DEAD LIKE ME - mythology question
Anim8rFSK
drawing of him that the records kids noted looked just like him.
Did they give up on the 'you look different as a reaper' notion?
I'd been wondering if Daisy was supposed to look the same, or which
version of her we were seeing, since she seems to be using the same name.
I thought maybe you only looked different to people that knew you, but
then I remembered the reapers even look different to themselves in
reflections . . .
Mills
I remember reading somewhere that someone hypothesized that once a
reaper reaches an age where anyone who knew him/her has long since
died, the reaper gets to look like their normal self. Since Rube died
around 100 years before DLM's present day, no one from his former life
(if they're still living) could possibly believe that he would be the
same Rube they knew from long ago. The exception being when he meets
his daughter, I guess that was a fringe benefit given to him from the
higher-ups.
Same goes for Daisy who died in the 30s I think? No one alive in their
present could reasonably believe she's the same Daisy from back then.
Although I seem to remember at least one scene where someone elderly
comments that she was a spitting image of an actress named Daisy Adair
from the 30s.
That was a great show, it's a shame it only lasted 2 years. It's much
better on DVD in it's original Showtime form though
Obveeus
"Anim8rFSK" <ANIM...@cox.net> wrote:
> This week on DLM, Rube dug through old papers, and they found a old
> drawing of him that the records kids noted looked just like him.
>
> Did they give up on the 'you look different as a reaper' notion?
The visual we see of each character is of them in their 'original state'.
As far as I remember, only the main character has been shown at all in the
visual state that others see her (as 'Milly' rather than as 'Georgia').
> I thought maybe you only looked different to people that knew you, but
> then I remembered the reapers even look different to themselves in
> reflections . . .
They look different to everyone that is alive, but look like their
'original' selves to each other and to the audience.
ravenlynne
<snip>
>
> They look different to everyone that is alive, but look like their
> 'original' selves to each other and to the audience.
Then how come the county clerk pointed out that the sketch looked just
like him? He should have looked different at that point.
Obveeus
But the computer clerk didn't know him from before. In my above statement,
a few words are missing 'everyone that is alive and knows them'. Obviously,
they look as we see them to the strangers they meet...otherwise we wouldn't
see men hitting on 'Milly' and telling her how cute/beautiful she is.
jewahe
> "Anim8rFSK" <ANIM...@cox.net> wrote:
> > This week on DLM, Rube dug through old papers, and they found a old
> > drawing of him that the records kids noted looked just like him.
> >
> > Did they give up on the 'you look different as a reaper' notion?
Pretty much. After Bryan Fuller (the original writer/producer) left the
show (about the same time as Betty), the show never really found an
internal consistency. One of the big sticking points was whether or not
George was the only one who could see the gravelings. In the pilot and
first few episodes, it was suggested that this was an unusual ability.
By the end of the first season, and definitely into the second, it
appeared that all of the reapers could see them.
> The visual we see of each character is of them in their 'original state'.
> As far as I remember, only the main character has been shown at all in the
> visual state that others see her (as 'Milly' rather than as 'Georgia').
In the pilot, we also saw what Mason looked like to the outside world.
But we never saw what anyone else looked like. It was assumed that at
some point, the reapers stopped "looking like" someone else and took on
their "live" appearance.
It is also suggested that George was a special case, because she was a
reaper in the same city where she died, and it was possible that she
would have to interact with someone who knew her in life, so "The
powers" made sure to give her a different appearance.
jayembee
> "Anim8rFSK" <ANIM...@cox.net> wrote:
>>
>> Did they give up on the 'you look different as a reaper' notion?
No, they just ignore it when they don't need to worry about it.
> The visual we see of each character is of them in their 'original
> state'. As far as I remember, only the main character has been shown
> at all in the visual state that others see her (as 'Milly' rather than
> as 'Georgia').
I may be misremembering, but I think that in the shot where George
first sees herself as Millie, Mason is standing next to her, and
*he* looks different, too.
-- jayembee
Obveeus
"jewahe" <jew...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> In the pilot, we also saw what Mason looked like to the outside world.
I've never seen the pilot, though I have been catching most of the eoisodes.
> It is also suggested that George was a special case, because she was a
> reaper in the same city where she died, and it was possible that she
> would have to interact with someone who knew her in life, so "The
> powers" made sure to give her a different appearance.
There also seems to be the underlying 'effect' that the visual look of
'Milly' is one of a totally forgetable person. The reapers all seem to be
'totally forgetable', at least when they are doing their jobs. How else can
they wander in asking for someone right before the someone dies, then wander
away without anyone asking questions? They must all have a forgetable look
(whether it is actual physical appearance or just magical Godly benefit of
their job) to some degree.
In the episode in question (where Rube is recognized in the picture), the
character doesn't recognize him as being the man in the picture, just as
looking like the man in the picture; an important distinction, IMO.
Besides, the character that 'recognizes him' seems to be a bit of a ditz and
will totally forget what Rube looks like (or that he was even there) 15
minutes after he leaves.
BreadW...@fractious.net
> This week on DLM, Rube dug through old papers, and they found a old
> drawing of him that the records kids noted looked just like him.
>
> Did they give up on the 'you look different as a reaper' notion?
*We* always see them - while they are reapers - as they looked
when they were alive.
> I'd been wondering if Daisy was supposed to look the same, or which
> version of her we were seeing, since she seems to be using the same name.
We don't know what Daisy-Reaper looks like to living people.
We see Daisy now - as a reaper - looking just like she looked
way back before she died.
The only time we ever saw the reapers as they look to the
living now was in the video at the store and, IIRC, once
in a reflection.
--
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No HTML in E-Mail! -- http://www.expita.com/nomime.html
Are you posting responses that are easy for others to follow?
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jayembee
> Pretty much. After Bryan Fuller (the original writer/producer) left
> the show (about the same time as Betty), the show never really found
> an internal consistency. One of the big sticking points was whether or
> not George was the only one who could see the gravelings. In the pilot
> and first few episodes, it was suggested that this was an unusual
> ability. By the end of the first season, and definitely into the
> second, it appeared that all of the reapers could see them.
I never, ever got the impression that George was the only one who
could see the gravelings. She was a new reaper, and was freaked out
by them at first, so she always looked out for them. The others
mostly ignored them as they were used to them.
The only suggestion that it was unusual to see a graveling was
Rube's comment to George in the pilot how they could be spotted
sometimes out of the corner of the eye. But I still think the
others just didn't care enough to look for them.
It was unusual when George's first "boyfriend", a non-reaper, was
able to spot them, but he was schizophrenic. Certainly, in the
"Death Takes a Holiday" episode, we clearly see that the gravelings
are supposed to be completely invisible to regular humans, as
Kiffany and others see the effects of the gravelings horsing
around in the Waffle House, without seeing the gravelings themselves.
-- jayembee
Chris Schumacher
wrote:
>This week on DLM, Rube dug through old papers, and they found a old
>drawing of him that the records kids noted looked just like him.
>
>Did they give up on the 'you look different as a reaper' notion?
>
It was always my theory that he commited another bank robbery after he
died, that's where he got the money that he sent his daughter and wife
(the one that ended up at the dead-letter office).
Assuming that he was killed during the robbery, he wouldn't have had
the money to send to them. Reaper's are immortal and pretty close to
invulnerable (remember when George got impaled she wasn't sent into
shock or anything, it just REALLY hurt) he would've got away easily
the second time.
Of course, it's possible that the police caught up with Rube after he
was able to hide the money, and then that's when he died...
-==Kensu==-
jewahe
> It was always my theory that he commited another bank robbery after he
> died, that's where he got the money that he sent his daughter and wife
> (the one that ended up at the dead-letter office).
> Assuming that he was killed during the robbery, he wouldn't have had
> the money to send to them. Reaper's are immortal and pretty close to
> invulnerable (remember when George got impaled she wasn't sent into
> shock or anything, it just REALLY hurt) he would've got away easily
> the second time.
>
> Of course, it's possible that the police caught up with Rube after he
> was able to hide the money, and then that's when he died...
I was a member of a discussion group about the show during its actual
run on Showtime, and the general consensus was that he was killed
during or soon after the robbery.
He was shown - alive and with his daughter - with a gun, apparantly
planning the robbery. I think he successfullly robbed the bank, stashed
the money, and then was killed before he could get it back to his
family.
After he died, he went back and got the money and sent it to his
daughter, but it was never delivered and sat at the dead letter office
for years until it somehow got routed back to him, which led him on his
search to find his daughter.
Brian Henderson
wrote:
>This week on DLM, Rube dug through old papers, and they found a old
They look like their normal selves to each other, they're only
different to the still living. We saw Millie's "living" self a couple
times in early episodes, but they stopped showing it by about the
middle of the first season. I know they also showed Daisy once as
well.
Edward McArdle
"Mills" <foxtv...@aol.com> wrote:
>
> That was a great show, it's a shame it only lasted 2 years. It's much
> better on DVD in it's original Showtime form though
It is one of a number of shows which could do with a "special" to finish
it off. If the actors are still available. Although I did like the last
episode.
There are others I think it would be impossible to finish off quickly,
like "Now and again" (what a poor name!).
--
my URL,
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~mcardle
Albert Giesbrecht
Visaman
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news:mcardle-087CCE...@freenews.iinet.net.au...
Obveeus
"Albert Giesbrecht" <albertgi...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> It was filmed in Vancouver. Seattle does NOT look that good.
...but vancouver doesn't look like anything. ;-)
ravenlynne
I was under the impression that "you'll look different to everyone"
meant just that.
KenStahl
I'll add my list of questions.
I haven't seen the very earliest episodes (the dvds are in
my blockbuster queue) but I've been watching the episodes in
reruns the past few weeks. Was Rube the person who reaped
Georgia?
What happpens if a soul does not get reaped before a person
dies?
Why do some people become reapers after they die and others
do not?
For the few minutes between the time a soul is reaped and
the person dies, how do they keep living without a soul?
Geogia apparently had sex with country-club boy. Can reapers
get pregnant? Or do they get a free pass on that?
How can a whole restaurant of people essentially ignore a
gun blast (Roxie shot Mason's foot)?
Why does Rube get to be head reaper?
My observation? Although Muth is the center of the show, the
real all-star is Patinkin. Why he has never evolved into one
of the big names in movies always amazes me.
--
If you can't be the flame, don't be the moth.
Obveeus
"KenStahl" <kts...@yoohoo.com> wrote:
>Was Rube the person who reaped Georgia?
I believe so.
> What happpens if a soul does not get reaped before a person dies?
It stays in the dead body waiting to be reaped.
> Why do some people become reapers after they die and others do not?
They have 'unfinished business'.
> For the few minutes between the time a soul is reaped and the person dies,
> how do they keep living without a soul?
They are just going through the motions.
> Geogia apparently had sex with country-club boy. Can reapers get pregnant?
> Or do they get a free pass on that?
Casn't get pregnant...reapers cannot be injured. ;-)
> How can a whole restaurant of people essentially ignore a gun blast (Roxie
> shot Mason's foot)?
It is a bad part of town? I think basically it is just an extention of the
reapers being 'forgetable'...kinda like how the police officer reaper could
possibly wander away from crime scenes after each reap without being
noticed.
> Why does Rube get to be head reaper?
He is infinitely smarter and more stable than the rest of them?
Maybe it works like many other jobs and promotions are based upon 'time
served'?
> My observation? Although Muth is the center of the show, the real all-star
> is Patinkin.
That is true of everything he has ever been envolved with.
jayembee
> "KenStahl" <kts...@yoohoo.com> wrote:
>
>> Was Rube the person who reaped Georgia?
>
> I believe so.
No, he wasn't. Can't recall George's reaper's name, but he was a
black man (played by Blu Mankuma). George was his last reaped soul,
so he got to "retire".
>> Why do some people become reapers after they die and others do not?
>
> They have 'unfinished business'.
Perhaps that's part of it, but as mentioned in the pilot, each reaper
is assigned a specific, and unknown, number of souls. When a reaper
hits their magic number, they get to "retire", and their place is
taken by their last reapee.
-- jayembee
Obveeus
"jayembee" <jayembe...@snurcher.com> wrote:
> "Obveeus" <Obv...@aol.com> wrote:
>
>> "KenStahl" <kts...@yoohoo.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Was Rube the person who reaped Georgia?
>>
>> I believe so.
>
> No, he wasn't. Can't recall George's reaper's name, but he was a
> black man (played by Blu Mankuma). George was his last reaped soul,
> so he got to "retire".
My mistake. I never have seen the pilot.
>>> Why do some people become reapers after they die and others do not?
>>
>> They have 'unfinished business'.
>
> Perhaps that's part of it, but as mentioned in the pilot, each reaper
> is assigned a specific, and unknown, number of souls. When a reaper
> hits their magic number, they get to "retire", and their place is
> taken by their last reapee.
That explains the process, but not the reason, unless you are suggesting
that it (who becomes a reaper) is a totally random result of the process.
jewahe
> I haven't seen the very earliest episodes (the dvds are in
> my blockbuster queue) but I've been watching the episodes in
> reruns the past few weeks. Was Rube the person who reaped
> Georgia?
No. The person who reaped Georgia was a black man who then "moved on".
> What happpens if a soul does not get reaped before a person
> dies?
Reaping the soul before death is a kindness - the person doesn't
experience the pain of death and gets to keep his "living" appearance.
Reaping the sould after death means that the soul is trapped in the
body, and it's apparantly a scary situation.
If the reapee "shows up" for his reaping appointment, and subsequently
doesn't die, the soul will rot in the body. No word on what affect that
will have on the person.
If the reapee misses his/her appointment, they get a free pass.
> Why do some people become reapers after they die and others
> do not?
The reaper has met his/her quota, and the last person that s/he reaps
is the replacement. No one knows what the quota is, though.
> For the few minutes between the time a soul is reaped and
> the person dies, how do they keep living without a soul?
Good question, and it was never addressed. Roxie was able to pull the
soul out of a living guy, threaten him, and replace without any real
harm to the living body.
> Geogia apparently had sex with country-club boy. Can reapers
> get pregnant? Or do they get a free pass on that?
No one knows. She's not the only reaper to have sex with the living.
Mason did it with a clerk at a record store.
> How can a whole restaurant of people essentially ignore a
> gun blast (Roxie shot Mason's foot)?
Not only that, but ignore all the "supernatural" events and open
discussions that surrounded the reapers.
> Why does Rube get to be head reaper?
He's the oldest? Everyone in the group was reaped after him. Rube died
in the 1890's, Betty in the 20's, Daisy in the late 1930's, Mason in
the 60's, and Roxie in the early 80's, and George in the new millinium.
> My observation? Although Muth is the center of the show, the
> real all-star is Patinkin. Why he has never evolved into one
> of the big names in movies always amazes me.
I've heard that he was very difficult to work with. He basically made
things hell on the set of Chicago Hope, and word got out, which kept
him from getting any work for awhile. He claims that he quit CH to be
with his family, so who really knows.
I can't stand his singing voice.
jewahe
> > Perhaps that's part of it, but as mentioned in the pilot, each reaper
> > is assigned a specific, and unknown, number of souls. When a reaper
> > hits their magic number, they get to "retire", and their place is
> > taken by their last reapee.
>
> That explains the process, but not the reason, unless you are suggesting
> that it (who becomes a reaper) is a totally random result of the process.
That's pretty much it. It appears that some of them *don't* have
unfinished business. I'm thinking of Betty. Granted, They didn't have
much time to really flesh out Betty, but she didn't seem to be on some
kind of quest. But there is no indication of why Roxie was there (she
appearantly became a tough ol' angry b*tch after her death, so I'm not
sure that working through the anger issues could be considered
unfinished business).
Obveeus
"jewahe" <jew...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> That's pretty much it. It appears that some of them *don't* have
> unfinished business. I'm thinking of Betty. Granted, They didn't have
> much time to really flesh out Betty, but she didn't seem to be on some
> kind of quest.
Wasn't Betty's departure proof positive of her 'Quest'? She hadn't finished
taking 'the ultimate risk' or some such thing as that...
> But there is no indication of why Roxie was there (she
> appearantly became a tough ol' angry b*tch after her death,
'After' or 'because of'? The circumstance of her death would make anyone
rather b*tchy.
KenStahl
> "KenStahl" <kts...@yoohoo.com> wrote:
>
>
>>Was Rube the person who reaped Georgia?
>
>
> I believe so.
>
>
>>What happpens if a soul does not get reaped before a person dies?
>
> It stays in the dead body waiting to be reaped.
>
And if the soul never gets reaped and the body is buried it
is trapped in the body forever?
>
>>Why do some people become reapers after they die and others do not?
>
>
> They have 'unfinished business'.
>
How will they know they have finished it? What has kept Rube
from finishing his business?
>
>>For the few minutes between the time a soul is reaped and the person dies,
>>how do they keep living without a soul?
>
>
> They are just going through the motions.
>
>
>>Geogia apparently had sex with country-club boy. Can reapers get pregnant?
>>Or do they get a free pass on that?
>
>
> Casn't get pregnant...reapers cannot be injured. ;-)
>
Pregnancy is an injury? And since Georgia was a virgin when
she died and had sex as a reaper does that mean that her
hyman replaces itself just like her finger healed itself
when she cut it off in the shredder?
>
>>How can a whole restaurant of people essentially ignore a gun blast (Roxie
>>shot Mason's foot)?
>
>
> It is a bad part of town? I think basically it is just an extention of the
> reapers being 'forgetable'...kinda like how the police officer reaper could
> possibly wander away from crime scenes after each reap without being
> noticed.
>
>
>>Why does Rube get to be head reaper?
>
>
> He is infinitely smarter and more stable than the rest of them?
> Maybe it works like many other jobs and promotions are based upon 'time
> served'?
>
>
But he is played by Patinkin. How can he NOT be smarter then
the rest? The guy is a genius in this role.
>>My observation? Although Muth is the center of the show, the real all-star
>>is Patinkin.
>
>
> That is true of everything he has ever been envolved with.
>
I know he is on some new show and I need to check it out.
Just keep forgetting the name and keep forgetting to set up
the Tivo to record it.
KenStahl
Ahhh, that's what I get for not seeing the pilot. Is the
pilot included in the first season DVD's? I have them in my
Blockbuster queue.
Does the reaper know how many souls they are assigned? Is
there any correlation between that number and the length of
their lives or how they conducted their lives?
KenStahl
> KenStahl wrote:
>
>>I haven't seen the very earliest episodes (the dvds are in
>>my blockbuster queue) but I've been watching the episodes in
>>reruns the past few weeks. Was Rube the person who reaped
>>Georgia?
>
>
> No. The person who reaped Georgia was a black man who then "moved on".
>
>
>>What happpens if a soul does not get reaped before a person
>>dies?
>
>
> Reaping the soul before death is a kindness - the person doesn't
> experience the pain of death and gets to keep his "living" appearance.
>
Ok, that makes sense. Never thought of that. Was it ever
explained in any of the episodes?
jewahe
> >>What happpens if a soul does not get reaped before a person dies?
> >
> > It stays in the dead body waiting to be reaped.
> >
> And if the soul never gets reaped and the body is buried it
> is trapped in the body forever?
The powers that be would probably not let that happen. Rube was very
angry when George
> > Casn't get pregnant...reapers cannot be injured. ;-)
> >
>
> Pregnancy is an injury? And since Georgia was a virgin when
> she died and had sex as a reaper does that mean that her
> hyman replaces itself just like her finger healed itself
> when she cut it off in the shredder?
Actually, it is. At first, it is rather like a tumor in the uterus.
But that was an area the show never explored, so we just don't know.
> But he is played by Patinkin. How can he NOT be smarter then
> the rest? The guy is a genius in this role.
This was the best role for Patinkin ever.
> I know he is on some new show and I need to check it out.
> Just keep forgetting the name and keep forgetting to set up
> the Tivo to record it.
Criminal Minds. It is on against Lost.
jewahe
> Does the reaper know how many souls they are assigned? Is
> there any correlation between that number and the length of
> their lives or how they conducted their lives?
read the post again:
> > Perhaps that's part of it, but as mentioned in the pilot, each reaper
> > is assigned a specific, and *********unknown************, number of souls. When a reaper
> > hits their magic number, they get to "retire", and their place is
> > taken by their last reapee.
(emphasis mine).
jewahe
> The powers that be would probably not let that happen. Rube was very
> angry when George
Not sure what happened there...I finished that sentence...no, really, I
did...the rest is:
didn't meet an appointment, and he forced her to go to the morgue and
reap the soul.
jewahe
> "jewahe" <jew...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> > That's pretty much it. It appears that some of them *don't* have
> > unfinished business. I'm thinking of Betty. Granted, They didn't have
> > much time to really flesh out Betty, but she didn't seem to be on some
> > kind of quest.
>
> Wasn't Betty's departure proof positive of her 'Quest'? She hadn't finished
> taking 'the ultimate risk' or some such thing as that...
As Rube said, everyone has unfinished business at their death. My
interpretation of that statement is that there is nothing really
special about the reapers....and I like that there is a certain
randomness to the whole thing, much like in real life. The whole
"quest" or "completion" idea is too easy, too cliched.
> > But there is no indication of why Roxie was there (she
> > appearantly became a tough ol' angry b*tch after her death,
>
> 'After' or 'because of'? The circumstance of her death would make anyone
> rather b*tchy.
Well, yeah. Because of.
Obveeus
"KenStahl" <kts...@yoohoo.com> wrote:
> And if the soul never gets reaped and the body is buried it is trapped in
> the body forever?
That appears to be the implication.
>> They have 'unfinished business'.
>>
> How will they know they have finished it? What has kept Rube from
> finishing his business?
Rube is just now getting around to finishing his business. It is the Post
Office that is to blame.
> Pregnancy is an injury?
Yes. It usually isn't fatal, but it is traumatic and life changing. ;-)
> And since Georgia was a virgin when she died and had sex as a reaper does
> that mean that her hyman replaces itself just like her finger healed
> itself when she cut it off in the shredder?
This concerns you, why?
KenStahl
Ok, then a followup. Rube does the assignments. Sometimes he
gives one person two reaps at a time but doesn't give any
to one of the others. Does he fulfill some type of role in
determining how quickly a reapers reap count grows?
I have to wonder why skateboard-kid reaper only reaps
animals. Perhaps because he was cruel to animals while he
was living?
Is this TV show based on a book? If not, why doesn't someone
pick up on the idea and right a full-length novel that
explains all of the ins and outs of the reaper business.
KenStahl
> KenStahl wrote:
>
>>>>What happpens if a soul does not get reaped before a person dies?
>>>
>>>It stays in the dead body waiting to be reaped.
>>>
>>
>>And if the soul never gets reaped and the body is buried it
>>is trapped in the body forever?
>
>
> The powers that be would probably not let that happen. Rube was very
> angry when George
>
>>>Casn't get pregnant...reapers cannot be injured. ;-)
>>>
>>
>>Pregnancy is an injury? And since Georgia was a virgin when
>>she died and had sex as a reaper does that mean that her
>>hyman replaces itself just like her finger healed itself
>>when she cut it off in the shredder?
>
>
> Actually, it is. At first, it is rather like a tumor in the uterus.
>
> But that was an area the show never explored, so we just don't know.
>
>
>>But he is played by Patinkin. How can he NOT be smarter then
>>the rest? The guy is a genius in this role.
>
>
> This was the best role for Patinkin ever.
>
I don't know. He was pretty good in that show that I can't
remember the name of where he was an alien from another
planet and drank curdled milk.
>
>>I know he is on some new show and I need to check it out.
>>Just keep forgetting the name and keep forgetting to set up
>>the Tivo to record it.
>
>
> Criminal Minds. It is on against Lost.
>
That is no "loss" then. I have no interest in that show.
I'll go and set up Tivo for Criminal Minds now.
jayembee
>> This was the best role for Patinkin ever.
>
> I don't know. He was pretty good in that show that I can't
> remember the name of where he was an alien from another
> planet and drank curdled milk.
You're thinking of ALIEN NATION. Except that he played Francisco in
the original theatrical film, but wasn't in the series that spun
off from it.
-- jayembee
jayembee
> Ahhh, that's what I get for not seeing the pilot. Is the
> pilot included in the first season DVD's? I have them in my
> Blockbuster queue.
Yes, the pilot is in the Season 1 DVD set.
> Does the reaper know how many souls they are assigned?
No. No one does. Well, except for Upper Management.
The inference is that it's not a set number for all reapers, but
varies from one to another.
> Is there any correlation between that number and the length
> of their lives or how they conducted their lives?
No idea. It was never explained, because there wasn't anyone
to explain it. Rube taught George the rules, but even he doesn't
know all the rules.
-- jayembee
jayembee
> Ok, then a followup. Rube does the assignments. Sometimes he
> gives one person two reaps at a time but doesn't give any to
> one of the others. Does he fulfill some type of role in
> determining how quickly a reapers reap count grows?
Not intentionally, no. He makes the assignments according to whim,
though he probably follows some pattern, like giving one reaper
two assignments if they're close together.
> I have to wonder why skateboard-kid reaper only reaps animals.
> Perhaps because he was cruel to animals while he was living?
That was never made clear, that I can remember. It was one of those
"nice ideas" (that animals had souls that got reaped) that they
tossed in, but never went into detail on.
> Is this TV show based on a book?
No.
> If not, why doesn't someone pick up on the idea and right a
> full-length novel that explains all of the ins and outs of
> the reaper business.
Probably not enough interest on the part of writers and publishers.
-- jayembee
jayembee
>> Reaping the soul before death is a kindness - the person doesn't
>> experience the pain of death and gets to keep his "living" appearance.
>>
> Ok, that makes sense. Never thought of that. Was it ever
> explained in any of the episodes?
Yes, it was. Don't recall which one, but it was probably the second
or third episode.
Also, as it's explained in the pilot, if a person's time is up, it's
up. If for some reason a person doesn't die at the appointed time,
their soul will slowly "rot" inside them. George found this out when
she saved the life of a little girl she was supposed to reap.
-- jayembee
KenStahl
Yes. That's the one. I never saw the TV show, but just
always assumed (apparently incorrectly) that he had gone
with the TV show since it was based on the movie.
KenStahl
Why do fish swim in the sea? Why is there air? What is the
meaning of life? Is the Pope Catholic? Does a bear shit in
the woods? I don't know why I care. It was just a question
out of curiosity.
jewahe
KenStahl wrote:
> Ok, then a followup. Rube does the assignments. Sometimes he
> gives one person two reaps at a time but doesn't give any
> to one of the others. Does he fulfill some type of role in
> determining how quickly a reapers reap count grows?
It's unclear about just what Rube's role is. The show was really based
on the dysfunctional corporate model - and Rube is a middle
manager...he's supposed to pass the assignments to the worker bees and
make sure they do the job correctly.
It was never clear if Rube made the assignments or if he passed the
pre-assignments along. We did see one time the report that he gets, but
it wasn't fully shown (only the name).
Again, the general impression is that *NO ONE* knows what the quota is.
At least not at this level in the corporate chain. I think Rube made
the assignments randomly, though.
> I have to wonder why skateboard-kid reaper only reaps
> animals. Perhaps because he was cruel to animals while he
> was living?
I don't believe that the person is necessarily assigned to a particular
department (and there were different departments - Rube's group was
reaped people who died due to suicide, murder, or accident; we saw at
least two other departments, one was plagues (they weren't very busy)
and the other was reaping the elderly who died of natural causes. In
fact, the woman who reaped the elderly (played by Yeardley Smith, who
voices Lisa Simpson) was assigned to that department after being
assigned to Rube's group.
I think the skateboard kid was assigned to that group because he is too
young to reap human souls. He wouldn't have the flexibility to enter
certain situations.
> Is this TV show based on a book? If not, why doesn't someone
> pick up on the idea and right a full-length novel that
> explains all of the ins and outs of the reaper business.
Nope.
Good luck with that!
Obveeus
"jayembee" <jayembe...@snurcher.com> wrote:
>> I have to wonder why skateboard-kid reaper only reaps animals.
>> Perhaps because he was cruel to animals while he was living?
>
> That was never made clear, that I can remember. It was one of those
> "nice ideas" (that animals had souls that got reaped) that they
> tossed in, but never went into detail on.
I though that was silly. How far down the foodchain would this animal soul
reaping go? Is there some poor sucker that spends all day trying to touch
every bug that is flying towards the lights at a baseball stadium?
I think the show was doing a setup for George to take the kid in to live
with her...give her a little family...I'm sure glad they didn't get time to
play that storyline Out.
>> If not, why doesn't someone pick up on the idea and right a
>> full-length novel that explains all of the ins and outs of
>> the reaper business.
>
> Probably not enough interest on the part of writers and publishers.
Sounds like fan-fic.
jewahe
> Also, as it's explained in the pilot, if a person's time is up, it's
> up. If for some reason a person doesn't die at the appointed time,
> their soul will slowly "rot" inside them. George found this out when
> she saved the life of a little girl she was supposed to reap.
That was modified:
--If both reaper and reapee make the appointment, the reaper must take
the soul. If an external force changes the outcome of the appointment,
the soul will rot in the body.
--If the reaper misses the appointment, but the reapee does, the reapee
dies anyway, and the reaper has to take the soul as soon as possible.
--If the reapee doesn't make the appointment, the reapee gets a pass
and the appointment is rescheduled. There may be serious repurcussions,
though, depending on how the reapee misses the appointment.
Generally speaking, if the reaper intervenes, there are serious
consequences to the missed appointment.
George W Harris
:
:"jayembee" <jayembe...@snurcher.com> wrote:
:> "Obveeus" <Obv...@aol.com> wrote:
:>
:>> "KenStahl" <kts...@yoohoo.com> wrote:
:>>
:>>> Was Rube the person who reaped Georgia?
:>>
:>> I believe so.
:>
:> No, he wasn't. Can't recall George's reaper's name, but he was a
:> black man (played by Blu Mankuma). George was his last reaped soul,
:> so he got to "retire".
:
:My mistake. I never have seen the pilot.
One wonders why you tried to answer the question.
--
/bud...@nirvana.net/h:k
George W. Harris For actual email address, replace each 'u' with an 'i'
Michael Alan Chary
Obveeus <Obv...@aol.com> wrote:
>
>"jayembee" <jayembe...@snurcher.com> wrote:
>>> I have to wonder why skateboard-kid reaper only reaps animals.
>>> Perhaps because he was cruel to animals while he was living?
>>
>> That was never made clear, that I can remember. It was one of those
>> "nice ideas" (that animals had souls that got reaped) that they
>> tossed in, but never went into detail on.
>
>I though that was silly. How far down the foodchain would this animal soul
>reaping go? Is there some poor sucker that spends all day trying to touch
>every bug that is flying towards the lights at a baseball stadium?
>
>I think the show was doing a setup for George to take the kid in to live
>with her...give her a little family...I'm sure glad they didn't get time to
>play that storyline Out.
More likely they were using the kid to open a lineof communication between
George and her family, specifically her little sister.
--
The All-New, All-Different Howling Curmudgeons!
http://www.whiterose.org/howlingcurmudgeons
Obveeus
"George W Harris" <gha...@mundsprung.com> wrote:
> On Fri, 13 Oct 2006 09:26:15 -0400, "Obveeus" <Obv...@aol.com> wrote:
> :"jayembee" <jayembe...@snurcher.com> wrote:
> :> "Obveeus" <Obv...@aol.com> wrote:
> :>
> :>> "KenStahl" <kts...@yoohoo.com> wrote:
> :>>
> :>>> Was Rube the person who reaped Georgia?
> :>>
> :>> I believe so.
> :>
> :> No, he wasn't. Can't recall George's reaper's name, but he was a
> :> black man (played by Blu Mankuma). George was his last reaped soul,
> :> so he got to "retire".
> :
> :My mistake. I never have seen the pilot.
>
> One wonders why you tried to answer the question.
I thought it was explained in later episodes when Georgia was asking Rube
why she became a reaper that he had been there for her reap. Was he there,
but not the reaper or did I just misunderstand part of her questioning why
she was being roped into the job?
macr...@excite.com
Anim8rFSK wrote:
I liked this show a lot, but whenever Ellen Muth wore short sleeves in
the show I often got distracted for long periods of time because she
was so frightfully skinny.
jayembee
> Obveeus <Obv...@aol.com> wrote:
>>
>>"jayembee" <jayembe...@snurcher.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> That was never made clear, that I can remember. It was one of those
>>> "nice ideas" (that animals had souls that got reaped) that they
>>> tossed in, but never went into detail on.
>>
>> I though that was silly. How far down the foodchain would this
>> animal soul reaping go?
Who knows? One could argue that the boundary is defined by whether
the animal demonstrates traits that are indicative of at least a
rudimentary sentience. So, dogs, cats, horses, primates, and so forth,
but not insects.
>> Is there some poor sucker that spends all day trying to touch
>> every bug that is flying towards the lights at a baseball stadium?
Not likely. The real problems are:
(1) Food animals. Are there animal reapers who got jobs in
slaughterhouses so that they can reap a cow before killing it?
(2) Cetaceans. How the hell would a "human" reaper manage to take
dolphin souls? Or are there cetacean reapers who deal with that?
Like I said, they didn't bother going into it too deeply.
>> I think the show was doing a setup for George to take the kid
>> in to live with her...give her a little family...I'm sure glad
>> they didn't get time to play that storyline Out.
>
> More likely they were using the kid to open a lineof communication
> between George and her family, specifically her little sister.
No, I think Obveeus's supposition is more likely at the time they
first introduced Charlie. The Charlie-Reggie connection didn't
come until later in the second season, and seemed to me that
using Charlie followed the idea to implement that idea rather
than trying to work out a reason for bringing Charlie back into
the story.
-- jayembee
jayembee
> I thought it was explained in later episodes when Georgia was
> asking Rube why she became a reaper that he had been there for
> her reap. Was he there, but not the reaper or did I just
> misunderstand part of her questioning why she was being roped
> into the job?
No, he was definitely there. As was Betty. Why is unclear. One
*might* speculate that maybe he knew that George's reaper's was
going to retire, and someone needed to be there to explain things
to George. But I wouldn't. We've seen several instances in which
more than one reaper was present at a reaping.
-- jayembee
George W Harris
:I don't believe that the person is necessarily assigned to a particular
:department (and there were different departments - Rube's group was
:reaped people who died due to suicide, murder, or accident; we saw at
:least two other departments, one was plagues (they weren't very busy)
:and the other was reaping the elderly who died of natural causes. In
:fact, the woman who reaped the elderly (played by Yeardley Smith, who
:voices Lisa Simpson) was assigned to that department after being
:assigned to Rube's group.
Uh, no. Yeardley Smith's character was never in
Rube's group. People were assigned to departments
according to how they died. If you died a violent death
(such as being strangled with a legwarmer or being hit with
a toilet seat falling from space), you got assigned to death.
If you died of plague, you got assigned to plague. Other
departments mentioned were malignant neoplasms (cancer),
infectious disease (unclear why this is separate from plague),
and old age. Yeardley Smith's character was assigned to
one of those (obviously not the last).
There was one episode where the natural causes
people were slammed, and Rube asked for a volunteer from
his group to temp for them.
Edward McArdle
<jayembe...@snurcher.com> wrote:
>"Obveeus" <Obv...@aol.com> wrote:
>
>> "KenStahl" <kts...@yoohoo.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Was Rube the person who reaped Georgia?
>>
>> I believe so.
>
>No, he wasn't. Can't recall George's reaper's name, but he was a
>black man (played by Blu Mankuma). George was his last reaped soul,
>so he got to "retire".
>
>>> Why do some people become reapers after they die and others do not?
>>
>> They have 'unfinished business'.
>
>Perhaps that's part of it, but as mentioned in the pilot, each reaper
>is assigned a specific, and unknown, number of souls. When a reaper
>hits their magic number, they get to "retire", and their place is
>taken by their last reapee.
>
>-- jayembee
I always had the impression (and I may have just made it up) that reapers
were people who were neither good enough for heaven nor bad enough for
hell. They stayed around until they earned one or the other. My guess was
that Rube had never progressed either way.
--
Edward McArdle
Forge
"jewahe" <jew...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> > For the few minutes between the time a soul is reaped and
> > the person dies, how do they keep living without a soul?
>
> Good question, and it was never addressed. Roxie was able to pull the
> soul out of a living guy, threaten him, and replace without any real
> harm to the living body.
The reaper's touch "releases" the soul, but it doesn't free itself fully
from the body until the body's dead. Is the impression I've gotten from
watching the show.
Anim8rFSK
Forge <fo...@diespammersdie.youneedageek.com> wrote:
But the reason they do it is to spare the soul the agony of death --
that's why they do it BEFORE you die. So it seems like you're really
out at that point.
jewahe
>
> Uh, no. Yeardley Smith's character was never in
> Rube's group. People were assigned to departments
> according to how they died. If you died a violent death
> (such as being strangled with a legwarmer or being hit with
> a toilet seat falling from space), you got assigned to death.
> If you died of plague, you got assigned to plague. Other
> departments mentioned were malignant neoplasms (cancer),
> infectious disease (unclear why this is separate from plague),
> and old age. Yeardley Smith's character was assigned to
> one of those (obviously not the last).
You are completely incorrect on this point. There was a scene between
Roxie and this character that made it very clear that Yeardley Smith's
character was transferred to the "natural causes" department.
Not to mention, the skateboard kid told George that he got hit by a
drunk driver. Why wasn't he assigned to Rube's group?
> There was one episode where the natural causes
> people were slammed, and Rube asked for a volunteer from
> his group to temp for them.
Yep. And no one bit. There was also a throw-away statement about
changing assignments due to war.
Obveeus
"jewahe" <jew...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Not to mention, the skateboard kid told George that he got hit by a
> drunk driver. Why wasn't he assigned to Rube's group?
Maybe his pet was killed in the same accident?
...or maybe the driver was a Saint Bernard? ;-)
Micky DuPree
: "Obveeus" <Obv...@aol.com> wrote:
:: "KenStahl" <kts...@yoohoo.com> wrote:
::: Why do some people become reapers after they die and others do not?
::
:: They have 'unfinished business'.
:
: Perhaps that's part of it, but as mentioned in the pilot, each reaper
: is assigned a specific, and unknown, number of souls. When a reaper
: hits their magic number, they get to "retire", and their place is
: taken by their last reapee.
With the caveat that I haven't yet seen the last four episodes of the
series ...
It's never been clear to me that the reapers actually know this for a
fact. After all, they aren't given any other information about the whys
of their experience of the afterlife, so why would they have been given
this bit of info from on high? The "assigned number of souls" theory
sounded like something the reapers came up with on their own to explain
what was otherwise inexplicable to them.
I think the overall thrust of the story supports the idea that the
reapers still have things to learn before they can move on: the nature
of the questions during the reapers' self-evaluations, the pathetic
nature of the reapers' answers, and George's growing awareness that she
was already closed off to life even before she died. Since I never got
the idea that the series was created to give an accurate impression of
what the writers think the afterlife is really like, the holding back of
the reapers presumably serves another purpose than to illustrate how
totally random the universe is. The series isn't really about death at
all.
-Micky
Ubiquitous
>I never, ever got the impression that George was the only one who
>could see the gravelings. She was a new reaper, and was freaked out
>by them at first, so she always looked out for them. The others
>mostly ignored them as they were used to them.
Is that what those gremlins were called? What was their purpose?
Edward McArdle
web...@polaris.net (Ubiquitous) wrote:
To let the viewers know something unpleasant was about to happen to
someone.
--
my URL,
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~mcardle
Anim8rFSK
The gravelings did the actual killing (well, they set the events in
motion anyway).
But all the reapers could see gravelings.
--
Killfile Troy Heagy in all his many incarnations now:
Troy....@gmail.com,video...@yahoo.com
videono...@yahoo.com,telen...@yahoo.com
Mark Nobles
> But all the reapers could see gravelings.
And one of them knew where they come from.
Anthony Cerrato
"Ubiquitous" <web...@polaris.net> wrote in message
news:RfedndFaiN7Q8sfY...@comcast.com...
To cause trouble, aka, accidents or events that "bring
people to their graves". Nothing was ever said AFAIK about
why or how they gained this power (presumably from the
"Devil," if their is one in this mythos,) or perhaps
directly from "God", i.e., "The Boss"--who may have his/her
own mysterious reasons...[???]
...tonyC
Anim8rFSK
Mark Nobles <cmn-n...@houston.rr.com> wrote:
Yeah, well, maybe.
Kind of a chicken and the egg thing.
If it takes a reaper killing a human to kill a graveling, where did the
first graveling come from? You wouldn't need reapers if you didn't
already have gravelings.
Mark Nobles
> Mark Nobles <cmn-n...@houston.rr.com> wrote:
>
> > Anim8rFSK <ANIM...@cox.net> wrote:
> >
> > > But all the reapers could see gravelings.
> >
> > And one of them knew where they come from.
>
> Yeah, well, maybe.
>
> Kind of a chicken and the egg thing.
>
> If it takes a reaper killing a human to kill a graveling, where did the
> first graveling come from? You wouldn't need reapers if you didn't
> already have gravelings.
I don't think it was the reapers' killing him that made the graveling,
I think it was the kind of soul the guy had that couldn't be reaped and
sent into the nice lights. Becoming a graveling is this mythology's
counterpart to going to hell.
And if you want a chicken-and-egg question, who was there as reaper for
Abel?
Anim8rFSK
Mark Nobles <cmn-n...@houston.rr.com> wrote:
> Anim8rFSK <ANIM...@cox.net> wrote:
>
> > Mark Nobles <cmn-n...@houston.rr.com> wrote:
> >
> > > Anim8rFSK <ANIM...@cox.net> wrote:
> > >
> > > > But all the reapers could see gravelings.
> > >
> > > And one of them knew where they come from.
> >
> > Yeah, well, maybe.
> >
> > Kind of a chicken and the egg thing.
> >
> > If it takes a reaper killing a human to kill a graveling, where did the
> > first graveling come from? You wouldn't need reapers if you didn't
> > already have gravelings.
>
> I don't think it was the reapers' killing him that made the graveling,
> I think it was the kind of soul the guy had that couldn't be reaped and
> sent into the nice lights. Becoming a graveling is this mythology's
> counterpart to going to hell.
Hmm. Interesting. I figured it was getting killed without a post-it.
:)
>
> And if you want a chicken-and-egg question, who was there as reaper for
> Abel?
Vandal Savage.
Albert Giesbrecht
"Mark Nobles" <cmn-n...@houston.rr.com> wrote in message
news:151120060016406589%cmn-n...@houston.rr.com...
Cain was the son of the devil. There had been other people in the world
before Cain & Abel.
Visaman
Obveeus
"Albert Giesbrecht" <albertgi...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> "Mark Nobles" <cmn-n...@houston.rr.com> wrote in message
> news:151120060016406589%cmn-n...@houston.rr.com...
>> Anim8rFSK <ANIM...@cox.net> wrote:
>>who was there as reaper for Abel?
>
> Cain was the son of the devil.
What history book were you reading?
> There had been other people in the world before Cain & Abel.
People with 'souls'?
PV
>Is that what those gremlins were called? What was their purpose?
Gravelings in the series set up the circumstances of an accidental death -
cut through a wire, knocked something off balance, etc. *
--
* PV something like badgers--something like lizards--and something
like corkscrews.
PV
>Cain was the son of the devil. There had been other people in the world
>before Cain & Abel.
Um, no? Crack open those books again. *
jayembee
> "Albert Giesbrecht" <albertgi...@hotmail.com> writes:
>> Cain was the son of the devil. There had been other people in
>> the world before Cain & Abel.
>
> Um, no? Crack open those books again. *
Which part? That Cain was the son of the devil (definitely wrong,
assuming that one accepts Genesis) or that there had been other
people in the world before C&A (there were, again if you accept
Genesis)?
-- jayembee
jewahe
> But all the reapers could see gravelings.
In one of the first episodes, we were introduced to the gravelings, and
Georgia was told that no one could see them - only that sometimes, you
might you *might* see *something* out of the corner of your eye - and
even then, if you squinted and turned your head the right way. This was
true regardless of whether you you were a reaper or one of the living.
Georgia never had to do anything special to see the gravelings.
That was the original set up.
Later, this condition was dropped, and it was made so that all of the
reapers could see the gravelings.
Remember, Bryan Fuller, the creator and producer, left the show after
the first 6 episodes, and a lot of his original vision for the show was
lost in the transition. There were several things that were set up in
these episodes that were later never followed up on or completely
ignored. Examples:
-There was a suggestion that George's father was having a homosexual
relationship with a student (later, this became a female student).
-There was a suggestion that Mason was going to be George's romantic
interest (completely dropped).
-There was a strong set up of George having a major conflict with the
gravelings (pretty much ignored; the gravelings became more like imps
bugging the reapers).
-There was a suggestion that when a reaper tries to make contact with
someone from his/her old life, that reaper suffered a partial memory
wipe (completely ignored - Rube met his daughter, and was able to carry
on a conversation and sing to her).
There may be others, but it's been so long since I've watched the show,
I can't recall all of them.
Obveeus
"jewahe" <jew...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>There were several things that were set up in
> these episodes that were later never followed up on or completely
> ignored. Examples:
> -There was a suggestion that George's father was having a homosexual
> relationship with a student (later, this became a female student).
Was the long hug a suggestion that the father was homosexual or just that
the student had an attraction to the teacher? I figured that the hug was
just a way to foreshadow that the father was 'a big deal' for his students
while not being 'a big deal' in his home.
> -There was a suggestion that Mason was going to be George's romantic
> interest (completely dropped).
Glad to see that one go nowhere. It made far more sense to explore her
character as she related to living men.
> -There was a strong set up of George having a major conflict with the
> gravelings (pretty much ignored; the gravelings became more like imps
> bugging the reapers).
The show got cancelled before the relationship between graveling and reaper
could be explored. Towards the end we did see how gravelings were made and
that she was able to 'reap' the Will of Will&Grace graveling.
> -There was a suggestion that when a reaper tries to make contact with
> someone from his/her old life, that reaper suffered a partial memory
> wipe (completely ignored - Rube met his daughter, and was able to carry
> on a conversation and sing to her).
Rupert's daughter was already 'reaped' at that point, wasn't she? It was
her last hour on Earth.
I agree with you, though, that the show didn't keep its
dynamic/history/premise stable. Sloppy writing.
jewahe
> "jewahe" <jew...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> >There were several things that were set up in
> > these episodes that were later never followed up on or completely
> > ignored. Examples:
> > -There was a suggestion that George's father was having a homosexual
> > relationship with a student (later, this became a female student).
>
> Was the long hug a suggestion that the father was homosexual or just that
> the student had an attraction to the teacher? I figured that the hug was
> just a way to foreshadow that the father was 'a big deal' for his students
> while not being 'a big deal' in his home.
That was never explored at all (and that's probably a good thing). But
it was a mutual hug that went on way too long, and was shot so that we
only saw Percy's face.
> > -There was a suggestion that Mason was going to be George's romantic
> > interest (completely dropped).
>
> Glad to see that one go nowhere. It made far more sense to explore her
> character as she related to living men.
I was too.
> > -There was a strong set up of George having a major conflict with the
> > gravelings (pretty much ignored; the gravelings became more like imps
> > bugging the reapers).
>
> The show got cancelled before the relationship between graveling and reaper
> could be explored. Towards the end we did see how gravelings were made and
> that she was able to 'reap' the Will of Will&Grace graveling.
Actually, the whole thing with Ray was just never fully explained. I'm
not sure if it can be taken as gospel that this is how gravelings are
created. A lot of people made much over the fact that the Ray graveling
was a slightly different shade of gray than the others, and that he
seemed to be haunting Daisy.
> > -There was a suggestion that when a reaper tries to make contact with
> > someone from his/her old life, that reaper suffered a partial memory
> > wipe (completely ignored - Rube met his daughter, and was able to carry
> > on a conversation and sing to her).
>
> Rupert's daughter was already 'reaped' at that point, wasn't she? It was
> her last hour on Earth.
Rupert? No burly, bearded pirates on this show :P.
But I think you're right...the nurse character had already reaped her
before Rube spoke to her. Again, this was something that was never
fully explained.
> I agree with you, though, that the show didn't keep its
> dynamic/history/premise stable. Sloppy writing.
Yep.
Especially the whole "reaper view" as opposed to "real view". It never
was clear exactly if the reapers always presented an alternate
appearance, if they eventually reverted to their "living" appearance,
or did a switch. The whole Halloween episode made the idea even worse.
Anim8rFSK
"jewahe" <jew...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Anim8rFSK wrote:
>
> > But all the reapers could see gravelings.
>
> In one of the first episodes, we were introduced to the gravelings, and
> Georgia was told that no one could see them - only that sometimes, you
> might you *might* see *something* out of the corner of your eye - and
> even then, if you squinted and turned your head the right way. This was
> true regardless of whether you you were a reaper or one of the living.
>
> Georgia never had to do anything special to see the gravelings.
>
> That was the original set up.
>
> Later, this condition was dropped, and it was made so that all of the
> reapers could see the gravelings.
Seems likely, thanks.
>
> Remember, Bryan Fuller, the creator and producer, left the show after
> the first 6 episodes, and a lot of his original vision for the show was
> lost in the transition. There were several things that were set up in
> these episodes that were later never followed up on or completely
> ignored. Examples:
> -There was a suggestion that George's father was having a homosexual
> relationship with a student (later, this became a female student).
> -There was a suggestion that Mason was going to be George's romantic
> interest (completely dropped).
> -There was a strong set up of George having a major conflict with the
> gravelings (pretty much ignored; the gravelings became more like imps
> bugging the reapers).
> -There was a suggestion that when a reaper tries to make contact with
> someone from his/her old life, that reaper suffered a partial memory
> wipe (completely ignored - Rube met his daughter, and was able to carry
> on a conversation and sing to her).
Also, the original premise, as Rube explained it to George, was that the
reapers spared people the trauma of VIOLENT deaths. But they reaped his
daughter, who died peacefully of old age sitting on a bench.
>
> There may be others, but it's been so long since I've watched the show,
> I can't recall all of them.
They also abandoned the "reapers look different to the living" bit,
although it seemed to come back at random.
Anim8rFSK
pv+u...@pobox.com (PV) wrote:
> web...@polaris.net (Ubiquitous) writes:
> >Is that what those gremlins were called? What was their purpose?
>
> Gravelings in the series set up the circumstances of an accidental death -
> cut through a wire, knocked something off balance, etc. *
Hmm. Only accidental? Didn't we ever see a graveling hanging around a
murderer?
jewahe
> Also, the original premise, as Rube explained it to George, was that the
> reapers spared people the trauma of VIOLENT deaths. But they reaped his
> daughter, who died peacefully of old age sitting on a bench.
That's not entirely accurately. Rube did explain to George that they
tried to reap the soul before the accident to spare them a memory of
the pain. And, later, it was revealed that if the the soul was not
reaped before the death, it would retain any disfigurement caused by
the death, and would do so for all eternity.
But this really only applied to their group because they covered
non-natural "external event" deaths, specifically accident victims,
murder victims, and suicides.
>From the start, there were different groups devoted to different
"kinds" of deaths. There were separate "departments" that covered war,
plagues, and natural causes.
In fact, Yeardley Smith's character was assigned to the natural causes
group, which is why she worked in the hospital and why she reaped
Rube's daughter.
jewahe
Anim8rFSK wrote:
> In article <12lmfsk...@news.supernews.com>,
> pv+u...@pobox.com (PV) wrote:
>
> > web...@polaris.net (Ubiquitous) writes:
> > >Is that what those gremlins were called? What was their purpose?
> >
> > Gravelings in the series set up the circumstances of an accidental death -
> > cut through a wire, knocked something off balance, etc. *
>
> Hmm. Only accidental? Didn't we ever see a graveling hanging around a
> murderer?
Actually, there weren't very many murders shown. Most of the time, we
saw these bodies or souls only after the fact.
TPTB preferred a wildly contrived death (like a dropping piano or plate
glass window on an unsuspecting pedestrian) to a simple one. They also
loved to contrive accidental suicides (an artist who swallows
turpentine instead of his soda).
telenovels
of episodes 2/3, I decided to quit. It appeared to be another one of
those "unresolved" serials that, due to premature cancelation, will end
with an unresolved story. And I don't want to view an unfinished
story.
Was my initial impression correct?
Anim8rFSK
"jewahe" <jew...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Anim8rFSK wrote:
> > In article <12lmfsk...@news.supernews.com>,
> > pv+u...@pobox.com (PV) wrote:
> >
> > > web...@polaris.net (Ubiquitous) writes:
> > > >Is that what those gremlins were called? What was their purpose?
> > >
> > > Gravelings in the series set up the circumstances of an accidental death -
> > > cut through a wire, knocked something off balance, etc. *
> >
> > Hmm. Only accidental? Didn't we ever see a graveling hanging around a
> > murderer?
>
> Actually, there weren't very many murders shown. Most of the time, we
> saw these bodies or souls only after the fact.
Yeah, but we got that Halloween episode with the serial killer. Weren't
there gravelings floating around that one?
>
> TPTB preferred a wildly contrived death (like a dropping piano or plate
> glass window on an unsuspecting pedestrian) to a simple one. They also
> loved to contrive accidental suicides (an artist who swallows
> turpentine instead of his soda).
--
jewahe
> Yeah, but we got that Halloween episode with the serial killer. Weren't
> there gravelings floating around that one?
If I remember correctly, only in his house...not when he was wandering
out doing the actual murders.
Captain Infinity
>I saw this show on Sci-Fi last night. After seeing the end/beginning
>of episodes 2/3, I decided to quit. It appeared to be another one of
>those "unresolved" serials that, due to premature cancelation, will end
>with an unresolved story. And I don't want to view an unfinished
>story.
>
>Was my initial impression correct?
It depends on what you consider to be a resolution.
I'd say you were wrong.
**
Captain Infinity
jewahe
telenovels wrote:
> I saw this show on Sci-Fi last night. After seeing the end/beginning
> of episodes 2/3, I decided to quit. It appeared to be another one of
> those "unresolved" serials that, due to premature cancelation, will end
> with an unresolved story. And I don't want to view an unfinished
> story.
>
> Was my initial impression correct?
Pretty much.
I caught an episode this week, too...it also looks like they aren't
running the shows as they originally aired, but splicing in the deleted
scenes (probably to make up for having to dice the language and gory
details out of the show).
During the initial run, there was no usenet group devoted to it, and
only Showtime's discussion boards available, and I couldn't find any
discussion about the show, so I subscribe to a Yahoo group...we decided
that the deleted scenes weren't cannon, since a lot of them were
directly contradicted by events later in the series. One of the major
ones is whether or not reapers can "sense" other reapers. One deleted
scene says yes, but an extended scene between three of the reapers
suggested they didn't (they were "guessing" the reaper-ness of the
people they passed. When they got to a woman selling flowers (saying
"Flowers...flowers for the dead), they all agreed she was a reaper).
Since I've never seen the deleted scenes, I can't comment on how much
they are going to increase the discontinuity in the show.
Are deleted scenes usually considered cannon?
Anim8rFSK
Captain Infinity <Infi...@captaininfinity.us> wrote:
It's Troy. He's always wrong.
Please don't encourage him to sabatoge this thread.
Anim8rFSK
"jewahe" <jew...@yahoo.com> wrote:
k
now I'm trying to recall murders, sheesh.
There was the one where somebody brought a gun to the plastic surgeon,
but didn't the wrong person get shot by mistake?
jewahe
Anim8rFSK wrote:
> In article <1163620714.2...@e3g2000cwe.googlegroups.com>,
> "jewahe" <jew...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> > Anim8rFSK wrote:
> >
> > > Yeah, but we got that Halloween episode with the serial killer. Weren't
> > > there gravelings floating around that one?
> >
> > If I remember correctly, only in his house...not when he was wandering
> > out doing the actual murders.
>
> k
>
> now I'm trying to recall murders, sheesh.
>
> There was the one where somebody brought a gun to the plastic surgeon,
> but didn't the wrong person get shot by mistake?
I'm not an encyclopedia of the deaths...the only one I remember in a
plastic surgeon's office was where two women were arguing, and someone
one of their shoes (high-heeled, of course) ends up killing a guy who
was there for a sex change consultation. I believe that was one of
Daisy's reaps, and they ended up in a church with the guy screaming at
God for the suffering he had gone through. That was what started Daisy
on a spiritual quest for a few episodes.
Like I said, contrived deaths. But that really didn't diminish the
show...a lot of people watched simply to see how creatively they offed
the characters (much like Six Feet Under's beginning).
Anim8rFSK
"jewahe" <jew...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Anim8rFSK wrote:
> > In article <1163620714.2...@e3g2000cwe.googlegroups.com>,
> > "jewahe" <jew...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> >
> > > Anim8rFSK wrote:
> > >
> > > > Yeah, but we got that Halloween episode with the serial killer. Weren't
> > > > there gravelings floating around that one?
> > >
> > > If I remember correctly, only in his house...not when he was wandering
> > > out doing the actual murders.
> >
> > k
> >
> > now I'm trying to recall murders, sheesh.
> >
> > There was the one where somebody brought a gun to the plastic surgeon,
> > but didn't the wrong person get shot by mistake?
>
> I'm not an encyclopedia of the deaths...the only one I remember in a
> plastic surgeon's office was where two women were arguing, and someone
> one of their shoes (high-heeled, of course) ends up killing a guy who
> was there for a sex change consultation. I believe that was one of
> Daisy's reaps, and they ended up in a church with the guy screaming at
> God for the suffering he had gone through. That was what started Daisy
> on a spiritual quest for a few episodes.
yeah, you're right, it was a shoe that caused the actual death.
>
> Like I said, contrived deaths. But that really didn't diminish the
> show...a lot of people watched simply to see how creatively they offed
> the characters (much like Six Feet Under's beginning).
Oh, absolutely, I was a big fan of the show. Right up until they killed
JD.
Edward McArdle
"Obveeus" <Obv...@aol.com> wrote:
There was a problem with the story.
Cain and Abel were the children of the first man and woman. Then they
went off and married....?
--
my URL,
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~mcardle
jewahe
Anim8rFSK wrote:
> Oh, absolutely, I was a big fan of the show. Right up until they killed
> JD.
You know, that's when the show lost me two...especially when the
"faked" us out by having JD's "soul" coming running toward Reggie...
Maybe that's ultimately why it got cancelled :P
Anim8rFSK
"jewahe" <jew...@yahoo.com> wrote:
heh
I never liked the kid pet reaper; he just doesn't make sense. Can you
imagine having to touch all the animals that are about to die violent
deaths?
Mark Nobles
> In article <1163656640....@b28g2000cwb.googlegroups.com>,
> "jewahe" <jew...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> > Anim8rFSK wrote:
> > > Oh, absolutely, I was a big fan of the show. Right up until they killed
> > > JD.
> >
> > You know, that's when the show lost me two...especially when the
> > "faked" us out by having JD's "soul" coming running toward Reggie...
> >
> > Maybe that's ultimately why it got cancelled :P
>
> heh
>
> I never liked the kid pet reaper; he just doesn't make sense. Can you
> imagine having to touch all the animals that are about to die violent
> deaths?
Like the regulars, he probably only has to do one a day most days. And
it didn't look like he was on the violent-death squad, but the
death-by-disease squad. But shouldn't dogs have a dog for a reaper?
Because it would be a real problem for the whale reaper if he's a
people.
Captain Infinity
>> I never liked the kid pet reaper; he just doesn't make sense. Can you
>> imagine having to touch all the animals that are about to die violent
>> deaths?
>
>Like the regulars, he probably only has to do one a day most days. And
>it didn't look like he was on the violent-death squad, but the
>death-by-disease squad. But shouldn't dogs have a dog for a reaper?
>Because it would be a real problem for the whale reaper if he's a
>people.
And how is he ever going to fill his quota? When he takes his last dog,
that dog would supposedly become a reaper. Doesn't work.
**
Captain Infinity
Obveeus
"Edward McArdle" <mca...@ozemail.com.au> wrote:
> "Obveeus" <Obv...@aol.com> wrote:
>
>> "Albert Giesbrecht" <albertgi...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> > "Mark Nobles" <cmn-n...@houston.rr.com> wrote in message
>> > news:151120060016406589%cmn-n...@houston.rr.com...
>> >> Anim8rFSK <ANIM...@cox.net> wrote:
>> >>who was there as reaper for Abel?
>> >
>> > Cain was the son of the devil.
>>
>> What history book were you reading?
>>
>> > There had been other people in the world before Cain & Abel.
>>
>> People with 'souls'?
>
> There was a problem with the story.
> Cain and Abel were the children of the first man and woman. Then they
> went off and married....?
Cain and Abel were the children of the first man and woman with souls.
Other beasts of burden existed before that...looked just like men and women,
but didn't have the soul because they were created in 'God's image'. So,
Cane and Abel went off and slept with lesser beasts. At least that is one
theory. At this point, the thread probably belongs more with the Battlestar
Gallactica discussions on Human/Cylon 'interaction' than with Dead Like Me
discussions.
Anim8rFSK
Mark Nobles <cmn-n...@houston.rr.com> wrote:
No, he was on the violent (but maybe accidental) death squad. JD got
hit by a car, and that lizard in the stairwell met a violent death
didn't it?
But, yeah, what you said. Is there somebody swimming around trying to
touch each fish a shark is about to eat?
What the hell does the bird reaper do during dove hunting season?
Anim8rFSK
Captain Infinity <Infi...@captaininfinity.us> wrote:
LOL
Well, a dog reaper on the team might actually come in handy in a lot of
cases.
I like the idea of Lassie running around, licking orphans, and taking
their souls.
jewahe
> No, he was on the violent (but maybe accidental) death squad. JD got
> hit by a car, and that lizard in the stairwell met a violent death
> didn't it?
I think his assignment was pets (not wild animals), without
restrictions on the type of death. The first time we saw him was in a
vet's office where George took Delores and her sick cat and where the
boy reaped a rabbit who had been taken in (George thought he was there
to reap the cat).
I can't remember the exact circumstances, but I think the rabbit was
sick, not the victim of an accident. Of course, nothing in the scene
precluded an accidental death after reaping.
Anim8rFSK
"jewahe" <jew...@yahoo.com> wrote:
I never saw the rabbit; must be the one I missed. First time I saw him
was the lizard at school.
You'd think they'd need full time reapers in every pet store and vet's
office and animal shelter in the country.
And how about Red Lobster? They have a reaper for the lobsters that die
in the tank overnight? :)
jewahe
> You'd think they'd need full time reapers in every pet store and vet's
> office and animal shelter in the country.
Perhaps, but, then they didn't have a full-time reaper in the hospitals
for humans.
And the animals in the pet store may still qualify as wild animals
since they are technically not someone's pet yet.
> And how about Red Lobster? They have a reaper for the lobsters that die
> in the tank overnight? :)
Those would probably qualify as wild animals, not pets.
Anim8rFSK
"jewahe" <jew...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Anim8rFSK wrote:
>
> > You'd think they'd need full time reapers in every pet store and vet's
> > office and animal shelter in the country.
>
> Perhaps, but, then they didn't have a full-time reaper in the hospitals
> for humans.
Right, but they don't routinely put humans down. I was thinking that
might well qualify.
>
> And the animals in the pet store may still qualify as wild animals
> since they are technically not someone's pet yet.
Good point.
>
> > And how about Red Lobster? They have a reaper for the lobsters that die
> > in the tank overnight? :)
>
> Those would probably qualify as wild animals, not pets.
What if they have names?
George W Harris
:Anim8rFSK wrote:
:
:> You'd think they'd need full time reapers in every pet store and vet's
:> office and animal shelter in the country.
:
:Perhaps, but, then they didn't have a full-time reaper in the hospitals
:for humans.
Yeardley Smith's character was a reaper who
worked in a hospital, so, yeah, they did.
--
"The truths of mathematics describe a bright and clear universe,
exquisite and beautiful in its structure, in comparison with
which the physical world is turbid and confused."
-Eulogy for G.H.Hardy
George W. Harris For actual email address, replace each 'u' with an 'i'
Default User
Think how busy Death of Rats is.
Oh wait, that's something different.
Brian
--
If televison's a babysitter, the Internet is a drunk librarian who
won't shut up.
-- Dorothy Gambrell (http://catandgirl.com)
jewahe
> On 16 Nov 2006 11:20:45 -0800, "jewahe" <jew...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> :Anim8rFSK wrote:
> :
> :> You'd think they'd need full time reapers in every pet store and vet's
> :> office and animal shelter in the country.
> :
> :Perhaps, but, then they didn't have a full-time reaper in the hospitals
> :for humans.
>
> Yeardley Smith's character was a reaper who
> worked in a hospital, so, yeah, they did.
It's not clear if it was by choice or by design. She was the only one
we ever saw working a hospital...she also wasn't limited to the
hospital (she was the one who reaped Rube's daughter, who was in a
nursing home).