Dead Like Me: Life After Death (2009)

Dead Like Me was a tv series that ran for 2 seasons (2003 – 2004) and introduced us to Reapers, the collectors of souls of the newly departed.

Ellen Muth is George (Georgia Lass), a young woman cut down early in life thanks to the toilet seat from an exploding space station. George does not pass to the afterlife, but becomes a Reaper (ie a Grim Reaper without the grim) under Rube Sofer (Mandy Patinkin). Reapers live on Earth and are responsible for directing the souls of the dead to the afterlife. The series explored George’s reluctance for her job, her ongoing employment (since reaping does not pay) at Happy Time, the lives of her fellow reapers (who all have issues), and the effect of her death on her mother and sister.

The movie starts with George’s dry, raspy narration and with Rube (who has moved on) being replaced by Cameron Kane (Henry Ian Cusick) who encourages his team of reapers to live it up a little. The usual premise of the show, and even the plot of Kane manipulating the reapers, is overshadowed by the relationship between George and her mother and sister. I found that angle in the series uninteresting, and having more of it here didn’t impress me. The lives of the reapers and how they do, or don’t do their job, holds more value for me. Life After Death is a nice way to wrap up the series, but lacks the spark that the series (especially Season 1) had.