Buses on Screen: Six Feet Under (HBO comedy drama, 2001-5)

Episode 1.1;
Opening episode of this Pasadena-set hit show about a family-run funeral parlour business shows the father, Nathaniel Fisher, driving his new hearse to Los Angeles Airport on Christmas Eve to collect his son Nate (Nathaniel, Jnr.) who is arrving from Seattle for the Christmas holidays. Nathaniel takes his eyes off the road to lean down and light a cigarette and goes through a red light. The hearse is T-boned by a bus, killing Nathaniel instantly. Alan Aron identifies the bus (fleet number 6285) as a Flxible 870 built by Grumman. Note the fleet number on the roof (2748) doesn't match - thanks also to Geoff Cook.

Roger Thiedeman adds more, and supplies the following screencaps: "Elsewhere in the same pilot episode, there are more sightings of buses - probably either or both those referred to above. However, it is not possible to confirm this because the numbers are not clearly visible. Both scenes are surreal/imaginary/fantasy ones, many of which are sprinkled throughout this episode and, indeed, the entire 'Six Feet Under' show.
The first one sees Nate out jogging on the morning (Christmas Day) after his father's death. Paused at an intersection waiting for the pedestrian 'walk' light, he sees a bus approaching - purportedly the same one that killed his father (I told you this is a fantasy scene!). He deliberately steps into its path and is struck down by it:
In the second surreal scene, after his father's funeral has taken place, Nate is once again on a city street when he spots his father Nathaniel seated at a bus stop on the opposite side of the street. A bus arrives (again, presumably the same one that took Nathaniel's life?), stops, and Nathaniel climbs in. As the bus pulls away, Nathaniel is seen smiling sadly and waving at Nate:"

Episode 2.13
Roger Thiedeman notes "another crucial episode in 'Six Feet Under', at the end of Season 2, where Nate is lying on an operating table awaiting brain surgery, when everything goes white and he next sees himself jogging along the highway (yes, it's another of those surreal, fantasy scenes) - when a bus - that bus again! - pulls up next to him and the doors open, but Nate stands there trying to decide whether or not to board the bus. The episode ends there in a cliff-hanger, keeping viewers in 'suspenders' (!) for the start of Season 3."

Note the bus is definitely 6285 - thanks Roger for the screencaps.

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