After three seasons dead to me came to a bittersweet (and super sad) end on Netflix in November 2022. The final season left no stone unturned and answered all of our questions and then some, and even included another appearance from Katey Sagal.
The Golden Globe-winning actress guest-stars dead to me as Eleanor Hale, the estranged mother of Linda Cardellini’s character Judy. We first meet Eleanor from prison in Season 2 when Judy finally makes the decision to visit her mother.
As luck would have it, Judy repairs her relationship with Eleanor (well, as good as she can fix things) to an extent that she plays a major role in helping Jen and Judy. Who doesn’t love a good redemption arc? Especially when it’s played by an actress as gifted as Sagal.
But is Sagal allowed to work with former TV daughter Christina Applegate? This is a question that many people probably ask themselves when binge-watching dead to me even more for fans of Married with children. Let’s dive into the role played by Katey Sagal in the Emmy-nominated Netflix series.
Katey Sagal Dead to Me role
While Katey Sagal makes her debut appearances as Judy’s mother, Eleanor dead to me In season 2, she and Christina Applegate do not share a scene together until season 3 episode 9. Before this episode were Sagal’s scenes with Linda Cardellini (then out of prison).
In the penultimate episode of the series, Jen opens her front door to find Eleanor, who she first mistakes for Judy. Since they had never met before, Jen asks if she knows who she is. Eleanor introduces herself as Judy’s mother and the two talk about Judy. The scene shifts from comedic to emotional when Jen reveals Judy’s cancer diagnosis, but seeing these two play together again is brilliant regardless of the material.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 14: (LR) Christina Applegate and Katey Sagal speak onstage during the Hollywood Walk of Fame Ceremony honoring Christina Applegate on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on November 14, 2022 in Los Angeles, California . (Photo by Phillip Faraone/Getty Images)
Sagal and Applegate previously played mother and daughter Peg and Kelly Bundy on the Fox sitcom Married with children from 1987 to 1997. After appearing on television together for 10 years and 11 seasons of a sitcom, Sagal and Applegate formed a close bond. Sagal attended Applegate’s Walk of Fame ceremony in November 2022 and was by her TV daughter’s side throughout her speech.
Despite their close connection, Sagal and Applegate haven’t been seen together on screen since the end of the year Married with children in 1997. So it was downright magical to finally see them back together, if only for a truly moving scene dead to me Season 3.
What do you think of Katey Sagal’s role in dead to me? Share your thoughts in the comments and be sure to check out the full series only on Netflix!