3.5/5 Globes

On May 8, Netflix released the second season of the dark comedy show, “Dead to Me.”

The first season of the Netflix show followed Jen (Christina Applegate) and Judy’s (Linda Cardellini) friendship after they met at a grief group. Jen’s husband, Ted, was killed in a hit-and-run, and Judy said she was there because her husband died of a heart attack. 

However, it is revealed that not only does Judy not have a dead husband, but that she also is responsible for Ted’s death, and was convinced to drive away by her boyfriend, Steve (James Marsden). She befriends Jen out of guilt. 

Season One ended with Jen finding out that Judy is the one who killed her husband, and the finale showed Jen shooting and killing Steve in her backyard, calling Judy for assistance after. 

The second season of “Dead to Me” picks up almost immediately after, and follows Jen and Judy in the aftermath of the murder. 

Judy tries to reconcile her friendship with Jen and does everything she can to make her forgive her for lying about Ted’s death, and this comes into play in key parts of the show. Viewers see just how far Judy will go for Jen’s forgiveness. 

A new character, Ben, is introduced. His arrival is initially a shock, but he and Jen grow close throughout the season.

The show also shows how Jen’s sons, Charlie (Sam McCarthy) and Henry (Luke Roessler), are dealing with their mother’s odd and sometimes neglectful behavior. This is the cause of Jen’s main character development throughout the show. One can tell that she does love her sons, but she prioritizes her own drama over them and only pays attention to them when they act out.

The finale has a misleading, happy ending, and just when the characters find some peace, an unexpected event ends the season with yet another cliffhanger.

The characters do not change very much from the first season to the second, and the changes that are made are only slight. While Judy still strives for the approval of others, she is able to stand up to her mother Eleanor (Katey Sagal), who we are introduced to in the second season.

Jen learns to be more present and upfront with Charlie and Henry, and she does begin to actively try to sort out her own feelings instead of allowing herself to fly into a rage (some of the time, that is). She also becomes a slightly more forgiving person. 

Overall, the second season did provide more plot twists, character development and of course, cliff hangers. Season Two was just as much of a wild ride as the first, if not more. It will be interesting to see how the events from the finale transpire in the future.

The show currently has a 90 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes and has been renewed for a third and final season. The third season will be delayed due to production delays because of the coronavirus.