Last year, Netflix released Dead to Me, a new original tragic comedy series created by American comedian, Liz Feldman. The series is set in Laguna Beach, California, and follows the developing friendship of two women grieving over the deaths of their partners.
Christina Applegate stars in the series as Jen Harding, a real estate agent mourning her husband, who was recently killed in a hit-and-run accident. Applegate’s performance in the new Netflix series has been widely praised by television critics. The actress dives deep into the grief of her character—showcasing Jen’s tender moments of loss as well as her episodes of rage triggered by her husband's hit-and-run remaining unsolved.
In an attempt to cope with her grief, Jen attends a support group where she befriends Judy Hale (Linda Cardellini). In the pilot episode, Judy claims she is grieving the loss of her fiancé, Steve, who died of a heart attack. The two begin a friendship based on mutual grief. Later in the episode, Jen discovers that Judy’s supposedly dead fiancé, Steve (James Marsden) is actually alive. When Jen confronts her for lying, Judy tries to apologize and explains that she is mourning a series of miscarriages that resulted in the end of her relationship with Steve. The two women continue their friendship. As the pilot comes to a close, it is revealed to the audience that Judy is responsible for the hit-and-run of Jen’s husband (although this remains unknown to Jen).
The show thrives off the unlikely bond between these two women as they navigate their individual struggles. Jen and Judy create a real friendship founded on mutual support which involves many bottles of wine and cookies. The friendship delivers the show's best comedic scenes and brings relief from the traumatic roots of the plot. The show has the perfect balance of humor and emotion as Judy’s big secret hangs over her friendship with Jen. Dead to Me certainly gives a new meaning to comedic relief.
When I watched this series, I found myself laughing from one scene and crying from another. The show is filled with laughs, but the plot is also stemmed from deep emotion. It takes talented actresses to pull off such a balance and I truly believe Applegate and Cardellini do an incredible job at achieving this. If you want a show that will give you a good laugh and keep you on your toes, then Dead to Me is your next binge.
If you’re interested in watching Dead to Me, seasons one and two are available now on Netflix! Happy watching and remember to stay safe!