History Trivia / DeadLikeMe

* ExecutiveMeddling: Creator/BryanFuller [[http://web.archive.org/web/20080213011501/http://www.mediavillage.com/jmentr/2005/06/06/jmer-06-06-05/ in this interview]] talks about his thoroughly unpleasant time on the show, where he and Showtime (who largely supported him) frequently butted heads with MGM Television over story decisions, such as Clancy's ComingOutStory being cut out, and making homophobic comments to Fuller (Fuller is openly gay.) He [[KnowWhenToFoldEm eventually left after five episodes not wanting to risk a]] CreatorBreakdown.

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: The clothes, hairstyles, cars and computers really pin point it to the late 1990's/ early 2000's.
** The then-recent [[UsefulNotes/TheWarOnTerror Iraq invasion]] is mentioned.
** Smartphones are a half a decade away, while camera phones were just coming out.

* ExecutiveMeddling: Bryan Fuller [[http://web.archive.org/web/20080213011501/http://www.mediavillage.com/jmentr/2005/06/06/jmer-06-06-05/ in this interview]] talks about his thoroughly unpleasant time on the show, where he and Showtime (who largely supported him) frequently butted heads with MGM Television over story decisions, such as Clancy's ComingOutStory being cut out, and making homophobic comments to Fuller (Fuller is openly gay.) He [[KnowWhenToFoldEm eventually left after five episodes not wanting to risk a]] CreatorBreakdown.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: According to Bryan Fuller, it was originally planned that George's father would be gay, and this development would spell the end of Clancy and Joy's marriage. After Fuller left the show, MGM execs decided that Clancy should be heterosexual, but philandering with his female students.

* The show shares elements with the 1990 Film ''Soultaker'' but played as a dark comedy instead of a slasher film. Also, the focus is on the reapers more than the souls taken. However, the rules appear to be the same for reaper and reapee alike.
* The ComicBook that Mason is reading in a number of episodes are each editions of "Cosmic Plan", a subtle nod to the role of the reapers.
* While Rube's cause of death is never overtly stated, Season 2 episodes strongly imply that on the night he was killed, Rube attempted to rob a bank. (Examples: the wanted poster Rube finds when searching for information about Rosie and the gun he carries around in his flashbacks).
* The drum kit that Reggie owns is made by Ayotte, a Canadian drum manufacturer.
* The actors who play the versions of George and Mason (seen in the pilot) that regular people see are credited as "Un-George" and "Un-Mason", respectively.
* Inspired by the Creator/PiersAnthony novel ''Literature/OnAPaleHorse''. Unlike in the novel, the series shows multiple Grim Reapers working the planet, as opposed to just one.
* The red frog that keeps appearing here and there through the series comes from the first scene of the pilot. It is, depending on who you ask, the first "person" to die, the first reaper, or both. The frog is an Argentinian horned frog (aka, "the Pac-Man frog"), which does not make sounds like North American frogs (during [[https://youtu.be/y0r3w3jQVXY?t=102 one take]], however, the frog hissed when Ellen picked it up, scaring the daylights out of Callum Blue and Creator/JasmineGuy), The "frog sound effect" is dubbed in. The Pac-Man frog also has sharp teeth, and should only be handled by professionals, as its bite is very painful.
* The pilot took one month to film, whereas all other episodes were filmed one per week.

* The red frog that keeps appearing here and there through the series comes from the first scene of the pilot. It is, depending on who you ask, the first "person" to die, the first reaper, or both. The frog is an Argentinian horned frog (aka, "the Pac-Man frog"), which does not make sounds like North American frogs (during [[https://youtu.be/y0r3w3jQVXY?t=102 one take]], however, the frog hissed when Ellen picked it up, scaring the daylights out of Callum Blue and Jasmine Guy), The "frog sound effect" is dubbed in. The Pac-Man frog also has sharp teeth, and should only be handled by professionals, as its bite is very painful.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: According to Bryan Fuller, it was originally planned that George's father would be gay, and this development would spell the end of Clancy and Joy's marriage. After Fuller left the show, the show's new executives decided that Clancy should be heterosexual, but philandering with his female students.

* Inspired by the Creator/PiersAnthony novel ''On A Pale Horse''. Unlike in the novel, the series shows multiple Grim Reapers working the planet, as opposed to just one.

* HeyItsThatGuy:
** [[Film/ThePrincessBride Inigo Montoya]] leads our merry band of Reapers, one of which is [[Series/ADifferentWorld Whitley Gilbert]].
** [[Series/{{Sanctuary}} Will and Henry]] both make appearances.
** [[Creator/JewelStaite Kaylee]] is a Goth girl working at a record store.
* HeyItsThatVoice:
** [[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons Lisa Simpson]] is a reaper of the elderly.
** George's little sister is [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic Princess Cadance]]
** Elias Toufexis, who played Brian in the episode Last Call, would go on to voice [[VideoGame/DeusExHumanRevolution Adam Jensen]].

* ExecutiveMeddling: Bryan Fuller [[http://web.archive.org/web/20080213011501/http://www.mediavillage.com/jmentr/2005/06/06/jmer-06-06-05/ in this interview]] talks about his thourgly unpleasant time on the show, where he and Showtime (who largely supported him) frequently butted heads with MGM Television over story decisions, such as Clancy's ComingOutStory being cut out, and making homophobic comments to Fuller (Fuller is openly gay.) He [[KnowWhenToFoldEm eventually left after five episodes not wanting to risk a]] CreatorBreakdown.

* {{Cancellation}}: It was cancelled after the second season.