Dead Like Me - General Discussion

[formerlyfreedom]

A place to discuss particular episodes, arcs and moments from the show's run.

[SeriousPurrs]

Love Callum Blue--always a smile whenever I happen to see him in anything--because of DLM. Remember the purple post-it that so freaked Mason out? Wonderful!

 

Opposite for Eric McCormack--I still see the evil in his eyes--even when he's playing a "good" guy.

 

Been years since I've watched any episodes. Just looked at Amazon DVDs for DLM--prices all over the place for the complete series and the separate seasons, with or without the movie (that I never saw).

[blueray]

Since when was this a board? I love this show, I wish wasn't cancelled.

[blueray]

I actually didn't hate the movie. Could it have better sure, but there were good parts. Mainly all the scenes with Reggie and George. I love how they had Reggie realize that she was George. My theory on why George was able to talk to her unlike her mother in season 1 was because Reggie already believed (at least sub-consciously) that she was out there.  I also liked Reggies interaction with Joy. Mason as always.

 

The bad was Daisy. Seriously why did they have the actress act that bad (or maybe she was just a bad actress). I get that they couldn't get the real Daisy back, so they should have at least tried to make her seem like the same character. I also didn't like how ridiculous Desmond was (I don't remember his character name) so I'll just go with Desmond ;). It didn't really make sense why he would be put in charge if he could careless about following the rules. And of course how out of character Roxy was too. Though she did get back to herself by the end of the movie.

 

I did like that George became the leader at the end, I just wish it didn't end in a cliffhanger.

[null 43626740570]

...

[txwatcher]

I totally adore this show. It dealt with death and the trauma of grief in a realistic way. When I see a marathon on I always check in. The closest show to it was Pushing Daisies.

[Anela]

This is one of my favourite shows. I need to set my newer DVR to record any marathons that might air, like I used to. They would show up at the perfect time.

[Petunia13]

I liked Betty more than Daisy.

[blueray]

I did too. Though Daisy did grow on me by second season.

[Zahdii]

Comet TV is running DLM starting tonight with the first episode.

[cynicat]

I've been watching the series again on Comet TV.  I really missed this show--it was so dark and funny at the same time.

[Bobbin]

Reggie is so downbeat. I know she's grieving for her sister, but I didn't think about it until just now that she's really just like Georgia.

[Petunia13]

I half named my dog after George (but it's such a great name with so many cool people and characters named it).

thats george ^

[Bobbin]

I really like Callum Blue's character, Mason. He may be be an opportunist and a hedonist, but he's very caring -- and entertaining.

[SarahPrtr]

I think fans are divided about this, but I really missed Betty.

[Anela]

I liked Betty. 

I really miss this show. I started watching it when my mum went into the hospital, and I found it on Amazon Prime, and watched the rest of it after she died. I still have trouble saying that. Last weekend was the anniversary of her going into the hospital. I watched DLM with mum, on DVD, eleven years ago. As soon as I watched the opening of the pilot, I knew mum would like it, so I asked her if she wanted to watch it with me, and started it again. 

I'm going to see if I can find it on cable. I don't think I have comet TV. I wish it was still on Amazon, or on Netflix. I have this weird attachment to this show.

[azshadowwalker]

On 6/29/2018 at 11:56 PM, Anela said:

I'm going to see if I can find it on cable. I don't think I have comet TV. I wish it was still on Amazon, or on Netflix. I have this weird attachment to this show.

I didn't watch the show when it was on Showtime, because I couldn't afford the premium channels. However, I just got rid of cable and went to antenna and streaming. I have been watching a lot of stuff on Hulu, and ran across this show. All 29 episodes are on Hulu. I think I just started the second season. 

Sorry about your mom. 

[wonderwoman]

loved bryan fuller's other shows (pushing daisies and wonderfalls) so i was excited when i came across this on amazon prime. in episode 4, george was figuring out why a..holes seemed to be treated better than nice people; closing out the requisite clips of a..holes (hilter, idi amin) was none other than our current a..hole-in-chief. that show is from the early 2000s, so how prescient was bryan fuller? 

Edited November 4, 2018 by wonderwoman

[NJRadioGuy]

I'd love to see this show revived or rebooted. What a gem!

[Anela]

On 12/24/2016 at 10:19 PM, Petunia13 said:

I half named my dog after George (but it's such a great name with so many cool people and characters named it).

thats george ^

I have a George, too - but I named him Curious at first (Curious George). He was a feral kitten, who was braver than his siblings, and wasn't afraid of me, or my dog. 🙂 He's too clever, as well. 

[blueray]

On 2/12/2019 at 8:30 PM, NJRadioGuy said:

I'd love to see this show revived or rebooted. What a gem!

I wouldn't want a remake of it as it's perfect the way it is. Either bring it back, which isn't very likely but would be awesome. Or make a spin off show. It would be set in the same universe but follow a complete different character (and team) in a different city.  Similar style and writing hopefully.

[HollyG]

On 4/2/2019 at 2:34 PM, blueray said:

I wouldn't want a remake of it as it's perfect the way it is. Either bring it back, which isn't very likely but would be awesome. Or make a spin off show. It would be set in the same universe but follow a complete different character (and team) in a different city.  Similar style and writing hopefully.

I loved the series and I still miss it. About 5 years after the series ended there was a TV movie made with some of the same actors. It wasn't very good, so I'd rather see new characters/actors it ever rebooted.

Edited May 28, 2019 by HollyG

[blueray]

14 minutes ago, HollyG said:

I loved the series and I still miss it. About 5 years after the series ended there was a TV movie made with some of the same actors. It wasn't very good, so I'd rather see new characters/actors it ever rebooted.

Yeah,  I didn't mind the movie. Well parts of it. I didn't like the new "Daisy" she was nothing like the original character and was an insult to her actually. I mainly enjoyed the Reggie and George scenes. 

[Notwisconsin]

I have the movie on DVD but never managed to get around to watching it.

[Commando Cody]

I found this show on both Amazon and Hulu.  I found it on TV first.  It seems like this is my first run through with all the swearing not edited out.  I always hate when I get to end, because I know there aren't any more episodes.  I have never seen the movie - I think you have to pay for it on Prime.  

I was watching an episode of 'Smallville', today.  I have never seen this series.  However Greg Kean showed up as a guest.  He played a father who lost his daughter.  

[blueray]

On 6/13/2020 at 7:39 PM, Commando Cody said:

I found this show on both Amazon and Hulu.  I found it on TV first.  It seems like this is my first run through with all the swearing not edited out.  I always hate when I get to end, because I know there aren't any more episodes.  I have never seen the movie - I think you have to pay for it on Prime.    

It maybe on a streaming site. I think it  is on youtube in parts but that isn't the most legal way to watch it. 

Edited June 21, 2020 by blueray

[DrSpaceman73]

Just started watching this show.  Really enjoy it.  Never saw it the first time around, though I have heard good things about it for a long time and 17 years later, boom, finally got around to watching it. 

The mom is a real bitch.  At first I felt sorry for her because it seemed like she was a caring mom just trying to reach out to a teenage daughter, but no, she was just a mean spirited person it seems.  One of the few times I actually sided with the husband after having an affair.  Sure sleeping with a student is wrong on many levels, but the idea of him having an affair, yeah, I buy it, dealing with her all the time. 

I wouldn't mind not a reboot but a spinoff with a different group, could easily work. 

Whats the deal with Betty/Rebecca Gayheart leaving after 5 episodes and being replaced by Daisy?  Seemed odd and unexpected. 

Finding out how people died was always fun.  I wondered why so many were not surprised though at being dead when talking to the reapers. 

[DrSpaceman73]

Also with the type of people they were responsible for there really should have been more car accidents.  I know they don't show all the people they are reapers for and part of it was poetic license for the show, but car accidents would make up like 50% of their deaths I would think. 

And why was Roxy allowed to become a police officer when they were supposed to be lying low and not influencing things for the living?  Seems like a profession where they are directly influencing others lives on a regular basis

[dargosmydaddy]

2 hours ago, DrSpaceman73 said:

Whats the deal with Betty/Rebecca Gayheart leaving after 5 episodes and being replaced by Daisy?  Seemed odd and unexpected. 

She hit a child with her car and he died. She was charged with vehicular manslaughter and ended up leaving (being fired from?) the show.

I recently did a rewatch of Dead Like Me, and was reminded how great it was. They really did a great job mixing macabre humor and actually touching (no pun intended) moments.

[DrSpaceman73]

1 hour ago, dargosmydaddy said:

She hit a child with her car and he died. She was charged with vehicular manslaughter and ended up leaving (being fired from?) the show.

I recently did a rewatch of Dead Like Me, and was reminded how great it was. They really did a great job mixing macabre humor and actually touching (no pun intended) moments.

Oh my god that is awful!  I had no idea. 

[DrSpaceman73]

So finished the two seasons but haven't seen the movie.  

I really enjoyed the show. Wish it would have gone on longer.  Or got a reboot/ update.  Could easily happen

A few things.  Was the coffee shop waitress a reaper?   They never say that I saw, but she knows them all well and they aren't secretive around there about what they're doing.  She knew Lisa simpson too (sorry she will always be that to me)

Some of those stories were anti climactic. She just touched the gravling and he dies?   Can they all do that or just her?  Was will/douche guy they killed a gravling in disguise or is that what happens when someone is killed without a post it?   

Also the Halloween murders......guy just running around the neighborhood killing multiple people, seems like it would be a bigger or more to the story.   Maybe if the show continued we would have found out, last episode.

And the big question did her sister see her as georgie at the end or her new reaper self?   It was the next day, not halloween. 

[Sakura12]

12 hours ago, DrSpaceman73 said:

And the big question did her sister see her as georgie at the end or her new reaper self?   It was the next day, not halloween. 

The movie answers that question. But I would not recommend watching it, unless you really want to see the characters again. 

The show was cancelled so they didn't have a lot time to finish the storylines they set up. The serial killer was supposed to continue into the next season. 

[inconsequentia]

5 hours ago, Sakura12 said:

The movie answers that question. But I would not recommend watching it, unless you really want to see the characters again. 

The show was cancelled so they didn't have a lot time to finish the storylines they set up. The serial killer was supposed to continue into the next season. 

agree with this. i miss this show and i wish we had a better ending. i think it is time to revisit my dvds!

[cynicat]

On 2/20/2021 at 10:58 AM, Sakura12 said:

The movie answers that question. But I would not recommend watching it, unless you really want to see the characters again. 

The show was cancelled so they didn't have a lot time to finish the storylines they set up. The serial killer was supposed to continue into the next season. 

I adore this show and am rewatching again on Roku.  I waited a long time to see the movie and part of me wishes I hadn't, but you kind of have to for the closure.  It's like necessary evil.

I would argue that the opening credits for this show could be the best ever.  Seeing grim reapers clocking in never gets old.

[blueray]

1. A few things.  Was the coffee shop waitress a reaper?   They never say that I saw, but she knows them all well and they aren't secretive around there about what they're doing.  She knew Lisa simpson too (sorry she will always be that to me)

Never answered in the show. However, I believe yes Kiffany knew about them. My theory is 

Spoiler

That she is like Reggie, found out some how. And is helping them. Which Reggie will do one day. But just my personal theory.

 

2. Some of those stories were anti climactic. She just touched the gravling and he dies?   Can they all do that or just her?  Was will/douche guy they killed a gravling in disguise or is that what happens when someone is killed without a post it?   

 no, just Ray (?) as he was on George's post it anyway. He was a human, just a bad one. 

3. Also the Halloween murders......guy just running around the neighborhood killing multiple people, seems like it would be a bigger or more to the story.   Maybe if the show continued we would have found out, last episode.

I imagine was a huge news story. But we don't get to hear about it as the show ends. We also never see how he died.

4. And the big question did her sister see her as georgie at the end or her new reaper self?   It was the next day, not halloween. 

Watch the movie. It's not the best. However has some good parts mainly involving the characters (minus Daisy). The worst part is the recasting of Daisy. That actress is terrible and the writes clearly didn't do any research on how the character should act. And no Rube, but that was probably do to the actor being to busy. That being said, a fun watch.

Edited April 22, 2021 by blueray

[DrSpaceman73]

46 minutes ago, blueray said:

1. A few things.  Was the coffee shop waitress a reaper?   They never say that I saw, but she knows them all well and they aren't secretive around there about what they're doing.  She knew Lisa simpson too (sorry she will always be that to me)

Never answered in the show. However, I believe yes Kiffany knew about them. My theory is 

  Hide contents

That she is like Reggie, found out some how. And is helping them. Which Reggie will do one day. But just my personal theory.

 

2. Some of those stories were anti climactic. She just touched the gravling and he dies?   Can they all do that or just her?  Was will/douche guy they killed a gravling in disguise or is that what happens when someone is killed without a post it?   

 no, just Ray (?) as he was on George's post it anyway. He was a human, just a bad one. 

3. Also the Halloween murders......guy just running around the neighborhood killing multiple people, seems like it would be a bigger or more to the story.   Maybe if the show continued we would have found out, last episode.

I imagine was a huge news story. But we don't get to hear about it as the show ends. We also never see how he died.

4. And the big question did her sister see her as georgie at the end or her new reaper self?   It was the next day, not halloween. 

Watch the movie. It's not the best. However has some good parts mainly involving the characters (minus Daisy). The worst part is the recasting of Daisy. That actress is terrible and the writes clearly didn't do any research on how the character should act. And no Rube, but that was probably do to the actor being to busy. That being said, a fun watch.

Might just read about the movie honestly rather than watching.  My experience with movies based on tv shows and rebooted shows years later isn't great.  

 

But thanks for the answers.  

[possibilities]

Just watched the first 3 episodes, for the first time. I found it on IMDBtv, which is free but has about ten trillion commercials, not always at logical act breaks. 

I really disliked George at first. I'm still not her biggest fan, but I'm becoming a little more sympathetic to her. I'm bummed out reading that it ended abruptly and left a lot of dangling plot threads, but I think I"m going to stick with it anyway. 

The mother was harsh, but she was right that Reggie needed therapy, I thought. Why the father was against it, I don't know. It's just so blatant that the kid is obsessed with toilet seats because that's what killed her sister, you'd think someone would make more of an effort to help her, and not just yell at her or ignore her all the time. 

The way some dead people go into the light, whatever that is, and others wind up as reapers... I'm hoping that gets answered at some point. I have a theory, but I'm only 3 episodes in, so it's probably not accurate.

[Sakura12]

On 8/30/2021 at 12:37 AM, possibilities said:

I'm bummed out reading that it ended abruptly and left a lot of dangling plot threads, but I think I"m going to stick with it anyway.

Yeah it's upsetting that it was canceled. It's was a good show. I still pull out my DVD's and watch my favorite episodes. 

[possibilities]

I've watched the first ten episodes and I've decided that Mason and Daisy are really boring, one dimensional, and kind of a wase of airtime. But I like Roxy and I find her interesting. I wish they used her more, instead of all the stupid filler of Mason and Daisy. 

I also like Rube, and George has grown on me. 

I've been pondering the set up of how people's expiration dates are inexplicable, but they all get what they want once it's over... except apparently the Reapers. I wonder if the idea is for the Reapers to figure out what they really want, and then they eventually get to move on. I hope it's explained before they get cancelled because it's starting to seem more like a procedural than I expected at first. 

George not wanting to steal, and Mason and Daisy not wanting to work, is kind of surprising. George was totally unmotivated in life. But I guess she did take a job that suits her natural apathy. It takes some initiative to make a living as a thief.

 

[possibilities]

Finished season 1. Mason and Daisy did get more interesting. I still think they under-use Roxy. The "pet reaper" was something I wondered about, so I liked that they gave us that character in the episode where

Delores took her cat to the vet, and someone else's pet bunny was reaped

. I also liked seeing Rube relate to his reap-ees a little more, and seeing the group developing spychologically instead of just going on missions that don't affect them much. George is really growing up. I don't understand why both her parents are such cold, angry people, not only to each other but kind of in general. It's unpleasant. People like that do exist, but usually TV tries to sell you a reason. I guess it's fine not to, but I'm just glad I don't have people like that in my real life.

[possibilities]

Finished Season 2. I really liked it. I wonder what Fuller wanted to do that the network wasn't okay with. I really loved the directions they went in, so it's hard for me to think of what he wanted that would have been better.

They continued to under-use Roxy, in my opinion. Maybe they would have developed her more if there had been a Season 3. It took til well into S2 before they gave Rube much of a backstory. And even then, it was not nearly as fully explained what happened to him, compared to Mason or Daisy (or of course George). At least we saw how Roxy died.

When Mason got the purple post it

and thought he was on his last reap, I understood that he sold a lot of stuff to pay for the ring

but I didn't understand why he lost the

house

. 

I was shocked that Rube never found out about what happened with Ray, and that the solution to that problem was so simple, as George handled it on her own. I did like that she became both creative and brave.

I was disappointed that after the one date with the kites, we never saw Loft Guy again. I liked it when Mom told Dad he was not welcome back as Hubs, though. 

When George started to tell people her real name (instead of Millie), I was expecting that to blow up her life, but I guess that's one of the things that never got followed up on.

Really great show. I wish it had lasted longer, but am really glad I watched as much of it as there was. 

Everyone says not to watch the movie. It's hard to believe it could be that bad, but I am trying to take the advice.

On the other hand, I heard somewhere else that "people hated the 2nd season," but I really liked it. Why did folks hate it? 

 

 

[Sakura12]

Quote

On the other hand, I heard somewhere else that "people hated the 2nd season," but I really liked it. Why did folks hate it? 

I loved the second season. But the movie is really bad. Rube is gone and they recast Daisy with a worse actress. The show was really good and the movie was nothing like the show. You can watch it if you want and form your own opinion of course. 

[HollyG]

On 9/8/2021 at 11:34 AM, possibilities said:

Finished Season 2. I really liked it. I wonder what Fuller wanted to do that the network wasn't okay with. I really loved the directions they went in, so it's hard for me to think of what he wanted that would have been better.

They continued to under-use Roxy, in my opinion. Maybe they would have developed her more if there had been a Season 3. It took til well into S2 before they gave Rube much of a backstory. And even then, it was not nearly as fully explained what happened to him, compared to Mason or Daisy (or of course George). At least we saw how Roxy died.

When Mason got the purple post it

  Reveal spoiler

and thought he was on his last reap, I understood that he sold a lot of stuff to pay for the ring

but I didn't understand why he lost the

  Reveal spoiler

house

. 

I was shocked that Rube never found out about what happened with Ray, and that the solution to that problem was so simple, as George handled it on her own. I did like that she became both creative and brave.

I was disappointed that after the one date with the kites, we never saw Loft Guy again. I liked it when Mom told Dad he was not welcome back as Hubs, though. 

When George started to tell people her real name (instead of Millie), I was expecting that to blow up her life, but I guess that's one of the things that never got followed up on.

Really great show. I wish it had lasted longer, but am really glad I watched as much of it as there was. 

Everyone says not to watch the movie. It's hard to believe it could be that bad, but I am trying to take the advice.

On the other hand, I heard somewhere else that "people hated the 2nd season," but I really liked it. Why did folks hate it? 

 

 

It's been awhile so I don't remember everything. But one of the things that Fuller wanted to do was reveal that the dad was gay. In the first episode, there is a man that comes to the house to pay his respects and he and the dad hug each other a little bit too long. George even asks Rube if men are supposed to hug that long. The network wasn't keen on the idea and dropped it and the dad had the affair with the female student instead. Fuller has said there were other creative issues as well.

I loved both seasons of the show and was really disappointed when it was cancelled, fans sent the Showtime exec that canceled it a bunch of post it notes with his name and ETD on them. They also picketed their NYC offices in reaper costumes. There used to be a great site called "Dead Like Me Online" that had a lot of insider info on it. At least two of the actors commented on the message board. (the dad & Crystal)

I did not care for the movie at all. It lacked all of the charm and quirkiness of the series. The new Daisy had a complete personality change. The character that took over Rube's management position seemed inconsistent with what we learned about reapers in the series. It really was a huge disappointment. Still, I am not sorry I watched it. It was nice to see the characters again and have the questions about George & Reggie resolved.

Edited October 6, 2021 by HollyG