In “Drop Dead Diva” on Lifetime, a thin model is trapped in the body of a lawyer played by Brooke Elliott, center, shown with Margaret Cho.

Television has turned its lens on the overweight in recent seasons, mostly with reality shows like “The Biggest Loser” on NBC. But, surprisingly, it has taken a new dramatic series to challenge conventional notions about dieting and willpower, and to more accurately depict the emerging science of weight loss.

In “Drop Dead Diva,” on Lifetime, a heavenly mix-up leaves Deb, a vapid but good-hearted size zero model, trapped in the overweight body of Jane, an intelligent, hard-working lawyer played by Brooke Elliott. (Think “Heaven Can Wait” meets “Ally McBeal” and “Legally Blonde.”)

Read the full article here: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/22/health/22well.html?_r=2