Christina Applegate makes TV comeback in Netflix's dark comedy series 'Dead To Me'
Christina Applegate, a veteran of badass characters in sitcoms such as 'The Sweetest Thing' (2002) and 'Bad Moms' (2016), is finally getting her wish to come back to TV through Netflix's laughter-in-the-dark comedy series 'Dead To Me'.
The half-hour dark comedy series, which will be executively produced by Applegate, comes from 'Two Broke Girls' writer Liz Feldman alongside Will Ferrell ('Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy'), Adam McKay's Gloria Sanchez Prods. and CBS TV Studios.
The 10-episode straight-to-series, which has been described as a comedic 'Big Little Lies', will see Jen (played by Applegate) as an uptight widow, who isn't bothered enough to deal with her anger issues and internal conflicts after her husband's death in a hit-and-run accident.
The series will chiefly focus on Jen's friendship with a free spirit which confines within itself an even darker secret. It is unclear if the so-called free spirit is a real person or is a metaphorical term to signify the presence of Jen's dead husband. The buttoned up widow gives glimpses of being an extremely dark-humored person who often faces problems of keeping things together. In this regard, probably the free spirit is actually the spirit within her trying to calm down and let things go.
Netflix had reportedly given order for the 10-episode series in April to writer Liz Feldman who is executive producing with Ferrell, McKay and Jessica Elbaum of the female-centric Gloria Sanchez Prods. Deadline states that at Netflix 'Dead To Me' joins the comedy series 'American Vandal' from Ferrell and McKay's Funny or Die. Feldman is known to have an extensive broadcast comedy experience and is under an overall deal at CBS Studios. According to what Kate Adler, CBS TV Studios head of comedy, told Deadline in January, Feldman is said to have a particular passion for the kind of work that she does. She takes time to organize her thoughts before pitching and invariably comes up with an idea in its complete form and shape.
"She’s been on broadcast shows for us, but she had a passion project that she came in with. I still remember the first time I heard the pitch because it came in totally formed, and I think I let my notebook drop on the floor because it was just such an incredible story." Adler explained that 'Dead To Me' sounded like an incredible story which was clearly not destined to be on a network.
She said, "She told a really dark comedy that I would probably best describe as a comedic Big Little Lies. It was a plot-driven, really dark comedy that was clearly not meant to be on a network, it was clearly destined for premium cable or streaming.”
The show is set to be filmed this fall in Los Angeles and will see Applegate and McKay reunite after she starred in his 'Anchorman' films alongside Steve Carell. Applegate recently was seen on the big screen in the sequel of 'Bad Moms', 'Bad Moms Christmas'. She is repped by CAA, Management 360 and Hansen Jacobson.