After Life - Netflix

Also, one of the funnier characters was the chap putting his post in the dog sh/te bin. I thought his mannerisms were funny - Can anyone tell me if that's the same fella that gets Ricky a line with Samuel L Jackson in Extras? He plays an extra playing a police officer and asks Ricky to take him to dinner..?

Alf Veedersane

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I kinda felt like Ricky got offered a series 3 during the making of series 2, so he decided that he'd flesh out series 2 to try and milk the show a bit.

The character doesn't progress at all. The brother character suffers a break up that gets back together because of.. seemingly nothing.. the background characters that are mildly interesting (Kaith for example) get practically no screen time, and they use the exact same ending as series 1 again?

I just feel like series 2 was supposed to accomplish something, but instead, it's being saved for series 3, so everything was just dragged out for the 2nd series.

(I don't know if there is actually a series 3 confirmed or not, by the way, but this is just how i felt watching it).



It's very formulaic and repetitive. In one episode I think he has the same conversation 3 or 4 times in a row (with the prostitute at dinner, Kaith in the cafe, Sandy at work, etc. and it's just 'Lisa did this, Lisa did that'). Now, I'm half wondering is it being done on purpose. Are we actually supposed to be getting sick of hearing it? Maybe that's the "point" of the show? That people will only listen to you whinge and moan for so long before they get fed up with you? If so, it's quite smart, but i don't think Gervais is quite smart enough to pull that off. I reckon it's just showing his limitations and trying to squeeze an extra series out of Netflix.

He's never done a third season/series so it's unlikely he'll do one here.

Alf Veedersane

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

He's never done a third season/series so it's unlikely he'll do one here.

I'll wait and see. Can't see how the second series would have been so repetitive with no direction unless there's a follow up. Might try and swing a netflix film out of it or something.

Alf Veedersane

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Also, one of the funnier characters was the chap putting his post in the dog sh/te bin. I thought his mannerisms were funny - Can anyone tell me if that's the same fella that gets Ricky a line with Samuel L Jackson in Extras? He plays an extra playing a police officer and asks Ricky to take him to dinner..?

That's the chap.

A Consonant Please Carol

I loved the first series but was really disappointed with series two. Thought it was very poor.

Penn

Deleted User wrote: »

The brother character suffers a break up that gets back together because of.. seemingly nothing.. the background characters that are mildly interesting (Kaith for example) get practically no screen time, and they use the exact same ending as series 1 again?

I think that's part of what annoys me most thinking about it. The other characters are just there to either help or annoy Tony. That's it. There's so little substance to anything else they do, it's just there to help or annoy Tony. Even the brother-in-law; we see his therapy sessions just to see the therapist, and then his marriage is fixed not through something he's learned or how he's changed, just his wife suddenly got jealous and then they're back together.

Kath is just there to say things about the supernatural so Tony can get annoyed about it. The photographer lad is only there so Tony can make fun of him but he sometimes also says nice things (and how the hell can Tony not do that job himself, he literally just pressed On, points and clicks. Takes one photo with no set up. How can Tony not do that if the paper is already operating at a loss?). Sandy is just there for Tony to try and help (her sudden tears over possibly losing her job, Tony saying they'll save the paper, and then convincing the owner to turn down half a million on the off-chance they might be able to make a slight profit on the paper in a year oh and by the way have I told you about my dead wife - that was one of the stupidest things I've watched in ages, along with the dog going mental at him when he's about to take the pills, and the owner and Anne meeting randomly and looking like they'll possibly start a relationship rather than the logical idea of Tony actually setting them up).

The postman and sex worker, we see so little of their possible relationship and only really in a way that is there to annoy Tony. Anne is only there to give Tony advice. And the nurse turns down a perfectly nice guy to be with Tony when it's not been earned in any way.

He's framed the entire show and all the characters around his own character, who really isn't worth it because he shows no sign of actually being able to change and spends most of the time in a severe depression.

I'm not going to bother with the next series unless it gets really rave reviews. It had potential but it's actually really annoying to watch most of the time.

A Consonant Please Carol

The whole bloody series was people telling Tony what a great fella he was, how concerned they were for him and him telling them how much he loved and missed his wife.

As someone already said, series one struck the right balance. This was a load of shehite.

Tell me how

Deleted User wrote: »

It's very formulaic and repetitive. In one episode I think he has the same conversation 3 or 4 times in a row (with the prostitute at dinner, Kaith in the cafe, Sandy at work, etc. and it's just 'Lisa did this, Lisa did that'). Now, I'm half wondering is it being done on purpose. Are we actually supposed to be getting sick of hearing it? Maybe that's the "point" of the show? That people will only listen to you whinge and moan for so long before they get fed up with you? If so, it's quite smart, but i don't think Gervais is quite smart enough to pull that off. I reckon it's just showing his limitations and trying to squeeze an extra series out of Netflix.

I don't think so. It's an angle that could have been taken but they haven't indicated any characters increasingly become frustrated with Tony aside from Matt who did so in Season 1.

If he wanted to extend it beyond Season 2, then it would have been very easy to show some more depth around the characters and to give him some progression in his own path.

Hell, even if we saw him being vocal about being ready for a relationship with Emma but always reverting to watching Lisa on his PC while pretending to be in love it would have been more believable, interesting and could have easily extended the story line.

I was thinking about it yesterday and also thinking of his show, The Extras and thinking of how Andy (Gervais) in that show was very frustrated with silly plot lines and no depth to a character, and yet here, we are watching a different take on that scenario.
Can imagine the onset conversations between Diane, Mandeep and Roisin (Kath/Sandy/Daphne) and surely they must have had some frustration with the way their characters evolved in Season 2.

Alf Veedersane

I had always thought it would he hard to do a second season that would complement the first. It was more of the same without any real change except him saying he'd try to be nicer to people who were decent. A couple of light examples of that but no more. I think it was a stretch to get 6 more episodes out of it and he was basically no better off and we knew no more about the other characters.

I liked it, to a degree, but I think a second season was a mistake because he hadn't left it any space to grow at the end of Season 1; I don't really think he'd written it with a second season in mind

I couldn't help but laugh when the dog barked at him as he was about to take the sleeping pills. It's hard to take the drama seriously when its not set in reality.

How did it take 6 episodes for yer man to walk away from that psychiatrist

Tell me how

Acosta wrote: »

There was absolutely no need for a second series of this

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

He's never done a third season/series so it's unlikely he'll do one here.

Deleted User wrote: »

I'll wait and see. Can't see how the second series would have been so repetitive with no direction unless there's a follow up. Might try and swing a netflix film out of it or something.

Money talks.

https://twitter.com/rickygervais/status/1258078508691140609

Alf Veedersane

Tell me how wrote: »

Money talks.

https://twitter.com/rickygervais/status/1258078508691140609

That'd be a shame. He knew when to call it a day on The Office and Extras even though he could definitely have milked those for longer.

JP Liz V1

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

That'd be a shame. He knew when to call it a day on The Office and Extras even though he could definitely have milked those for longer.

I did think it would be a one season show but season 2 was enjoyable and it is a ratings winner for Netflix so I can understand how Afterlife got renewed for season 3

Alf Veedersane

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

I did think it would be a one season show but season 2 was enjoyable and it is a ratings winner for Netflix so I can understand how Afterlife got renewed for season 3

I can see how they made a case for a second season but I didn't think season 1 ended with enough room for a second season. And season 2, which I did watch and like, just didn't really have enough to suggest that there was a third season.

Extras would have been very popular but maybe it's because we're in different times re. social media and Netflix and the demand...but I think he should know that a third season isn't there. For the same reasons he stopped at S2 in both The Office and Extras. He could have milked those dry but didn't

gormdubhgorm

Tell me how wrote: »

Money talks.

https://twitter.com/rickygervais/status/1258078508691140609

If it threads water again I will feel cheated.
I also feel Gervais knew damn well he could make a third series, which is why he left it open with the ending in season 2. The proper way to end would have been to have Tony kill himself - no season 3.

gormdubhgorm

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

That'd be a shame. He knew when to call it a day on The Office and Extras even though he could definitely have milked those for longer.

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

I can see how they made a case for a second season but I didn't think season 1 ended with enough room for a second season. And season 2, which I did watch and like, just didn't really have enough to suggest that there was a third season.

Extras would have been very popular but maybe it's because we're in different times re. social media and Netflix and the demand...but I think he should know that a third season isn't there. For the same reasons he stopped at S2 in both The Office and Extras. He could have milked those dry but didn't

I loved the office but hated extras. I think I tried one or two episodes of extras and thought it was muck - did not 'get' it at all.

Loved season 1 of Afterlife. Season 2 of Afterlife started off great then gradually seemed to dip in places - it could have been great there were so many missed chances to add depth - missed. I just hope season 3 does not continue this trajectory.

Alf Veedersane

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

I loved the office but hated extras. I think I tried one or two episodes of extras and thought it was muck - did not 'get' it at all.

Loved season 1 of Afterlife. Season 2 of Afterlife started off great then gradually seemed to dip in places - it could have been great there were so many missed chances to add depth - missed. I just hope season 3 does not continue this trajectory.

I don't see how a third season could be any better without a massive sea change in Tony or with a lot more focus on the other characters but I can't see either happening.c

As for Extras, we'll agree to disagree. I thought it was hilarious.

Acosta

Tell me how wrote: »

Money talks.

https://twitter.com/rickygervais/status/1258078508691140609

Well I'm out anyway. Creatively it was a one season show, but as you said money talks. Pity he just doesn't develop a new show for Netflix instead.

Why not just remake season 1 again? That's essentially what season 2 was. It wasn't perfect but I mildly enjoyed it. Easy watching in only six 30 minute chunks.

Deleted User

Deleted User wrote: »

I kinda felt like Ricky got offered a series 3 during the making of series 2, so he decided that he'd flesh out series 2 to try and milk the show a bit.

I knew it. Series 2 was far too repetitive, and using the same ending again, just tells me that he had genuinely got an idea for series 2, but instead of utilising it, he will keep his grand idea for series 3 instead.


Series 3 will have him moving on and be a 'new man' I'm sure.

GreeBo

The scenes with Diane Morgan and Gervais are very well done, its almost like they are ad libbing, her reactions are very natural, great actress.

The psychiatrist was poor, far too heavy handed, ruined what could have been interesting.
The scenes with the sex worker and the postie were also pretty good.

gmisk

GreeBo wrote: »

The scenes with Diane Morgan and Gervais are very well done, its almost like they are ad libbing, her reactions are very natural, great actress.

The psychiatrist was poor, far too heavy handed, ruined what could have been interesting.
The scenes with the sex worker and the postie were also pretty good.

The psychiatrist was absolutely bloody awful not funny at all. He was ok in season one. Distractingly awful on this season.
I loved the scenes with Penelope Wilton and Ricky Gervais. Ashley Jensen does so much lovely stuff with her little bit of time on screen as well.
The tambury players bit was really funny, the Brian character is bizarre but I found him funny. The lead of the drama thing was good as well he does a standup character called Anna Mann v funny

Acosta

First season was 50/50 funny/sad, but the second is 20/80 funny/sad. It's too much of a downer. Whatever you're into, but I prefer my comedy free from drama.

Penn

Acosta wrote: »

First season was 50/50 funny/sad, but the second is 20/80 funny/sad. It's too much of a downer. Whatever you're into, but I prefer my comedy free from drama.

Drama in comedy can work brilliantly. Even season 1 of this had a much better balance.

The issue is, the comedy and drama have to work together. They have to be compatible, and compliment each other. In season 2 of this, there was no attempt at trying to have the two working in sync. He completely undercut any seriousness coming from Tony's depression and grief by intercutting it with the psychiatrist, or the bearded non-postman guy, or the kid kissing his mother goodnight while she was having sex. Likewise, anything that they could have gotten a decent bit of comedy out (the Postman and sex worker's relationship, Sandy trying to get interviews about the play while it all goes wrong, maybe the photographer trying to bond with his girlfriend's son) was completely ignored because it didn't revolve around Tony and his story.

Tell me how

I think Gervais's comedy is funny when he is writing about incidents in which no one is trying to be funny, but they happen to be.
The funny stuff in The Office was when David Brent was doing stuff which David Brent thought was normal. The comedy in Extras was largely celebrities being a little peculiar and his agent being quirky.
But I'm not sure that too many people would have told their friends, you must watch 'After Life' it's hilarious. The first season was popular because it dealt with grief and depression in a meaningful way but there weren't too many scenes which felt like they were written for comedy.
This season, there seemed to be too many scenes which were written 'to get a laugh' and they weren't that funny.
Brian talking about sticking his own unit in to himself, the therapist, the camp theater MC, the adult child kissing his mother while she was having sex? These aren't scenes of a brilliant comedy writer. They're a million miles behind some of the stuff with Gareth in the office.

gmisk

Tell me how wrote: »

I think Gervais's comedy is funny when he is writing about incidents in which no one is trying to be funny, but they happen to be.
The funny stuff in The Office was when David Brent was doing stuff which David Brent thought was normal. The comedy in Extras was largely celebrities being a little peculiar and his agent being quirky.
But I'm not sure that too many people would have told their friends, you must watch 'After Life' it's hilarious. The first season was popular because it dealt with grief and depression in a meaningful way but there weren't too many scenes which felt like they were written for comedy.
This season, there seemed to be too many scenes which were written 'to get a laugh' and they weren't that funny.
Brian talking about sticking his own unit in to himself, the therapist, the camp theater MC, the adult child kissing his mother while she was having sex? These aren't scenes of a brilliant comedy writer. They're a million miles behind some of the stuff with Gareth in the office.

He co wrote the office with Stephen merchant right? He might need someone to write alongside to get the very best out of him.

Jofspring

What was the story with the phsychiatrist? It's been a year since I watched season 1 but he wasn't at all like that in season 1 was he? Seems like a huge jump in his character from what I remember.


It was like watching Strutter but without the New York accent.

I would have liked season 2 to have been more about him moving on with his life rather than more of the same from season 1.

Easy Rod

Season 1 was enjoyable (despite the weird assisted suicide bit). Season 2 was maudlin, repetitive and not funny. Every episode went like:

Scene with Tony depressed in work but cracks a little laugh at someone’s expense.
Random scene with wacky/offbeat side character, punch down gag
Visits his dad and is sad and tells Emma he likes her but his dead wife is better
Deep & meaningful chat with old lady in grave yard
Tony watches video of his wife where she gives an inspirational quote, dog brings in a stick

End of episode

Easy Rod

Easy Rod wrote: »

Season 1 was enjoyable (despite the weird assisted suicide bit). Season 2 was maudlin, repetitive and not funny. Every episode went like:

Scene with Tony depressed in work but cracks a little laugh at someone’s expense.
Random scene with wacky/offbeat side character, punch down gag
Visits his dad and is sad and tells Emma he likes her but his dead wife is better
Deep & meaningful chat with old lady in grave yard
Tony watches video of his wife where she gives an inspirational quote, dog brings in a stick

End of episode

Don't forget the musical montages of Tony walking around