Dead Like Me

[cathschaffstump]

Today begins the features I plan to do on favorites. Most of these are works that inspire me as a writer. I wish I could pull this off, be as adept at story telling as these creators are.

I’d like to start with Dead Like Me. Recently, this previous Showtime offering has become my favorite televison show, ever. You may wonder why.

The premise: Georgia Lass, underambitious, skeptical underachiever, is hit by a toilet seat from a Russian space station and becomes a Reaper, one of the beings that isn’t really dead, but collects human souls until it is time to move on, which is apparently some randomly determined cosmological event. Georgia and her family grapple with her death and the changes it inevitably brings. Georgia gets used to her new life and colleagues, both in her work as a Reaper, and in her job as a Happy Time employee, as Reapers must still eat and pay rent. The show centers around the relationships, trials, and travails of the Reapers and Georgia’s family.

What is Cool:

1. Georgia’s growth. Georgia narrates every show, and thinks more profoundly about the world around her as she matures while she is dead.

2. The interpersonal relationships among every character. The show doesn’t skimp on the relationships of characters in almost every way. These relationships are complicated and life like.

3. The unexpected. Georgia’s annoying boss at Happy Time, Delores Herbig, is one of the most redeemable and caring characters in the show. The Reapers are bundles of complexity. When you think you have one figure out, you discover you don’t. The same can be said of Joy Lass, Georgia’s mother. And Kiffany, the waitress at Der Waffle Haus. The plot surprises.

4. Unlikeability. The show is not afraid to make us dislike the characters, as well as like them.

The Not-so-Cool

1. After two seasons, cancellation. You can’t pin this one on me. Usually, if I like a show, like Journeyman, I doom it. However, I didn’t like this one until it was canceled. There was a lot of room to still tell stories.

The Hopeful

1. There is a movie coming this year.

If you are looking for a fantasy based in reality that doesn’t try to do too many impossible things at once, and is character driven, I recommend this. I recommend this for writers and film makers who want to work on becoming more character centered or more relationship centered. It’s just good work.

Right. Gotta see to some more party prep.

Catherine

Originally published at Writer Tamago. You can comment here or there.

Comments

[mdhenry.livejournal.com]

One of my all time favorites, right up there with Pushing Daisies, Sons and Daughters and Arrested Development. What do those have in common? Hmm...cancelled. I think it's my fault, too.

Tell me all about this movie gossip. I can't wait.

[cathschaffstump.livejournal.com]

It's coming in January. I've posted a few links in today's entry.

Catherine

[mincot.livejournal.com]

I loved "Dead Like Me," along with "Firefly" and "Wonder Falls ... " :)

[cathschaffstump.livejournal.com]

You have good taste.

Catherine

[magwana.livejournal.com]

Yay! Dead Like Me! Such a strange, fun little show. Have you watched Pushing Daisies? I love it as well. And I only recently realized both are Bryan Fuller shows.

[cathschaffstump.livejournal.com]

I have seen PD as well, and it's interesting in an absurdist way.

Catherine

[magwana.livejournal.com]

Definitely. I prefer Dead Like Me, but PD is just so pretty.