Netflixs Dead to Me is an addictive, easy binge: Review

The following review of Netflix’s Dead to Me is spoiler-free.

Dead to Me gets the job done. 

No, it isn’t the best TV around. But if you’re looking to be entertained this weekend (without catching up on Thrones or heading to the movie theater), then this low-commitment, big payoff Netflix debut is for you.

Created by the über-talented Liz Feldman, Dead to Me begins its 10-episode journey at a grief support group in Southern California. There we meet Jen (Christina Applegate), a buttoned-up mother and real estate agent, struggling with the recent death of her husband.

Enter Jen’s polar opposite, Judy (Linda Cardellini). Also grieving the loss of a partner, Judy is an optimistic, spiritually-attuned bohemian seeking connection in the wake of tragedy. 

The pair meet over grief group coffee, setting the stage for a life-after-loss tragicomedy. Leaning over glossy marble countertops with long-stemmed glasses of red wine in hand, the two women spend a good chunk of the first episode humorously reflecting on coping with the sudden death of a loved one and waxing poetic about their families’ futures.

Then, things get Hollaback Girl-style B-A-N-A-N-A-S. 

Then, things get Hollaback Girl-style B-A-N-A-N-A-S. 

At just 30 minutes a pop, each of episode of Dead to Me Season 1 is packed with more twists and turns than a daytime soap. 

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Lies are told. Trust is shattered. James Marsden shows up looking like a blue-eyed snack. It’s an obsession-worthy delight that will have you eating out of its skillfully misleading hand in minutes. 

Feldman knows how to turn a joke, bring the drama, and leave you slack-jawed, often demonstrating all of three of those abilities in a single, perfectly rendered scene. Applegate, Cardellini, and Marsden deliver their varied performances with jack-of-all-trades mastery, slaying the bizarre material they’ve been given with marked realism. 

Applegate, in particular, portrays Jen with the kind of believability that is often reserved for award-season ringers. It’s reason enough to watch the whole series. (We’d tell you more about it, but her complex performance is absolutely critical to the show’s secretive plot. Buckle up.)

As the show goes on, the central fun and main performances remain strong, but the story’s inherent messiness becomes more profound. Plot points get slippery, characters lose all touch with reality, and the “Where are we going with this?” vibes border on incoherent. 

Whether that’s because Dead to Me bit off more than it could chew or just lost track of its original plan is unclear. Luckily, it’s still fun, and the story’s longterm viability won’t hinder you from enjoying it.

Season 2 or no, Dead to Me is a good time that asks very little of its viewers. You needn’t strain yourself keeping track of details, or obsess over unanswered questions. Just press play, sit back, and enjoy whatever this grade-A bonkers universe wants to throw at you. 

After that? Well, it can be dead to you. (Wink.) 

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