'Dead to Me' star Sam McCarthy says his character Charlie is selfish only because he's 16: 'He can catch a break'
Spoilers for 'Dead to Me' Season 2
When Sam McCarthy first read the script of 'Dead to Me' two years ago, he thought it was an interesting story. "It's kind of as much as it is like a thriller and a suspense store in a dark comedy," he says. But what makes the series unique is the partnership between Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini as Jen and Judy respectively — "We don't really have enough of those [friendship stories]."
'Dead to Me' is a dark comedy about Jen and Judy, who first meet as grieving women and then become accomplices in a crime. Then ensues a thrilling, often hilarious and heartwarming tale of friendship and crime — a modern-day Thelma and Louise, if you may. Applegate received a nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. McCarthy plays the role of Charlie Harding, Jen's older son, who like most teenagers on Netflix has an attitude problem and often ends up really complicating things for his mother (and by extension, her accomplice-cum-BFF).
The actor thinks that his character Charlie has been through a lot with losing a father to a hit and run. "In Season 1, Charlie nursed animosity and frustration over the death of his father. Then in Season 2, we see Charlie coming into himself and opening up a little bit more," he tells us in an exclusive interview. Over the course of the last two seasons, Charlie has been the source of immense stress to Jen — not her younger son Henry (Luke Roessler) though. Often, he doesn't do it intentionally to get at his mother, except that time when he left the house to live with his grandmother, but only out of his teenage angst. For instance, jumping the gun on that car his mother was supposed to get him in Season 2.
Even so, the actor prefers to see the brighter side — Charlie is getting better. "I think he's a kid who is tough and is he's maturing and healing."
"He's acted selfishly and immaturely, but given the circumstances, I think he can catch a break for that to some extent," McCarthy says. "Obviously there are a lot of immature things that Charlie has done. But the thing to keep in mind is that he is 16," he reminds us. Soon after his father passed, "a woman moved into his house and more crazy things continue to happen throughout season two. So yes, he's kind of acted selfishly and immaturely."
Much like its predecessor, the show ended on a cliffhanger this time around too. Will there be an upcoming season to resolve the end? "I know as much as you or anybody else," McCarthy tells us. "I would absolutely be ecstatic. If we got a third season, that would be amazing. But I have not heard anything yet." But he promises that we might know soon. "Last year, we knew about a month after season one came out." However, rest assured, given the state of the world, it will be a while till things really get set into motion.
Both seasons of 'Dead to Me' are currently streaming on Netflix.