MovieChat Forums > Dead Like Me (2003) Discussion > The irony behind the characters' names

The irony behind the characters' names


I'm a huge fan of the show from when it started coming out on DVD! I don't know if this has been commented on before, but many of the characters have names that suggest the opposite of their true nature.

Rube -- typically a derogatory term for a 'country person'; also means someone who is an easy mark for a scam. However, in DLM, Rube is the wisest, wittiest and most cultured among them.

Mason -- a word referring to someone who builds with skill and craftsmanship. Also someone who has mastered accuracy and precision. In the context of freemasonry, the name alludes to architecture, power and control, the ability to keep secrets. Conversely, the character of Mason (my favorite in the series) is an aloof, horny spaz who gets by from day to day as a grifter and scammer.

Joy -- Perhaps the most obvious (and I think George alludes to this in the series) -- the name is Joy even though it's not something she experiences.

Daisy -- "fresh as a" ...? often used to present the idea of innocence, purity or virginity. A white flower with a heart of gold. DLM's daisy does have a heart of gold on the inside, but her past is riddled with trysts on movie sets. :)

Roxy -- not sure about this one. The name derives from Roxana, wife of Alexander the Great, who murdered Alexander's other widow. I find it amusing that Roxy Hart (from "Chicago") was a dancer/showgirl, accused of murder. In DLM, Roxy herself was killed by a fellow dancer.

Crystal -- an object through which light divides into a spectrum of colors. Historically used for divination - while Crystal of DLM, we learn, is some kind of special operative who sees everything and reveals nothing.

George! -- There is the irony that both Georgia and her sister Regina have boys' nicknames (George and Reggie) and that their last name is then "Lass". Perhaps a joke from the creators?

In any case, this show had a lot of depth. It was a shame that it got canceled!!

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Interesting post, Boutros.







Schrodinger's cat walks into a bar and doesn't.

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