Dead Like Me

[NJCher]

I am starting a thread on this TV series because I think it bears some resemblance to what might really happen when we cross over. I'd like to see what others think. I also want people who haven't heard about this to see it.

First a little about this series for people who haven't seen it. It's a black comedy. The characters are truly endearing and become like family after awhile. Because the series ran back around 2003 or so, it's readily available both on TV and on DVD. You can also see it through view instantly at Netflix.

It's about a group of soul reapers. They are people who have crossed over and whose new job is to reap the souls of those who are about to die before they actually are killed. This particular unit deals with bizarre deaths but there are other units of other soul reapers who deal with other types of deaths. I can't think of an example at the moment but I know they mention these other units at various spots in the series.

I have read that the soul disassociates from the body at the time of death and that no pain is felt, so there is a connection point here. In the movie, the reaper brushes the shoulder of the soon-to-be-departed and there is a special effect of a gray mist that arises off the touch. The next thing you will see in the show is the bizarre accident and then the person conversing with the reaper. The person is often looking at his body and acknowledging that he's "dead." The reapers are told they are to do this to prevent the person from feeling horrible things at the time of death.

The reapers, even though they are dead, still have to make their own way in life. They have to support themselves and many of them have regular jobs. Thus the main character, George (short for Georgia) has a job in a temporary placement agency. It is the same place she was working when she died but she comes back to work with a slightly different appearance, which is how others see her. Occasionally they show how George appears to others. The show, however, portrays them physically as they always were, before they "died."

A woman who is like a reaper appeared on Coast to Coast a couple months ago. This person is among the living, not the "dead," but in her nighttime state, or sleep, often meets up with people who have crossed over and who do not know they are dead. Or they might know they are dead but have no concept of what to do next. Anyway this woman told about her many encounters and how she helped these tortured souls find their way. Now, the interesting tie here is that she says this is like a second job and she told about how hard it was to get used to doing it in the beginning.

This is very similar to the show because in the show the characters often have a hard time making it financially in the "real world." They sometimes to unethical things to get by, like move into the departed's apartment, or they take their car or jewelry, etc. They get it trouble with their crew leader for this, too. BTW, his name is Rube and he is played by Mandy Patinkin. I have a soft spot in my heart for this actor as I used to run into him a lot at the coffee shop. This was back in the day when people read newspapers in coffee shops. Mandy always read his outside and I would see him in the mornings. He was always friendly and nice to me. I think he does a superb job as crew leader in this series.

While I'm on that topic, there are several other actors who do outstanding jobs. One of my favorites is Delores, the office manager at Happy Time. She is played by Christine Willes. Man, is this lady funny. She's so bizarre but appears to be so "normal."

Another terrific portrayal is of George's mother, played by Cynthia Stevenson. She is sooooo neurotic (organized type).

The lead, George, is played by Ellen Muth, an actress I know little about but she is cute as can be and sets the tone for the humor.

I could write more and probably will post more on this thread later but here are a few pics:





Ellen Muth, or George

The series was originally shown on Showtime. It ran two seasons and there was also a movie.

It's showing on a cable station regularly now but the best way to see it is from the beginning. Like I said earlier, rent the DVD or watch it online at Netflix.

Listen to two songs by Metisse (from the series) Boom Boom Ba and Nomahs Land:

http://www.myspace.com/deadlikememusic

Wiki entry on "Dead Like Me:"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Like_Me


Cher

[FirstLight]

1. Loooove this series!

George's character is so deadpan (pun intended) and Mason is really one of my faves too.
I enjoy that the subject matter is dealt with on so many levels... the grief process in george's younger sister, mom and dad...the grief process for some of the souls who have issues crossing over, the issues of each of the characters as they deal with having 'two lives' ...one they can't go back to and the one they have to make work now.
I have laughed and cried while watching this.

ya, thanks for bringing it up. I always thought the idea of being assisted out of one's body makes alot of sense.
i remember there was an episode where they went to a nursing home, and the reaper there was a nurse who helped the old folks...and it was Rube's daughter, now an old woman who was crossing over. He got to say goodbye, even if she didn;t really know who he was...or did she? i think right before she passed she called him daddy... :cry: (ya that was a tearjerker)

[Lindsey]

3. I've always wanted to check this show out as I've heard really

good things about it. I got a Netflix Streamer for my B-Day so it'll go on my list of shows to watch. Thanks for the post and the background.:)

[MorningGlow]

2. Thanks for this, Cher

I remember when the show first aired, but I didn't have Showtime. I will definitely check it out on Netflix. :hi:

On edit: Thanks also for speaking kindly of Mandy Patinkin. As a former theater person, I've always had a soft spot in my heart for him, and it's good to know he is a decent sort. :)

[JanusAscending]

4. Love Mandy !! Does he sing on the show...ever?

I have his tape of "Sondheim" Broadway hits! Love his timbre and range. Favorite is Bali Hai for the sheer genius of the musicality, and "You have to be carefully taught/ children will listen" for it's message. I vaguely remember this being on Show time, and me being mad "cause I didn't get it on my cable as it was a premium channel. I wonder what channels have it in syndication now?

[Kookaburra]

5. Hulu has all the episodes

If you don't want to/can't afford to pay Netflix.

[JanusAscending]

6. Forgive my complete ignorance....

but what's a "hulu"???? I'm so ashamed, but I haven't got a clue. I'm still trying to figure out what my daughter in law was talking about when she was shopping for "gorilla glue'????? LOL

[Kookaburra]

7. It's very cool

Go to www.hulu.com, and you can find all kinds of stuff -- television shows, videos, music, etc. I love it.

You have to register, but it's well worth signing up.

Forgot to add that you will have to view a few commercials with this service, but you don't have to pay for it, so...
The commercials don't bother me.

[JanusAscending]

8. Thank you very much!

Will check it out....in the AM! Nite all.

[BlueIris]

9. I was kind of partial to HBO's Six Feet Under, so I didn't watch this.

I might check it out sometime, now.

Re: the Coast to Coast lady--I've often felt that my new spiritual life was like a second job. Which I don't get paid for. It's caused me...issues.

[eilen]

10. This is one of the first series I watched when I got

Netflix. I was great to see the growth of George's character.

[SheilaT]

11. I recently worked my way through the

entire series thanks to Hulu.com.

I really, really liked it. There was a level of sadness, especially with George's family and how her death had devastated them. I am really, really sorry it only ran for two seasons, but the up side, I suppose, is that it didn't get tired or start doing dumb stories because they'd really covered everything possible.

The characters were very interesting and highly believable for me.

I just love Hulu. It saves me from having to rent DVDs, and since I don't own a television, much of what I want to see shows up there.

[Kind of Blue]

12. 2009 follow-up movie on Syfy/Syfy-HD today

"Dead Like Me: Life After Death." Airing pretty early 7:30-9:30A.M.PST/10:30-12:30A.M. EST.

[Cleita]

13. I really liked it and wished they had made the series

a few more seasons. Things were getting interesting with the interaction with the dead George and her living little sister Reggie. Delores and the scenario with her cat was a hoot but also poignant.