"A Private Life" is the twelfth episode of the first season of the American drama television series Six Feet Under.
The series is set in Los Angeles, and depicts the lives of the Fisher family, who run a funeral home, along with their friends and lovers.
In the episode, David is conflicted with his homosexuality while embalming the corpse of a gay man, while Brenda's relationship with Billy dwindles.
For the episode, Michael C. Hall received a nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series at the 54th Primetime Emmy Awards.
Brenda (Rachel Griffiths) confronts Billy (Jeremy Sisto) for photographing her and Nate (Peter Krause), and orders him to give her his key to her house.
Brenda is visited by Billy, who reveals he has removed his tattoo on his lower back of the name "Isabel" by cutting off his own skin.
"[4] Entertainment Weekly gave the episode an "A–" grade, and wrote, "Somber without becoming ponderous, ”Life” allows Joel Brooks' delightfully bitchy Robbie his first real chance to shine, as he counsels Ruth about dealing with her gay son.
But in taking on David's sexuality in this way, Six Feet Under presents several different reactions, including the extreme — those who won't tolerate his lifestyle — and those who are completely accepting.
By bringing back the dead characters talk to the living, we see David's internal struggle between who he is and who he believes God wants him to be, in a way that is still rarely seen in entertainment.
“A Private Life” also brings the battle of Brenda and her brother Billy to a head, as she finally decides to commit him after he cuts off his tattoo in her honor.
As the penultimate episode of Six Feet Under's first season, “A Private Life” is quite dark — even for this show — but there's a light of hope in the future as our characters finally take steps towards becoming the people they should be.
"[10] Michael C. Hall submitted the episode to support his nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series at the 54th Primetime Emmy Awards.