The first season of Dead to Me felt like Netflix acknowledging that female-led tv shows do work, given the huge success of Killing Eve. So it took the character dynamic of two flawed women and their relationship, and placed it under slightly different circumstances – having one of them kill the other woman’s husband. It was by no means near the standard of Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s first season of Killing Eve – but it the concept and performances were just as binge-watchable and gripped me right until the last episode, where we left Judy and Jen standing over Steve’s (James Marsden) dead body.
With Steve dead, they have even more reason to stick together and defend each other – even if they’d rather not.
Season two appears as though it will pretty much pick up from that point (that left so many, including myself, thoroughly irritated). The character dynamic between Judy and Jen is perfectly summed up in the trailer; “How the fuck can you stay positive right now? We’re not in Snow White – we’re in fucking Scarface!” says Jen. “Well, I haven’t seen that” replies Judy, in her blasé, everything-will-be-alright-in-the-end attitude kind of way. I really hope that this dynamic, which made the show so brilliant in the first season, won’t be lost this time around. With Steve dead, they have even more reason to stick together and defend each other – even if they’d rather not.
Sure, some plot-points are fairly obvious and can be slightly overworked at times (something I really hope they fix in season two). But it’s a take on grief and how we process it that we haven’t really seen before – confessing you killed someone by writing it down and sending it off in a balloon is probably not the best way to go – and that’s what makes it so enjoyable. Netflix; I’ve got high hopes for this season. Or else it's Dead to Me…
Season Two of Dead to Me is available on Netflix from 8th May