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Dead Like Me (TV Series)

D

dirtybob2

Gone But Not Forgotten
(ACCOUNT RETIRED)
Joined
Feb 6, 2002
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142
Is anyone else watching this programme on sky one?
If so what are your thoughts, its kind of fortean, as it deals with death, pre ordination, fate and the afterlife.
Its also enjoyable, if not slighty morbid fun.

Also does anyone know why Rebecca Gayheart was written out?
 
Dirtybob: It got a passing mention in this thread:

http://www.forteantimes.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=11285

but sicne then I have started watching it properly. I can see the pitch:

"Its like Buffy, but get this, shes a Grim Reaper!!"

I really enjoy it - its wonderfully dark but also amanges to be heartwarming without being sickly. The episode where Mason had to go and 'reap' the gay partners reduced me to tears (that siad I was suffering very badly from exposure to solvents and other nasty chemicals and I was nearly sick just before that and nearly fainted immediately after but it was probably still very moving).

~checks who Rebecca Gayheart is~

Nope I have no idea - perhaps she had other offers, etc. or they'd taken the character as far as they could (I always felt she was one dimensional).

Emps
 
I refuse to watch it in the basis that she always has a face like a slapped arse, has that changed? If so I may start to watch it!
 
schnor said:
I refuse to watch it in the basis that she always has a face like a slapped arse, has that changed?
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Nope - she still looks like 5 wet weekends rolled into one. that said if you were killed by a falling toilet you wouldn't look too happy about it either ;)

I would recommend people watch it - I'm a cynical git and I really enjoy.

Emps
 
Emperor said:
but sicne then I have started watching it properly. I can see the pitch:

"Its like Buffy, but get this, shes a Grim Reaper!!"
Click to expand...

Very true. Except for the 'It's like Buffy...' bit.

Unless the definition of 'It's like Buffy...' extends to all shows with a young female lead. ('It's like Buffy, but get this, it's like Groundhog Day too!!" (Tru Calling) 'It's like Buffy, but get this, it's like The Girl From UNCLE too!!" (Alias) 'It's like Buffy, but get this, it's like X-Men too!!" (the new season of Mutant X by the sound of it.) 'It's like Buffy, but get this, it's like that old Michael Landon show about the angel too!!" (Joan of Arcadia).) :)

I had high hopes for Dead Like Me on the basis of the rave reviews it got in SFX before it aired over here: much emphasis on the 'high quality writing' and the well-executed comedic elements, but... I just can't get into it. The writing is certainly well quality-controlled, but is it actually any good? I ask myself. And the humour should be well-executed. (In the terminal sense.) Innocent people dying for no reason in slapstick accidents: oh yes, that must be gallows humour...
 
Zygon said:
Very true. Except for the 'It's like Buffy...' bit.

Unless the definition of 'It's like Buffy...' extends to all shows with a young female lead. ('It's like Buffy, but get this, it's like Groundhog Day too!!" (Tru Calling) 'It's like Buffy, but get this, it's like The Girl From UNCLE too!!" (Alias) 'It's like Buffy, but get this, it's like X-Men too!!" (the new season of Mutant X by the sound of it.) 'It's like Buffy, but get this, it's like that old Michael Landon show about the angel too!!" (Joan of Arcadia).) :)
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Well not quite (that was touched on a bit in the thread I linked to above). The "its like Buffy but....." pitch involves a number of factors:

1. Stong female lead (but not so strong that she is a threat to the masculinity of male studio execs).

2. Some kind of occult/strangeness aspect ("all the kids are into it these days").

3. Postmodern irony (the tongue is usually so far in the cheek its coming out the other side).

4. Dark humor.

5. A supporting cast that includes an older mentor and an idiot.

6. Having to carry out their 'mission' while trying to live a normal life.

DLM ticks all those boxes.

Is it any good? I must admit I was sceptical when i saw the trailers but caught a few when they are repeated late night on Sky One and it was better than I expected and I do enjoy it. I am concerned:

1. Where do they go with the idea? Usually it invovles an emerging bigger picture possibly addressing weighter issues

2. Urmmmmmmmmmm damn that'll tech me for eating a banana :( I'll get back to this one when I remember what I was thinking.

Emps
 
Watching it every week and loving it ...

No idea why Rebecca Gayheart was written out
 
Yup - this is watched in our house every week too.

I LOVE Dolores whatsername - what a scream. Especially the 'Getting Things Done' website of hers.

The episode with the gay couple was VERY well done indeed. Very moving. As was the one where Milly met that boy.

Funny, I usually end up having a little cry at some point during each episode and express surprise. Upon which, Mr X says drily: "hmm, who'd have thought a programme about death would be so moving?:rolleyes: "
 
We watched the first episode and got horribly put off, the first half was great and then it completely turned to cr*p.

Has it got any better?

Maybe it's worth another look at?
 
It is very strange - that and the fact that for some reason she reminds me of Kathy Bates in Misery, and that its all going to end in tears.
Im not sure how the show can have a long term future, as it stands there is no deep on going thread other than her family, who will either get happy or split up, I dont see how they can have a Big Bad - I guess it could just turn into a soap opera - except with dead people!
 
Emperor said:
5. A supporting cast that includes an older mentor and an idiot.
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Heeyy! I object to Xander being characterized as an idiot -he's not: he's the Everyman in whom we guys are all supposed to recognize ourselves. ...Oh, right -that would make him an idiot then, wouldn't it...? Dang. :nonplus:
 
Arent most of the characters in Buffy idiots?
Giles - loads of knowledge, not sure about anything really though
Xander - lovable buffon
Anya - not the sharpest penny in the box
Andrew - typical sterotype geek - as per Giles
Spike - again, not to bright

I guess this is done so we can relate to them, but not a group I would choose to save the world
 
Zygon said:
Very true. Except for the 'It's like Buffy...' bit.

Unless the definition of 'It's like Buffy...' extends to all shows with a young female lead. ('It's like Buffy, but get this, it's like Groundhog Day too!!" (Tru Calling) 'It's like Buffy, but get this, it's like The Girl From UNCLE too!!" (Alias) 'It's like Buffy, but get this, it's like X-Men too!!" (the new season of Mutant X by the sound of it.) 'It's like Buffy, but get this, it's like that old Michael Landon show about the angel too!!" (Joan of Arcadia).) :)
Click to expand...

I suspect that actually is true of all those programmes. They're all equally naff, too.
 
Could you expand on there naffness?
I agree that they arent highbrow, but I dont think that they are intended to be. Some are better than other (Buffy is, in my opinion much superior to Mutant X).
They are meant to be entertainment, and in the most part I think they do that well.
Much as I like documentaries, sometimes its nice to be entertained in a not so cerebal fashion.
 
The acting is so cheesy, there are so many cut-and-paste elements apparently chosen by committees. They're just awful. A nice bit of Poirot or Sherlock Holmes will do.
 
Dirtybob said:
It is very strange - that and the fact that for some reason she reminds me of Kathy Bates in Misery, and that its all going to end in tears.
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Yes she is a bit... strange LOL

I'm not sure how the show can have a long term future, as it stands there is no deep on going thread other than her family, who will either get happy or split up, I don't see how they can have a Big Bad - I guess it could just turn into a soap opera - except with dead people!
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Does it need to have a big bad? Aren't we capable of watching something on TV without having to define and compartmentalise everyone and everything in the show? :)
 
Dirtybob said:
Buffy is, in my opinion much superior to Mutant X
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I must admit to not being a greta fan of Mutant X. Imagine the pitch for that one:

"Its like the X Men"

"Urmmmmm OK its like the X Men...... - I'm waiting for the but"

"There is no but"

"There must be!!"

"OK its like the X Men but we'll change it enough to keep our asses out of court"

Emps
 
LobeliaOverhill said:
Aren't we capable of watching something on TV without having to define and compartmentalise everyone and everything in the show? :)
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I wouldn't have thought so from watching this stuff. Well, trying to.
 
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