Dead Like Me is unfortunately, dead

A truly wonderful show, cancelled.

This follows a long line of shows that my wife and I seem to enjoy that get cancelled a bit too early. "Party of Five", "Boomtown", "Push, Nevada"..all canned. I heard rumblings that "The Contender" (a decent reality tv show) might get pulled. We watched a lame reality program once, "The Family", that was yanked about 5 episodes in. I am now afraid to start new shows, because after I get sucked in, they are going to get cancelled prematruely. My wife and I started watching "Grey's Anatomy" a couple weeks ago. It has a good cast and shows a lot of promise. It is also on Sunday nights at 10pm. Lookout!

"Dead Like Me" was different than most shows. A truly unique concept for starters..not just another medical drama or cop show, it was about an 18 year old girl, whow as hit by a toilet seat falling from the sky (off of a space station) that killed her. However, instead of going to the afterlife, she became a grim reaper...she would pop someones soul out of their skin just before the moment of death, so the soul could move on to the afterlife without pain. It had wonderful acting..and did not really include any marquee names. Sure, you might recognize Jasmine Guy or Mandy Patinkin, but other than the occasional guest star, there wasnt any "A" listers. But the acting was top notch, particularly Callum Blue, Mandy Patinkin and Ellen Muth. Even the side characters, such as "Kiffany" and "Dolores Herbig", were terrific and their performances periodically eclipsed those of the stars'.

The writing was top-shelf stuff. The poignant moments and especially the biting sarcasm and humor were terrific. It is definitely what drew my wife and I to the show and kept us seated in front of the tv those nights. Sure, there were some slower episodes..but the writers gave each character solid development..and had most, if not all, run the gamut of emotions in a variety of scenarios..

There is even a petition online to get the show to be picked up by HBO, The WB..someone..anyone. Of course I signed it. My wife did as well. There was one for Boomtown too. All it seemed to do for Boomtown was ensure a DVD was released of the 1st season.

I admittedly do not watch a lot of shows that are considered "good" or are in the upper echelons of the Nielsen ratings. I never got into any of the 12 incarnations of "CSI" or "Law & Order". I do not watch "The West Wing". I do not like the over-acting of "Desperate Housewives" (nor do I appreciate the vindictiveness and portrayal of all men as bumbling idiots..ie Maxim magazine readers). And there are shows I just never watched that plenty of people consider as worthwhile, such as "Frasier", "Chicago Hope", "Everybody Loves Raymond"..etc

Am I doomed to watch Seinfeld re-runs? Am I the Angel of Death for new shows? Am I stuck with Netflix forever?

Please HBO..you are the only good network left. Please pick up the contracts of the actors and writers, take Showtime's dregs and produce this wonderful show.