HBO has come up with some pretty great television shows over the years. From “Dream On” to “Sex and the City,” the network has proven itself a master of creating likeable characters people can relate to and doing it with humor as well as drama. With the DVD release of the first season of the network’s latest creation, “Six Feet Under,” HBO proves it still has what it takes to keep people watching.

In the pilot episode, viewers are introduced to the Fisher family, owners and operators of a funeral home in West Hollywood, Calif. The pilot starts off with a bang, however, as Mr. Fisher is killed in a car accident, leaving his wife, two sons and daughter to figure out what do to next.

As the series progresses, it reveals more complications than were apparent at the first glance at the Fisher family. Brother Nate, who “escaped” inheriting the family business by moving to Seattle, is suddenly swept up not only in a one-time sexual affair that turns into more, but also in the prospect that he, via his father’s will, is now part-owner of the funeral home.

David, the staunch, conservative-looking brother who followed in his father’s footsteps (however unhappily) and became a funeral director, turns out to be an in-the-closet homosexual. Throughout the season, David struggles to come to terms with his own sexual preference, while at the same time dealing with the new responsibilities that come with being the head of a funeral home.

Claire, the youngest of the Fisher children, is a typical high school student who is busy finding herself despite the stigma that comes with growing up in a funeral home and dealing with the loss of a father. She is perhaps the character who is easiest to relate to, as she deals with issues relating to drugs, sex and friendship — issues we’ve all dealt with at one time or another. However, Claire’s straightforward, charismatic style is what sets her apart (in one episode, she steals a severed foot from the funeral home and places it in the locker of a boy who started a rumor about her).

Mrs. Fisher is the character who is most difficult to figure out. At her husband’s funeral, she reveals to her children that she had been having an affair with a hairdresser, and throughout the rest of the season she comes to grips with her feelings about her romantic relationships and even begins dating more than one person. As Mrs. Fisher struggles with her feelings related to death, love, her children and life in general, she is portrayed as incredibly conflicted, and it remains somewhat of a mystery to viewers exactly what she is going to do next.

This guessing game may be exactly what keeps the series interesting. Complications in seemingly simply situations are continuously thrust into the picture, and viewers have to stay on their toes.

Aside from the intriguing nature of each of the characters, the overall plot of the series is also interesting enough to keep people watching.

Threatened by a large corporation that wants to buy the Fisher family funeral home, Nate and David are faced with a multitude of decisions. Should they sell and get out of the business for good? Or should they stay true to their father’s legacy and continue to operate the home? Each time an answer seems apparent, another twist is thrown in and complicates the situation.

Another subplot involves Nate’s relationship with Brenda, a woman he met on his flight to Los Angeles and had a random sexual incident with. As their supposedly brief encounter develops into something more, complications arise that are related to Brenda’s family and past. As they struggle to define their relationship, unexpected dilemmas come up that, once again, complicate the situation and make viewers wonder what could happen next.

There are also some moral lessons inserted into the show. At the beginning of each episode, a new character is introduced, then dies. The bodies end up at the Fishers’, and each death ends up providing some sort of moral lesson or insight into a situation in one of the family members lives.

The subject of death is obviously an important one to the series, and as the Fisher family grapples not only with the loss of one of its own, but of everyone who is brought into their business, differing perspectives are put forward, and viewers are left to think for themselves about what death means and how it affects everyone involved.

Overall, “Six Feet Under” is a thoroughly enjoyable show, complete with likeable and understandable characters, subject matter that allows viewers to consider their own perspectives, and enough humor to keep the mood basically light-hearted but enough drama to prove its point.

During this stressful, midterm-laden time of year, “Six Feet Under” can provide a welcome break from the perils of the academic life. Just beware — it can easily become an addiction.

Grade: A