Round Two: Dead to Me

Dead to Me: Season 1, Episode 2 “Maybe I’m Crazy” (B+)

I liked this second outing just as much as the first, mainly because it didn’t try to make Judy living with Jen and her sons seem like something normal. Charlie and Henry had different reactions to her being there, with a particularly contentious relationship smoothed over by the introduction of marijuana and pizza. Jen did notice that Judy was sleeping outside, which is definitely weird, and Judy seems to be acting strangely both because she’s just an odd person and because she feels so tremendously guilty for having been responsible for the death of her husband. It’s interesting to see the relationship developing between Steve and Jen even as he’s actively trashing Judy and taking out a restraining order on her. James Marsden is indeed charismatic, and therefore it was extremely intriguing to learn that he was in the passenger seat of the car during that fateful hit-and-run. Evidently that shared experience contributed to the dissolution of their relationship, but he’s much less innocent than he claims to be even if he thinks she’s crazy. I was pleased to recognize Ed Asner, who just showed up on last week’s episode of “Doom Patrol,” as a well-named character – Abe – who appears to be Judy’s closest confidante at the moment. It’s really something to see Jen exhibit her rage against those who are irresponsible drivers, calling the police repeatedly and then going to town with a purpose on that flashy yellow car when she happened upon it while they were out driving.