Parents' Guide to

Dead Like Me

By Lucy Maher, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Quirky afterlife dramedy is OK for teens.

TV Syfy, Syndicated Drama 2003
Dead Like Me Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

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age 16+

Based on 12 parent reviews

yeeshoowa
yeeshoowa Adult
October 19, 2021
age 15+

Much needed updated review

I love this show but, it is not for young kids. There is a good amount of swearing and other obscenities in just the first episode. Common Sense currently has nothing under Sex but, in the first episode we see a man’s computer screen opened up to porn and later in the episode a man is cheating on his wife and we see him bend a coworker over a table at work. I don’t remember much else about this show yet but, yea, that’s there.

This title has:

Too much sex
Too much swearing
tiny529
tiny529 Parent of 14-year-old
July 22, 2020
age 18+

Inaccurate review

Movies get an R rating for more than one F bomb. The pilot was loaded with them, though the review didn't mention any. And sex scenes are not applicable? There was a guy banging a woman in a bank vault. Definitely applicable. Don't get me wrong. The show is fun for adults, but it's definitely not for kids or teens.

This title has:

Too much sex
Too much swearing
See all 12 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In DEAD LIKE ME, a group of already-dead "reapers" collect people's souls moments before they, too, pass into the afterlife. Ellen Muth stars as 18-year-old college dropout Georgia "George" Lass, who, in the show's first episode, dies when she's hit by a toilet seat that fell from the Mir space station. It's at this point that she meets Rube (Mandy Patinkin), the leader of the reapers, and learns that she's joining their ranks. The reapers -- including Mason (Callum Blue), Roxy (Jasmine Guy), and Daisy (Laura Harris) -- are all people who died with unresolved issues; they're charged with gathering a certain number of souls from people who are about to die. Once they reach their quota, they move to the next level in the afterlife.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (12):
Kids say (7):

Mature audiences will find Dead Like Me to be smart, thought-provoking television that raises questions about death, spirituality, and much more. But parents with younger kids who are attracted to the sci-fi/fantasy element of the show will want to monitor their viewing.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what happens when you die. Potential topics include funerals, cremation, the afterlife, and other traditions, beliefs, and rituals related to death. How would teens like to be remembered? How would they like their life celebrated? What are parents' beliefs about the afterlife, cremation, and caskets? How did the traditions surrounding funerals come to be? How do other cultures respect and treat their dead?

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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