I was deliberating on what should be my first review on my blog. I’ve never blogged before so I am not even really all that sure where to start. So many questions came to mind: What to Review? What angle do I take? Do I need a coffee right now? Should it contain spoilers? and so many other questions…

I thought, do I discuss the new Avengers: Endgame movie? However I decided that that particular movie already has a plethora of articles dedicated to it and at this point lets be honest its probably been done to death… which got me thinking about a Netflix series I stumbled on last Sunday Night called ‘Dead to Me’. What is it you may ask? Is it worth the watch?

I had heard literally nothing about the series when I stumbled on it. Its short but interesting advert that came across my Netflix screen had me and my husband intrigued. It was not the kind of thing we usually watch… but we figured we would chuck it on and if it didn’t grab us in the first fifteen minutes we would move on elsewhere in the Netflix realm.

We watched the entire thing. No not just the first episode… the entire series.. in the one night.

What is ‘Dead to Me’? It has been described as a kind of “Traumedy”. It features Jen played by Christina Applegate who has recently become a widow after her husbands sudden death after a hit and run. The first episode shows Jen adjusting to life 3 months after the fact unsatisfied and angry. She meets another woman at a grief counselling group called Judy played by Linda Cardellini who introduces herself and despite having lost her fiance recently goes out of her way to offer her support. The two end up quickly developing a bond of friendship out of their grief that is complicated but beautiful. If that sounds too mucky and girly for you, stick around anyway because the suspense, dark humour, drama and many twists and turns make the series a captivating ride. It’s actually pretty hard to say too much more without spoiling something as right out of the gate in the very first episode there are bombshells and revelations that make it just so juicy that you just got to keep watching.

The trailer does a good job in giving you a vibe for the series. You quickly love Jen’s no nonsense attitude and the stark contrast between Judy’s almost spiritual even at times superstitious heart. You really feel the characters pains and even at times betrayals. The series illustrates the cruel waves of grief but tempers it with humour so you never get too lost in it. Jen constantly searches for the person who killed and left her husband on the side of a road; a journey that is terrible, suspenseful and dangerous. Judy who is invited to live with Jen and her two sons in the first episode quickly becomes a question mark. Who is she? Is she insane? Is she safe to have around the house? What is she not telling? Providing drama, humour and strangely at times heart.

For those who want to know if the series is family friendly. Well, probably not.. but hey, I leave that to you. The series is rated a TV-MA so featuring pretty severe profanity at times (although not entirely distasteful in some situations); some mild sex scenes implied under sheets or with clothing on but no nudity; mild alcohol, drug and smoking use; and the intensity of the more suspenseful scenes is mild (not likely to give you a heart attack or anything); with a little mild gore/violence pertaining mostly to the hit and run incident. If the above give you cause to pause then it may not be for you. If you are still interested or are quick with the fast forward button, if that is a concern, then give it a go.

What would I rate it? Well its binge worthy. Like I stated at the outset, my husband and myself couldn’t stop ourselves from watching the entire series in the one night. So it’s not going to block out too much of your time. It’s extremely compelling and entertaining. I would give it a 9/10 as it was a pleasant surprise and different from a lot else I have seen recently.

Let me know what you think. Is this Trauma Comedy as watchable for you?

Until next time,

J. Vook (with a Video Book)