Dead Like Me, a comedy-drama television series created by Bryan Fuller, premiered on June 27, 2003 on Showtime in the United States and ended on October 31, 2004. The show spans two seasons of 29 episodes. The original pilot was 74 minutes long,[1] while the episodes that followed were approximately 45 minutes long. Showtime decided to cancel the series due to declining ratings in the second season,[2] even though originally they claimed the show had three times higher ratings than the network's primetime average.[3] Various actors also mentioned that the show had backstage problems, which was one of the reasons the creator, Bryan Fuller, left the series at the end of the first season.[4][5]
Both seasons of Dead Like Me were released on DVD in United States in 2004 and 2005, respectively.[6][7] A direct-to-DVD movie entitled Dead Like Me: Life After Death was released on February 17, 2009,[8] with an option to restart the series.[9] The episodes were filmed primarily in Vancouver.[10]
Contents |
Series overview
| Season | Episodes | Originally aired | DVD release | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season premiere | Season finale | Region 1 | Region 2 | Region 4 | |||
| 1 | 14 | June 27, 2003 | September 26, 2003 | June 15, 2004[6] | June 20, 2005[11] | July 12, 2005[12] | |
| 2 | 15 | July 25, 2004 | October 31, 2004 | June 19, 2005[7] | April 16, 2007[13] | July 18, 2007[14] | |
Season 1: 2003
The first season premiered with a 2-hour episode on June 27, 2003, which was split into two different episodes with added deleted scenes for syndication.[1] It consisted of 14 episodes, and ended on September 26, 2003. The story began with George Lass getting killed by a toilet seat from space and having to face the fact that she is now dead but still between the living people, working as a grim reaper. George met other grim reapers, each with their own problems, and had to learn how to do her job efficiently. While breaking the rules and testing the patience of her handler, George learned by the end of season just how important her job is.
| Series # | Season # | Title | Director |
Writer(s) |
Original air date | Production code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | "Pilot" | Scott Winant | Bryan Fuller | June 27, 2003 | 100 |
| When smart, cynical 18-year-old George is killed by an errant toilet seat falling from space, she joins the ranks of an undead group of grim reapers. As she clumsily learns to adjust to her new role in the afterlife, George haphazardly hurtles towards her first dreaded assignment: to collect the soul of a little girl.[15] | ||||||
| 2 | 1 | "Dead Girl Walking" | Kevin Dowling | Bryan Fuller | July 4, 2003 | 101/P454 |
| After a week of performing her duties as a grim reaper, George concludes that the job is not for her. So she decides to leave the soul of her most recent client inside his dead body. But when she witnesses the consequences of her actions, George finally begins to accept the fact that her new existence does serve an important purpose. | ||||||
| 3 | 2 | "Curious George" | Peter Lauer | Peter Ocko | July 11, 2003 | 102/P455 |
| George misses her family, so she decides to pay them a visit. But when reaper boss Rube hears of George's sentimental journey, he forbids her from making it again. Despite the warning, George can not stop herself from going home... Until she discovers the price the dead pay for hanging on to their past. | ||||||
| 4 | 3 | "Reapercussions" | Peter Lauer | Dan Fesman & Harry Victor | July 18, 2003 | 103/P457 |
| After discovering a loophole in the "reaper rules", George decides to test fate and help a man miss his appointment with destiny, but when she sees the devastating domino effect of her actions – and receives a drastic punishment – George learns a lesson about fate she will not soon forget. | ||||||
| 5 | 4 | "Reaping Havoc" | Robert Duncan McNeill | J.J. Philbin | July 25, 2003 | 104/P456 |
| Since becoming a grim reaper, Georgia has become quite friendly with Betty, a wildly glamorous co-reaper. But when the dazzling Betty becomes too curious about what lives on the other side of the undead, Georgia learns yet another difficult lesson: Even in the afterlife, friends are hard to keep. | ||||||
| 6 | 5 | "My Room" | David Grossman | Dan Fesman & Harry Victor | August 1, 2003 | 105/P458 |
| When Daisy, a gorgeous but demanding actress, joins the group of reapers, Rube moves her in with Georgia. Immediately, Daisy steamrolls over George's privacy and patience, and a reluctant Georgia must find the courage to speak up for herself. | ||||||
| 7 | 6 | "Reaper Madness" | Robert Duncan McNeill | Tom Spezialy | August 8, 2003 | 106/P459 |
| George is romantically drawn to a schizophrenic who seems able to see death as she does. When Rube grows concerned Georgia might be revealing too much to the young man, he forbids her from seeing him anymore. But George persists, tempting chaos of biblical proportions. | ||||||
| 8 | 7 | "A Cook" | Kevin Dowling | Stephen Godchaux & John Masius | August 15, 2003 | 108/P461 |
| When Georgia decides to care for the beautiful golden retriever her latest victim has left behind, and Rube steps in as a grill cook to replace the man whose soul he recently took, both find themselves feeling lost and out of place. But as they boldly face their predicaments head-on, the two reapers finally figure out where they belong. | ||||||
| 9 | 8 | "Sunday Mornings" | Peter Lauer | Peter Ocko | August 22, 2003 | 107/P460 |
| An assignment leads Georgia to a college campus, where she befriends a fresh-faced co-ed with a curious fascination for a literature professor... Who just happens to be George's father! Sitting in class with her new friend, George gets to know her dad - and herself - in a way she never did in life. | ||||||
| 10 | 9 | "Business Unfinished" | David Straiton | Dan Fesman, Harry Victor & J.J. Philbin | August 29, 2003 | 109/P462 |
| As Daisy talks both Georgia and Mason into swindling one of her wealthy victim's sons out of a lot of money, and Roxy mourns the anniversary of her own death, Rube keeps a careful eye on his "minions." Soon, the con is on and the grief is great... And Rube's got valuable lessons about the afterlife for all. | ||||||
| 11 | 10 | "The Bicycle Thief" | James Whitmore, Jr. | Stephen Godchaux & Bridget Carpenter | September 5, 2003 | 110/P463 |
| George can not afford the new bicycle she wants, so she gets a new job. Immediately, co-workers at her old job begin planning a farewell party. Meanwhile, Mason mingles with a gay couple and Daisy is stalked by the soul of a passionate painter. Soon, the reapers begin to realize just how important a part they play in people's lives. | ||||||
| 12 | 11 | "Nighthawks " | James Whitmore, Jr. | Stephen Godchaux & Bridget Carpenter | September 12, 2003 | 111/P464 |
| Taking souls is taking its toll on George. Unable to sleep, she wanders to the Waffle Haus, where she is angry to find she was not invited to take the self-examination test currently occupying the other reapers. But George's anger quickly turns to panic when she learns that Rube has an assignment to take a soul at her family's house that night. | ||||||
| 13 | 12 | "Vacation" | James Whitmore, Jr. | Stephen Godchaux & Bridget Carpenter | September 19, 2003 | 112/P465 |
| Death takes the day off. So Rube recruits the reapers to help him with some clerical work. As the soul-takers file their victims' last thoughts, they all realize what truly mattered to them in life. Especially George, who fondly remembers the summer vacations she spent with her family at the lake. | ||||||
| 14 | 13 | "Rest in Peace" | Helen Shaver | Stephen Godchaux & John Masius | September 26, 2003 | 113/P466 |
| On the first anniversary of George's death, Rube grants her the day off. Motivated to get her afterlife back on track again, she returns to Happy Time to ask for her old job back. But after being bluntly rejected, George pouts through yet another drab day... Until the universal powers-that-be intervene and inspire her to try to live her afterlife to the fullest. | ||||||
Season 2: 2004
The second season premiered on July 25, 2004, and ran for 15 episodes, concluding on October 31, 2004. The season explored the lives of other grim reapers while following the story of George, who has now been promoted at her daily job and is beginning to explore her love life. Daisy found herself in an abusive relationship; Mason fought to stop drinking; Rube was facing ghosts from his past; and Joy and Clancy had to adapt to the end of their marriage.
| Series # | Season # | Title | Director |
Writer(s) |
Original air date | Production code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | 1 | "Send in the Clown" | James Whitmore, Jr. | Stephen Godchaux | July 25, 2004 | 201 |
| As George develops a crush on the cute intern at her temp agency, Happy Time, everyone discourages her from allowing it to blossom into anything more. Meanwhile, Mason's assignment to collect a soul at a kid's birthday party devastates him. | ||||||
| 16 | 2 | "The Ledger" | Jeff Woolnough | Stephen Godchaux & Bridget Carpenter | August 1, 2004 | 202 |
| George assumes that the bad luck she had in life is going to be made up for with better luck in the afterlife. But when her bike is stolen and she learns that her parents are divorcing, she finally starts to understand that she's on her own - and she'd better look out for number one. | ||||||
| 17 | 3 | "Ghost Story" | Milan Cheylov | Stephen Godchaux & Annie Weisman | August 8, 2004 | 203 |
| Feeling like she does not fit in, George decides to shirk her reaping duties and go on Happy Time's annual camping retreat. Back on the job, Daisy and Mason must scramble to find the Post-it note he lost, before tragedy occurs because of his ineptitude. | ||||||
| 18 | 4 | "The Shallow End" | Sarah Pia Anderson | Stephen Godchaux & Karl Gajdusek | August 15, 2004 | 204 |
| Recalling a painful childhood event, George realizes that nice girls always finish last. Apparently, being mean is the key to popularity! Fresh off his last blunder, Mason has trouble convincing the old man whose soul he just reaped that he cannot attend his own funeral. | ||||||
| 19 | 5 | "Hurry" | Robert Duncan McNeill | Stephen Godchaux & Bridget Carpenter | August 22, 2004 | 205 |
| When an efficiency expert comes to Happy Time, George's boss Delores forces her to crack the whip like never before. But the need for speed extends everywhere. With a collection deadline looming, Daisy must search for her next soul at a speed-dating event. | ||||||
| 20 | 6 | "In Escrow" | Steve Beers | Stephen Godchaux & Annie Weisman | August 29, 2004 | 206 |
| George is paralyzed by indecision when she must hire an employee from a desperate pool of applicants. Her sister Reggie is paralysed by fear when she's left home alone because her mother, Joy, spends an evening with a man she met while hunting for a new place to live. | ||||||
| 21 | 7 | "Rites of Passage" | James Whitmore, Jr. | Stephen Godchaux & Karl Gajdusek | September 5, 2004 | 207 |
| George's co-reapers become jealous when she's assigned to pluck the soul of a famous rock star. But the duty proves to be more of a pain than a pleasure, due to the idol's entourage. Meanwhile, her eccentric grandmother comes to town and takes Reggie to a sacred place. | ||||||
| 22 | 8 | "The Escape Artist" | David Grossman | Bridget Carpenter | September 12, 2004 | 208 |
| While collecting a soul at a country club, George nearly falls for a reap. Rube, who's terrible with kids, struggles when he must transform into a second-grade teacher to get close to his next soul. Mason and Roxy, however, get the best assignment of all: reaping in Cancún. | ||||||
| 23 | 9 | "Be Still My Heart" | Tony Westman | Annie Weisman | September 19, 2004 | 209 |
| George attends a funeral to chase her new love... A boy whose father's soul she reaped a week earlier! But trouble brews everywhere when Reggie's science experiment pits her parents against one another, and Daisy gets involved in the murder of a hapless mistress. | ||||||
| 24 | 10 | "Death Defying" | David Grossman | Karl Gajdusek | September 26, 2004 | 210 |
| After George loses her virginity and then does not hear from the guy, she spurns every male who crosses her path. Feeling quite the opposite, Daisy makes sparks with smarmy TV producer Ray (Eric McCormack), while Rube travels to a small town to get information on some people from his past. | ||||||
| 25 | 11 | "Ashes to Ashes" | Michael Fresco | Mona Mansour & Anna C. Miller | October 3, 2004 | 211 |
| After George helps a homeless man die with an identity, she learns the cost of getting too involved in her work. Reggie finally makes a friend, a Goth girl who's organising a seance, while Mason questions his attraction to Daisy as her relationship with Ray grows. | ||||||
| 26 | 12 | "Forget Me Not" | Brad Turner | Stephen Godchaux & John Masius (story) Stephen Godchaux & Bridget Carpenter (teleplay) |
October 10, 2004 | 212 |
| George gets stuck in a hospital when she can not get an Alzheimer-plagued soul to acknowledge her own death. In need of money, Joy seeks temp work at Happy Time. To make matters even worse, Mason decides to face off with Daisy's boyfriend... In the boxing ring! | ||||||
| 27 | 13 | "Last Call" | Steve Beers | Stephen Godchaux & John Masius (story) Stephen Godchaux & Annie Weisman (teleplay) |
October 17, 2004 | 213 |
| While George regrets the things she did not accomplish in life, Mason must contemplate his accomplishments in the afterlife. Meanwhile, Roxy suspects that Daisy is harboring a secret about her missing ex-boyfriend, and Reggie searches for J.D., who has escaped from the yard. | ||||||
| 28 | 14 | "Always" | Sarah Pia Anderson | Stephen Godchaux & John Masius (story) Stephen Godchaux & Karl Gajdusek (teleplay) |
October 24, 2004 | 214 |
| After having given away everything he had, a homeless Mason acts badly enough that he's thrown out of the Waffle Haus. He begs to be allowed back in while George urges Daisy to allow Mason to crash with them. Facing his past, Rube visits a very special person on a very special day. And in the mortal world, Reggie, Joy and Clancy bury J.D. | ||||||
| 29 | 15 | "Haunted" | James Whitmore, Jr. | Bryan Fuller, Stephen Godchaux & John Masius | October 31, 2004 | 215 |
| A serial killer strikes on Halloween, and the reapers must pick up all the souls of the victims. The busy workday cuts into George and Mason's trick-or-treating, while back at home, Joy must cajole Reggie into the Halloween spirit following a session with a psychologist. | ||||||
References
- ^ a b "Dead Like Me: Pilot". TV.com. http://www.tv.com/dead-like-me/pilot/episode/426159/summary.html. Retrieved 2009-06-18.
- ^ "MGM's wants to bring 'Dead' back to life". Variety.com. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117917805.html?categoryid=1238&cs=1&query=dead+like+me+. Retrieved 2007-08-19.
- ^ "Science Fiction Delivers Mainstream Hits". MultiChannel.com. http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA474487.html?display=Top+Stories&q=mary+mcnamara. Retrieved 2007-08-19.
- ^ "Laura Harris interview". RadioFree.com. http://movies.radiofree.com/interviews/deadlike_laura_harris.shtml. Retrieved 2009-06-21.
- ^ "Dead Like Me Creator Bryan Fuller Speaks Out on Showtime, MGM and the Future". http://web.archive.org/web/20080213011501/http://www.mediavillage.com/jmentr/2005/06/06/jmer-06-06-05/. Retrieved 2007-07-29.
- ^ a b "Dead Like Me - The Complete First Season (region 1)". Amazon.com. http://www.amazon.com/Dead-Like-Me-Complete-Season/dp/B0001GF2F6. Retrieved 2009-06-21.
- ^ a b "Dead Like Me - The Complete Second Season (region 1)". Amazon.com. http://www.amazon.com/Dead-Like-Me-Complete-Second/dp/B00094ARGY. Retrieved 2009-06-21.
- ^ "Dead Like Me Movie Set Back… D’oh!!". http://www.deadlikememovie.com/dead-like-me-movie-set-back…-doh. Retrieved 2008-05-11.
- ^ "MGM Resurrects Dead Like Me". Reed Business Information. http://www.multichannel.com/blog/1300000330/post/1410012741.html. Retrieved 2008-05-11.
- ^ "Filming locations for Dead Like Me". IMDB.com. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0348913/locations. Retrieved 2009-06-21.
- ^ "Dead Like Me - Complete Season 1 (region 2)". Amazon.com. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dead-Like-Me-Season-DVD/dp/B0009F686Q. Retrieved 2009-06-20.
- ^ "Dead Like Me - Complete Season 1 (region 4)". EzyDVD. http://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/780518. Retrieved 2007-07-15.
- ^ "Dead Like Me - Complete Season 2 (region 2)". Amazon.com. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dead-Like-Me-Season-DVD/dp/B000MV838S. Retrieved 2009-06-20.
- ^ "Dead Like Me - Complete Season 2 (region 4)". EzyDVD. http://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/793495. Retrieved 2007-12-30.
- ^ In the show's syndication package, this episode is broken into two episodes with deleted scenes from the DVD incorporated to bring each to full-length runtime.
External links
- Dead Like Me at MGM
- Dead Like Me at the Internet Movie Database
- Dead Like Me at TV.com
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