I know it seems many like this show; if you like it, obviously I'm just stating my views, maybe I just have wrong expectations or a strange taste. But in my opinion, this show could have been so much better.
Obviously, spoiler alert.
First of all, I love the idea of the show: what a great new perspective of death. And I like the actors, I think they all did a good job. It's sad that Ellen Muth and Laura Harris seem to be out of the show business, I hope it's temporary, I'd like to see more of them. That's why I still finished the whole two seasons.
In an interview, the show's original creator, Bryan Fuller, explained that the network Showtime cancelled the show mostly due to bad storytelling. I agree. To me, except some episodes, most of them are just like "this and this happen, end of story," many details are not going anywhere instead of moving the plotline ahead. In a story, every detail must have its purpose, either to drive the story or to show the characters' personality, but I see too many conversations or scenes have no reason to be there. Actually, there seems to be no plotline, they just reap souls and that's it. No conflict, no "what's going to happen? Will they/won't they?" I honestly fell asleep in some episodes.
A bigger problem I have is I fail to see the motives of the characters' behaviors, and therefore it's very hard for me to care about them or relate to them, only find them annoying. For example, Mason is impulsive, selfish, and airhead. It can be fun to have a character like that, but if we know what happen to him when he is alive, if we know what makes him that way, we'll have more understanding and sympathy. But his life (and actually, most of the main characters' lives) is nearly blank; we only know he dies of a stupid death and nothing else. Now I only find him annoying and stupid. Rube seems to have a dark and sad past, but the revelation of his life is way too show, too limited, and fragmental. How about Roxy? She's murdered by her friend, and that's it; it could have developed into a great subplot. When Mason learns that Daisy's last word is "why nobody loves me?" I thought this is such a great line! But that's the end of it, no further development, no further conflict.
A glimpse of a good plot is Ray the bad guy. He charms Daisy, obviously only using her, but she can't see that (or doesn't want to), and Mason is trying hard to help her. NOW that's the conflict! But it ends so abruptly and easy. Ray's troll is easily killed by George-which doesn't make sense: Daisy and Mason have worked way longer than George, but they seem to have limited knowledge of that troll than George? And George is the one kills it without any problem? I'm not saying George can't kill it, but at least show us some fighting and struggle, show us George's fear and courage to overcome it!
The subplot of Reggie and her parents' divorce isn't quite appealing either, I thought they should have shown more about Reggie's reasons of struggle instead of just showing her as a brat. But that might be just me.
And I know it's a "comedy," but many "deaths" in the show are just silly and impossible, more like slapsticks, which isn't actually the tone of the show.
Finally, I have a problem with way too many George's narration. Narration is fine, but too many makes me feel I'm reading someone's account of bio instead of a story. Why not just show us? If George is learning a lesson, don't tell us, show us the change of her behavior or conversation!
All I can say is: it seems the show's cancellation after only 2 seasons has a reason. In fact, I'm a bit surprised it has a season 2; quite a few good shows got canceled after only 1 season.
That said, if there's a season 3 (probably not gonna happen), I probably will watch it and hope it gets better. It's such a great idea, and it actually makes you think about life and death.
Obviously, spoiler alert.
First of all, I love the idea of the show: what a great new perspective of death. And I like the actors, I think they all did a good job. It's sad that Ellen Muth and Laura Harris seem to be out of the show business, I hope it's temporary, I'd like to see more of them. That's why I still finished the whole two seasons.
In an interview, the show's original creator, Bryan Fuller, explained that the network Showtime cancelled the show mostly due to bad storytelling. I agree. To me, except some episodes, most of them are just like "this and this happen, end of story," many details are not going anywhere instead of moving the plotline ahead. In a story, every detail must have its purpose, either to drive the story or to show the characters' personality, but I see too many conversations or scenes have no reason to be there. Actually, there seems to be no plotline, they just reap souls and that's it. No conflict, no "what's going to happen? Will they/won't they?" I honestly fell asleep in some episodes.
A bigger problem I have is I fail to see the motives of the characters' behaviors, and therefore it's very hard for me to care about them or relate to them, only find them annoying. For example, Mason is impulsive, selfish, and airhead. It can be fun to have a character like that, but if we know what happen to him when he is alive, if we know what makes him that way, we'll have more understanding and sympathy. But his life (and actually, most of the main characters' lives) is nearly blank; we only know he dies of a stupid death and nothing else. Now I only find him annoying and stupid. Rube seems to have a dark and sad past, but the revelation of his life is way too show, too limited, and fragmental. How about Roxy? She's murdered by her friend, and that's it; it could have developed into a great subplot. When Mason learns that Daisy's last word is "why nobody loves me?" I thought this is such a great line! But that's the end of it, no further development, no further conflict.
A glimpse of a good plot is Ray the bad guy. He charms Daisy, obviously only using her, but she can't see that (or doesn't want to), and Mason is trying hard to help her. NOW that's the conflict! But it ends so abruptly and easy. Ray's troll is easily killed by George-which doesn't make sense: Daisy and Mason have worked way longer than George, but they seem to have limited knowledge of that troll than George? And George is the one kills it without any problem? I'm not saying George can't kill it, but at least show us some fighting and struggle, show us George's fear and courage to overcome it!
The subplot of Reggie and her parents' divorce isn't quite appealing either, I thought they should have shown more about Reggie's reasons of struggle instead of just showing her as a brat. But that might be just me.
And I know it's a "comedy," but many "deaths" in the show are just silly and impossible, more like slapsticks, which isn't actually the tone of the show.
Finally, I have a problem with way too many George's narration. Narration is fine, but too many makes me feel I'm reading someone's account of bio instead of a story. Why not just show us? If George is learning a lesson, don't tell us, show us the change of her behavior or conversation!
All I can say is: it seems the show's cancellation after only 2 seasons has a reason. In fact, I'm a bit surprised it has a season 2; quite a few good shows got canceled after only 1 season.
That said, if there's a season 3 (probably not gonna happen), I probably will watch it and hope it gets better. It's such a great idea, and it actually makes you think about life and death.