The first season of After Life is easily one of the best comedy dramas on any streaming service. After Life is more drama than comedy as it can be an extremely emotional show about depression but there is the occasional laugh out loud moments. I’m very pleased to be able to say that season two of After Life is just as heartfelt, emotional and funny as the first season.
Season two of After Life focuses more on Tony (Ricky Gervais) attempting to be a better friend for those around him. While Tony was the direct centre of the first season, and he still obviously remains the main character, there were a lot of characters who weren’t explored. Season two takes these characters and puts them as the front of the story as you watch Tony try to help them whilst he is still attempting to keep himself together after the loss of his wife.
The small fictitious town of Tambury is filled with characters that Gervais explores throughout After Life’s six episodes. Matt (Tom Basden) trying to deal with his jerk of a therapist is both funny and a great look into how much of a self-centred jerk people can be. Lenny (Tony Way) & Roxy (Roisin Conaty) are both great characters who both intrude and help with Tony’s life.
Season two even adds in more characters to the mix like the owner of the newspaper who helps to add a small amount of drama to the small town. This drama, the newspaper potentially ending, adds to the community feel of the town and the newspaper team becoming a tighter group.
What stays the same for the season and is still the key to After Life’s success is the fantastic and heartbreaking acting, writing and directing by Gervais himself. There are many moments in the season, much like the first season, that’ll make you want to hug the people closest to you. After Life is a rare realistic look at depression and losing the ones you love, it’s what makes the show unique and that continues in season two.
Season two does feel the same as the first season, those looking for massive change in the show will be disappointed. For those who loved the first season, you wont be disappointed as it is more of the same and in the same style. Season two doesn’t change to make more people like it but rather remains as the same great show.
Gervais’ directing is beautiful and his use of the beautiful scenery shows why he is such a great filmmaker. Displaying Tony in this beautiful small town, one that people stuck in big cities would love to be living in, makes everything all that more emotional as any other show on TV right now would have everything be dark and miserable when someone is depressed but life isn’t always like that.
The second season of After Life proudly stands next to the first season as it not only expands on Tony but also everyone around him. Whilst the cast do a great job, a whole lot of praise has to go simply to Ricky Gervais for continuing to create a beautiful, emotional and funny, when it needs to be, look at depression and how it can affect different people in different ways. After Life remains to be Ricky Gervais at his best.