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* [[Holli Dempsey]] as Plastic Surgery Woman, a woman addicted to plastic surgery (series 2)
* [[Holli Dempsey]] as Plastic Surgery Woman, a woman addicted to plastic surgery (series 2)
* [[Jo Enright]] as Vera, a woman who goes [[Swinging (sexual practice)|swinging]] with her husband (series 3)
* [[Jo Enright]] as Vera, a woman who goes [[Swinging (sexual practice)|swinging]] with her husband (series 3)
* [[Kate Robbins]] as Penny (series 3)


==Episodes==
==Episodes==

Revision as of 16:57, 28 January 2022

This article is about the 2019–2022 British streaming television series. For other uses, see Afterlife (disambiguation).

After Life
Genre
Created byRicky Gervais
Written byRicky Gervais
Directed byRicky Gervais
Starring
ComposerAndy Burrows
Country of originUnited Kingdom
No. of series3
No. of episodes18
Production
Executive producers
  • Ricky Gervais
  • Duncan Hayes
ProducerCharlie Hanson
CinematographyMartin Hawkins
EditorJo Walker
Camera setupSingle-camera
Running time25–31 minutes
Production companyDerek Productions Limited
Original release
NetworkNetflix
Release8 March 2019 (2019-03-08) –
14 January 2022 (2022-01-14)

After Life is a British black comedy-drama streaming television series created, written, produced, and directed by Ricky Gervais, who plays lead character Tony Johnson. It premiered on 8 March 2019 on Netflix. The second series premiered on 24 April 2020. The third and final season premiered on 14 January 2022.

Premise

Set in the fictional town of Tambury, After Life follows newspaper writer Tony Johnson, whose life is turned upside down after his wife dies from breast cancer. He contemplates suicide, but instead decides to spend his life punishing the world for his wife's death by saying and doing whatever he wants regardless of how it makes other people feel. Although he thinks of this as his "superpower," his plan is undermined when everyone around him pities him and tries to make him a better person.[1]

Cast and characters

Main

  • Ricky Gervais as Tony Johnson, head of feature stories at the local newspaper, the Tambury Gazette. Following the death of his wife, he is depressed and suicidal
  • Tom Basden as Matt Braden, Tony's brother-in-law and boss of the Tambury Gazette
  • Tony Way as Lenny, the Tambury Gazette's photographer
  • Diane Morgan as Kath, the Gazette's advert manager
  • Mandeep Dhillon as Sandy, a newly hired features journalist (series 1–2)
  • Kerry Godliman as Lisa Johnson, Tony's deceased wife, seen in flashbacks and Tony's home videos
  • Ashley Jensen as Emma, a nurse at the nursing home where Tony's dad is a resident
  • Paul Kaye as Psychiatrist, Tony's and Matt's unconventional and incompetent psychiatrist (series 1–2)
  • Penelope Wilton as Anne, a widow Tony meets at the local graveyard who dispenses sage advice for Tony's troubles
  • Joe Wilkinson as Pat ('Postman Pat'), Tony's postman
  • Roisin Conaty as Daphne/"Roxy", a sex worker who befriends Tony; a "tart with a heart". (series 1–2)
  • David Bradley as Ray Johnson, Tony's dad, who has dementia (series 1–2; guest series 3)
  • Tim Plester as Julian Kane, a drug addict hired by Matt to deliver the Tambury Gazette (series 1)
  • Michelle Greenidge as Valerie, the Tambury Gazette's receptionist
  • David Earl as Brian Gittins, a hoarder and self-professed puppeteer and stand-up comedian; above all, he wants to appear in the local newspaper (series 2–3; recurring series 1)
  • Jo Hartley as June, Lenny's girlfriend and mother to James (series 2–3; recurring series 1)
  • Ethan Lawrence as James, June's son, who does work experience at the Tambury Gazette (series 2–3; recurring series 1)
  • Colin Hoult as Ken Otley, head of the local amateur dramatics company and wannabe showbiz superstar (series 3; recurring series 2)
  • Kath Hughes as Coleen, a new hire at the Gazette to replace Sandy (series 3; guest series 1)

Recurring

  • Anti as Brandy the Dog, Tony's and Lisa's dog; Tony's best friend and reason to keep living
  • Tommy Finnegan as George Braden, son of Matt and Jill, Tony's nephew and godchild
  • Thomas Bastable as Robbie, a classmate and reformed bully of George's
  • Laura Patch as Jill Braden, Matt's wife (series 2–3; guest series 1)
  • Tracy Ann Oberman as Rebecca, a woman with whom Tony goes on a date and who later reappears at an amateur dramatics workshop (series 2; guest series 1, 3)
  • Peter Egan as Paul, the semi-retired owner of the Tambury Gazette (series 2–3)
  • Robert Woodhall as Colin, a self-made millionaire scrap metal merchant whom Kath allows to drive her around in his Rolls Royce (series 2–3)
  • Bill Ward as Simon, Emma's new love interest, whom Tony dislikes (series 2)

Guest

  • Annette Crosbie as Rosemary, a 100-year-old woman whom Tony interviews after she receives a telegram from the Queen (series 2)
  • Holli Dempsey as Plastic Surgery Woman, a woman addicted to plastic surgery (series 2)
  • Jo Enright as Vera, a woman who goes swinging with her husband (series 3)
  • Kate Robbins as Penny (series 3)

Episodes

SeriesEpisodesOriginally released
168 March 2019 (2019-03-08)
2624 April 2020 (2020-04-24)
3614 January 2022 (2022-01-14)

Series 1 (2019)

No.
overall		EpisodeWritten and directed byOriginal release date
1Episode 1Ricky Gervais8 March 2019 (2019-03-08)
2Episode 2Ricky Gervais8 March 2019 (2019-03-08)
3Episode 3Ricky Gervais8 March 2019 (2019-03-08)
4Episode 4Ricky Gervais8 March 2019 (2019-03-08)
5Episode 5Ricky Gervais8 March 2019 (2019-03-08)
6Episode 6Ricky Gervais8 March 2019 (2019-03-08)

Series 2 (2020)

No.
overall		EpisodeWritten and directed byOriginal release date
7Episode 1Ricky Gervais24 April 2020 (2020-04-24)
8Episode 2Ricky Gervais24 April 2020 (2020-04-24)
9Episode 3Ricky Gervais24 April 2020 (2020-04-24)
10Episode 4Ricky Gervais24 April 2020 (2020-04-24)
11Episode 5Ricky Gervais24 April 2020 (2020-04-24)
12Episode 6Ricky Gervais24 April 2020 (2020-04-24)

Series 3 (2022)

No.
overall		EpisodeWritten and directed byOriginal release date
13Episode 1Ricky Gervais14 January 2022 (2022-01-14)
14Episode 2Ricky Gervais14 January 2022 (2022-01-14)
15Episode 3Ricky Gervais14 January 2022 (2022-01-14)
16Episode 4Ricky Gervais14 January 2022 (2022-01-14)
17Episode 5Ricky Gervais14 January 2022 (2022-01-14)
18Episode 6Ricky Gervais14 January 2022 (2022-01-14)

Production

Development

On 9 May 2018, it was announced that Netflix had given the production a series order for a first season consisting of six episodes. The series was created and directed by Ricky Gervais, who is also executive producer, alongside Charlie Hanson.[1][2][3][4] On 14 January 2019, it was announced that the series would premiere on 8 March 2019. It was further announced that Duncan Hayes would serve as an additional executive producer and that Hanson would actually serve as a producer.[5] On 3 April 2019, it was announced that the series was renewed for a second season, which premiered on 24 April 2020.[6] On 6 May 2020, the show was renewed for a third season, the first time a fictional series created by Gervais had been extended beyond two seasons.[7][8]

Hanson was suspended from his position in the show during filming for the third season, due to eleven women saying that he committed sexual misconduct and assault against them between 2008 and 2015. Netflix said: "Whilst the allegations are unrelated to his time on the show, we immediately removed him from the production and referred the matter to the police." Gervais commented that he was "shocked and appalled" to learn of the allegations, and Hanson claimed that they were "demonstrably false", from the information given to him.[9][10]

Casting

Alongside the series order announcement, it was confirmed that Ricky Gervais would star in the show.[1] On 5 July 2018, it was announced that Penelope Wilton, David Bradley, Ashley Jensen, Tom Basden, Tony Way, David Earl, Joe Wilkinson, Kerry Godliman, Mandeep Dhillon, Jo Hartley, Roisin Conaty, and Diane Morgan had joined the cast.[11]

Filming

Principal photography for the first series reportedly began by July 2018 in London.[11] The series was filmed in Hampstead, Hemel Hempstead, Beaconsfield, and Camber Sands in East Sussex.[12] The third series of After Life began production in April 2021 and wrapped in June 2021.[13]

Reception

Series 1

The first series received mixed to positive reviews upon its release. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has an overall approval rating of 73% with an average score of 6.56/10 based on 45 reviews. The site's critical consensus reads: "After Life's first season teeters tonally between dark comedy and affecting drama, but Ricky Gervais' poignant performance illuminates new sides of the actor's talent".[14] On Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, the series has a score of 58 based on 19 reviews indicating 'mixed or average reviews.'[15]

Merrill Barr from Forbes said of the series, "Overall, After Life is one hundred percent a series to check out. It's the Ricky Gervais project people have been begging for, for a long time."[16] Josh Modell of AV Club states that After Life is a "dreary, sarcastic self-pity party that also manages—in a magic trick perhaps only Gervais is capable of pulling off—to constantly point out its protagonist's intellectual superiority" and that "as a meaningful meditation on grief, is dead on arrival".[17]

Series 2

The second series received generally positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has a certified fresh approval rating of 77% with an average score of 6.65/10, based on 31 reviews. The site's critical consensus reads: "Though After Life's second season struggles to affirm its existence, it's a solid entry for anyone aching for a little more contemplative gallows humor."[18] The BBC reported mixed responses from critics.[19] Ed Cumming from The Independent wrote: "all I see is a series constantly looking for easy solutions" and that "the script has a habit of using swearing where a joke ought to be".[20]

Series 3

The third series received mixed to negative reviews. As of 28 January 2022, (two weeks after release), Rotten Tomatoes scores the series at 55%, with an audience score of 76%.[21] Louis Chilton for The Independent gave the series 2/5 stars, adding that it was "bogged down by sentimentality".[22] Brian Lowry for CNN called the series "admirable" and "quirky", but felt "in the final analysis, the show never wholly [advances] beyond the initial appeal of its premise".[23] The Radio Times gave it 3/5 stars[24] and NME gave it a 4/5 star rating, adding that the series had ended "on a high"; the review's writer, James McMahon, felt that the series' final scene was "moving and poignant [...] among its creator's greatest works."[25]

Accolades

The show won Best Comedy at the 2021 National Television Awards.[26]

References

  1. ^ a b c Petski, Denise (9 May 2018). "Ricky Gervais Comedy 'After Life' Gets Series Order at Netflix". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 27 April 2019. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  2. ^ Goldberg, Lesley (9 May 2018). "Ricky Gervais to Create, Star in Netflix Scripted Comedy Series 'After Life'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 9 May 2018. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  3. ^ Ausiello, Michael (9 May 2018). "Ricky Gervais Comedy After Life Snags 6-Episode Series Order at Netflix". TVLine. Archived from the original on 3 April 2019. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  4. ^ Baysinger, Tim (9 May 2018). "Netflix Orders Ricky Gervais Sitcom 'After Life'". The Wrap. Archived from the original on 3 April 2019. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  5. ^ Petski, Denise (14 January 2019). "Ricky Gervais' Netflix Series 'After Life' Sets March Premiere Date". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 3 February 2019. Retrieved 14 January 2019.
  6. ^ Goldberg, Lesley (3 April 2019). "'After Life,' Starring Ricky Gervais, Renewed for Season 2 at Netflix". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 3 April 2019. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
  7. ^ White, Peter (6 May 2020). "Ricky Gervais Strikes Overall Deal With Netflix As 'After Life' Comes Back For Season 3". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 7 May 2020. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  8. ^ Goldberg, Lesley (6 May 2020). "Ricky Gervais Inks Netflix Overall Deal; 'After Life' Renewed for Season 3 (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 8 May 2020. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  9. ^ "Charlie Hanson: Bafta suspends producer over sexual misconduct allegations". BBC. 29 May 2021. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  10. ^ "TV producer Charlie Hanson faces sex predator allegations". The Times. 29 May 2021. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  11. ^ a b Wiseman, Andreas (5 July 2018). "'Downton Abbey' & 'Game Of Thrones' Stars Join Ricky Gervais in His New Netflix Comedy 'After Life', Shoot Under Way". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 5 July 2018. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
  12. ^ Moon, Ra. "Where is After Life filmed? Tambury Filming Location of Ricky Gervais Netflix series". Atlas of Wonders. Archived from the original on 14 May 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  13. ^ "'After Life' Season 3: Netflix Release Date & What to Expect". What's on Netflix. 12 November 2021.
  14. ^ "After Life: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on 28 May 2020. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  15. ^ "After Life Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on 25 April 2020. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  16. ^ Barr, Merrill. "'After Life' Review: A Show About Depression That Is Surprisingly Entertaining". Forbes. Archived from the original on 22 March 2019. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
  17. ^ Modell, Josh. "Ricky Gervais' dour new Netflix series belongs on the Hallmark Channel". TV Club. Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
  18. ^ "After Life: Season 2". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on 29 April 2020. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  19. ^ "After Life returns: But is it heavenly or hellish?". BBC News. 24 April 2020. Archived from the original on 26 April 2020. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  20. ^ "After Life season 2 review: Ricky Gervais can do so much better". The Independent. 24 April 2020. Archived from the original on 25 April 2020. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  21. ^ "After Life: Season 3". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  22. ^ Chilton, Louis (14 January 2022). "After Life, season three review: Enjoyably cynical comedy bogged down by sentimentality". The Independent. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  23. ^ Lowry, Brian (13 January 2022). "'After Life' brings the bittersweet Ricky Gervais comedy about grief to an end". CNN. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  24. ^ "After Life season 3 review: Its greatest strength is also its biggest weakness". Radio Times. 14 January 2022. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  25. ^ McMahon, James (14 January 2022). "'After Life' season three review: Ricky Gervais' humanist hit goes out on a high". NME. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  26. ^ "National Television Awards 2021: Ant and Dec 'overwhelmed' by 20th win". BBC News. 9 September 2021. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
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