Dead To Me: Season 3's Funniest Moments, Ranked
If you've ever wondered how Linda Cardellini and Christina Applegate's enviable friendship began, the answer lies in three seasons of "Dead to Me." Playing two women (Jen Harding and Judy Hale) who meet at a grief support group, the pair eventually get embroiled in criminal activity. First airing in 2019, the Netflix original is known for its dry wit in serious situations, injecting a sarcastic and sassy sense of humor into every scene possible. Jen and Judy's friendship thrives on what they can turn into a joke, leaving the world laughing with them rather than at them.
By the end of Season 2, Judy and Jen were left in a nasty hit-and-run accident, setting up Season 3 for even more disaster. Fans were quick to comment on Season 3's hilarity; the show hadn't lost any steam since its first outing three years earlier. Whether there should be a Season 4 is a divisive question, but in the meantime, Season 3 has left us with plenty to laugh about. Don't take Jen and Judy's word for it — here are the funniest moments in Season 3 of "Dead to Me," ranked.
Spoilers ahead.
14. Judy doesn't follow up
There's possibly nothing "Dead to Me" does better than tackling a deadly serious topic with a healthy dose of humor. At the start of "Look at What We Have Here," Jen accompanies Judy to her CT scan and learns her pregnancy in Season 2 was actually just an abnormal pap smear. Missing her original follow-up appointment, Judy claims she's "following up now" when Jen freaks out in the waiting room. It's the starting point for Judy's Season 3 arc, dealing with the fact she has cervical cancer as the show progresses. True to their unique and enviable friendship, the pair break the tension with killer laughs and sassy comebacks.
Not only is Jen quick to square up to the receptionist who overlooks Judy's appointment, but she also critiques the ironic choice of a death-wish playlist blasting into the waiting room. While the songs all center around dying, Judy takes a moment to convince Jen to manifest better things for Ben and the bird, resulting in the epic comeback: "You realize that if everyone sat around just hoping that s*** would happen, nothing would ever happen?" Not only is Jen right, but it's also an intelligent quip at Judy's lack of attention to her vaginal wellness. It might be a tough subject matter, but Judy says it best — she had an ex-fiancé to bury first.
13. Is Glenn a nice guy?
After the drama of the episode's earlier scan, Jen and Judy prove they can be just as scathing from a distance as they are together. Each on the phone to each other in their cars, the two discuss the FBI agent that might be onto them following the piece of bird found in Steve's head. The agent in question is Glenn Moranis — though Jen quickly dubs him "Moron" — with whom Judy reveals she'd been cooperating last season. The two argue over whether Glenn is a nice guy or not, providing fans with some of the best snappy back-and-forths seen in Season 3.
Whether it's Jen furiously concentrating or Judy continuing to eat a bag of chips while she relays her gossip, this scene is a hilarious masterclass in what makes their onscreen chemistry so special. Jen pokes fun at Judy's ability to be positive in any given situation, with Judy not missing a beat with her retort: "Miracles happen every day." While Season 3 can sometimes get bogged down in the serious drama that overshadows its conclusion, moments like this bring fans straight back to the lighthearted banter they know and love.
12. Jen does origami at Judy's appointment
What could be more painful than sitting through a round of chemotherapy? According to Judy, it's watching Jen try and fold an origami duck. In "We're Gonna Beat This Thing," Jen is trying her hardest to support Judy, both through her treatment and working with the FBI. Starting the session by playing the role of in-flight attendant, Jen's never-ending Mary Poppins bag of treats for Judy is both giggle-inducing and endearing to watch. The pair have truly been through thick and thin over the course of three seasons, and when it counts, it shows. Judy is understandably nervous, but it soon falls to Jen to be left in a state of anguish. For Judy's entertainment, Jen proceeds to try and fold 1,000 cranes, quickly losing her patience over the instructions.
If there's anything effective enough to take Judy's mind off of her treatment, it's painstaking origami. Taking the spotlight away from Jen's memories of chemo from her past, this lighthearted blast of silliness is a breath of fresh air. If getting frustrated over colored paper isn't enough, Jen decides to test-drive "cance" to describe Judy's cancer. It's catchy and it works — and perfectly highlights their inseparable friendship.
11. Jen and Judy play it cool at the party
With so much going on in Season 3 of "Dead to Me," the last thing Jen and Judy need is a surprise. In the episode "We Didn't Think This Through," Yolanda reveals in a grief group meeting that she is marking her partner's anniversary on her own after his favorite karaoke bar closed down. Judy lets slip that Henry has a karaoke machine to hand, plunging the two head-first into spontaneous party planning. Jen's immediate reaction of "I'm going to kill you" neatly sums up their party spirit, citing the event as the last thing she needs in her life right now. With the FBI "crawling up her crack" and a huge leak in the kitchen, Yolanda's party seems to be heading toward hilarious disaster — and it delivers.
Kicking off with some funny yet questionable mic testing from Shandy, the party feels about as enjoyable as a mortgage payment when it kicks into full swing. Jen and Judy are able to play it cool while Yolanda belts out "Can't Get Enough of Your Love," though Jen makes no secret of how much of a terrible time she's having. As they speak to different party guests, their yin-and-yang styles make for the perfect comedic double act, letting the mundane hilarity of the party itself do the heavy lifting. For fans at least, it's a good job that Judy volunteered them in the first place.
10. Jen doesn't want to go on the boat
By the episode "We've Reached the End," we're pretty sure how "Dead to Me" looks set to end. Even so, humor finds a way to creep in — and nowhere is that more apparent than Jen's persistent reluctance to get in the boat. After the two have their "Thelma & Louise" moment at the start of the episode, their escape to Mexico ramps up a notch. Struggling to relax thanks to her pregnancy, Judy suggests they take the house's wooden boat out on the water. Jen immediately kicks back, with Judy stating that she is "more of a 'no' person." Knowing it's going to be one of the last times we will see their friendship come first, every tasty morsel of humor becomes even more hilarious. Christina Applegate's delivery of why she hates boats is pitched to perfection, while Linda Cardellini stays true to Judy's lovable style and talks Jen around.
Not only do we eventually savor Jen sailing the sea waves, but finding the boat reveals one last twist in the season finale. While opening the garage to find the paddles for the boat, the pair stumble upon the original Mustang that has been put back together. It's a great way to intercept what could have been a stale moment, bringing us straight back to the hilarity of Jen not getting her own way. Little does Jen know, she looks really good riding along the big blue sea.
9. Judy tries to sell the house next door
With so much at stake during Season 3 of "Dead to Me," the girls decide to throw another spanner into the works by trying to sell the house next door to Judy's. The episode "We'll Find a Way" follows Jen and Judy juggling the balance between impromptu real estate and their increasing anxiety over the FBI. Jen is quick to give her best "Selling Sunset" performance, working the room while making the most of the open-house snack table. Meanwhile, Judy is quick to style out a hat while her hair starts to fall out, leading the pair to run into Glenn "Moron" Moranis, who's invited himself over. True to their personal style, the open house is chaos — and nothing spells out humor quite like a dose of hectic drama.
While their end game is actually quite sobering, watching Jen and Judy steal every moment they can to discuss their real problems is a game in itself. They've got no problem putting the world to rights and dropping the F-bomb in front of their potential customers, using their best jokes and sassy comebacks to figure out what comes next. If we were in a crisis, Jen and Judy are who we'd want on our side; if things don't go well, at least they can make it funny.
8. Jen's sass in the hospital
Before Judy spends a great deal of Season 3 in the hospital, it's Jen that has the first visit. The opening episode "We've Been Here Before" picks up at the scene of the car accident, with Jen being wheeled into the ER with a nasty head injury. It doesn't take long before Judy has to bring her up to speed, explaining that they were both hit by an unknown assailant. Jen's instant grogginess is akin to watching someone on painkillers after having their wisdom teeth removed, and it's just as funny to watch. Groaning with displeasure after everything Judy says, Christina Applegate's facial expressions are the star of the show.
Jen also hits on something else that's humorous about the Season 3 opening — the irony of the pair being involved in a car crash. Echoing the beginnings of Season 1, Judy is quick to agree, saying, "This one does feel kind of phoned in." Even through the worst, the two resume their friendship as if nothing else matters, and it's heartwarming for them to have time to appreciate each other before things get worse. Though Jen and Judy can't agree if they're cursed or blessed, they seamlessly bring the laughs to something that could easily be dramatic and scary.
7. Ben collapses
The other casualty from the opening episode of Season 3 is Ben, the drunken assailant that Jen and Judy are blissfully unaware of. Having managed to speed away from the scene of the crime, it almost gives us pleasure to see him turn up at Jen's door looking incredibly worse for wear. He starts to quiz Charlie on where she is as if nothing has happened, playing it as horribly cool as only a drunk person can. While Charlie is none the wiser about what has actually happened, he immediately sees the hilarity in Ben's current state. Being a funny drunk is always a winning combination, and Ben hits the nail on the head on a surface level.
When all else fails and you're noticeably in the wrong, childish responses will get you everywhere. Mimicking Charlie before collapsing on the front lawn, Ben's drunken commitment to his own lies is absolutely astounding, if not downright hilarious. For those that enjoy slapstick comedy, this scene delivers time and time again, polished off with Charlie's sigh of "Please don't be dead." If Charlie Chaplin was around to make gimmicks now, the results might look something like this.
6. Jen and Judy talk to the police
Jen, Judy, and their favorite onscreen company — the police. What could be better? The episode "We Need to Talk" takes us back to the classic "Dead to Me" moments that kicked off in Season 1. Following the car accident and Jen's release from the hospital, the cops begin to make their rounds and ask further probing questions. The scene's humorous tone is clear from the moment the doorbell rings, with Jen's neck brace making her unable to turn to see who's there. When they open the door, Jen and Judy's faux-horror grimaces meet two deadpan expressions that have clearly had enough of their antics.
It's a shot that mirrors the kind fans have seen since the first trailer dropped, and the laughs aren't far behind. The two put on the performance of their lives when asked to give their statements about the accident. Jen and Judy fall back into a pattern of lying they know all too well — so well, in fact, they can afford to be entertaining while they do it. They basically pantomime a serious crime, and the contrast between their silliness and the gravity of the conversation is very amusing.
5. Jen and Judy visit Karen
One of the show's more notable side characters, Karen, Jen's annoying neighbor, has been there since the moment "Dead to Me" first aired. We visit her journey with grief numerous times across the first two seasons. By the episode "We'll Find a Way," Karen helps break up the sadness and drama surrounding Jen and Judy. The two go to visit her at home, bringing Karen exactly the same version of Mexican lasagna that Jen had received in Season 1. Not only does the moment provide a laugh, but acts as a touching full-circle moment as the show draws to a close.
Once inside, Jen and Judy try to get back into the safe room, but are blindsided by Karen's presentation of old holiday photos of her and Jeff. The duo's immediate discomfort makes a hilarious scene for anyone who's ever been forced to sit through something they really weren't into. Judy and Jen try to convince Karen to delete the photos, prompting some killer one-liners in response to the shift in conversation. Karen's response that "he never let me" is sure to make fans spit their drinks in pure disbelief.
4. Judy and Jen talk about Ben
By the time Episode 7 rolls around, Judy and Jen have established a history with Ben. "Can We Be Honest?" follows Ben trying to make amends with the two friends. Jen and Ben's interactions are immediately awkward: they fail to fist-bump properly or finish the common "see you later, alligator" exchange once it's started, for example. Ben makes a graceless exit, hitting a chair on his way out. Judy and Jen then have a juicy conversation, during which Judy gets to the bottom of Jen and Ben's weirdness: Jen is pregnant with his baby. Fans have been waiting for Judy to find out for a few episodes by this point, and the results don't let us down.
Physical gags meet clever line delivery in this scene, with Jen both addressing the fact she's wearing a strange-looking poncho and spitting some classic sassy comebacks as a defense. Judy meets Jen at her comedic level, both providing clever wordplay with her "pregnant pause" remark and getting downright smutty by confronting Jen with the fact she "fell on his d***, twice." The will-they, won't-they moment moves at such a chaotic speed, we can't help but laugh at all the unnecessary drama.
3. Charlie walks in on Jen and Ben
Whether it's "American Pie" or an episode of "Friends," someone walking in on two people who shouldn't be together is a recipe for comedic gold. In the episode "We Didn't Think This Through," Charlie gets the surprise of his life after finding Ben and Jen in bed together. The two enjoy a touching heart-to-heart, offset by things not ending as well for Judy's night. Things quickly change when Ben leaves to use the bathroom and comes back to find Charlie trying to talk to Jen. The awkward laughs start from there, with Ben in the middle of negotiating the use of Jen's lavender bath wash. They're not able to convince Charlie that taking a bath first thing in the morning is a "normal thing to do" before a leak in the kitchen rudely interrupts them.
Fans know that Jen and Ben are developing feelings for each other and thus also know that Charlie is in for a lot more awkwardness over the long haul — making their morning of tiptoeing around each other even more enjoyable to watch. The cringe factor goes up a notch when Ben offers to "snake out [Jen's] pipes," with Charlie adding, without missing a beat, "Again." This incredibly dysfunctional family has a lot of love at its heart, but Charlie will never let his mom live this down.
2. Jen and Judy attend Steve's funeral
Ah, the simpler times of Jen, Judy, and a good old funeral. By the episode "Where Do We Go Now?," fans are revisiting familiar territory when the pair attend Steve's funeral. Scouting out the service behind sunglasses with a shifty gaze, Jen and Judy agree to make a quick exit. They're immediately cornered by Ben, prompting him and Jen to share a hug fit for kids with cooties on the playground. To defuse the obvious tension, Ben suggests the two of them visit his mom Eileen (played by Frances Conroy), who's doing her "Balenciaga" screaming over by the coffin. If all funerals were as entertaining as this, they might not seem so daunting.
In this scene, we really get to see the inner cogs of Jen and Judy's friendship at work. Literally and figuratively leaning on each other to get through the day, their natural collective urge to talk rubbish at a million miles an hour is the ideal antidote to an emotionally taxing day. Bookending the scene, Judy copies a random woman who talks to them by adding "Girl" to the end of every sentence. Funerals are so sad, right girl?
1. Jen and Judy get serenaded by a mariachi band
When the end is nigh, the best humor finds its footing. With Judy literally on death's door and Jen's pregnancy progressing, their Mexican escape feels like the ideal ending for their friendship. Nowhere is that more apparent than in some of their last moments together in the final episode. After finding out that Jen is having a girl — and that Judy can miraculously speak Spanish — the pair hit a local restaurant, only to be met by a performing mariachi band. As the two are trying to tuck into their nachos and guacamole, their reactions are polar opposites. Jen shuts down to avoid their attention while Judy eggs them on, merrily clapping away to the beat.
It's often said that opposites attract, and this is true of Jen and Judy; their differences make them appreciate their similarities all the more. The two of them eventually get up to dance the night away. Jen's reaction of "I really hate you" is hilarious to watch, but it's also endearing to see them both get one last chance to be carefree together. Judy and Jen playfully sing along in gibberish, breaking out into hysterics with us at just how absurd everything is. In that moment, everything in "Dead to Me" is perfect.