After Life 2019 (British TV series)

After Life 2019 (British TV series) 

After Life

After Life is a British black comedy-drama web television series created, executive produced, directed by, and starring Ricky Gervais. It premiered on 8 March 2019, on Netflix. On 3 April, 2019, Netflix renewed the series for a second season.

After Life
Title screen for the Netflix series, After Life.png
Genre
Black comedy
Created by
Ricky Gervais
Directed by
Ricky Gervais
Starring
Ricky Gervais
Penelope Wilton
David Bradley
Ashley Jensen
Tom Basden
Tony Way
David Earl
Joe Wilkinson
Kerry Godliman
Mandeep Dhillon
Jo Hartley
Roisin Conaty
Diane Morgan
Composer(s)
Andy Burrows
Country of origin
United Kingdom
Original language(s)
English
No. of seasons
1
No. of episodes
6 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)
Ricky Gervais
Duncan Hayes
Producer(s)
Charlie Hanson
Cinematography
Martin Hawkins
Editor(s)
Jo Walker
Camera setup
Single-camera
Running time
25–31 min
Release
Original network
Netflix
Picture format
4K (16:9 UHDTV in high dynamic range)
Audio format
Dolby Digital
Original release
8 March 2019
External links
Website
Not to be confused with Afterlife (TV series).

Premise

After Life follows Tony, whose life is upended after his wife dies from breast cancer. He contemplates suicide, but instead decides to live long enough to punish the world for his wife's death by saying and doing whatever he wants. Although he thinks of this as his "superpower", his plan is undermined when everyone around him tries to make him a better person again.

Cast and characters

Ricky Gervais as Tony Johnson, head of feature stories at the Tambury Gazette, a local newspaper. After the death of his wife, he is depressed and suicidal.
Tom Basden as Matt, Tony's brother-in-law and boss, head of the Tambury Gazette
Tony Way as Lenny, photographer at the Tambury Gazette
Diane Morgan as Kath, employee at the newspaper, responsible for advertising
Mandeep Dhillon as Sandy, a newly hired journalist
Ashley Jensen as Emma, a nurse working at Tony's dad's nursing home
David Bradley as Ray Johnson, Tony's dad, who has dementia and lives in a nursing home
Kerry Godliman as Lisa Johnson, Tony's late wife
Paul Kaye as Tony's psychiatrist
Tim Plester as Julian Kane, a drug addict, who is hired by Matt to deliver the paper
Joe Wilkinson as postman Pat
Tommy Finnegan as George, Tony's nephew
Thomas Bastable as Robbie, a classmate of George's
Penelope Wilton as Anne, an older lady and widow, who Tony meets at the graveyard
David Earl as Brian, a hoarder, who above all, wants to appear in the local newspaper
Jo Hartley as June, Lenny's girlfriend
Roisin Conaty as Daphne, aka "Roxy", a sex worker
Anti as Brandy, Tony's and Lisa's dog, Tony's reason to keep living

Episodes

No. Title Directed by Written by  Original air date 
1 "Episode 1" Ricky Gervais Ricky Gervais 8 March 2019
Tony tries to adapt to life after his wife dies. Tony's workplace, Tambury Gazette, a free newspaper company, hires Sandy.
2 "Episode 2" Ricky Gervais Ricky Gervais 8 March 2019
Tony considers trying heroin feeling like he has nothing to lose. He babysits George & begins to somewhat get along with Sandy.
3 "Episode 3" Ricky Gervais Ricky Gervais 8 March 2019
Tony hires "Roxy" to complete a task. His mood worsens after visiting a stand-up gig.
4 "Episode 4" Ricky Gervais Ricky Gervais 8 March 2019
Tony is organised a blind date by Matt. He also makes a rare apology.
5 "Episode 5" Ricky Gervais Ricky Gervais 8 March 2019
Tony eventually is persuaded by Brian to do news story at his apartment. He threatens Robbie with a hammer.
6 "Episode 6" Ricky Gervais Ricky Gervais 8 March 2019
Tony acknowledges those around him in an effort to not be depressed.

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 set to be executive producer alongside Charlie Hanson. 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. On 3 April 2019, it was announced that the series was renewed for a second season.

Casting

Alongside the series order announcement, it was confirmed that Ricky Gervais would star in the series. 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 series' cast.

Filming

Principal photography for the series had reportedly commenced by July 2018 in London.

The series was filmed in Bristol, Hampstead, Hemel Hempstead, Rickmansworth, Beaconsfield, and Camber Sands in East Sussex.

Release

On 22 February 2019, the official trailer for the series was released.[12] On 8 March 2019, Netflix released all six episodes of the first season.

Reception

The first season received mixed reviews upon its release. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has an overall approval rating of 71% with an average score of 6.29/10 based on 41 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". On Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, the series has a score of 57 based on 13 reviews.

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." 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".