15 Greatest HBO Characters Of All Time

6. Ruth Fisher

Stringer Bell Samantha Jones The Hound
HBO

Many of HBO's most acclaimed shows revolve around violence, gangsters, and things of that nature. The network's most death-centric show, Six Feet Under, however, is a far more subdued affair than its cousins. As Ruth Fisher, matriarch of the funeral home-running family, Frances Conroy puts in one of TV's all time most quietly heartbreaking performances.

Six Feet Under is melancholic at the best of times, but the development of Ruth, who slowly comes out of her shell following the death of her husband in episode one, is at times staggeringly sad. An honest and raw portrayal of an older woman finding herself following a bereavement, Six Feet Under is never judgemental or impatient, giving an often underrated actress the chance to fully explore a character.

The acting is uniformly terrific, but it's Ruth Fisher who really stands out. The show has a knack for speaking to under represented demographics, and this sensitive and sweet creation is its crowning achievement.

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Yorkshire-based writer of screenplays, essays, and fiction. Big fan of having a laugh. Read more of my stuff @ www.twotownsover.com (if you want!)