"Drop Dead Diva" Review: Don't Judge a Book By Its Cover

With a title like “Drop Dead Diva,” you would expect something completely cheesy.

But if you learn anything from this show, it’s that you should never judge a book by its cover. And if you bypass “Diva” because of its title, then you will miss a smart, engaging dramedy guaranteed to tug at your heartstrings…

When “Diva” begins, we meet two women who couldn’t be more different. Deb (Brooke D’Orsay) is a blonde model with a gorgeous boyfriend, Grayson (Jackson Hurst). She’s on her way to audition to be a prize model on “The Price Is Right.” Jane (Brooke Elliott) is a brilliant attorney who practically lives in her office and has to navigate the politics of the firm, which includes run-ins with the “mean girl” of the place, Kim (Kate Levering), and her clueless boss, Parker (Josh Stamberg). Fortunately, she has her assistant, Teri (Margaret Cho) to help her.

And since it’s kind of the whole point of the show, I should tell you that Jane is a size 16 and Deb is nowhere near that…

On her way to her audition, Deb ends up in a car accident and is killed at the same time Jane is shot. When Deb gets to Heaven and meets up with the gatekeeper, Fred (Ben Feldman), she tries to negotiate her way back to Earth. But her attempts actually lead to a screw-up which sends her spirit into Jane’s body.

Even though Fred, who has been demoted from gatekeeper to guardian angel because of the screw-up, has told Deb she will be Jane forever, Deb decides she doesn’t want to be an attorney. That is, until she realizes she might actually be able to make a difference.

So how could a model who dropped out of college be an attorney? Well, Deb has Jane’s mind, which means she can remember legal terms at the drop of a hat. However, she doesn’t have Jane’s memories. It’s a distinction that requires a little bit of a suspension of disbelief, but it’s worth it because it allows you to become engrossed in the backbone of the show which is that Deb still remembers everything about her life. That includes Grayson, who in an interesting twist (that you’ll see coming from miles away), actually enters Jane’s life—and unfortunately Kim’s as well.

The cast is solid, especially Elliott, who beautifully makes the transition between the real Jane and the Deb Jane so believable. And Margaret Cho is a good straight man, playing it semi-serious as Teri.

Lifetime classifies “Diva” as a comedic drama, but the pilot leans a little more toward the dramatic side—or at least that’s the justification I’ll use for nearly crying at the end. But I can’t believe that Deb/Jane won’t touch you too…

I will say that there’s probably one too many stereotypes about plus-size people in the hour, but I’m willing to forgive it since they’re necessary to illustrate Deb’s vanity. I’m looking forward to Jane gaining more of Deb’s confidence, allowing her to give Kim a run for her money in more places than just the courtroom…

“Drop Dead Diva” premieres Sunday, July 12th at 9 p.m. on Lifetime…

Photos Credit: Lifetime