Dead to Me: Dead 2 Me
May 10, 2020 7:26 PM - Season 2 (Full Season) - Subscribe
We start right where we left off last year.
And from there, we get Natalie Morales! Katey Sagal! Jere Burns! James Marsden! wait, James Marsden?
And from there, we get Natalie Morales! Katey Sagal! Jere Burns! James Marsden! wait, James Marsden?
Finished binging on Mother's Day, of course, and this wasn't quite as good as the first season, but they went at this season a little differently: Pretty much the whole first season was twists that upended everything that came before: "Oh wait, Steve's not dead!" "Oh wait, Judy hit Ted!" "Oh wait, Steve was there!" "Oh wait, Jen and Ted's marriage was basically over anyway!" But in this season, there was really only one secret that we didn't know about at the beginning, and honestly, it didn't really change much of what we'd seen previously.
So instead, they had to hang everything on a couple of major coincidences, neither of which really felt earned. Michelle just happened to bring her mom to the rest home where Judy works? And of course, the big one at the end that I won't spoil quite yet in case Thorzdad looks at his Recent Activity before finishing.
This season felt, more and more with each episode, like the middle part of a trilogy. They're going to wrap everything up (as much as they can) next season (especially with the next-door neighbor, I figure), and I look forward to it, but in the absence of a big twist reveal early next season, this one will go down as sufficient-and-necessary-but-not-gripping.
posted by Etrigan at 8:48 AM on May 11, 2020
So instead, they had to hang everything on a couple of major coincidences, neither of which really felt earned. Michelle just happened to bring her mom to the rest home where Judy works? And of course, the big one at the end that I won't spoil quite yet in case Thorzdad looks at his Recent Activity before finishing.
This season felt, more and more with each episode, like the middle part of a trilogy. They're going to wrap everything up (as much as they can) next season (especially with the next-door neighbor, I figure), and I look forward to it, but in the absence of a big twist reveal early next season, this one will go down as sufficient-and-necessary-but-not-gripping.
posted by Etrigan at 8:48 AM on May 11, 2020
Mod note: Hey, sorry, but I edited the above the fold to remove the spoiler for the first season. Let me know if you would like to change the text to something else (non-spoilery), Etrigan.
posted by taz (staff) at 1:27 AM on May 12, 2020
posted by taz (staff) at 1:27 AM on May 12, 2020
I'm chiming in a little late here.
I didn’t think a second season was needed, but after watching it, I’m glad they did it. I enjoyed the performances, the female relationships, and James Marsden’s new character (goofy, kind, and damaged). Are there too many coincidences? Yes, but most are for the sake of illustrating karma and just felt right to me. Jen and Judy have made mistakes (BIG ones) but they take ownership, apologize, and open themselves to forgiveness and love. I think it’s significant the Judy was willing to forgive her mother but recognized the insincerity of her mother’s apology. I love her arc of learning to set boundaries.
posted by kbar1 at 1:43 PM on May 24, 2020
I didn’t think a second season was needed, but after watching it, I’m glad they did it. I enjoyed the performances, the female relationships, and James Marsden’s new character (goofy, kind, and damaged). Are there too many coincidences? Yes, but most are for the sake of illustrating karma and just felt right to me. Jen and Judy have made mistakes (BIG ones) but they take ownership, apologize, and open themselves to forgiveness and love. I think it’s significant the Judy was willing to forgive her mother but recognized the insincerity of her mother’s apology. I love her arc of learning to set boundaries.
posted by kbar1 at 1:43 PM on May 24, 2020
I liked it, but it did have a "retooled" feel to it. The first 2-4 episodes were just so magical that I almost gave up. Jen and Judy snap back together! A previously-unknown twin, how perfect! Watch out, gotta dance around that body in the garage freezer! A danger-mediating overlap with the police investigator!
In the first season I felt like the plot was being physically pushed along by the characters, where in the second they were just on a ride for a few episodes to set up the rest of the season. Not sure how the Holy Harmonies thread was useful, and in general the kids are very Weeds-like in this season.
posted by rhizome at 4:07 PM on May 25, 2020
In the first season I felt like the plot was being physically pushed along by the characters, where in the second they were just on a ride for a few episodes to set up the rest of the season. Not sure how the Holy Harmonies thread was useful, and in general the kids are very Weeds-like in this season.
posted by rhizome at 4:07 PM on May 25, 2020
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posted by Thorzdad at 4:29 AM on May 11, 2020 [1 favorite]