Rating: 
Summary: Most well-written, well-directed show since Twin Peaks
Review: "Dead Like Me" proves that cynicism, humor, depth, and even compassion can not only co-exist on a single television series, they can actually flourish together. With sharp and witty writing and directing, "Dead Like Me" explores the bizarre world of our working-class grim reapers, the good folks charged with escorting human souls to the afterlife. As the second-lowest level group of bureaucrats in the afterlife system (best not to ask about the lowest), grim reapers must trudge along "popping" the souls of the soon-to-be-departed before they meet their grisly (and, dare I say, often hilarious) ends. And they must also survive, and pay rent, in the living world.The chief protagonist on the series is George (a.k.a. Georgia), a recently deceased, uber-cynical, 18 year old who just can't seem to resist rebelling against the whole "death" system. Her fellow reapers include an unapologetically opportunistic drug-smuggler, a meter-maid who does a lot more than write parking tickets, a happy-go-lucky pragmatist who has developed a truly macabre taste in photography, and an actress whose resume is surprisingly out of date. And then, of course, there is Rube. Rube is the would-be foreman of this somewhat strange assemblage of reapers. He is also, arguably, the most sympathetic, complex, and mysterious character on the show-thanks in no small part to the superb acting of Mandy Patinkin. As with the other characters on the show, no amount of space here can really hint at the depth alloted to Rube by the writers and directors of "Dead Like Me" or the skill with which Patinkin explores that depth. Suffice it to say that Rube plays a lot more like a real person (or real undead person) than any mere television contrivance. Rube is more alive as a dead man than any television character from the living world. The very essence of "Dead Like Me" is, in fact, its willingness to explore not only the bizarre world of the reapers, but also the lives and personalities of the reapers themselves. Undead life has had (and continues to have) some pretty strange effects on these formerly-living reapers, and watching their individual responses to the problems of their bizarre occupation provides much of the humor of the show. And, not to leave out the living world, the creative minds behind "Dead Like Me," also frequently turn their attention to living characters on the show, from the "soon to be referred to the past tense" reaper clients to the families they leave behind (most notably George's grieving family). Just about any character is subject to being fleshed-out on this show (even dogs and frogs). A minor character named Angus Cook makes a more memorable impression in one epsiode of "Dead Like Me" (appropriately titled "A. Cook") than most TV series regulars will make in an entire season. Some have compared "Dead Like Me" with shows like "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and similar, more pedestrian, fare. But about the only thing Buffy and George have in common is youth and blonde hair. And the only thing the reapers have in common with television vampires is that they've both been around a while. Of course, one of the problems with television vampires is that they never seem to *realize* they've been around a while. They are also generally kind enough to join up with either the "good guys" or "bad guys" teams of the Buffyverse and its ilk, teams which don't exist in the universe of "Dead Like Me." But you might want to visit the universe of "Dead Like Me" for yourself, and form your own impressions. Just don't stay too long. You might end up with a post-it note and a new job.
Rating:
Summary: Dead Like Me
Review: Clearly the Best original show of last year. The director borrowed heavily from Piers Anthony series The Incarnation of Immortality. This is a 7 book set. Read the first book too
"On a Pale Horse".
Anyway, clearly well written and well acted.
Kudos
Rating: 
Summary: an interesting concept left unfullfilled
Review: Dead like me is a show positively brimming over with wasted potential.
They begin with a good concept, that the afterlife is run like a bureaucracy, but grim reapers don't get paid and thus must seek additional employment. This leads to some pretty good scenes, such as Roxy's job as a Meter Maid (always entertaining to watch) and George's job at Happy Time Temp Agency. Of all the different segments, the Happy Time ones are the best-Dolores Herbig, George's boss, is one of those characters who seems nice but along the way constantly reveales incredibly disturbing things about herself. Crystal the Receptionist is always funny, usually nothing more than a glaring pair of eyes staring across the reception desk.
The other segments of the show not directly involved in reaping, the interaction of George's sister Reggie and her mother Joy, are a pain to watch. They litterally do nothing but bicker with one another episode after episode-after all this fighting, one presumes, these segments must eventually lead to something, have some purpose, right? You would think so, but they don't. They have no point and go nowhere. You could excise these segments from the show entirely and it would be the better for it.
Finally we come to the heart of the show, which deals with the actual reaping of souls. These segments could have been best of all; indeed, they could have made this show a real gem but the writers dropped the ball on this one, too. Firstly, the gravelings. These little creatures supposedly run around causing accidents that kill people, but these creatures are the show's greatest flaw. Not only do they cause some really ludicrous death scenes, but they completely ruin the mystery and randomness of death in favor of a few cheap sight gags. Secondly, the plot holes: they establish right off the bat that the undead reapers look different to the living so they won't be recognized. George's undead persona, Millie, looks like a crack whore. But they continually forget this very important plot point again and again. They never mention their undead appearances after the first few episodes. This show could have been very good, it certainly has some good moments, but unfortunately it is as stiff and lifeless as its subject matter.
Rating:
Summary: Totally Addictive
Review: I bought this set on a whim.... I don't have Showtime, but I remembered seeing a clip on the filming of the pilot on one of those entertainment TV shows. I am SO glad that I did!!! This is a truly great show! In an age where most TV shows are "reality" based or just another tired, been-there-done-that premise, this one grabs hold and sucks you in. The dialogue snaps and sizzles; making me wish that I could have come up with half of those lines. Each episode's story lines whips back and forth through both comedic and dramatic scences; never dwelling too long on the the sad aspects of death (But just enough to give the show some substance). The charaters are exceptional. Ellen Muth plays the new reaper; most of the show is seen through her eyes as she learns the rules of her strange new existence, and trying to reconcile herself with those she left behind. Mandy Patinkin plays her boss, Rube. He is an excellent Antagonist for George (Muth). In fact, he comes off as a gruff father-figure for George. Rounding out the cast is Jasmine Guy (Remember her from "A Different World"? You won't here), a tough talking reaper who has a day job working as a Meter-Maid; Callum Blue, a "Trainspotting"-esque reaper; Rebecca Gayheart, the beauty queen reaper; Cynthia Stevenson, George's bitter mother and Britt McKillip, as George's weird younger sister. While there are several other recurring characters, they don't seem to be as important as the one I mentioned. I recommend this show to any one who enjoys the quirky and unusual, as well as fans of "Tru Calling", "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", "Joan of Arcadia", "X-Files" and "Twin Peaks". I just wish this show was on regular TV. Now I'll have to wait for season 2 to come out on DVD. Looks like it will be a loooong wait.
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely brilliant!!!
Review: I couldn't wait to get a hold of this DVD set. And I have to tell you, I was not disappointed... The deleted scenes are wonderful but I wish they had not left them out of the original airing.
- We finally get to see the Post-it that brought George over to the dark side.
- Who knew that the DMV also issues Reaper licenses.
- The men at Happy Times have a very, very, VERY stange and disgusting secret. While some of the clips are several minutes long, a few of them are only a couple of seconds which makes it hard to figure out exactly what you are watching. I do wish they had an option that would allow you to insert the deleted clips back into the original airings so you could watch it straight through, but overall they are well worth it. There are about 15 pictures that you can scroll through along with audio commentary and "The Music of DLM" Featurette. Overall, it is a great buy and you won't be disappointed...
Rating:
Summary: Is a must
Review: I got to see this show by mistake, I am the kind of guy that only watch tv to lighten up, and smile. I believe that live is way too complicated by itself to get back home and see drama/blood etc.
So I only tend to watch sitcoms, I don't enjoy CSI like stuff either. Watched some promos about the show and that they made some fun of afterlife...uhmmm, everyone wants to know something about after life, I knew already that I would not find no answer there, but at least I will have the chance to see other's view of the issue.
Watched the pilot with this thin/strange voiced girl and got shocked/hooked very very badly. Every chapter made you think about the afterlife but was funny at the same time. I even enjoyed more the 2nd season, it is better ellaborated than in the first one, and the cast looked way more integrated.
This series really deserves a third/closing season.
One thing that this show leaves on you is that you only have a live, even if there is an afterlife after all, you only have one chance to live it.
Rating:
Summary: This is the good stuff.
Review: I haven't watched a whole lot of TV within the last five years. I worked nights. I had no real desire to keep an eye on all the shows I would miss. A friend told me to watch this one and now I can't stop. This is brilliantly written and acted. I can't wait for the second season, and I'm rewatching this one.
Rating:
Summary: One of the Best Shows in Cable History
Review: I just had to put in my two cents because too many jokers below are complaining about the show and saying anyone who disagrees with them is dumb and lacking sensibility. People have complained that the characters in Dead Like Me are conventional. Yes, they are, but so what? There really are certain personality types that people have, so there is no reason a TV show should not represent them. Furthermore, a major point of Dead Like Me is to show how people adapt and establish conventional routines even in the most bizarre of circumstances. We start to see this as we observe the similarities between George's job as a grim reaper and her job as an office worker. The show gives a more detailed picture of the functioning of the supernatural than, for instance Wonderfalls (another great show that got canned), but there is still a lot left unexplained. Even the reapers don't know very much about the nature of the afterlife. The unresolved mysteries seem to have been misinterpreted as plotholes by some reviewers.
Contrary to a couple other reviewers, I don't believe Dead Like Me is overly cynical or sarcastic in tone. For Pete's sake, the show is all about helping people get into Heaven. How much less cynical can you get than that?
Like everything that doesn't contribute to the dumbing down of American culture, Dead Like Me has been cancelled. So what should I do now, watch people shove maggots up their noses on Fear Factor or watch some abusive sociopath traumatize a family on My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiance? Come to think of it, yes, seeing shows like this get cancelled while dehumanizing reality shows make it big does have a way of making one cynical.
Rating:
Summary: Groundbreaking Series
Review: I love Dead Like Me and this product is perfect for those of us who don't have Showtime, but have seen and fallen in love with the show at a friends house. I recieved this DVD set as a gift and I love it.
Dead Like Me is a show about Georgia (aka George, Millie, Toilet Seat Girl, Peanut etc) and the experience of her death. George is (was) an 18 year old who, after dropping out of college her first semester moves back in with her parents and kid sister. Upon being nagged by her mother to get a job, George begins clerical work at a place called Happy Time. On her first day working at Happy Time she goes out of the office to grab a quick lunch when she encounters a man on the street who asks her name and touches her when she walks away, then she gets hit in the head with a toilet seat which fell from space and dies... sounds weird but it's well done.
Right after her death George realizes that she has not left the earth, and is confused by this. She ends up meeting some Grim Reapers, Rube being the boss (played by Mandy Patakin), and they explain to her that she is dead and that she is to be a Grim Reaper. Rube explains that when you die and you weren't a good person, nor a bad person you have to become a Reaper for sometime until you fill your Quota of souls. So what George's job as a Reaper is that she must take the souls out of people who are about to die accidential\painful deaths so that that person will feel no pain. Rube gives this particular group of Reapers their assignments daily, which consist of enitials, and address, and an E.T.D. (estimated time of death) and the Reapers are to find this person and take their soul out of their bodies.
You might be wondering how she can walk around the same city she was living in without some people knowing her, this is covered, in this show the dead take on different names to the public (George is Millie) and they look very different to the living.
The show follows George as she gets used to the fact that she is dead, and her coping with the fact that being dead doesn't change the fact that she now needs a place to "live" (which the Reapers show her that she can inhabit the apartments of dead people who no one knew were dead yet), and the fact that she needs to get a real world job (which she happens to go back to Happy Time). The Reapers are all friendly with each other and hang together in a diner.
The show also deals with George's family and how they deal with her loss. Her mom, who never really got along with George is extreamly guilty, her little sister who George always ignored misses her more than anyone, and her dad privatly grieves. George, looking different is able to have somewhat regular encounters with members of her family, and she finds out some family secrets which explain alot of the relationship problems her parents have.
This show is great. It is funny and sad all at once. I guess some would call it dark comedy. The cast is incredibly talented and make the show that much more fun to watch. The DVD set is packaged nicely and the special features are fun.
Rating:
Summary: Dead Like Me Dvd
Review: I love the series and having the dvd is great!!! I ordered it and can't wait to get it. If your haven't heard of dead like me and love comedy this is for you! Dead like me is very funny and well worth the price! Heck id pay 100 dollers for it!!!
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