Summary
Dead to Me is back for its final season, where loose ends are tied up only to have more created. Applegate continues to shine in a series that will define her career.
The first episode of the final season of Dead to Me, a wickedly dark comedy in its first two seasons, suffers a bit, mainly due to the show’s extended delay, with Christina Applegate returning after her ordeal with multiple sclerosis. The episode, “We’ve Been Here Before,” is dedicated to addressing the aftermath of the second season’s conclusion. Let’s get into the premiere!
The season opener has Applegate’s Jen Harding spend most of her time in a hospital bed equipped with a giant neck brace. However, before she is pulled into the facility on a gurney, Jen has a dream about her mother.
While on the beach, at first, she is talking to her on-again, off-again, her best friend, Judy (Linda Cardellini). Jen sees her on a sailboat and the ship sinking in rough waters. While Judy calls for help, Jen looks to her left, where her mother sits.
Jen wakes up being wheeled into the hospital. If you remember the end of Season 2, Jen and Judy were driving a new car to her Harding’s son when a drunk driver struck them. That driver was Ben Wood, Jen’s boyfriend, who had just found out his twin brother Steve’s body had been found.
A dog walker discovered it in a state park, where Jen left an arrow carved in a tree. Detective Perez let Jen and Judy go because Steve was an evil man, a money launderer, and an abusive son-of-a-bitch who Jen killed at the end of season one. The dog walker recognizes Perez, despite the detective continually denying it. She saw her with Jen in the forest when she tried to lead her to the body and confess to the crime.
Meanwhile, Charlie finds the letter from his mother that lays out what happened to his father and Judy’s part in it. Keep in mind that the letter only implies Judy had something to do with Ted, but doesn’t specifically note what. That’s when Ben shows up, bloodied and bruised because he drove away from the crime scene.
Except, he has no recollection of the incident. Charlie goes to the hospital, and Ben hears about a hit-and-run. He begins to realize that it may have been him. There, he runs into Judy and “breaks” the news to her that they found Steve’s body. Of course, we know Judy knows the location and his demise.
The episode ends with Judy stealing a bottle of what I can only assume is opioids because they will not give Jen anything for the pain after the car accident. Yet, she gets terrible news while Judy looks to score from her scans after the accident. What did Jen’s scans reveal at the hospital?
The doctor tells Jen that they found “shadows” in her scan that could be cancerous masses. They tell her she needs to make a follow-up appointment with a specialist and add that he is so sorry, “Ms. Hale.”
This is her worst fear since her mother died of cancer, and she took precautions when her husband died so her children wouldn’t grow up without parents.
If you recall, Jen had a double mastectomy. She goes from deepest fear coming true to being relieved, but then it quickly dawns on her. Jen’s best friend may have cancer. The last scene shows Jen and Judy embracing and allowing the moment to sink in.
Read More: Dead to Me Season 3, Episode 2 Recap
