It’s been two-and-a-half years since the second season of “Dead to Me” dropped on Netflix, and since it was in the middle of 2020, it seems like even longer.
With the third and final season of Liz Feldman’s dark comedy, starring Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini, dropping on Nov. 17, PvNew is sharing a quick refresher on the biggest things that occurred during the first two seasons.
Judy (Cardellini) and Jen (Applegate) have been partners in crime, quite literally, for some time now. The duo first met in a grief support group after the death of Jen’s husband, Ted. Judy begins helping her take care of her sons, Charlie (Sam McCarthy) and Henry (Luke Roessler),and becomes part of her family. Eventually, Jen finds out that Judy and her estranged husband, Steve (James Marsden), were the ones responsible for Ted’s death: Judy was driving the car and Steve convinced her to flee the scene after hitting Ted.
At the end of Season 1, Jen kills Steve in her backyard after he shows up and eggs her on, speaking horribly about Judy, and taunting her. Jen’s weapon of choice is an important part of the story: a bird figurine that Judy has given Henry. The details of Steve’s death aren’t revealed until Season 2, during which Judy begins dating Michelle (Natalie Morales) and Jen gets briefly involved with Steve’s identical twin brother, Ben (Marsden), who comes to town searching for answers about his missing brother. To make things even messier, Steve’s death is being investigated by Det. Perez (Diana-Maria Riva), who used to date Michelle, and Nick (Brandon Scott), who used to date Judy.
Toward the end of the season, both women agree its best to end their romantic relationships; Jen also decides she will confess to murdering Steve, writing letters to Judy, as well as her two sons.
The Greek mafia has also been a presence within both seasons, looming as threats. First, Judy had turned in Steve for laundering money and working with the Greek organized crime figures, and later, Charlie takes Steve’s stash-away car (likely paid for by the mafia) for a joy ride. In the car’s glove compartment, Charlie finds a thumb drive and a cell phone that have information (in Greek) about Steve’s crimes. While Jen is bringing Det. Perez to the Angeles Forest to find Steve’s body —and planning to leave Judy out of the story completely — Judy brings Nick the bag of evidence that could incriminate Steve. Ultimately, Perez decides to let Jen go and pretend that they were never in the woods. That would be much easier if someone hadn’t seen them, something that could cause some trouble down the line.
The second season ends with Ben getting a mysterious phone call that leads him to drink and get behind the wheel. He gets in an accident, hitting the car that Jen and Judy are driving; he then fleas the scene before they see it’s him. Meanwhile, Charlie finds Jen’s letter to Judy, which doesn’t say specifically what happened, but hints at Judy’s role in Ted’s death.
“Dead to Me” Season 3 begins streaming on Netflix on Nov. 17.
