Season 2

Complete listed story — includes the ending

1. In the Game

Rebecca Milford, a young cocaine - addicted actress, overdoses and dies at the premiere party for her new horror movie. Her boyfriend knows Federico's sister-in-law. Nate and Brenda, who is still traumatized from the car accident, face some difficulties in their sex life. Claire has difficulties with Gabriel. David finds out he has gonorrhea; later he returns to Keith's church to find Keith happy with his current boyfriend. Ruth researches gay culture and holds a dinner to introduce her children and their partners to Nikolai. Nate accidentally gets high from the ecstasy in the aspirin bottle (from season 1, episode 9, "Life's Too Short") and embarrasses himself. Later, he finds out that he finally passed the licensing exam.

2. Out, Out, Brief Candle

Joshua Langmead, a college football player dies of heat stroke. Ruth attends a session of a self-help group called "The Plan" with her coworker Robbie. Nate battles with keeping his arteriovenous malformation (AVM) secret but eventually tells David. Brenda stresses about having dinner with an ex-boyfriend and his new family, but they turn out to be far from perfect. The Fishers invest $20,000 on a casket wall to raise profits, much to the chagrin of Rico who had asked for a loan to buy a new home. Vanessa goes against Rico's wishes and accepts money from her sister. David and Keith get closer while spending time with Keith's drug addicted sister Karla and her neglected daughter Taylor. Claire rages at Gabriel for stealing embalming fluid from her family.

3. The Plan

The funeral for cancer victim Michael Piper, whose wife is a psychic, raises many interesting questions. Ruth attends "The Plan" self-help seminar and tries to make "renovations" in her life, but ends up deciding it is all nonsense and telling the whole seminar group so. David and Keith continue to bond while Keith frets about his absent addict sister and her daughter. Claire tries to help Gabriel as the cops close in on him for armed robbery but he shoots a driver in a fit of rage. As Mrs. Piper transitions her husband into the afterlife, the ghost Nathaniel questions his sons about their beliefs.

4. Driving Mr. Mossback

Nate and Claire travel to Seattle and stay with Nate's friend (with occasional benefits ) and former co-worker Lisa before retrieving the body of Harold Mossback, 69, who died on a tour bus. Mr. Mossback's children insist that he must be driven and not flown. While there, Nate has an attack related to his AVM and reconnects with Lisa. David babysits for Keith's niece after her mother disappears. Brenda's mother becomes obsessed with her father's infidelity. Ruth tries to make amends with people from her past in line with "The Plan" with mixed results.

5. The Invisible Woman

Emily Previn, 47, a solitary woman, chokes to death in her house. Ruth takes an interest in her as she died without any family or friends. Nate continues to deflect questions about his health. Keith, in the midst of trouble with both his niece and his boyfriend, is forced to shoot a man in the line of duty. David starts to date a new man but has sex with Keith when he comes by after the shooting. Brenda has trouble starting a novel and turns to a prostitute friend for inspiration, going with her on a date. Later, Brenda asks Nate to marry her.

6. In Place of Anger

Matthew Collins, 42, a drunk businessman, falls off a boat and drowns. Nikolai stays overnight with Ruth and tries to make himself part of the family. Brenda masturbates a massage client. Ruth's sister Sarah visits unannounced causing tumult throughout the family and making Ruth tremendously uncomfortable. Nate and Brenda announce their engagement to the family. The Fishers are visited for a second time by Mitzi Dalton-Huntley who offers them a huge payout to sell. Matthew's wife insists on seeing his body and reveals that he abused her.

7. Back to the Garden

Jeffrey Shapiro, 38, dies from autoerotic asphyxiation while watching porn. His Jewish funeral leads Nate to question the Jewish view on death with a female rabbi. Claire visits her aunt Sarah on the weekend of a big party despite Ruth's strong misgivings. Keith dumps Eddie and starts seeing David again. His niece has an emergency appendectomy. Rico suspects his cousin Ramon is having sex with Vanessa, but when he comes home early he catches Ramon with another man. Brenda's erratic divorcing mother makes Brenda question her upcoming marriage.

8. It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Jesse Johnson, 57, a seasonal Santa, is killed in a motorcycle crash. His family puts on a big flamboyant Christmas funeral. Christmas signals the one year anniversary of Nathaniel's death, causing everyone to reminisce. Brenda and Nate visit Margaret and are shocked to find that Billy is living with her. Nikolai is beaten and mugged on Christmas Eve. Brenda continues having brief sexual encounters with men and writing about them. Claire brings her new boyfriend Toby to dinner but an argument causes them to break up. Keith's sister Karla returns. Nate has a seizure while with Brenda.

9. Someone Else's Eyes

Dwight Garrison, 57, a random pedestrian, is killed by a falling metal lunchbox from a high-rise construction site. His wife and daughters argue about his funeral. Nate learns through a chance meeting that Lisa is pregnant with his child while Brenda has sex with a stranger in a bathroom stall. Keith checks up on Karla finding her high again and forcing her back to rehab. Nikolai continues to recuperate at the Fisher's, inconveniencing everyone. Later Ruth discovers that he is hiding out from the gangster loan sharks who broke his legs. Claire agrees to help Billy with a project and discovers a talent for photography.

10. The Secret

Benjamin Srisai, 67, an Asian retiree, collapses and dies of a heart attack in his driveway and requires a Thai- Buddhist funeral. Nate signs away his parental rights. Nikolai finally leaves the Fishers' house. Brenda realizes that she has a problem and sees a therapist, but later she has sex with a couple at a swingers' party. Brenda's parents get back together. Karla commits a hit-and-run on a homeless man and tries to cover it up but her daughter tells David. David and Keith fight incessantly. Claire illegally takes portraits of the deceased for a school project but her work is rejected by her teacher and an incensed Nate.

11. The Liar and the Whore

Edith Kirky, 73, a cranky woman, is murdered by her roommate in hospice care due to Vanessa's negligence, which costs her her job. David and Keith have difficulty taking care of Taylor but refuse to let Keith's dysfunctional parents take custody. Ruth pays Nikolai's $87,000 debt, enraging him. A lawsuit from a previous client backed by Kroener turns out to be beneficial. Nate tells Brenda about Lisa's pregnancy after Rabbi Ari recommends they be honest with each other before moving forward with marriage. She later screws a pair of strangers before professing her love for Nate and forgiving him.

12. I'll Take You

Leticia Perez, an 80-year-old grandmother and Rico's neighbor, dies peacefully in a salon, unexpectedly leaving $149,000 to Rico. Ruth breaks up with Nikolai, who seems not to care. David and Keith greet a social worker. Brenda's parents renew their wedding vows. Nate discovers Brenda's infidelity after reading some of her manuscript resulting in an explosive breakup. Keith beats up a suspect in a fit of anger. Lisa gives birth two weeks early to a daughter, at first shocking — then delighting — new grandmother Ruth.

13. The Last Time

Aaron Buchbinder, 26, an acquaintance of Nate's, dies of pancreatic cancer. In accordance with the deceased's wishes, Nate insists on witnessing the incineration of his body, and in doing so learns a few things about the process, including how pacemakers can cause the retort to sustain damage such as that which had delayed the disposition by a day, and the most efficient placement of the body in the retort. Keith gets suspended, gives Taylor to his parents, and fights with David. Fisher & Sons has an unannounced inspection allowing Rico to invest his new inheritance in the company and become a partner. Brenda goes to a sex addicts anonymous meeting. Ruth quits her job. Nate undergoes a high-risk surgery for his AVM and his family anxiously awaits the outcome as Brenda packs up her house and drives away.