CBS Rebooting Unexpected Comedy Series

Drop Dead Diva is resurrecting, but this time around, a man will be in the lead role…sort of. The show’s creator/executive producer Josh Berman is rebooting the show with a gender-related spin. Deadline exclusively reports that the new series, Drop Dead Dave, is an hour-long series currently in development at CBS, a remake of the original Lifetime dramedy with new characters. 

In the new show, Gen Z lawyer Dave dies in a freak accident. His soul revived and transferred into the body of Rita, a fellow successful yet “complicated Gen X attorney, forcing Dave to live as a woman and navigate an entirely new perspective on life, love, and identity.”

The original series ran on Lifetime for six seasons from 2008-2014 and followed the story of a superficial model named Deb, who dies in an accident. Her soul transfers in the body of a smart, plus-sized attorney, Jane (Brooke Elliot). Per the release, Drop Dead Diva focused on body-positivity, while Drop Dead Dave will tackle sexual politics, as well as gender identity in today’s world.

During its run, Drop Dead Diva earned several GLAAD Awards and a Humanitas nomination.  Due to a dedicated fan base, the show’s initial cancellation by Lifetime was reversed and aired for two additional seasons. The show remains one of Sony’s top-streamed TV series.