Netflix’s dramedy Dead to Me may have built its house on the soil of grief and secrets, but it is the bonds of friendship that provide the bricks of stability. Whether one calls it fluke or fate, Jen Harding (Christina Applegate) and Judy Hale (Linda Cardellini) clearly need each other. The problem is how does one bridge the fact that their friendship was initially based on sadness and deceit?
Clocking in at a brisk 30-ish minutes an episode, Season 1 of Dead to Me is a perfect remedy for those looking to quickly binge a show without pulling an all-nighter. Anchored by the brilliant chemistry between Applegate and Cardellini, much of the arc in the first season hinged on whether or not Jen would discover it was Judy, the woman she met in a grief therapy group, who accidentally killed Jen’s husband in a hit and run accident. Although their friendship grew deeper with each episode, it felt like a shaky house of cards that was one gust of wind away from toppling.
If the first season was about the slow unraveling of lies that Jen’s husband, Judy and her ex-fiancé Steve Wood (James Marsden) were harbouring, then Season 2 will likely focus on the fallout of those secrets and the creation of new ones.
What happened in the Season 1 finale?
After Judy confessed to Jen about her actions on that faithful night, an understandably angry Jen banishes her former friend and contacts the police. Unfortunately, Detective Ana Perez (Diana Maria Riva) no longer seems interested in arresting Judy for the crime as Judy has tipped her off to the money laundering ring that Steve is involved in.
While Jen decides to take matters into her own hands, by beefing up her home security and learning to use a gun, Judy spirals out of control. Closing her joint account with Steve, which unbeknownst to her he used to for his criminal ventures, Judy drunkenly decides to get karmic justice by walking into traffic late at night. Unable to reach Judy, Steve visits Jen in hopes of locating his ex’s whereabouts. It is in her conversation with Steve that Jen pieces together that he was also in the car when the accident occurred.
Dead to Me wrapped with a great cliffhanger. One where a presumably dead Steve is face down in Jen’s pool doing his best impression of the Nirvana’s Nevermind cover. Distraught at what has occurred, Jen calls Judy—who has just survived her own brush with death—for help.
What’s the current status of Season 2?
Dead to Me is one of a few shows lucky enough to have completed filming prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. The second season is slated to drop May 8th on Netflix, which gives you some time to catch up on the series if you haven’t already.
While the teaser trailer for the second season is rather cryptic, there are a few clues of what to expect. Jen and Judy will need to figure out how to cover up the situation with Steve. A task that will not be easy given all the moving parts. The “we are not in Snow White. We are in f*cking Scarface” line might also allude to Steve’s shady business associates looking to collect their money owed.
Don’t expect a sharp turn into a gritty criminal underworld though. As Judy comically points out, these women have never even seen Scarface so it seems their exploits will continue with the same blend of humour and drama that made Season 1 so enjoyable.
Check out the teaser and the newly-released feature trailer below now:
