Based on 2 seasons, 23 episodes · through April 24, 2024
Not Dead Yet is a comedy series set in modern-day Los Angeles about Penelope Nell Serrano, a woman in her late thirties who is trying to rebuild her life. After a bad breakup and a failed business, she moves back home and takes a low-paying job writing newspaper obituaries. Suddenly, Nell starts seeing and talking to the ghosts of the dead people she is writing about, who give her advice. The show has a lighthearted and funny tone but deals with themes of starting over and handling grief. Viewers will easily notice a strong emphasis on modern representation and identity. The main cast features a Latina lead, a South Asian best friend, and an autistic roommate played by an autistic actor. Additionally, a major supporting character is a Black gay man who navigates same-sex marriage, surrogacy, and foster parenting. Guest characters also introduce queer storylines, including a ghost who was a closeted lesbian soap opera star.
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for Not Dead Yet.
Woke representation / casting
The cast features a highly visible, diverse lineup including a Latina lead, a South Asian best friend, and a Black gay supervisor. The roommate is autistic, and several ghosts represent marginalized groups, including a closeted lesbian soap star. This represents an active, representation-first casting strategy with significant queer elements.
70%
Woke political dialogue
Overt activist lectures are rare. However, the dialogue frequently incorporates modern therapy-speak, progressive jargon, casual feminist themes, and detailed discussions about same-sex surrogacy, egg donation, and foster parenting.
30%
Identity-driven story themes
The narrative frequently focuses on identity-driven storylines. This includes exploring the roommate's life on the autism spectrum, a gay couple navigating the emotional and logistical steps of surrogacy and foster parenting, and a deceased lesbian soap star reflecting on being closeted in the past.
55%
Western institutional / cultural critique
The series features mild corporate critiques, poking fun at the newspaper owner's "nepo-baby" daughter and her lavish lifestyle. It also downplays traditional family structures in favor of modern, unconventional support networks, though this is kept to a light, background sitcom level.
25%
Woke character or canon changes
The show makes major changes to Alexandra Potter's novel. It shifts the setting from London to Los Angeles and changes the lead character from Nell Stevens, a white British woman, to Nell Serrano, a Latina woman. It also swaps the original characters for a highly diverse, LGBTQ-inclusive workplace ensemble.
60%
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
There was no organized anti-woke backlash, campaign, or boycott targeting the series, with viewers and critics treating it as a standard network workplace sitcom.
0%
Creator track record context
Creators David Windsor and Casey Johnson have a track record of pushing LGBTQ+ representation. The writing and directing team includes multiple progressive advocates like Becky Mann, Chelsea Devantez, Debbie Jhoon, and Gail Lerner, who consistently champion feminist and diverse stories.
42%
Production
