The series is a special comedy about Jane, a woman who seems to be in a state of sadness and anger after her husband's sudden death. Over time, Jane meets the sad estate agent Judy, a girl whose life seems to be inextricably intertwined. Amid growing anger over the stalled investigation into her husband's death, Jane seems to coexist ideally through a more intertwined life with Judy, an anarchist character, both portraying a series of strong friendship.
It's fun to watch Applegate and Cardellini so skillfully handle the show's erratic tonal range, as it constantly segues from deadly serious to appreciably absurd, with the more serious side usually prevailing.
It's undeniably exciting to see Cardellini and Applegate, two rock-solid TV veterans who have rarely gotten roles worthy of their skills in recent years, play off each other and rip into material that asks so much of them.
It's a decent and sometimes perceptive examination of grief. And it's a very thin and rushed murder mystery that isn't exactly perfectly suited to 10 half-hour episodes... Check out the show for Cardellini and Applegate. They're worth it.
Dead to Me's later episodes try to lean on character drama whenever possible, and Applegate and (especially) Cardellini get some strong moments as various truths come to light.
Dead to Me is a standout series, plain and simple. It's the kind of show Netflix was made for. It's a show that walks a variety of lines while managing to be fulfilling at every turn.
The series does creatively spin its wheels over the course of these ten episodes... It's easier to forgive some of these faults because of Applegate and Cardellini's performances, which are enough to get you through to the end of the season.
Only the pacing and occasional glib comment give the sense that humor is present, for "Dead To Me" provides no indication it has a sense of humor at all.
