The new Dead Like Me movie does suck *Minor Spoilers*

[bigdaddy]

Wow... just wow....

There are a few good points, and a few moments where the characters, well George acts like she did in the show. However all the other characters act horrible! The new Daisy... boy she can't do the job, and in fact is probably the worst part of the movie. The characters don't act close to how they did a few years ago, they tried to explain why, but I don't believe it, Roxy is the best example.

The storyline was iffy at best, the Rube storyline was nicely done, and the ending was bitter sweet. However the movie actually wrecks the way the show ended. "Desmend" storyline was stupid, just plain stupid, I can't explain how bad it is.

Then the fact the sets are different. Happy Time looked too happy! It was too bright, and busy, and had too many plants. It needs to be dull and bland!

Then the House George's family lives in seemed the same setup inside, but now it's a town house! They couldn't find a single home in the new filming location.

And Murry the Cat, besides George, he was the best character, and he's a 30 year old cat!

If you like the show you might want to avoid the movie.

 

[Chindogu]

I got about half way through and just couldn't watch it anymore. It felt off. I mean, I could have forgiven the cosmetic differences, ie. the new Daisy, from the series, but the writing was horrible. So uninspired.

 

[Guy Gardener]

The girl who played daisy also once played the sisters of the first Daisy a couple seasons back on 24.

i suppose she tried to glad hand some garbare about how people thought they were identical twins when they were rolling on the set of 24.

God help us.

She reminded me of Lister's GELF bride from Red Dwarf, especially with the preening because she thought she was so hot.

Mason was about the same, But Roxy was off the ball.

If I hadn't just had me expectations about everything flattened by Twilight, I'd have some words to say about this too.

No Kiffany.

She used to be the soul of the show.

 

[bigdaddy]

Well the office and house being off are just minor things, if the movie was fun then I wouldn't have cared.

Daisy however was TERRIBLE! I couldn't believe how bad she was.

And Mason could never be off, he just has to play a dumbass, and that's not hard. Even the terrible writing could do that.

Also what was up with the comic book thing? That didn't fit at all.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

Sarah Wynter ruins everything she's in. And I'm not even joking. Everything she's in goes down the tubes within a season of her being in it.
But I didn't think the movie was that bad, but I agree everything seemed off. George's voice overs where she sounded bored to tears, using exactly the same lines as used in the pilot, Roxy and Daisy didn't act like themselves in the show. Mason was Mason, George was George, but over all it wasn't anywhere near the quality of the show.

 

[Brent]

I just watched the movie, it wasn't that bad, I liked it. I do agree the new Daisy can't cut it though, they just should have introduced her as a new reaper joining the team.

 

[Tomato]

Damn.. I had such high hopes too.

 

[nevermore]

Wow... just wow....

There are a few good points, and a few moments where the characters, well George acts like she did in the show. However all the other characters act horrible!

The one part I liked was George's storyline with Reggie. I think that was the only redeeming factor. To wit:

The new Daisy... boy she can't do the job, and in fact is probably the worst part of the movie.

Really, really awful, yes. She was so bad it made it hard to get through the movie. The thing is that Daisy as played by Laura Harris, while a narcissistic bitch, had a soul. The whole point of her character was that underneath it all she had some reservoir of regret, compassion or at least some sort of inner dialogue. Thus the comparison of the character to the great Hopper piece New York Movie. Even more important, the character had a sense of fun. This version lacked all of that. She was 100% narcissism and selfishness.

The characters don't act close to how they did a few years ago, they tried to explain why, but I don't believe it, Roxy is the best example.

It really seemed as if the writers completely forgot what made the characters fun and sympathetic. It's like Rube was the only thing preventing them all from going completely beyond the pale of assholery. there was nothing fun or funny about any of the characters at any point in the film.

And Mason could never be off, he just has to play a dumbass, and that's not hard. Even the terrible writing could do that.

I disagree. The character was very nuanced in the series and was completely one-dimensional here. It's the same story as Daisy, with the small saving grace that it was the same actor, so it wasn't as jarring.

I guess that's the general problem with the characters in the movie vs. the series. They took nuanced, complex characters and dumbed them down into one-dimensional parodies possessing only the most extreme characteristics of the "originals".

Really a terrible disappointment which I will not buy. I hope they don't make any more.

 

[Gertch]

So badly I want to see this movie but I don't want it ruining the series for me. I loved the show. Watched quite a few episodes during the marathon yesterday.

Darn.

 

[bigdaddy]

I guess that's the general problem with the characters in the movie vs. the series. They took nuanced, complex characters and dumbed them down into one-dimensional parodies possessing only the most extreme characteristics of the "originals".

Really a terrible disappointment which I will not buy. I hope they don't make any more.

That's a great point, it's just a really dumbed down movie. I don't even think the same writers were behind the TV show as this movie. This movie was also rushed to be made and if they waited 6 months everyone could have been in the movie. It was filmed in about a week, probably written in half that time, and just was poorly made. And for what? They finished the movie up in August or early September 2007, then sat on the movie for 18 months! This was meant to see if the show could ever come back, and it failed horribly and they didn't even take the time to make it a fun enjoyable Pilot 2.0.

 

[Kimi3013]

With people not liking it, I think I'll be passing this one by then. I'm a huge fan of the series ever since someone on these boards suggested it to me. Not going to risk killing it with a crap movie.

 

[nevermore]

I don't even think the same writers were behind the TV show as this movie.

Well, it wasn't Brian Fuller, but it was Stephen Godchaux and John Masius, who were the next two most prolific writers for the series (14 and 7 episodes respectively). It's pretty inexplicable; maybe Fuller would have done a better job.

 

[Psion]

You canon zealots just don't know how to accept change! The calendar has moved on and Dead Like Me was ... er ... dead until this movie came along. Embrace change and stop being such franchise fundamentalists. The new movie was awesome and sets the stage for more Dead Like Me productions!

Okay, I'm done. If you have no idea what I'm going on about, go visit the Trek XI forum.

 

[bigdaddy]

I don't even think the same writers were behind the TV show as this movie.

Well, it wasn't Brian Fuller, but it was Stephen Godchaux and John Masius, who were the next two most prolific writers for the series (14 and 7 episodes respectively). It's pretty inexplicable; maybe Fuller would have done a better job.

Brian Fuller had very little to do with the show, he left after only 5 episodes because Showtime wouldn't let him make the dad gay. 5 plus 14, plus 7 would be 26, and that's all the episodes it got.

Change is fine, this movie was useless and just garbage on a plate. The movie is a failure and any little hope for the show coming back or more movies is dead...

 

[cb31]

I enjoyed it. No, it was certainly not as good as the series and I thought Sarah Wynter made a HORRIBLE Daisy...just leave the character out if you can't get the same actress!

That said, it was nice to see George finally make a sort of peace with what she has become and move forward.

 

[nevermore]

You canon zealots just don't know how to accept change! The calendar has moved on and Dead Like Me was ... er ... dead until this movie came along. Embrace change and stop being such franchise fundamentalists. The new movie was awesome and sets the stage for more Dead Like Me productions!

Okay, I'm done. If you have no idea what I'm going on about, go visit the Trek XI forum.

Change rocks. Crap, on the other hand, sucks. This fell into the latter category.

And I will never visit the Trek IX forum.

 

[Psion]

You canon zealots just don't know how to accept change! The calendar has moved on and Dead Like Me was ... er ... dead until this movie came along. Embrace change and stop being such franchise fundamentalists. The new movie was awesome and sets the stage for more Dead Like Me productions!

Okay, I'm done. If you have no idea what I'm going on about, go visit the Trek XI forum.

Change rocks. Crap, on the other hand, sucks. This fell into the latter category.

And I will never visit the Trek IX forum.

You have no idea how lucky you are -- the "fundamentalists" thread is a little like watching wrestling on TV, only with no one throwing folding metal chairs.

Honestly, I didn't even know there was a DLM movie ... I liked the show, but probably never saw the later episodes. Like Eureka, it was an entertaining distraction, but I had no faith in Sci-Fi to keep it on the air for very long.

 

[ialfan]

Brian Fuller had very little to do with the show, he left after only 5 episodes because Showtime wouldn't let him make the dad gay. 5 plus 14, plus 7 would be 26, and that's all the episodes it got.

Not to get all technical but the show had 29 episodes.

 

[DeafPoet]

I enjoyed it. No, it was certainly not as good as the series and I thought Sarah Wynter made a HORRIBLE Daisy...just leave the character out if you can't get the same actress!

That said, it was nice to see George finally make a sort of peace with what she has become and move forward.

Yeah, I pretty much agree with all of that.

I thought it was decent. I wasn't blown away by it or anything but most of the characters (Daisy excepted) seemed basically like themselves. And when they weren't themselves there was a reason for it within the story.

The stuff with Reggie and George was the best I think. The series's final moment really made me want to see what they were going to do with Reggie and I think this is the best you could possibly have done with that potential within an hour and a half.

 

[Brent]

I agree, the George and Reggie plot was the best on it. I didn't quite like seeing "Desmond (from LOST)" in an evil role. But I am really curious what kind of consequences 'killing' him will have for our reapers. I am curious to see the next chapter and where that plot goes for them.