Dead to Me season 3 ending explained: What happened to Judy and will there be a season 4 of the kooky show?

Dead to Me season 3 was released on Thursday, November 17th, 2022, and fans of this drama-comedy have already finished the fantastic final season of this season. 

While this hugely popular series has been celebrated for its bittersweet ending, some fans are a little bit confused about what actually happened. Here is a full Dead to Me season 3 ending explanation, answering all the big questions you may have about the season finale. 

**If you are just looking for a Dead to Me season 2 recap then look elsewhere! This article is full of spoilers!

Did Judy die in Dead to Me?

In a shocking twist at the beginning of season 3, Judy is diagnosed with stage four cervical cancer. Judy then starts chemotherapy treatment but unfortunately, this is unsuccessful and it is made clear that Judy does not have much time left.

Jen attempts to get Judy to attend a three-week clinical trial, but Judy declines and says she'd rather go on holiday. The pair then travel to Mexico to Steve's villa where Judy then announces that she isn't coming back to the US at the end of the three weeks as she would rather stay. 

Jen wakes up one morning to find Judy isn't lying next to her. There is a note and a bracelet left for Jen by the bedside table, which she doesn't read on screen. Instead, Jen goes to the balcony and looks out to see the boat Judy tried to get Jen to go on earlier in the episode. Judy previously mentioned that being out on a boat with her uncle was the freest she has felt in her life. Footprints show Judy has taken out the boat and it is implied that she has passed while on the boat.

This death off-screen has caused confusion for some but the final scenes of the show highlight Judy's passing. When Jen drives back to the US, we see that she is talking to Judy who tells her that she is 'never going to leave her.' 

We then realize that Jen is actually just imagining Judy as she burst into tears and the audience sees that her passenger seat is empty. The end of the episode also shows Judy attending a grief support group as she adjusts to the loss of her best friend.

What does Jen tell Ben at the end of the season?

The final scene of the show shows Ben and Jen settling into their life together as Ben plays with her sons in the pool, and Jen sits with their newborn daughter Joey on the sun loungers. 

Ben says that he never thought he could be happy again after losing Steve but tells Jen how happy he is to have her and their children and calls her 'basically perfect'. Jen then announces as the final line of the show, 'I have to tell you something.' The show then abruptly ends on this cliffhanger and fans don't get to see exactly what Jen wants to say or how Ben will react to this news. So what did Jen tell him?

It can be assumed that the big news Jen needs to tell Ben is that she was the one to kill his brother, Steve. This has been hanging over Jen's head for the second and third seasons and it is clear that she wants her partner to know the truth about her. 

While the audience doesn't get to see how Ben responds to this news, fans can hope that Ben is the forgiving type. Perhaps if Judy could forgive Jen for killing her fiancée Steve, perhaps Ben too could forgive her for killing his brother.

Will there be a season 4 of Dead to Me?

In short, no. The third season was the last of the series, and this is for a few key reasons. In August 2021, Christina Applegate revealed her multiple sclerosis diagnosis on Twitter as she announced, "A few months ago I was diagnosed with MS. It’s been a strange journey. But I have been so supported by people that I know who also have this condition. It’s been a tough road." 

The star has since spoken about how her condition has affected her career and explained that she can no longer stand for prolonged periods of time, and needs a cane to assist her when she walks. This means that continuing the series would present certain challenges, unless this condition was written into her character.

The show's creator also announced that the third season would be the last installment of the series. Liz Feldman said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, "I always knew that it was going to be a short-lived show. I wanted three or four seasons, but I’m realistic in terms of where the show lives."

Liz added, "It lives on a platform that doesn’t traditionally give more than three or four, or sometimes even one or two, seasons. I wanted the ending to feel important and not just, like, “Oh shit, we’re going to get canceled!” (Laughs.) It’s like I almost wanted to beat them to the punch —decide our own destiny."