Top 10 Shocking Dead to Me Moments

Based on Jen’s grief, we’re led to believe that Ted was an ideal husband and that they had a strong marriage. Checking out her dearly departed husband’s laptop, however, Jen discovers that Ted was cheating with somebody under the username bambi88. This turns out to be a much younger waitress named Bambi, who Jen and Judy meet while sitting down to an awkward, heartbreaking dinner. Ted and Bambi were indeed making beautiful music together - in more ways than one - for over a year. Judy drops the bombshell that Ted is dead, but Bambi drops an even bigger one: Ted told his girlfriend/mistress that his wife died. While there were signs that their marriage was deteriorating, sometimes people just see what they want to see.

Given Steve’s fate at the end of Season 1, we all wondered how actor James Marsden would factor into future episodes. Would Steve continue to appear regularly in flashbacks or was this just a single season deal for Mr. Marsden? Throughout the Season 2 premiere, Judy repeatedly ignores calls from an unknown number. It’s eventually revealed that the mystery caller is Ben, Steve’s (almost) identical twin brother. In another show, the twin brother trope may seem like an all-too-convenient coincidence. In a dramedy like “Dead to Me,” though, it’s a legitimately unexpected and funny twist that fits the show’s satirically soapy tone. Plus, the only thing better than one James Marsden is two James Marsdens!

With Steve out of the picture for good, Judy moves on with a woman named Michelle. The two quickly hit it off and it appears Judy may be able to settle into a healthy relationship for a change. The only hiccup is that Michelle still lives with her ex-girlfriend. What seems like relatively small baggage at first turns out to be bigger than the airplane. Michelle’s ex just so happens to be Ana Perez, the police detective intertwined in Ted’s car accident, Steve’s money laundering, and various other dilemmas that all tie back to Judy. Perez is so annoyed with Judy that she never wants to see her again, least of all in her ex’s bed. Well, that’s going to be an uncomfortable morning after.

Throughout Season 1, the guilt of accidentally running over Ted bears down on Judy to the point that she can barely contain the truth. When Judy approaches Perez with something important to say, it’s suspected that the cat will finally come out of the bag. Vehicular manslaughter isn’t the only secret that Judy has been sitting on, however. Instead of confessing her own crime, Judy reveals that Steve has been laundering money. While we knew that Steve was sketchy, we didn’t anticipate the full extent of his criminal activity. What’s especially surprising is that Judy’s the one who rats him out, given her hopeless devotion to their toxic relationship. Judy’s not off the hook either, as her evidence against Steve left an oil trail behind.

The first season revolves around Judy’s secret about how Ted died. In a clever reversal of misfortunes, Season 2 finds Jen harboring a secret from Judy about Steve’s death. Cleaning up the crime scene together, Jen tells Judy that Steve physically attacked her, giving her no choice but to fight back. In reality, Steve said some horrible things to Jen and anger got the best of her. Jen finally fesses up when Judy plans to turn herself in for the hit-and-run. Although this confrontation initially drives them apart, the scene ends with Judy breaking down in tears and Jen comforting her. Despite their “Odd Couple” dynamic, Jen and Judy share matching emotional scars and this devastating yet hopeful moment is a testament to their friendship.

As Season 2 winds down, it looks like everything is going to work out for our main characters. Not only are Jen and Judy off the hook (for the time being at least), but they’re in the money! They celebrate by purchasing Charlie a car for his birthday and making plans for a getaway. That stop sign Jen fought so hard to get put up, though, can’t prevent the next disaster looming around the bend. The new car is suddenly struck by another vehicle. The driver responsible is none other than Ben, who turned to the bottle after receiving an upsetting phone call. Like his late brother, Ben’s instinct is to drive off, unknowing that Jen and Judy are the ones he hit.

The Season 2 finale begins with Jen standing on Perez’s doorstep, ready to tell her what happened to Steve. The conversation gets sidetracked when Perez opens up about Michelle moving out, briefly leading us to believe that maybe Jen won’t confess right then and there. This makes it all the more surprising when Jen outright admits to taking Steve’s life. In another unforeseen twist, Perez doesn’t take Jen down to the station, but instead escorts her to the body’s burial site. Relating to Jen’s tragic circumstances and receiving a crucial text from Nick, Perez gives her a Get Out of Jail Free card. As the show’s most straightlaced character, it’s nice to see that Perez also has a human side, understanding that justice is multifaceted.

The first major twist comes in the pilot when Jen learns that Judy lied about having a dead fiance. Having formed such a strong bond with Judy over their shared grief, Jen feels betrayed to find that Steve is still alive and is actually her ex-fiance. This is far from the biggest secret Judy has been keeping from Jen, however. Delivering enough twists to make a pretzel, the pilot ends with Judy going to a storage unit where she’s keeping a 1966 Mustang with some considerable damage on the front. In case there was any doubt, it’s soon confirmed that this was the car that ran over Ted and Judy was behind the wheel. This may be the beginning of a beautiful friendship… question mark...

We knew sooner or later Judy would have to be honest with Jen about Ted’s death, but that still didn’t prepare us for the big reveal. Sitting by the pool (which will become another crime scene in time), Judy gives a play-by-play of the awful night that changed their lives forever and the aftermath. All the while, Jen just listens to her account, too stunned to say anything. The whole season has been building towards this crucial moment and it’s even more difficult to watch than expected. The greatest gut punch comes when Judy begs for Jen’s forgiveness, valuing their friendship above all else. Jen only has three blunt words for Judy, which hit almost as hard as a car crash.


Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Steve Was in the Car Too
“Maybe I’m Crazy”

There’s Always Money in the Portraits
“Where Do We Go from Here”

Charlie Finds His Mother’s Confession Letters
“Where Do We Go from Here”

Jen Burns the Mustang
“The Price You Pay”

Discovering that Steve was in the car that night, Jen pieces together that he pushed Judy to keep driving after hitting Ted. Feeling threatened, Jen pulls out a gun with tensions rising. Judy, meanwhile, is prepared to take Jen’s harsh words to heart, having lost everyone she loves. Before Judy can take her own life, though, she receives an urgent call from Jen. When Judy arrives at the house, Jen shows her Steve, lying face down in the pool, dead as a doornail. You know what they say: an eye for an eye, a cheating husband for an ex-fiance. It was a killer way to close out the season, leaving us to wonder how Jen and Judy would clean up this wet, bloody mess.