from the series again, because we already know exactly what happens to them and have good closure on their arcs.
I could go for this.
Lauren Ambrose was nominated for a Tony in 2018. Just saying…
On my top 5 list and the finale is #1. I watch just the finale sometimes just because. Remember the Sia song Breathe Me? Keith was my dream husband. I’ll watch a reboot since I don’t think anything can ruin the original for me.
Me too! It was the perfect ending – the best series finale I have ever seen. I also still watch it on YouTube occasionally.
I thought they were doing a True Blood reboot?
I loved Six Feet Under and would probably love a completely unrelated to the Fishers reboot since their end was perfectly done in the finale.
Maybe unpopular opinion but would love a true blood reboot or follow up if they actually had more of the actual southern vampire mystery aspect of it… you know… story…. Those books were my guilty pleasure!
I’d be willing to give a True Blood reboot a chance. That show really went off the rails, and it might be interesting to see someone else try their hand at it.
Yes, I would like a True Blood that ditched Bill for Eric, like they were supposed to, and cast someone more fey in the role of Sookie. I loved True Blood except for Bill and Sookie!