Netflix's 'Dead to Me' Season Two: Review
Despite lacking the consistency of it's excellent first season, 'Dead to Me' delivers a clever, emotional and highly-engaging second series, led by two outstanding performances from it's two leads
Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini in 'Dead to Me' (CREDIT: Netflix) |
by Jack Linsdell
Netflix's TV shows are a coin toss at best. Most lie within a "good" to "fine, I guess" bracket. But, even those that, by merit of strong performances, excellent production values and a highly original (and well-executed) hook, are "exceptional", can often be spoiled by tired and lousy subsequent seasons (see The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina).
Creator/showrunner Liz Feldman's Dead to Me was an "exceptional" show, with a killer and very tastefully done first series, which made it very popular with audiences. Season two starts strong with an excellent first episode, which cleverly reverses the core hook of the show - "what if a women who was responsible for a hit-and-run moves in with the widow of her victim?". In series one, Judy (played by Linda Cardellini) had killed Jen's (Christina Applegate) husband in a hit-and-run accident, and then ended up becoming her closest friend and moving in with her and her family, only to hide the truth from them. In season two, after that cliff-hanger of a finale, Jen is the one whose killed Judy's abusive ex-finance and withholds the truth from her. This clever reversal of the show's main hook (of course there are other threads in play too) manages to keep Dead to Me alive and kicking in season two. Feldman manages to avoid treading similar ground, keeping the show fresh, engaging and true to the characters. It's a masterclass on proper show-running and a welcome relief for a Netflix show.
However, after the series opener, season two runs a little on life-support until a very interesting series of rug-pulls in episode five (the half-way point of the series). No, these episodes in the first of half of the season aren't boring or badly done, but compared to a caulking second-half, which really packs an emotional punch, with lots of neat arcs and "I didn't see that coming" plot twists (and there are many of them), it feels lacklustre. So, my advice to anyone watching, is not to give up before episode five. And, although this is technically a criticism (or at least a grievance), it's widely known that it's better to leave the audience on a high with a good ending, than start of well and go down hill from there. But, maybe season two is seen in a better light if you consider it like a slow-burn thriller from the '90s - one which starts at a crawl, but upon the second act, really works its way through the gears quickly, delivering the goods by the end.
And, it's upon the conclusion of episode five that Dead to Me starts racing, and racing fast. Suddenly, it's alive, with lots of well-crafted tension, character's making interesting and emotionally-charged decisions, and not to mention every subsequent episode having at least two delicious rug-pulls, which keep you on the edge of your seat. You soon find yourself forgetting the slow-burn opening, and consuming the second season as fast as Jen and Judy do wine. And, this all culminates with episode nine, one which is probably amongst the best episodes on any Netflix show, in terms of such knock-out (and Emmy-worthy) performances (I'm looking at you Applegate and Cardellini), mixed with potent and tear-jerking emotion. At this point, you don't know whether to cry or bite your nails, and end up doing both. This sets up an excellent finale with episode ten, that neatly wraps up all the loose strands (of both seasons), giving audience's the justice and resolution to Jen and Judy's story that they craved. And, then, in the last moments, a (slight spoiler) car crash of an ending which rocks the status quo once again and hints that if a third season gets made, Dead to Me will once again be heading in a new and fresh direction.
For those after something a little layered in their TV shows, Dead to Me does deliver the moral examinations on friendship, telling the truth, family and grief/depression. Judy and Jen are both suffering from a lack of self-worth and holding grudges/resentment against those in their lives, which is slowly eating them up. The show (particularly in season two) packs a punch, and draws a parable to our lives, something that fits even better in a period where grief, mental health and self-worth are even more present in our lives than ever. But, for audiences just wanting a well-crafted and highly entertaining crime-thriller series, Dead to Me also delivers all the juicy genre thrills and compelling characters you could ask for.
I'm now most excited for a third season, which should be the ultimate check-list for the success of a TV show. And, although it's second season is not always consistent in terms of it's "exceptional" entertainment value, Dead to Me ultimately becomes a rare Netflix show that doesn't sink with a subsequent season. Yes, season two was very much floating to begin with, but once it hit half-way, it was far from dead in the water. In fact, it started swimming with precision, speed and power towards a new shore, one which I can't wait for it to arrive at. Let's just hope, it gets the chance to.
4/5 STARS
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