'Dead Last' is immature in many ways

It's like the film "Ghost" has been remade into a TV series. Badly. Along the same vein as The WB's teen-friendly schedule comes "Dead Last," a program that mixes teen issues with paranormal powers - another favorite topic on the network with titles such as "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" and the witch-themed "Charmed."
   The show (premiering 8 p.m. Tuesday on The WB) is immature in its writing, acting and premise, and, even for The WB, that bunk chemistry is explosive. At least "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," which was raised on The WB but now resides on UPN, has intellectual undertones and depth beneath the surface relationships.
   Immature appeal
   "Roswell," another supernatural teen tuber, also featured weak writing and deteriorating characters, and The WB offed it. Sure, it was picked up by UPN, but the overall immature appeal didn't work for The WB. And it shouldn't work for any network. Which is why "Dead Last" doesn't work.
   The series features barely-legal rockers on the verge of breaking into the mainstream forum; the biggest decision in their future is hinged on a proposed record contract with a sketchy A&R representative.
   When fame is knocking on the door, the drummer Scotty (Tyler Labine) stumbles upon an old amulet; he pockets it hoping to hawk it later. But when ghosts start to appear to him and his bandmates - singer Vaughn (Kett Turton) and bassist Jane (Sara Downing) - the arrival of the supernatural is linked with the amulet.
   What, another ticket on the whole "I-see-dead-people" train? Truthfully, "Dead Last" doesn't even deserve to be in the same sentence as "The Sixth Sense."
   The ghosts' gateway
   They try to rid themselves of the amulet but fail. The ghosts are calling. The A&R rep is calling. Their manager, Dennis (Wayne Pere), is calling, but the group doesn't have an answer. The bandmates don't know what to do until the ghosts tell them that they're the ghosts' gateway into the real world.
   Example: A construction worker dies on his way to make the final payment on his engagement ring, but he never makes that payment or passes it along to his wife. That's where the members of the band come in.
   Remember that scene in "Ghost" when Swayze's character convinces Whoopi's character to talk to Demi's character? This is the grade-B version.
   Only if grades were assigned, "Dead Last" would be closer to a C-.
  
  

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