Los Angeles, Christmas Eve, Nathaniel Fisher, owner of the Fisher and Sons Funeral Home, is killed when a municipal bus broadsides his new hearse. The tragedy casts a pall on the holiday homecoming of son Nate (who works for an organic food co-op in Seattle), as he must not only deal with the death of a father, but the fragile egos of mother Ruth (who has been having a secret affair with her hairdresser, Hiram), brother David (a closet homosexual seeing a black policeman named Keith), and a sister Claire (a rebellious high-schooler who receives the bad news after dropping crystal meth with new boyfriend Gabe). The only good thing to happen to Nate is Brenda, a passionate women he met on the plane, just before learning of his father's death. At home, David eschews the talents of his young mortician, Fredrico, to personally undo the damage of his dad's accident. The ensuing funeral leaves the family's deepest emotions exposed, and calls into question some of our more absurd rites of passage. At the gravesite, David is not amused by the advances of Matthew Gilardi of Kroehner Service Corporation, a funeral- home conglomerate looking to buy out the Fishers business. As for senior Nathaniel, he may have been laid to rest- but has plenty left to reveal to his family.
Also Starring:
Garrison Hershberger as Matthew Gilardi
Dina
Waters as chatty mourner
Sharon Madden as chatty mourner
Hayden Tank as
young Nate
Maximillian Orion Kesmodel as young david
Dennis Anderson as
market clerk
Harper Roisman as eldery man
Dennis J. Lav as morgue
attendent
Audrey Gelfand as crying sicilian mother
Jennifer Griffin as
crying sicilain daughter
The inventor of a franchise pyramid scheme dies in a pool accident, leaving his widow and infant daughter with a mountain of debts and no money for a proper funeral. Nate offers a solution: rent a top-line casket, then cremate the body after viewing. There's just one problem: by law, a used casket cannot be re-sold. At the reading of Mr. Fisher's will, Ruth gets cash, stocks and insurance money, Nate and David split the funeral business (much to David's chagrin), and Claire gets college tuition, which she considers trading for cash. Later, Nate learns the meaning of "Angel Lust," Ruth breaks up with Hiram during a nature hike, David receives an unexpected visit from his ex-fiancee Jennifer, and Gabe gets Claire to suck on his toes in the back of her hearse.
Also Starring:
Tracy Middendorf as Adele Swanson
Missy Yager as
Jennifer Mason
Mark Devine as Chandler Swanson
Garrison Hershberger as
Matthew Gilardi
Justina Machado as Vanessa Diaz
Daniel Zacapa as Mr.
Suarez Jr.
Maximillian Orion Kesmodel as young David
Richard Penn as
attorney
Melissa Egan as Debbie
Chip O'neil as Ronnie
Van Epperson as
angry man
A bakery owner meets an unsavory demise- and it's up to Fredrico to put the pieces back together. The Fishers decide to sell out to Kroehner, but Nate backs down after meeting with "that greedy little Nazi f*&@k," Gilardi. Claire finds a disturbingly apropos way to pay Gabe back for blabbing to the school about her toe-sucking exploits. A vengeful Gilardi tells Nate that Kroehner has bought the abandoned house across the street, and plans on turning it into a cheap crematorium. Looking for a way to feel "alive," Ruth visits the horse track with best friend Amelia, but loses a bundle. After Nate and Brenda make love in the Kroehner house, it suspiciously catches fire.
Also Starring:
Garrison Hershberger as Matthew Gilardi
Eric
Balfour as Gabriel
Hayden Tank as young Nate
John Capodice as Tommy
Romano
Sandra Pupuro as Barbara Romano
Carol Ann Susi as Pauline
Romano
Christina Carlisi as Judy Romano
Joe Basile as morgue
attendent
Lindsey Parks as Jeannie Fritzen
Marty Belafsley as bakery
woker
Christopher Michael as deadwagon attendent
Darren Le Gallo as school
boy #1
Scott Torrence as school boy #2
Eric Keith as newlywed
man
Lenora May as Freckles mom
Beans as Freckles
A Mexican-American gang member is killed, and the Fishers find that the family's wishes for burial are at odds with those of the gang's leader, Powerful. Meanwhile, with arson investigators breathing down the family's neck, Nate, David and Ruth wonder if Claire might have had something to do with the fire across the street. Brenda arrives for her first dinner at the Fishers, but fails to make a favorable impression with Ruth. And David gets courage from an unexpected source to end a feud with Keith- and stand up to Gilardi's threat to destroy the Fisher's business.
Also Starring:
Garrison Hershberger as Matthew Gilardi
Jacob
Vargas as Paco
Lombardo Boyar as Powerful
Karmin Murcelo as Paco's
mother
Dina Waters as Tracy Montrose Blair
Candy Brown-Houston as
Detective McBride
Dean Norris as Detective Shea
Armando Valdes as
Luis
Elizabeth Rodriguez as Sylvie
Tony Perez as Paco's father
Mary-Pat
Green as priest
Ken Abraham as bowling buddy
Roger Velasco as young man
with tattoos
Jim Ryan as A/C repairman
Blaine Pate as redneck
Luis
Robdelo as rival
The death of a porno queen shocks Ruth, who isn't prepared for the crush of co-stars who arrive at Fisher's to eulogize the fallen star. Keith takes issue with David's desire to replace his father as deacon at the family church. Claire and Ruth attempt to spend some more quality time together, and make a spontaneous visit to their cousins' Cleaverian home. Nate has dinner, sans Brenda, with her psychiatrist parents Bernard and Margaret, and has an unsettling first encounter with her brother Billy.
Also Starring:
Robert Foxworth as Bernard Chenowith
Joanna
Cassidy as Margaret Chenowith
Veronica Hart as Viveca St. John
Sandra Oh
as Porn Starlet
Tim Maculan as Father Jack
Cristine Rose as
Hannah
Jordan Ladd as Ginnie
Dina Waters as Tracy Montrose Blair
David
Norona as Guidance Counselor
Joyce Greenleaf as Mrs. Murdoch
Terence Knox
as Larry Wadd
Jessica Stone as young Brenda
Timothy Lynn Greer as man in
choir
An ornery grieving widow camps out in the Fisher Funeral Home after the death of his wife of 56 years. Sparks fly when Claire meets Brenda's brother Billy. Ruth spurns Hiram after running into him at a church; later, she's wooed by Nikolai, the Fishers' Russian florist. While serving church meals to the homeless, David finds himself pursued by pushy divorced parishioner Tracy Montrose Blair. And an examination of funeral-home receipts leads Nate to uncover some of his father's secrets- including a mysterious room that he bartered in exchange for a funeral.
Also Starring
Ed O'ross as Nikolai
Tim Maculan as Father
Jack
Dina Waters as Tracy Montrose Blair
Shishire Kurup as Restaurant
Owner
Jeffrey Corbett as one night stand
Tim de Zarn as
mechanic
Lorinne Vozoff as Jessica Wilcox
David Stifel as indigent
man
Howard Mungo as man at viewing
Jessica Stone as young
brenda
When a young Army veteran dies of Gulf War syndrome, his embittered brother decides to eschew a military funeral in favor of a simple cremation and disposal. Ruth invites Hiram over to cook dinner, then takes a job working for Nikolai. David casts the swing vote in the church search committee's decision to hire a progressive young associate priest. Claire has trouble recognizing the value of algebra at school and in her life. Nate and Brenda plan to spend their first weekend away, but Billy has other ideas.
Also Starring
Ed O'ross as Nikolai
Wade Andrew Williams as Paul
Kovitch
Raphael Sbarge as Father Clark
Brian Kimmet as Victor
Kovitch
Frank Birney as Walter Kriegenthaler
Tim Maculan as Father
Jack
David Norona as Guidance Counselor
Nancy Linehan as Connie
Eric
Ware as VA Administrator
Davis Henry as Private Bailey
Gary Murphy as
Mooning private
David McSwain as vet in wheelchair
George Pena as flag
folder
Marina Black as parisian classmate
Ange Billman as classmate with
children
Shannon Convery as classmate with cancer
Dianna Miranda as bride
at floral shop
Luke Sabre as porno private
Keith Amos as porno MP
#1
Raphael Gamon as porno MP #2
With a lull in business at Fisher's, Nate and David decide to rent out a room at the funeral home to make some extra income, and Rico is tempted to take on some extra work at Kroehner's. Claire struggles to grasp the lessons of her outreach hike in the mountains, and Ruth struggles to reconcile her feelings toward Hiram with her need for excitement. Connor, a longtime Aussie friend of Brenda's, gets under Nate's skin. David's mood is buoyed by some good news: a bus crash has killed scores, and many of them are local!
Also Starring
Ed O'ross as Nikolai
Marina Black as
Parker
Steven Pasquale as Kurt
Stewart Finlay-McLennan as
Connor
Michael Cudlitz as Crossroads leader
Garrison Hershberger as
Matthew Gilardi
Justina Machado as Vanessa Diaz
Giancarlo Rodriguez as
Julio Diaz
Lisa K. Wyatt as Kroehner mortician
Lori Harmon as Chloe's
friend
Pat Destrocs as Chloe's friend
Jules Tearle as square
dancer
Jordan Brower as Topher
A tragedy reunites Claire with Gabe, the "foot guy" who sullied her reputation at school. David and new boyfriend Kurt explore the disco circuit. To improve Nate's sales skills, Brenda suggests they pose as bereaved relatives at several funeral homes in the area. Ruth finds a weekend camping trip with Hiram to be an eye-opening experience.
Also Starring
Ed O'ross as Nikolai
Eric Balfour as
Gabriel
Marina Black as Parker
Steven Pasquale as Kurt
Timm Sharp as
Andy
Wendy Schaal as Vickie Dimas
Ted Marcoux as Sam Finelli
David
Wells as Bland Funeral Director
Matt McCoy as Slick Funeral Director
Dale
Raoul as Rosemary
Terrell Clayton as Eddie
Jake Gridley as Anthony
Finelli
Hal Ozsan as Man in flower shop
Louann Gideon as Grieving
woman
Gabriel Cade as Make-Out guy
Nate and David decide to hire a replacement for Rico: Angela (Illeana Douglas), who does good work and speaks her mind- too well. Billy has a gallery exhibit for some recent photos, including one taken of a surprising (and surprised) subject. David reacquaints with Keith, Ruth dines with Nikolai, and Claire frets over Gabe"s inconsistent behavior.
Also Starring
Ed O'ross as Nikolai
Eric Balfour as
Gabriel
Dina Waters as Tracy Montrose Blair
John Billingsley as Boring
Man
Timm Sharp as Andy
Wendy Schaal as Vickie Dimas
Lisa K. Wyatt as
Kroehner Mortician
Irina Malleva as Irina
Lena Woroboff as Lotte
Tate
Taylor as Job Applicant #1
Scott Alan Smith as Job Applicant #2
Robert
Richardson as Homeless Man
David, Nate and Brenda travel to Las Vegas to attend a funeral directors conference, and experience the highs and lows of Sin City. Ruth takes a floral-arrangement class, and learns to listen to her inner self. A baby's death from SIDS cast a pall over the Fisher and Sons return of Rico, whose wife is pregnant with the couple's second child.
Also Starring
Ed O'ross as Nikolai
Mary Gross as Floral
Instructor
Eric Balfour as Gabriel
Justina Machado as Vanessa
Diaz
Garrison Hershberger as Matthew Gilardi
Wendy Schaal as Vickie
Dimas
Blake Adams as Brad
Patrick Cavanaugh as Dillon's Father
Veronica
Lauren as Dillon's Mother
Jenette Goldstein as Obstetrician
Joel Brooks as
Robbie
Harry S. Murphy as Kroehner Funeral Director
Linda Klein as
Delivery Room Doctor
David Ursin as Processing Officer
David Doty as
Schaeger
Steve Hofuendahl as Dooley
Jonathan Brent as One-NIght
Stand
The homophobic killing of a gay man forces David to confront his own fears about his lifestyle - and life choices. After a particularly sick "joke" by Billy, Nate agrees with Brenda's parents that Billy should be institutionalized, but Brenda isn't convinced - yet. Ruth shares a secret about her love life with fellow florist Robbie, Claire shares a secret about Gabe with her school shrink, and David shares a secret about himself with his mother.
Also Starring
Eric Balfour as Gabriel
Brian Poth as Marc
Foster
Joel Brooks as Robbie
Arthur Taxier as Marcus Foster
Joan
McMurtey as Patsy Foster
Justina Machado as Vanessa Diaz
David Norona as
Guidance Counselor
Terrell Clayton as Eddie
Zach Schaffer as Marc's
boyfriend
Eric Payne as Police captain
Ted Garcia as TV reporter
Jason
Matthew Smith as Basher #1
Billy Riech as Basher #2
Gunther Jensen as
Fundamentalist #1
Stewart Shelton as Fundamentalist #2