Season 2 of Dead to Me is now streaming on Netflix, and things go from bad to worse for both Jen (Christina Applegate) and Judy (Linda Cardellini) in the aftermath of Steve's (James Marsden) death. The two women continue to be brought together not just by a deepening emotional connection but by their escalating list of crimes.
Throughout season 1, Jen is primarily a victim, and her misdeeds are the result of a mixture of loss and anger. But during season 2, Jen transitions from a grieving widow to someone willing to go to great lengths to protect herself from being held accountable for Steve's murder. Jen may not be a bad person, but she's capable of committing some despicable acts.
10 Loses It On A Client
Jen's temper is due to more than Ted's death. Her rage goes back to his rejection of her following her double mastectomy, and as viewers learn in season 2, it also hinges on unresolved grief regarding her own mother's death. Throughout season 1, Jen unleashes her fury on multiple victims, but her most undeserving is an obnoxious potential home buyer.
Jen is still processing seeing the crime scene photos she insists Detective Perez (Diana Maria Riva) show her, and this woman's annoying demeanor pushes her over the edge, causing Jen to scream obscenities at her. The audience feels more sympathy for Jen than the person she verbally abuses, but it's still over the line and Jen gets fired because of it.
9 Offers To Sell Steve's House
After discovering during season 1 that Steve is very much alive and well...off, Jen learns Judy is a liar. But Jen does her best to make lemonade out of lemons by offering to sell Steve's massive bachelor pad. The decision turns out to be a fortuitous one since she gains more insight into Judy's miscarriages, making her more pitiable than dangerous.
This is important since the night before, Judy is presented with a restraining order. A tour of the house also reveals that when it comes to their relationship, Steve is the one calling all the shots. Steve also gives Jen some solid advice, warning wherever Judy goes, chaos follows.
8 Mean To Her Neighbor
Karen (Suzy Nakamura) is the well-meaning neighbor who delivers casseroles and whom Jen makes feel awkward and uncomfortable for going to the trouble. After learning Judy killed her husband, Jen tries hanging with Karen, whose bland neediness is a stark contrast to Judy's personality.
Soon, Jen finds herself using Karen's inclination for nosiness to help cover her tracks. What she fails to do is give Karen a heads up that her husband is gay, and she calls the woman a drunk when Karen mistakes Ben for Steve. Poor Karen is used and abused for trying to be a good neighbor.
7 Vandalizes A Car
Throughout season 1, Jen is on the hunt for the car and driver responsible for her husband's death. Not only does she focus her energy into tracking down a killer, but she also grows suspicious of any reckless drivers in the area. She has several run-ins with a fancy yellow sports car.
When Jen encounters the empty car, she's feeling empowered. So, she takes a golf club and bashes up the pricey automobile. This is just another way Jen misdirects her rage, channeling it into something she feels she has control over.
6 Kills Steve
Jen's anger slow builds throughout season 1, but when it hits its zenith, her target isn't Judy. Steve comes searching for Judy, and he's so used to bullying his former fiancée, he underestimates Jen's response. The audience doesn't learn until season 2 how Steve manages to trigger all of Jen's worst impulses.
Steve taps into her insecurities that not only was she a bad wife, but she was also horrible enough to send Ted looking for a permanent out. Steve is walking away when Jen bashes his head in, so it isn't premeditated, but she just can't bring herself to let him walk away. She regrets her impulsive and deadly behavior, but it's too late.
5 Lies To Judy
Judy isn't exactly in a position to take the moral high ground when it comes to murder, but Jen knows Judy has conflicted feelings when it comes to her ex-fiancé. Jen claims self-defense, knowing Judy won't question the story given her toxic relationship with Steve.
Jen also can't come to terms with the cold-bloodedness of the act. She's traumatized by the vicious encounter, and the outcome proves that her anger issues are completely out of control.
4 Organizes Steve's Memorial
Jen offers to organize Steve's memorial for Ben, who just isn't emotionally in a position to take on the task. But her motivation isn't entirely altruistic. Jen sees a way to keep the heat off herself, believing nobody will suspect she has anything to do with his death if she's doing something so public in support of the family. What she doesn't know is that this doesn't eliminate her as a suspect at all. Instead, it shines a big spotlight on her and Judy.
3 Destroys Steve's Car
Season 1 focuses on Judy's attempt to cover up Ted's death, but season 2 turns things around, making Jen the one with multiple secrets she has to keep. No sooner does she clean up one mess then another one springs up to take its place. Further complicating matters is Charlie's (Sam McCarthy) involvement. Realizing this key piece of evidence is possibly more problematic than disposing of Steve's body, Jen decides to torch yet another link between herself and his death.
2 Sleeps With Ben
It's hard for viewers not to root for Jen and Ben to get together. They have a great connection, but most of it is based on a huge lie. Jen is in desperate need of validation after Ted's repeated rejections, but sleeping with the twin brother of the man she murdered isn't the best way to get it. If Ben knew the truth, his feelings would undoubtedly change.
She immediately regrets her actions, which means rejecting Ben whose feelings for her run pretty deep. Where Ben is concerned, Jen is repeatedly dishonest and manipulative, and on top of it all, she breaks his heart.
1 Tells Judy To Break Up With Michelle
Jen is initially supportive of Judy's burgeoning romance with Michelle (Natalie Morales), but that changes when Judy reveals that not only did Michelle date Detective Perez but the two still live together. Despite Judy's tragic past when it comes to romantic relationships, Jen insists Judy breaks things off with Michelle because the risk to her is too great.
Judy agrees because she'll do anything to gain and keep Jen's approval regardless of the effect it has on her own life. Jen turns out to be a hypocrite since she acts on her attraction to Ben even though he poses a far bigger threat than Michelle when it comes to uncovering the truth.
from ScreenRant - Feed https://ift.tt/3bXYuHH
0 Comments