Here’s why ‘Dead to Me’ is worth your vote in the Bingewatch Awards

If you ever needed finite proof that fandoms rule TV shows (and not the other way around), you need to keep up with TV polls. In recent weeks, we’ve seen the Shadowfam, Lucifans, Earpers, and every other fandom under the sun flock to online polls to vote for their favorite shows (and show support for their fellow fandom warriors).

In these bold new bingewatching times, TV networks and platforms can’t rely on the old outdated Nielsen ratings system to track the viewing habits of their audiences, so making renewal decisions can be harder than ever.

A show may have a pitifully low number of live viewers (we’re looking at You on Lifetime) but clean up on catchup viewing and streaming platform bingewatcher views. Because audience numbers are more “fluid” than ever, fandom polls are paying a part in influencing decision-makers when it comes time to renew a show.

As you well know, we’re dedicated to keeping the shows on air that our fandom family loves, so it’s high time we dive into the TV poll world to help our favorite shows stay around or be saved.

We’re going to share the results of our polls with complete data, metrics, and geographic information publicly, so if any studios are on the fence about a renewal, they can see just how large and dedicated each fandom is for their shows. (Don’t worry: your personal data is always safe with us here. We wouldn’t dream of sharing names, email addresses, IP addresses, or anything of the like.)

Here’s why Dead to Me is worth your votes.

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Boozy bitches? Check. Flawed, beautiful women (and excellent actresses with perfect timing)? Check. Glossy California real estate? Check. Dark secrets? Check. Handsome men that are not as they seem? Check. Families in strife? Check. Gay BFF with a sharp tongue and a heart of gold? Check. Wine glasses and cocktails before lunchtime? Check.

Perfect episode length? Check. Total and utter watchability? Check.

The bastard child of Desperate Housewives, Big Little Lies, The Affair, and The Sinner

Starring Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini as complicated new BFFs – they meet at a grief counselling group and we quickly realize all is not as it seems with either leading lady – it’s almost like Netflix fed its supercomputer the shows in the heading above.

While that sounds terrifying, it’s actually a good thing. (Tech to the rescue!) When the Netflix AI spat Dead to Me back at us, it took away the annoying length and overwrought plotlines from the aforementioned prestige TV dramas and created a perfectly bite-sized comedy thriller to get you clicking “Next” at the end of every episode.

It’s beautiful to watch

Dead to Me’s cinematography is as beautiful as Big Little Lies but in a 30-minute format. Conveniently, Jen (Christina Applegate) is a realtor by profession, which means we get to see inside the homes of the rich and fabulous of oceanside haven Laguna Beach.

Judy’s (Linda Cardellini) on-off boyfriend is a successful millionaire with a coterie of beautiful real estate to his name. It’s a joy to see the chaos happening inside these perfectly manicured homes, showing us that even people who live in mansions have little problems just like us.

It takes the “sisters doing it for themselves” trope – and flips it on its head

We’re keeping this piece spoiler-free, so it’s hard for us to dig deep into this point – but bear with us. Jen & Judy become fast friends, but it’s based on lies that come with a yachtload of caveats.

As the season progresses, we see this relationship take on a codependent, toxic nature that comes to a head in the season finale. These ladies have come full circle, swapping the toxic relationships they have with their ex-partners for a relationship based on need for each other.

The progression is painful to watch but brilliantly executed. These women are flawed, and they’re not saved by making friends with other women – in fact, the deeper their relationship becomes, the worse off they become.