Okay, so technically Dead to Me isn’t a new show, but when I started it many months ago it was! Even though this show only consisted of ten half hours segments, I got half way through when I decided I needed to watch all of Stranger Things and Animal Kingdom, along with shoving in some MTV reality trash. And so here we are, finally finished with this dark comedy, and quite frankly it was a delight! Not the best show I’ve ever seen, but some quality acting and A+ delivery.
The show opens with a newly widowed Jen, whose grieving the hit and run death of her husband, Ted. Jen’s form of grieving is just being mean, which seems like how she is normally, so I’m sure it’s just awful for everyone. She is finally convinced to attend a therapy group, where she meets a generally upbeat, Judy, who claims her husband died of a heart attack. Judy befriends Jen eventually, and we learn that Judy was in fact never married, but her ex-fiance, Steve, left her because of several miscarriages. Judy moves in with Jen and her two kids and their friendship really strengthens.
We learn Ted was cheating on Jen for quite a long time, but towards the end we learn the couple hadn’t been intimate since Jen got a mastectomy. We also learn that Judy and Steve were the culprits of the hit and run. Judy only befriends Jen out of extreme guilt. Finally at the end of the season, Judy reveals it was her who killed Ted. Jen is furious and dumps Judy out of her life until she speaks with Steve and learns that he was also in the car with Judy. Jen realizes that because of Judy’s extreme caring nature, that it was Steve’s fault her husband died. Jen calls Judy back to the house and we see Steve floating dead in the pool.
The relationship between Jen is Judy is a very obvious opposites attract, since Jen is so abrasive and aggressive, while Judy is so docile and sweet. Their friendship shouldn’t make sense, but the two women show countless times that they are there for one another. Both of their lives are trainwrecks in their own specific ways, and they help bolster one another. Christina Applegate did a great job as Jen, and Linda Cardellini has been on fire this year, and finally recognized for her greatness! James Marsden as Judy’s ex, Steve is my favorite. He’s so charmingly unlikable! And while I’m sad that he may only appear in flashbacks for season 2, that ending was well deserved and a perfect set-up.
At just ten episodes running half an hour apiece, definitely squeeze this in before all your new fall s hows start, because this show will definitely be a part of awards season (here’s looking at you, 2019 Primetime Emmys)!