Dead Like Me

Every summer, when TV is in rerun land, Buttin and I watch older shows on DVD. I do appreciate that many great shows have seasons that run during the summer; (i.e. Burn Notice, Weeds, Mad Men & SYTYCD) however, these shows don't fill up my DVR in the way that I'm accustomed. There are honestly times in the fall when we have to stay indoors just to watch shows for fear we might reach DVR capacity and miss recording another of our favorites.

For all of you missing ((insert your favorite show here)) & if you say "CSI: Miami" or "Two and A Half Men", I'll laugh at you) I have a recommendation - "Dead Like Me". We've just finished it and I miss it already. It's the same kind of sadness you get when you finish a good book - I miss the people in this show. It's a dark comedy (originally aired on Showtime) about a group of grim reapers. The protagonist (Georgia) is an early 20-something gal who just recently died (from a piece of space trash plummeting to Earth, a toilet seat) and becomes a grim reaper. She is one of a small group of reapers (from the "accident division") who claims the souls of accident victims right before they die.

I must say that I find this idea incredibly comforting and the show has moments of uncomfortable humor mixed with sweet despair (like when we find out there's such a thing as animal reapers). Every episode revolves around the group of reapers, (they can be seen and touched by all people, but they just look different than when they were alive) the souls they take and the family Georgia left behind. It makes me want to know a grim reaper, just like Harry Potter makes me want to go to Hogwarts.

Bryan Fuller created "Dead Like Me" and I can also highly recommend his other shows, "Wonderfalls" and the oh so sadly short lived, "Pushing Daisies". As I mentioned in my Lame TV Show Names post, I have no idea why shows like "Pushing Daisies" don't make it, but shows like "Two and a Half Men" thrive. I don't understand why people don't ask my opinion.

If you're having a summer TV drought - I also highly recommend "The Wire", which is one of he best shows ever. We are also enjoying "True Blood" - turns out if you can get over Anna Paquin's accent - it's pretty entertaining.