Liz Feldman, showrunner of the Netflix dark buddy comedy Dead to Me, explained that her decision to end the show after only three seasons was inspired by BBC’s Fleabag (created by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Solo: A Star Wars Story), per The Hollywood Reporter. Waller-Bridge decided that the second season of Fleabag would be the last season of the show.
Dead to Me‘s description reads, “A hotheaded widow searching for the hit-and-run driver who mowed down her husband befriends an eccentric optimist who isn’t quite what she seems” (Netflix). Christina Applegate (The Sweetest Thing, Bad Moms) plays Jen Harding, the distraught widow, and Linda Cardellini (Scooby Doo, Brokeback Mountain) plays Judy Hale, the eccentric optimist who befriends Jen Harding.
Liz Feldman said that she is very excited about ending the show after its third season. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, she said, “Halfway through shooting season two, an idea came to me that felt very true to the show — and I realized that it could be a really great way to end it. It does sort of launch from the end of season two and that cliffhanger. A lot of it is intuitional. I follow my gut with these things. Also, I was inspired by [Fleabag creator] Phoebe Waller-Bridge. She just decided that two seasons of her wonderful show was enough. I think that’s an incredibly self-controlled way to deal with success.” Feldman does express some regret with ending the show early, saying that the chemistry between Applegate and Cardellini is incredible, but she is nevertheless set on ending the show.
Along with Liz Feldman, WIll Ferrell (Blades of Glory, Anchorman), Adam McKay (The Other Guys, Vice), Jessica Elbaum (Booksmart, Hustlers), Applegate, and Christie Smith (Kroll Show, Tosh.0) executive produce the show.