"DEAD LIKE ME: THE COMPLETE COLLECTION"
DVD Review
by Kevin Carr
| MOVIE: **** (out of 5 stars)
DVD EXPERIENCE: *** (out of 5 stars) STARRING Ellen Muth as GEORGE LASS Callum Blue as MASON Jasmine Guy as ROXY HARVEY Mandy Patinkin as RUBE SOFER Cynthia Stevenson as JOY LASS Britt McKillip as REGGIE LASS Christine Willes as DELORES HERBIG Laura Harris as DAISY ADAIR Rebecca Gayheart as BETTY RHOMER Not Rated/Rated R Studio: MGM Created by: Bryan Fuller Back to DVD Review Home |  |
WHAT IT’S ABOUT
“Dead Like Me” is a television series about an eighteen year old girl named George Lass (Ellen Muth) who is killed by a toilet seat reentering Earth’s atmosphere from the Mir space station. Learning to cope with her death, George is given the job of being a grim reaper, in which she must take the souls of people who are about to die. Her boss is an undead man named Rube Sofer (Mandy Patinkin) who keeps her co-reapers in line. As George adjusts to her new un-life, her family is left missing her and grieving for their loss.
WHAT I LIKED
I didn’t have Showtime when “Dead Like Me” premiered, so the first chance I had to watch the series was when it came out on DVD. I found it to be a very funny and irreverent look at life... and death.
While the writing is what makes things work in this series to a degree, it is also the cast. Muth took some time to get used to, but her wry delivery and laid back attitude was hilarious on the show. Mandy Patinkin was also a treat, even though he was a bit abrasive throughout the show. Fellow reaper Jasmine Guy as Roxie the meter-maid-turned-cop is getting old but works as the bitter middle-aged woman with an attitude.
We lost Rebecca Gayheart early in the series, and she was replaced with Laura Harris as Daisy Adair. While Daisy was a bit annoying at first, she definitely grew into her own as the series moved into the second season. Finally, Callum Blue was always hilarious as the consummate screw-up reaper Mason.
“Dead Like Me,” which only lasted two short seasons on Showtime, was a great little show with a lot of heart and plenty of sardonic humor. The new direct-to-DVD film “Dead Like Me: Life After Death” is also included in this box set.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
“Dead Like Me” was at its best when it had its tongue in its cheek. Sometimes that tongue slipped out, and what was usually quirky and humorous turned out to be just dark and bitter. By the second season, the show had hit a stride that worked. It’s too bad the series was canceled years ago.
DVD FEATURES
Season One includes an audio commentary on the pilot episode as well as a behind-the-scenes featurette and a look at the music of the series. There’s also a photo gallery included on the pilot disc.
Season Two special features a featurette about doing a second season, ten minutes of deleted scenes, a photo gallery and a look at the special effects of the series.
WHO’S GOING TO LIKE THIS MOVIE
Anyone who can laugh at their own mortality.
