Bryan Fuller is a talented man with terrible luck when it comes to his television shows. He has grand concepts that he brings to the small screen to deliver something different from the standard T.V. fare. Dead Like Me was that something different but like Pushing Daisies (One of Fuller's later creations), it struggled to find the viewership necessary to keep it afloat. However, where Pushing Daisies represented television at its finest, Dead Like Me was bogged down by a few notable flaws. Don't get me wrong! - The series was often a ton of fun to watch, but was it must see television? Find out below.
Season One
The series begins with an enjoyable, yet overlong pilot that does a good job introducing us to the principle characters as well as giving us a taste of the tone. Georgia "George" Lass is given introduction as the shows main protagonist and narrator. this first episode plays out like a quirky dramedy, leaning more towards the comedy until the last 15 minutes. Overall it was a strong start to the series and gave us a chance to see how the show would work. Most of the episodes work as standalone shows, with very minor seasonal plot threads woven throughout. this gave the characters something fresh to do each episode, but gave the show a bit of a "case of the week" feel. Throughout the first season, George copes with her death and learns the ins and outs of reaping with the help of her reaper colleagues and reaper boss Rube. The most noticeable problem (which actually turned out to be the best thing to happen to the show) was that Rebecca Gayheart's character Betty was only on the show for 5 episodes before being awkwardly written out. This seemed like a cheap move at first, but once Laura Harris' character Daisy showed up the next episode, the fit was perfect. I also felt the show didn't feel like it belonged on Showtime, because other than the language, it felt like something that could have been done on one of the major networks. Those are small problems that I can get over, but there is one thing I cannot overlook - A clip episode in the first season. The way I see it, a show should have been on for at least 3 or 4 years before it has earned a clip show. To do one in the first season of a show that only had a 14 episode season just seems lazy and uninspired! Despite all of these flaws, the first season was still a breath of light, refreshing air and a fun watch. Overall Score: 7.8 out of 10
Season Two
The second season fared much better than the first - for the most part. Right out of the gate, the show seemed more focused, better scripted, and felt like it held a better balance between drama and comedy. We already knew the characters by this point, but the second season introduced the viewer to these people in a far more three dimensional manner. They were given more unique identities and more detailed backgrounds. There are also larger arcs this season, some of which work, and others that... well, they die quickly and without warning. Let's start with the good. Rube's storyline that comes into play about halfway through the season is outstanding, and plays out in a slow, but very effective way. Also, Joy has a decent little arc at the beginning of the season that gives her character more to do that in the first year of the series. Now moving on to the not so good. There were a handful of intriguing stories that started strong and were either abandoned or closed too quickly in a way that felt extremely rushed. George's plot-line dealing with her dating a boy who's father she reaped was very engaging, but was given a terrible and unsatisfying close. Also as Eric McCormack's character Ray was brought in, things took an interesting turn for a few episodes, only to have the story closed out in a bizarre and nonsensical mess. Enough about the problems and on to what made this season an overall improvement over the first. The standalone stories were funnier, smarter and more emotionally involving, with some well done parallels running between various characters. The series finale wasn't wholly satisfying, but that's because the show-runners had no idea whether a third season was in store. It was sad to see the show canceled just as it seemed to be hitting it's stride, but it was an enjoyable ride while it lasted. Overall Score: 8.2 out of 10
Dead Like Me: Life After Death
This rarely happens. A movie based on a series that was canceled over 4 years beforehand, created just for the fans. This could only be a good thing right? The show was beginning to ramp up in terms of quality just as it was unfortunately cut short before it's time. Therefor, a movie that would allow fans to catch up with their favorite reapers and get some closure would be fantastic! Well, it wasn't fantastic...Hell, it wasn't even good. set 4 years after the series left off, we find the group of reapers still hard at work, only something is off. There is a odd comic book theme given to the movie, a key character is missing, and one of the actors has been replaced. This would all be acceptable, if the story wasn't drenched in mediocrity. I won't go into much detail as to give away the plot, but I will say that this plays out more like an extended episode rather than a feature film. This to me, seems like such a missed opportunity, as they were given the chance to give these characters closure. Sarah Wynter, who replaces Laura Harris as Daisy (The two played sisters in season two of Fox's 24) is absolutely horrible in the role. This is some of the worst miscasting I have ever seen and it makes an already below average film even worse. Also worth pointing out is how the writers seemed to have forgotten who the characters were, as several of them behave, well... out of character. It's really a shame how poorly this movie turned out, and that proper closure still wasn't given to the show when presented with the perfect opportunity to do so. Overall Score: 5.0 out of 10
Dead Like me was a good series that is worth checking out if you are looking for something light and fun to watch. If you can get over the dead end story arcs and the "case of the week" feel I mentioned, there is a lot of enjoyment to be had with this series. Just do yourself a favor and skip the movie.
Overall Series Score: 8.0 out of 10
