Watch Dead Like Me

Dead Like Me was a comedic-drama show that aired on Showtime from 2003 to 2004. The show followed the afterlife adventures of the character Georgia "George" Lass, played by Ellen Muth. The premise of the show was that George dies after being hit by a toilet seat that fell from a Russian space station, and upon her death, she becomes a "grim reaper," tasked with guiding souls to the afterlife.

As a reaper, George is part of a team of other grim reapers who work tirelessly to perform their duties while navigating the challenges of being undead. The team leader is a character named Rube, played by Mandy Patinkin, who assigns reapers to their daily tasks and provides them with guidance and support.

Throughout the show, George and her fellow reapers must learn to navigate their strange new existence while still trying to make sense of the lives they left behind. George is particularly lost, struggling to understand how to navigate her newfound role, ironic given her status as a cynical and aloof teenager before her death.

Alongside the show's central premise of reapers interacting with the dead, the show also explores commentary on a number of other issues, including family, relationships, and the nature of living. One of the key themes is how death can often lead to reflection on what it means to truly live, and the show is able to skilfully blend humor and tragedy to explore the myriad ways in which living and dying are intertwined.

In terms of its visuals, Dead Like Me had a distinct and unique tone. The show's colors were muted and moody, helping to emphasize the strange and slightly off-kilter nature of the afterlife. The show also utilized a lot of split screens and surrealistic visuals, helping to draw viewers into a world that was both familiar and completely strange at the same time.

The show's cast is one of its greatest strengths, with Muth turning in a fantastic performance as George. She manages to balance sardonic wit with a deep sense of sadness and longing, creating a character that is both endearing and completely relatable. Patinkin is equally excellent in his role as Rube, providing the show with a strong center while still keeping things loose and playful.

Supporting performances are also uniformly excellent, with Laura Harris turning in a particularly standout performance as Daisy, another reaper who endures a journey that is both tragic and touching. The show also features fine work from Rebecca Gayheart, who plays Betty, and Jasmine Guy, who plays Roxy.

Dead Like Me successfully blended a number of different genres to create a show that was both entertaining and thought-provoking. Its examination of life, death, and the afterlife was handled with a deftness and sensitivity, and the show's unique blend of humor and tragedy made it a standout series. Its fanbase has remained engaged long after its cancellation, with many calling for its resurrection in the years since it aired its last episode, a mark of the show's enduring popularity and quality.

Dead Like Me is a series that ran for 2 seasons (29 episodes) between June 27, 2003 and on Showtime