Let’s See That Again: “Dead Like Me”

Hello and welcome to the Television section’s newest feature, Let’s See That Again, where we highlight shows that were canceled much too soon or have already run their course but are still worth checking out.

Think of it this way: You just made the most amazing cake the world has ever seen. Then you drop it on the floor. You’re sad because it will never be the same, but you eat it anyway because it’s still delicious. I don’t eat cakes off of floors, just for the record. That was a one time thing.

This installment of Let’s See That Again highlights “Dead Like Me,” the clever Showtime series that faced its untimely demise after its second season in 2004.

Copyright MGM Studios

The show is centered around Georgia Lass (George for short), played by Ellen Muth. She’s an 18 -year-old college dropout that lacks any motivation and doesn’t get along with her family. George is killed in the first episode by a flying, burning toilet seat that fell from a space station, and becomes the youngest and newest member of a group of reapers (sans the black cloaks).

The leader of the group is Rube, played by Mandy Patinkin. Most people our age know Patinkin for his role in “The Princess Bride.” You know, “Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die”? Classic Patinkin. And is it wrong to say Patinkin is looking kind of sexy in his old age? It is? Oh. Well, I was just asking. For a friend. A friend wanted to know.

The series is a “dramedy” or dark comedy. It deals with death and the idea of reapers and life after death in a light-hearted way, but always with a message. Reapers are undead (not the undead of the vampire/zombie persuasion) and walk the earth taking souls so that they can safely walk into the light of the after life.

They don’t get paid, but have to blend in with the rest of the living so people don’t know they’re, well, undead. They also look different to the living so as not to freak out anyone they knew in their previous life that would be like, “Hey, I thought you were dead…”

The group consists of Rube, George, Mason (the cute, British drunk), Roxy (the no nonsense one), and Betty (the gorgeous one), who is later replaced by Daisy (the actress that slept with half of tinsel town back in the 30s).

So, why is it worth checking out? It is incredibly clever with an extremely talented cast, and despite its grim subject matter, the show manages to be cute and fun. Each character is so well developed with his or her own story, it is impossible not to fall in love with them. It also has one of the best pilot episodes of a TV series, in my humble opinion.

The series had enough of a cult following to allow the show to be made into a straight-to-DVD movie called “Dead Like Me: Life After Death” in 2009.

So if you’re tired of that “America’s Next Top Model” marathon (why don’t people ever get tired of those?!) or you’re looking for something new, check out “Dead Like Me.” Hulu has the entire series, and it is also available on instant Netflix.

About Lauren Wiegand

Lauren Wiegand (COM '11) is a television writer for the Quad.

View all posts by Lauren Wiegand →

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