Dead To Me is another gem from streaming giants Netflix. Starring Christina Applegate as Jen and Linda Cardellini as Judy, the show is a total bingefest. We meet Jen three months after the death of her husband, Ted. Ted was killed in a hit-and-run and the perpetrator has not been found.
Struggling to come to terms with the loss, Jen is drowning in her everyday life. Her grief, anger, and sadness are all-consuming. So to try and get her life back on track she joins a bereavement support group. Here she meets Judy, a more whimsical and positive character and the two become fast friends. So much so that Judy moves in with Jen and helps her track down the driver of the car that killed her husband.
And then, at the end of episode one, everything changes. The twist is a doozy and it soon becomes clear that both women are hiding some dark secrets. One of which is ‘Steve', played by James Marsden. In fact, Dead To Me is full of plot twists and turns and each builds another layer on the story that is the death of Ted.
For Jen, her marriage wasn't all it's cracked up to be. Her relationship with her two children is strained. She resorts to anger on such a regular basis that she quickly becomes in danger of losing her job and her life as she knows it.
Judy though harbours much darker secrets. She is the consummate good person who has done something bad. But as her lies start piling up, her life unravels as her secrets are exposed.
But, and this is a big BUT, Dead To Me isn't a thriller filled with suspense. Central to the show is friendship. And loss. And grief. It just so happens that all of these things are wrapped up in a whodunnit. For all their flaws Jen and Judy need each other to get through their worst moments.
Applegate (Vacation) and Cardellini (Bloodline) are amazing in it. Truly amazing. They are engaging, relatable and actually very funny and their characters are spot on. So too are the supporting cast including Max Jenkins (Special) and James Marsden. If you are looking for another great binge then check out Dead To Me for a dark comedy with a twist.
