Mark Watches ‘Dead Like Me’: S02E02 – The Ledger

In the second episode of the second season of Dead Like Me, George decides the world owes her after she learns about her parents’ looming divorce and her bicycle is stolen. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch Dead Like Me.

LET’S DO THIS.

  • This really is a bizarre, quirky show. I’ve searched for the comment someone left and now I can’t find it, but I read a comment that Dead Like Me tackled “slice of life” storytelling, and it’s kind of stuck in my head now. In a sense, this show does cover the mundane amidst the impossible and the stupendous. As much as it is a black comedy and a parody, it can be rather ruthless in its portrayal of how unfair and brutal life can be.
  • If we go with that theme, you can see how Georgia’s terrible luck brings up all the negative things she’s gone through since her death. Well, and including her death, of course. It’s a matter of perspective for her, since she perceives that all these bad things are happening to just her for a reason.
  • Through this, we do see a few familiar emotional moments from Georgia. The show has been one long emotional journey tracing George’s inability to accept what her life is. I will say that I do like characters who troll/buck authority? So while I do enjoy Rube and I personally wouldn’t want to anger him ever, there’s still a part of me that appreciates the fact that George refuses to accept the lot she’s been given. Granted, I still don’t really understand why people are made reapers in this way, but I’m working under the assumption that the show isn’t ever going to tell us why. Seriously! I don’t think the writers are all that concerned about ~revealing the mysteries~ behind the world of reapers. It’s more of a matter-of-fact portrayal of this fictional universe that focuses almost entirely on character development. It’s not a highly serialized show in a way that I’m used to.
  • However, I do think that the second season feels a bit repetitive. George has returned to her home like ten times already, hasn’t she? Perhaps more! How many times is she going to do this? Every time I think she’s made progress in accepting that she’s dead and she must move on with her life, she’s back at square. Though I suppose that might be the point of the show anyway, and that her sense of closure won’t happen until the series finale. At this point, the only thing George has left to do is physically confront her parents and Reggie, but how can she even do that? She doesn’t look like herself, so that seems like it’ll be a huge roadblock.
  • I don’t know, I like the show. It’s funny, and it’s charming, but this episode, while entertaining, did feel stagnant a bit to me. Has anything moved forward? And if the point is that none of these people grow, why isn’t that more apparent to me?
  • Okay, let’s be more positive! The anti-theft guy who comes to lecture Happy Time? I’m pretty sure I’ve met the guy that was based on when I worked at Hot Topic. Okay, I’m being facetious, BUT SERIOUSLY, THE GUY IN CHARGE OF ANTI-THEFT POLICIES TOOK GREAT JOY IN CRUSHING PEOPLE’S LIVES. A lot of joy. If I remember correctly, he was fired after the company found out he was stealing. THE BEAUTIFUL IRONY.
  • I honestly can’t believe that Mason was foolish enough to believe the pea trick would make him money.
  • ROXY SHOT MASON. Oh god, she enjoyed every second of that.
  • My heart eternally breaks for Joy and Reggie. It’s absolutely horrible that they have to go through this nonsense, and Clancy isn’t making it any easier. But Rube makes a great point about this divorce: that ship probably started to sink before George died, and there’s no point in her blaming himself. And we know that’s the truth! My hope is that Reggie doesn’t blame herself, either.
  • CRYSTAL. I LOVE YOU. I ADORE YOU. I seriously thought that George was stealing the Post-Its, but I should have been paying attention to the whole plot with George and the Mustang. George repeatedly said that she felt she was “owed” the car because of what had happened to her. Who else has been constantly relied on in the Happy Time office with little to no credit? It’s Crystal, and she damn well believes that company owes her LIKE TEN THOUSAND PADS OF POST-ITS. BLESS.
  • I still don’t understand Daisy’s obsession with crosses.
  • And I definitely want to know what other information Rube gets along with the TBD deaths. I WANT TO KNOW.

The video commission for this episode is now archived on MarkDoesStuff.com for just $0.99!

Mark Links Stuff

– I have been nominated for a Hugo in the Fan Writer category! If you’d like more information or to direct friends/family to vote for me, I have a very informational post about what I do that you can pass along and link folks to!
I have announced what the next books I am reading on Mark Reads will be, as well as updated y’all on the events, cons, tour dates, GOING TO EUROPE OH MY GOD, and general shenaniganry going on in my life. I have a similar post up on Mark Watches, detailing the next two shows I’m doing as well as the return of Double Features, and I finally explain what happened with my Vimeo account. Check these posts out!
- Mark Reads Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is now published and available for purchase! It’s available in ebook AND physical book format, and you can also get a discount for buying the ENTIRE SET of digital books: $25 for 7 BOOKS!!!
- Video commissions are open, and you can commission a Mark Reads/Watches video for just $25!

About Mark Oshiro

Perpetually unprepared since '09.
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