HBO's critically acclaimed series Six Feet Under has always pushed the boundaries of television, as one would expect of a show that revolves around a family-run funeral home. But this season (its fourth) is the first time it has tackled issues of lesbianism or bisexuality.

Early in the season, art-student Claire (Lauren Ambrose) finds herself unexpectedly drawn to new friend Edie (Mena Suvari), even after she discovers Edie's a lesbian when she spies her making out with another girl at a party. As the two spend more and more time together, Edie starts to flirt with her, and the two finally sleep together despite Claire's obvious confusion about her feelings. Ultimately, both Edie and Claire come to the same conclusion: that Claire's attraction to Edie is purely aesthetic, and not sexual.

Or as Edie puts it, "you're not into fucking women."

Many lesbian and bisexual fans of the series, and of gay characters on TV in general, are likely to be disappointed at the conclusion at which Claire arrives--that she's straight, at least for now. But Claire's evolving relationship with Edie is one of the most honest and realistic portrayals of a woman exploring her sexuality that we've seen on TV in a long time.

Most TV storylines about straight women who experiment with lesbianism either play it for laughs (Two and a Half Men, Coupling, Friends), or for ratings (Ally McBeal, L.A. Law), or do little exploration of the emotions of the characters involved (Soul Food, Fastlane). Six Feet Under, on the other hand, has laid out Claire's confusion in such a way that viewers can't help but be drawn into it--and hopefully, become a little less afraid of it.

When Edie confronts Claire about her feelings, Claire explains that "part of me thinks this is what I want, and part of me thinks it isn't. But what if the part of me that thinks it isn't feels that way because I'm scared?"

This dilemma is one that many women experience in real life, but is rarely shown on television. Claire's willingness to explore her attraction to another woman in an open and honest manner is a refreshing change from TV's usual tendency to put people in boxes marked "gay" or "straight" or to laugh off experimentation as trivial. This storyline is written and acted in such a way that it both demystifies the experience, and takes it seriously.

CLAIRE: "You know what? Last night I had a humiliating homosexual experience of my own."
DAVID: "Seriously? What happened?"
CLAIRE: "Not much. I never even went down on her."
DAVID: "You can stop there."
CLAIRE: "I just couldn't go through with it. It pisses me off. It would be so much easier to be gay."
DAVID: "Oh, no."
CLAIRE: "Yeah, you have a really defined subculture."
DAVID: "Overrated."
CLAIRE: "And we're both women. I'd have some idea of what she was thinking and feeling."
DAVID: "Not necessarily."
CLAIRE: "Well, I wouldn't have to deal with unfamiliar sex organs."
David: "They're all unfamiliar unless they're yours."

There are moments when we also see this experience through Edie's eyes. After Claire's tepid response to their first kiss, Edie gently says "I feel like maybe you're into me, but you're just confused, right? Because I could be into you if I knew you were into me, you know?" Edie is cautious and consistently respectful of Claire, caught between her growing feelings for Claire and her desire not to push Claire into anything--a situation many lesbians have found themselves in in real life.

But experimenting is the only way women can learn more about their sexuality. The more storylines like this that embrace sexual exploration instead of shunning it, the easier it will become for women to do so in real life.

Recaps of this season's Six Feet Under episodes are available here.