Dead Like Review
So I wrote in my that I bought Dead Like Me used for my Birthday.
I bought it sight unseen because Evan said it was good and Mike seemed to like it. However when I told Mike I *bought* it he smiled and shook his head and said No, it was a rental.
I wanted to knock Mike's block off... as when I asked his opinion of the show he had not said he thought it was a rental. Then again I might've ended up still buying it as I did think of buying vs. renting
I liked the initial concept of '20 something burn out becomes A/THE grim reaper' it was the execution that got to me... and I'm not talking hers....
My first and main problem with the show is how the Reapers are set up. You'd think after 5,000 plus years they'd have developed a system better the one in the show.
Ya know a system with A COMPANY CAR.
It really bothered me that both Mike and I separately realized that Piers Anthony came up with a better death system then the one in this show. George does not have a car and so has to get a lift to many of her assignments. There was even one episode where I just started shaking my head... She had to remove the soul out of a parachuter... and his dead body WITH his soul still in it was in a tree.... So she and another Reaper have to chuck rocks at the body. You'd think the Reaper system would figure out a way of getting to bodies. I really feel sorry for the Ca. Reapers that have to constantly dive for bodies.
Then there's the whole money issue. Yes, I realize it's a plot point that George has to get a REAL job on top of her Reaper stuff... but I find that more unbelievable then I do the whole Reaper thing. You'd think an organization as old as the Reapers would have figured out an investment plan and a way of transferring money from old Reapers to young Reapers. I know it's a plot point to get George into the office... but if I want to see an office comedy I can see OFFICE. It just is jarring to realize that an agent of death could wind up dying of hunger while in death's employ.
Then there's the punishment system. George is NOT punished at all during episodes I have seen. What happens is George tries to test the limits of power, as any 20 something forced to do a job they don't wanna do is gonna do. Each and EVERY time she breaks the rules- it's others who pay. She won't take the soul of a little girl... We're told her soul will go bad and spoil. George doesn't show up for an appointment, the guy's soul stays in his body and HE gets to experience HIS autopsy. George makes it so that a business man isn't anywhere near his 'estimated place of death' and dozens of people die.
Let me repeat that last one, she gets the person not to be where he's suppose to be when he dies so she saves him, she gets a slap on the wrist by her supervisor and dozens of people die.
I also need to repeat the first story. We are told that because George didn't take this little girl's soul that it's going to go 'bad'. We see NO actual indication that this HAS happened- the little girl doesn't start ripping her hair out, spewing pea soup or going redrum. We the viewing audience just have the head Reaper's word that the little girl's soul has gone bad.... And I think that's bad storytelling, I'd've preferred to be shown this soul spoiling.
My last problem is the family. I don't like the amount of time being spent on George's family esp. as she can't interact with them. I hate the mom, can't stand the sister and the dad isn't written well enough for me to have an opinion about him. I really feel that they should've jettisoned the family alot sooner or at the very least after George realizes that she can NEVER interact with them on a personal level again.
So I say if after this review you still feel like seeing Dead Like Me- rent before you buy... just in case. While I think George is ok... the only character I really liked is Roxy and I stopped watching the episodes after SHE broke the rules and nothing bad happened to her or anyone else when SHE did it...
I bought it sight unseen because Evan said it was good and Mike seemed to like it. However when I told Mike I *bought* it he smiled and shook his head and said No, it was a rental.
I wanted to knock Mike's block off... as when I asked his opinion of the show he had not said he thought it was a rental. Then again I might've ended up still buying it as I did think of buying vs. renting
I liked the initial concept of '20 something burn out becomes A/THE grim reaper' it was the execution that got to me... and I'm not talking hers....
My first and main problem with the show is how the Reapers are set up. You'd think after 5,000 plus years they'd have developed a system better the one in the show.
Ya know a system with A COMPANY CAR.
It really bothered me that both Mike and I separately realized that Piers Anthony came up with a better death system then the one in this show. George does not have a car and so has to get a lift to many of her assignments. There was even one episode where I just started shaking my head... She had to remove the soul out of a parachuter... and his dead body WITH his soul still in it was in a tree.... So she and another Reaper have to chuck rocks at the body. You'd think the Reaper system would figure out a way of getting to bodies. I really feel sorry for the Ca. Reapers that have to constantly dive for bodies.
Then there's the whole money issue. Yes, I realize it's a plot point that George has to get a REAL job on top of her Reaper stuff... but I find that more unbelievable then I do the whole Reaper thing. You'd think an organization as old as the Reapers would have figured out an investment plan and a way of transferring money from old Reapers to young Reapers. I know it's a plot point to get George into the office... but if I want to see an office comedy I can see OFFICE. It just is jarring to realize that an agent of death could wind up dying of hunger while in death's employ.
Then there's the punishment system. George is NOT punished at all during episodes I have seen. What happens is George tries to test the limits of power, as any 20 something forced to do a job they don't wanna do is gonna do. Each and EVERY time she breaks the rules- it's others who pay. She won't take the soul of a little girl... We're told her soul will go bad and spoil. George doesn't show up for an appointment, the guy's soul stays in his body and HE gets to experience HIS autopsy. George makes it so that a business man isn't anywhere near his 'estimated place of death' and dozens of people die.
Let me repeat that last one, she gets the person not to be where he's suppose to be when he dies so she saves him, she gets a slap on the wrist by her supervisor and dozens of people die.
I also need to repeat the first story. We are told that because George didn't take this little girl's soul that it's going to go 'bad'. We see NO actual indication that this HAS happened- the little girl doesn't start ripping her hair out, spewing pea soup or going redrum. We the viewing audience just have the head Reaper's word that the little girl's soul has gone bad.... And I think that's bad storytelling, I'd've preferred to be shown this soul spoiling.
My last problem is the family. I don't like the amount of time being spent on George's family esp. as she can't interact with them. I hate the mom, can't stand the sister and the dad isn't written well enough for me to have an opinion about him. I really feel that they should've jettisoned the family alot sooner or at the very least after George realizes that she can NEVER interact with them on a personal level again.
So I say if after this review you still feel like seeing Dead Like Me- rent before you buy... just in case. While I think George is ok... the only character I really liked is Roxy and I stopped watching the episodes after SHE broke the rules and nothing bad happened to her or anyone else when SHE did it...
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