In the mythology of "Dead Like Me," certain people, when they die, are offered the job of grim reapers. They get a rapidly healing physical body (which has a different face when seen by the living) and the chance to stay in the world until they collect a requisite number of souls. Then, the job passes to the last dead person on their list. The newest addition to this team is Georgia "George" Lass, who died at 18 after being struck by flaming space debris. She was pretty unhappy in life, and learning that death doesn't offer relief from living is not sitting very well with her.
