Netflix dark comedy Dead to Me returns to the streamer on Thursday 17th November for season 3. And in sad news, it's the final chapter of Jen and Judy's story, which means we're expecting a pretty epic send-off for the pair.

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"I always knew that it was going to be a short-lived show," creator and writer Liz Feldman told The Hollywood Reporter. "I wanted three or four seasons, but I'm realistic in terms of where the show lives. It lives on a platform that doesn't traditionally give more than three or four, or sometimes even one or two, seasons."

She added: "I wanted the ending to feel important and not just like, 'Oh s**t, we're going to get cancelled!' It's like I almost wanted to beat them to the punch – decide our own destiny."

If you need a season 2 refresher before diving into the new episodes, we've got you covered because we're super helpful like that.

And if you need a fresh rundown of who stars in the show and who they play, we've also rounded up the main players below.

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Read on for everything you need to know about the cast of Dead to Me.

Christina Applegate plays Jen Harding

Jen looking off to the side
Saeed Adyani / Netflix

Who is Jen Harding? Jen is a real estate agent who, at the beginning of season 1, was recently widowed following her husband's death in a hit-and-run. She forms a close bond with Judy after meeting her at a therapy group, but their friendship is threatened when Jen learns the truth about how Ted died.

What else has Christina Applegate been in? Applegate first shot to prominence for her role in American comedy series Married...with Children and has since starred in major roles in a vast array of films - including Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Hall Pass and Bad Moms. She also won an Emmy for her guest role in Friends, starring in two episodes as Rachel's sister Amy Green.

Linda Cardellini plays Judy Hale

Judy smiling
Saeed Adyani / Netflix

Who is Judy Hale? Judy meets and befriends Jen at a therapy group for the recently bereaved, but she carries a very dark secret – her ex-partner Steve was the one who killed Jen's husband, and Judy was in the car when it happened.

What else has Linda Cardellini been in? Cardellini got her big break on cult teen drama Freaks and Geeks - the same show that launched the careers of Seth Rogen, James Franco and Jason Segel. Other career highlights have included leading roles on ER and Bloodline, playing Velma in the live action Scooby-Doo films, starring in the MCU as Laura Barton, and appearing as a guest star in Mad Men - a role which saw her garner an Emmy nomination.

James Marsden plays Ben/Steve Wood

Ben with a sheepish expression on his face
Saeed Adyani / Netflix

Who are Steve and Ben Wood? Steve is Judy's ex-fiancé, who was killed by Jen. His identical twin brother Ben, on learning about Steve's death, downs a bottle of liquor in the season 2 finale and crashes into Jen and Judy, leaving the former fighting for her life.

What else has James Marsden been in? Marsden's early career saw him appear as a guest star in shows such as Saved by the Bell: The New Class and Party of Five, before he gained greater recognition for his role as Scott Summers/Cyclops in the X-Men films. He was part of the main cast in the first two season of Westworld, starring as Teddy Flood and has guest-starred in sitcoms Modern Family and 30 Rock. He was also one of the stars of the recent live-action Sonic the Hedgehog movie.

Diana-Maria Riva plays Detective Perez

Detective Perez standing outside
Netflix

Who is Detective Ana Perez? The police detective in charge of the hit-and-run case at the centre of the show. In season 2, she learns the truth about what really happened to Steve, which puts her in a difficult position.

What else has Diana-Maria Riva been in? Riva's most prominent roles to date have been regular roles on Matt LeBlanc sitcom Man with a Plan, comedy series Sunnyside and action-comedy The Good Guys. Film credits have included small parts in What Women Want, 17 Again and Love and Mercy.

Brandon Scott plays Detective Nick Prager

nick sat at his desk at the police station wearing a police uniform
Netflix

Who is Detective Nick Prager? Nick is a police officer who was romantically involved with Judy after meeting her at a retreat.

What else has Brandon Scott been in? Scott's best known roles are that of Ryan Spalding on Grey's Anatomy and Cory Lawrence on This Is Us. He has also appeared in six episodes of Netflix series 13 Reasons Why and has a wealth of film credits to his name - including a lead role in 2016's Blair Witch.

Sam McCarthy plays Charlie Harding

Charlie smiling
Saeed Adyani / Netflix

Who is Charlie Harding? Charlie is Jen's oldest son. Following the death of his dad, he's struggled to control his anger, leading to a number of clashes with his mum.

What else has Sam McCarthy been in? McCarthy has appeared in a number of US TV shows, including sitcom The Jim Gaffigan Show and thriller series Condor - but Dead to Me is his first main role.

Luke Roessler plays Henry Harding

close up of henry
Saeed Adyani / Netflix

Who is Henry Harding? Charlie's younger brother. Henry is a sweet-natured boy whose grief manifests as anxiety rather than anger.

What else has Luke Roessler been in? Young actor Roessler has already racked up an impressive wealth of credits - he appeared as a young Norman Bates in two episodes of Bates Motel, had a recurring role on Legion and had small roles in It Chapter Two and Deadpool 2.

Other cast members include Max Jenkins as Jen's colleague and friend Christopher, Natalie Morales as Judy's love interest Michelle, Garret Dillahunt as FBI agent Moranis, Keong Sim as Pastor Wayne, Suzy Nakamura as Jen's neighbour Karen, Valerie Mahaffey as Jen's mother-in-law Lorna, Frances Conroy as Steve and Ben's mum Eileen, Katey Sagal as Judy's mum Eleanor, Telma Hopkins as Yolanda, a member of the grief support group, and Marc Evan Jackson as Karen's husband Jeff, among others.

Check out more of our Drama coverage or find out what's on with our TV Guide and Streaming Guide.

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