Scott Winant and Dead Like Me (2003-2004)

[Natasha (candygirl)]

news from tvshowsondvd:

The Reapers will be coming for....your wallet when MGM releases the first season of this great show on May 4th, 2004.

The show aired on the Showtime network, and just finished its Canadian run on TMN and Movie Central. It involves Georgia, Rube, Betty, Mason, Roxy and Daisy, a group of Reapers who grab souls right before the poor person dies. If you enjoyed 6 Feet Under, chances are you'll love this show.

Unfortunately all we have is the street date, but we hope to get more information in the next few days.

[TomSpeed]

Great! I haven't had a chance to see this show yet, but I might be tempted to buy the DVD sight unseen. I've heard just great things about this show.

[Natasha (candygirl)]

Info from tvshowsondvd:

MGM Home Entertainment has announced their May 2004 schedule, and we're pleased to tell you that Showtime's acclaimed series, Dead Like Me, is on it! As with many DVD releases of new shows, the Season 1 release is timed to help promote the second season's premiere, which Showtime will begin marketing during the same period as the DVD comes out.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the show, TVTome.com has a great description that accompanies their episode guide for the series: "18-year-old George Lass dies when a piece of the MIR space station falls from the sky and hits her on the head... Darkly comic and quirky, the show follows George as she helps in catching the souls of people moments before they're destined to die..."

The stars shine in this release: Ellen Muth plays George, the pretty gal with the boy's name who's life takes a strange turn in death. Also see Laura Harris, Callum Blue, Rebecca Gayheart, Jasmine Guy, Cynthia Stevenson, Mandy Patinkin, Greg Kean, Britt McKillip, and Christine Willes.

This 4-DVD set runs 627 minutes and contains 14 episodes: "Pilot" (double-length), "Dead Girl Walking", "Curious George", "Reapercussions" (which aired last night in reruns), "Reaping Havoc", "My Room", "Reaper Madness", "A Cook", "Sunday Mornings", "Business Unfinished", "The Bicycle Thief", "Nighthawks", "Vacation", and "Rest in Peace".

The show will be on DVD in 16x9 Anamorphic Widescreen, and will have English 5.1 Surround Sound. In addition, you also get the following special features:

Audio Commentary
Deleted Scenes
Behind-the-Scenes Featurette
"The Music of Dead Like Me" Featurette
Photo Gallery

Death is coming for you on May 4th, and it won't cost you your soul at all. Just $58.96 (SRP)...not a bad deal in comparison, eh?

You can view the cover art here.

[Natasha (candygirl)]

News from tvshowsondvd:

MGM sent out an email earlier today letting everyone know that the first season of Dead Like Me will be slightly delayed. Originally planned for a May 4th release, the set has been pushed back to June 15th. No reason for the delay was given.

[EWU MSCL fan]

This show is great. Go get the DVD of the First Season it helps fill in storyline of what the characters are going through in the second season. There are all kinds of MSCL-things in there just like I posted in the Other TV Shows section besides the connection of Scott Winant.

Thanks candygirl for pointing out this thread to me.

[Sascha]

According to "sources" at the studio, Dead Like Me has been cancelled. There won't be a third season.

More details: http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtm ... ID=7146705

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Life is over for the series "Dead Like Me," which Showtime has canceled after two seasons, according to sources.

The afterlife drama, starring Mandy Patinkin and Ellen Muth, premiered last year on the premium cable channel to relatively strong ratings and some critical acclaim. But the second season this year failed to sustain the buzz.

The end of "Dead" could be a signal that Showtime president of entertainment Robert Greenblatt wants to clear some room on the schedule for more than one of the new pilots he is considering for series treatment. Among the contenders are terrorist drama "The Cell" and the cop drama "Hate." A decision is expected next month.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter

[fnordboy]

All i can say is NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! !!!

I really hope this doesn't turn out to be true. Atleast allow them a third season. Damnit. It is times like this that really make me hate being a tv fan.

[Sascha]

According to the Futoncritic, the cancellation has now been confirmed by Showtime.

LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) -- Showtime has pulled the plug on its sophomore drama "Dead Like Me" after two seasons. In addition, the pay channel is set to move forward with its small screen take on "Barbershop."

Both moves were confirmed by network representatives today.

No reason was given for the decision to axe "Dead Like Me," although industry insiders speculate Showtime topper Robert Greenblatt wants to clear some of his programming budget for newer projects. Production on three new drama pilots - "Brotherhood," "The Cell" and "Hate" - was completed earlier this year, with at least one expected to get a series order next year.

Ratings may have also been a factor in the decision as the show's second season finale was seen by 622,000 viewers, down 22% from its June 2003 debut (797,000 viewers). The series nevertheless topped the much-hyped premiere to "Huff" last month, which scored a meager 456,000 viewers. Week two of the Hank Azaria-led drama, which was given a second season order before it ever premiered, fared even worse with 297,000 viewers tuning in (a 35% decline).

MGM Television, the studio behind "Dead Like Me," nevertheless got some good news as well today as Showtime is understood to have ordered at least 10 episodes of a TV version of "Barbershop."

John Ridley ("Undercover Brother") is spearheading the project along with George Tillman Jr. and Robert Teitel, the executive producers of the "Barbershop" features. No details however were given about the project, such as whether any of the big screen actors will reprise their roles.

Meanwhile in other Showtime-related news, the network confirmed its Kirstie Alley-led comedy "Fat Actress" will bow on Monday, March 7 while its telefilms "Reefer Madness" and "Our Fathers" will debut in April and May respectively.

[fnordboy]

That just sucks.

From what I have read elsewhere it seems that since Showtime didn't own the show and MGM does that they just weren't making enough money from it, like they could from one of their own shows. Of course there is also speculation out there that maybe this will show up on another network (HBO), but I really doubt it.

The show did end with some closure atleast.

[fnordboy]

Interesting bit of rumor/news:

WB GRATEFUL FOR 'DEAD'?

January 8, 2005 -- 'DEAD Like Me," recently canned by Showtime, could find a new home on The WB.

MGM, which produced the series has approached WB execs to see if they'd be interested in airing the show, according to TV Guide Online — which says no decision has been made.

If the show did move to The WB, changes in its format would be necessary, since its cable version included nudity and profanity.

Ellen Muth and Mandy Patinkin starred in the series, which centers around a girl who's killed by a flying toilet seat — and becomes part of a team of grim reapers.

Their job? To spare souls the agony death.

— Post TV Staff

Source: http://newyorkpost.com/entertainment/37972.htm

Granted it is the Post, so who knows. I don't know if I should be happy or bummed. On one hand it is great to see the show might continue, but on the other hand will it be nearly as good with all the changes in tone and presentation that will be most likely needed?

[Sascha]

The same rumor appeared shortly after shows like "Tru Calling" and "Wonderfalls" (and many others) were cancelled. And they were indeed screened at the WB, but they didn't pick them up. This is a standard procedure in the industry, I wonder why TVGuide makes such a big "booha" about this and gives false hope to the fans.

Somehow, I think DLM would be better off cancelled than crippeled to an "WB-compatible" version. The only networks which could be an interesting choice for DLM would be IMHO the SciFi channel and HBO.

[EWU MSCL fan]

The second season and sadly the last season of Dead Like Me will be out on DVD on July 19, 2005.