Summary
Dead to Me season 2 not only gives reasons to stay onboard but it leaves audiences begging for more.
Netflix series Dead to Me season 2 will be released on the platform on May 8, 2020, globally — this review of the comedy series contains no spoilers of the second season.
A challenge Liz Feldman had for the continuation of Dead to Me was to keep the story fresh and straying along the lines of the concept. Season 1 left the goal wide open, and it’s safe to say that Netflix has delivered again. Not only is Season 2 on-beat to its predecessor, but it is also inarguably better.
Following on from the previous season where [SPOILER ALERT] Jen murdered Steve after he viciously threw words at her, Dead to Me season 2 provides a new dynamic. This time, Jen is the fretter, and Judy is the tentative soother. Both women have to come to terms with their recent past and somehow fill that void in their blossoming and infectious friendship.
The reason why Dead to Me season 2 works is that the roles have reversed — whereas in season 1 Judy was frantically trying to evade her own lies, season 2 sees Jen facing her own. Both characters are uniquely different and it leaves the audience to judge Jen now that the shoe is on the other foot. Will Jen wear down the soles and keep the truth at bay, or will she walk in her professed moral standpoint and do what’s right.
Season 2 has all the hallmarks of a comedy but it still airs on the side of darkness. The story never veers towards silliness; the murder of Steve is realistic and not a throwaway plot point to keep the story moving. With each episode that passes, the pressure intensifies on both leading women; signifying a Breaking Bad story arc where the lies continue to deepen and the risk heightens. The combination of comedy and crime is finely balanced, broaching a world where sisterhood is the defining weapon.
And for all its glory and fantastic storytelling, Dead to Me would not be possible without Linda Cardellini and Christina Applegate — their formidable onscreen pairing boasts a chemistry that is hard to find. They shepherd the story, plausibly convincing the audience that they are dysfunctional best friends dismantled by unfortunate accidents and opportunities. Their characters combined are persuasive and Netflix must play their part by securing as many seasons as possible.
With season 2 dealing with the aftermath of the death of Steve, it had a mountainous task in finding reasons to open the doors for season 3. Dead to Me season 2 not only gives reasons to stay onboard but it leaves audiences begging for more. It’s a painfully easy one-day binge, making itself the equivalent of drinking a cold cider on a hot summer’s day — you thirst for more.
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