Lead Six Feet Under Character Dies  8/2/05

Fans of hit show Six Feet Under are in shock, after watching Peter Krause's character, Nate Fisher, die in an episode which aired in the US on Sunday (31JUL05). 

Reluctant mortuary owner Nate passed away after suffering a brain hemorrhage - just moments after doctors had offered reassurances he would survive. Initially in a coma, Nate had recovered enough to be able to tell his pregnant wife, Brenda - played by Rachel Griffiths - that he had decided to leave their troubled marriage. 

Later, while his brother David, portrayed by Michael C Hall, was visiting Nate in hospital, both fall asleep and shared a dream that they were on a surfing trip with their late dad.  David awakened to find Nate dead. The same brain condition that led to Nate's death, identified in the series as an arteriovenous malformation, had been diagnosed once before in a past episode and treated with surgery. 

There are currently three episodes left of the show's fifth and final season.