Now On Prime Video: A Perfect and Strange Cult Favorite TV Series Fans are Still Mourning Today
The Showtime series Dead Like Me went off the air in 2004 and I still haven’t gotten over it. The program features a top-notch cast, quality writing, and a compelling premise. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
Series creator Bryan Fuller hit it out of the park with the idea. Sadly, he left the show during the first season (over creative differences with MGM Television). Following his abrupt departure, the series continued without him. And while the show would have been even better with Fuller’s presence a constant throughout, the seeds that he planted still blossomed beautifully.
If my adoration has piqued your interest and you’d like to scope the series, you can find Dead Like Me streaming on Prime Video presently.
The series catches up with antisocial underachiever George Lass (Ellen Muth) on the last day of her life, the day she gets hit by a toilet seat falling from the sky, dies, and subsequently learns she’s been assigned grim reaper duty. What a day. Lead actor Muth narrates the show, delivering deadpan observations about death (and life) as she acclimates to her new gig as a soul-collector. Her reaper coworkers can be a surly bunch, each with issues. But George ultimately develops connections with her peers as they come together for daily meetings (at a favorite diner) where they collect their soul-taking marching orders on a post-it note.
Lead character George’s combination of wry wit and social awkwardness make for a winning combination. Each of the reapers on the series brings something special to the table, but there’s not enough room in a short-form piece to address that with the nuance the series deserves. So, I’ll simply say that there is something compelling about each character. Even those that don’t immediately endear themselves ultimately prove interesting and add something to the group dynamic.
In addition to Muth as George, the series’ core cast includes Laura Harris, Callum Blue, Jasmine Guy, Cynthia Stevenson, and Mandy Patinkin.
So, there you have it, dear reader, the gone-too-soon series Dead Like Me is a charming, macabre effort that I wish lasted longer. Fortunately, both seasons (and the made-for-TV movie that followed) are currently available to stream on Prime Video.
Stay tuned to the site in the very near future for more stylish updates delivered in a timely fashion. In the meantime, you can find me on Threads, where I am active as @FunWithHorror.
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