Pearly Gates

I caught a great new show called Drop Dead Diva last night on Lifetime. Scoff all you want that Lifetime is woman central but I know good TV when I see it, no matter what the channel.

Drop Dead Diva tells the story of a beautiful model (Deb) who "dies" in a fatal car accident and suddenly finds herself in Heaven declared as a self-centered, non accomplished zero. Deb attempts to persuade Fred, her gate keeper to return her to her old life but is accidentally sent back into the body of the recently deceased Jane Bingum played by Brooke Elliott. Jane, a plus-sized attorney, who is smart, witty, charming but lives for work couldn't be more opposite then Deb who always relied on her external beauty to get ahead in life.

As Deb gets used to life in her new body as "Jane" you can't help but laugh out loud when she finally gets to indulge in a chocolate doughnut rather then the grapefruit and splenda she has been eating for years.

The supporting cast is a knock out with Margaret Cho playing Teri, Jane's assistant, Ben Feldman, Fred the recently demoted gate keeper to guardian angel of Deb/Jane and Jackson Hurst playing Grayson Kent, Deb's distraught boyfriend mourning over her death yet also the new lawyer at "Jane's" lawfirm.

It is interesting to watch Grayson mourn for his girlfriend while Deb mourns for the life she has now lost and has to learn to embrace her fuller self and the new life she must lead. Brooke Elliot is a previouslly unknown actress to me but in one episode you can already see talent in the ruff that has been found. I am excited to see what unfolds with this new series.