some guy is suing hbo and alan ball, claiming that they ripped off his idea and turned it into six feet under. if they did rip him off, they certainly improved his idea immeasurably based on the description of his version in the article. his take on the concept sounds like it was taken from a british television comedy and made less funny to suit american tastes. (not that there was a british television comedy set in a funeral home that i'm aware of. it just seems like there must have been one, doesn't it?)

six feet under is brilliant, of course. more television shows should have ghosts.