Not quite Dead yet! (Dead Like Me)

Member Name: jane08

Product:	Dead Like Me
Date:	11/09/08 (57 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Unique plot and great characters

Disadvantages: it was cancelled too soon

Dead Like Me was a quirky television show that ran for two seasons (29 episodes) from 2003 to 2004 before being cancelled. The story begins as Georgia 'George' Lass, a young college drop out, returns home to her family only to be killed by a falling toilet seat. In a normal show that rather unfortunate and embarrassing death would likely mean the end of the show but in Dead Like Me it's just the beginning. George in fact becomes a reaper which in effect means she reaps the souls of people just before they die.

The character of George is quite emotionally cold and a bit of a loner, despite this as an audience you can't help but warm to her; Ellen Muth does a great job in the role. On her reaping duties she is often joined by two friends, and fellow reapers, Mason and Daisy. Mason, played by Callum Blue is an adict and criminal but remarkably congenial while Daisy is an ex actress with surprising depth. To round up the reaping team there's boss Rube and reaping veteran Roxy.

On the other side, that of the living, we occasionally get an insight into George's family and how they are dealing with her untimely death. I always enjoyed those particular scenes, they were usually the most emotional of the series. The effect that George's death has on particularly her mother and sister was very well portrayed and realistic and it was interesting to see the change in George when she witnessed their grief.

You might be wondering why a television show principally about death would be something you'd bother to watch, it sounds depressing and morbid but is in fact very funny and engaging. Each time George goes to reap a new victim there's a bizarre few moments were you're waiting to see how and who will be the one to get the chop and those scenes never disappoint.

Unfortunately the show was cancelled after only two seasons which I think I'm safe in saying was, like George's death, far too premature. Fortunately however after looking into some details about the sow in order to write this review I've noticed that a new made for DVD film has just finished filming and is due for release in 2009. There is also the possibility that a new series will be commissioned if the results of the movie are good. Even if we don't get the new series, I'm delighted to see that Dead Like Me is getting some closure, it certainly deserves it. Far too many good shows get cancelled and this is one of them.

Summary: A darkly amusing show with bags of humour