Ellen Muth Sees the End…
Just read this post in the Dead Like Me Forum by DB7878 (who is now essentially running the site – a true Dead Like Me Fan!!!)
It basiclly says how Ellen Muth saw the movie as an end to the Dead Like Me franchise.
The movie, which is about iconoclastic 18-year old Georgia Lass, who is killed by falling space debris (a toilet seat from a satellite), and becomes a grim reaper. She joins a local grim reaper group and is assigned the task of helping the souls of the newly dead cross into the afterlife. Dead Like Me: Life After Death is a sequel to the Showtime series, Dead Like Me, which ran during the 2003 and 2004 seasons. After its initial run, reruns of the series could be seen on the Science Fiction channel. Jasmine Guy, Callum Blue, Joy Stevenson, and Britt McKillip reprised their television roles for the movie.
A question and answer period followed the film, during which time Muth revealed the bad news that she felt the movie represented the end of the Dead Like Me franchise.
It is sad what happed to the Dead Like Me series, it was really an amazing show. The movie tried to recapture that “magic” – getting (most) of the cast back together, but I felt that somehow it was just different. Very good! – but different.
Despite Ellens thoughts, I would still LOVE to see another Dead Like Me series – or move. There is so much they could still do.
Do you feel Ellens comments suggest the end?
June 25th, 2009 at 9:49 am
From what little I’ve seen/heard of her speaking she’s knows what to say or not say. But in this case she may have done what we can call a ‘Biden’ after our esteemed VP.
The only DVD sales numbers I could find our of the negative type i.e. it never broke thru into the top 30 at this website:
http://www.the-numbers.com/dvd/charts/w … isweek.php
(you can go back thru week by week to see the results)
However, that may not be all that significant in that the movie was intentionally done on a low-budget track, which triggered lower union pay scales. It didn’t go thru theaters and so didn’t have that substantial cost weighing it down (marketing and distribution). We know Herek shot the movie on a fast track and tight schedule. So even tho it didn’t make onto that list that does not mean it isn’t profitable. And, at the end of the day that’s what will count – is it making money?
I would agree that the pathway to success isn’t going to be paved with the dissatisfaction of the fan base, but that’s a separate issue. So let’s say mistakes were made and move on. The question is whether there’s more money to be made or not? Hollywood has so much trouble coming up with formulas that work that it’s just a matter of time before this one is revisited upon us either as a direct resurrection or in some new form (either by MGM or in a version just different enough to avoid lawsuits).
Lessons?
Get Mandy back as Rube – yes or no?
Get Laura back as Daisy – no? then either find her clone in Canada or replace the character.
Get a director who knows the franchise – start by going thru those who directed the series episodes.
Is Godchaux up to the next round of Georgia (or the recasted version) stories? Can he vision some new cast in the DLM universe? (not a sure thing at all – don’t underestimate the huge achievement of BF coming up with DLM stuff and original cast group)
The issue discussion triggered by Ellen’s comment – go forward with this setting and cast (centered on Ellen as Georgia) or start over – is the issue.
The story we saw of the young girl thrown into the reaper universe to sink or swim – that ended in the cemetery. And it can’t be brought back.
Is the older (mentally) more experienced version of Georgia as the reaper boss going to interest enough of the old fan base (and attract some new) or not? It’s a very different story. The emotional strings being pulled will be very very different – no matter how well they capture the look.
The George as boss theme introduces a new level of risk – unavoidably. The old DLM formula that worked so well is gone. It’s not a sure thing to throw the old set of characters together and move forward with her as the boss. The balance between the characters is very different. Someone with some creative talent needs to rethink what new characters to add and how to fit them together.
June 30th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
I certainly don’t hope so. I bought the DVDs and the movie to support a possible comeback of the series. I hope the movie is selling well. I’d really love the show to come back.
July 3rd, 2009 at 2:14 am
It’d be great if the series continued (hopefully with the original cast). The movie didn’t quite capture the series, but it does a good job in diverting continuity. I bought the DVDs and the movie, and me and my gf keep our fingers crossed for more.
July 4th, 2009 at 2:21 pm
For her to say this, The movie must not have sold well. Either way, I am not fussed if it comes back or not.
George made contact with her family and the ending was great. Not a wrap up but an ending I am fine with
July 4th, 2009 at 4:33 pm
I wasn’t satisfied with the movie. It leapt in directions that seemed completely adverse to the original series. I was glad of the George/Reggie connection, but without Kiffany, Rube, and the original Daisy, I was very disappointed in the movie as a whole. Hopefully, if they haven’t completely decided this is a DOA prospect, they will either make every attempt to bring back the original Daisy and get Rube to resume his position, or at least bring them on for an episode to put some closure on their leaving the show. I thought the Daisy replacement was abominable, and in trying to make the character her own she came off as cheaply over-the-top and left me feeling fully unsympathetic towards her. Dolores, Roxy, George, and Mason were great, and their presence was what made the movie enjoyable in some part. I do hope the movie sells really well, but I also hope if they do pursue bringing the series back that they will listen to the fans.
July 5th, 2009 at 8:25 am
I would love to see DLM come back. I don’t understand how there is so many series that are crap, I will not name names, that stay in production for years and years and such great shows like DLM get canned after a short run. Could it be that writing a great show (DLM) takes too much effort for the pay off? But writing fluff or letting “reality stars” write the show for you is just easier, and if it gets canned after one season the execs have made their money and just don’t care. It’s sad to see such a great story line go to waste. I am glad to see that some TV stations are showing DLM in re-runs. One such station is WMFD in Mansfield, Ohio. But I still would like to see new DLM episodes or even another movie.
July 23rd, 2009 at 4:56 pm
If they redo the series the woman playing Daisy has got to go….Daisy was not that ditzy in the series. Sporadic maybe but not as stupid as the person playing her in the movie made her out to be.
As for George being the boss…they should bring in someone to be a pain in her ass like she was for Rube. Yes the series is about George so lets see how she handles someone similar to her but worse …..maybe a George-Mason combination.
I hope the series comes back.
September 1st, 2009 at 5:19 pm
I’ve got the synopsis of a third season, and the first and second shows started in screenplay. Who am I? A BIG BIG fan! I intend on sending it to MGM and Ellen Muth and Bryan Oakes-the creator of the series, and SyFy.
It was originally created for Showtime, but they don’t take unsolicited manuscripts. The movie wasn’t great, but I’m using it as a sounding board
to make the shows wilder and wackier. Anyone else out there writing
something to revive this series? It has SO much potential that I have a huge list of sound episode ideas. Let me know if anyone else is writing an attempt to resurrect this series. I don’t care about compensation (would be nice, though), I just love the series and it just hasn’t “died” yet in my eyes!
September 9th, 2009 at 2:37 pm
say it in german please
bitte auch auf deutsch
ich suche infos zu vorbildern der tv-serie.
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January 11th, 2011 at 6:43 am
Hervorragender Text, vielen Dank. Ich bin schon seit vielen Jahren ein riesiger Star Trek Sympathisant. Für mich ist Star Trek ein beeindruckender Höhepunkt in der Geschichte der Science-Fiction Geschichte, nicht umsonst haben die Filme vierzehn Oscar-Nominierungen erhalten und über 1,5 Milliarden € eingespielt. Mein absoluter Lieblingsfilm ist der Streifen „Insurrection“. Ich hoffe dass die Star Trek Saga noch lange leben wird.
April 28th, 2011 at 9:23 am
I’ve watched Dead Like Me – the Movie (and every episode on the series) for the fourth time……WHEN is there going to be another movie to follow (I want to know if Georgia Lass got the lead reaper job or not – and what happens with the other characters – and what happens with Georgia’s sister and mom in California …… there’s so much MORE that I want to know about.
and PLEASE, if there is another movie, PLEASE use Ellen Muth again, please, NOT some other actress….without Muth, it wouldn’t be Georgia — I STILL can’t get over the replacement character in the movie and I’ve watched it four times)
And could someone at this site please pass this on to the studio that made the first movie (and my request for another one)????
Don’t trust websites with my personal info, so the name and mail above are bogus – sorry -……