Dead to Me Review: Grief and Guilt Are Strange Beasts (Season 1 Episodes 4-7)

As Jen and Judy’s bond deepens, that “dirty little secret” draws us closer and closer to the inevitable on Dead to Me Season 1, Episodes 4-7

The fireworks are being slowly set up, folks. It’s just going to take the full season for us to see them go off.

Four more episodes into this black comedy, and I must admit there are fewer actual cliffhangers than the first three installments implied. With or without them, though, the level of drama hasn’t dropped a bit.

At this point, the actual plot of the show remains largely a vehicle for shock value. Thankfully, there’s still plenty of great acting, writing, and style to carry us through a bit of theater of the absurd.

For what its worth, everything is explored with enough thought and depth that it almost makes us understand the rationales on display– key word being “almost.”

First, there’s the news that Ted was indeed an adulterer, and a serial one at that. His time of death saw him a year and a half deep into a relationship with a waitress named Brandy.

It makes sense to use this as a tool to potentially soften of the blow of the truth that will eventually be revealed. Judy certainly sees it as much when Jen verges on outright loathing for her dead husband.

Still, we must get where we are going, even if we don’t want to. That means the pursuit of justice must continue, and the reality of Ted’s cheating is kid of left hanging, at least for now.

That brings us to our main question: what is Judy’s thought process in any action that she takes? Is this a woman terrified of a looming fate or one who needs the truth to come out, no matter the cost to her?

We’ve seen hints of this debate already when Steve talks her out of coming forward in earlier episodes. Even then, it’s a conclusion Judy marches toward out of a guilt and obligation. She clearly dreads what’s to come.

The point is nailed down continuously. She races to hide her car only to find that Steve has already done so. The news that evidence has been found anyway leaves her vomiting into the sink. The truth is no longer a blessing for her in any way.

Why, then, take a lead role in involving her new romantic partner as private investigator. Despite her terror everywhere else, working with Nick doesn’t appear to be something she does with no other choice—she engages him willingly.

Perhaps it’s the openly acknowledged codependent relationship between Judy and Jen. Perhaps Judy really is this screwed up by what she’s done. Either way, there’s just no way that facilitating your own murder conviction doesn’t stretch the realms of what we can believe.

Everything that doesn’t propel this plot forward, even issues with Jen’s sons that involve emotional outburst, drugs, and guns, only sticks around for an episode or two. Personally, I’d like to see more of those things.

Thankfully, strange and frustrating as it can be, Dead to Me keeps its edge going strong. There’s a little less easy humor, but there’s plenty of sharp wit. It’s part of what keeps us in Jen and Judy’s spell.

No matter what we feel about how this will end, it’s hard not to be drawn to it. With anxiety, a twisted kind of excitement, and a dread that entertainment somehow makes us look forward to, we won’t be getting off this runaway train until the end.

 

What did you think of these episodes of Dead to Me? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Dead to Me is now streaming on Netflix.

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