After Life series 2 review.

By Adam Ray Palmer
 
Dbdede frfrf jnmknh eidhe idiednj… Sorry, I just tried writing this review before I wiped the tears away from my eyes.
 
Ricky Gervais is back! And he returns with what I think is his best work since The Office nearly two decades ago. In this review, I will take each episode at a time giving my thoughts before an overall summary.
 
Let’s get into it…

EPISODE #1: “I’ve seen f**k all, I might as well had been a tree”.
C**t count: 5
 
I think I should explain the above count. Basically, I was amazed at the number of C-bombs at the beginning of the episode by the brilliant (and possibly best cameo ever) Annette Crosbie; so I thought I would keep a count throughout the series.
 
Anyway, episode one was a great introduction back into the series. That instant feeling of the tender sitcom we know, and love comes rushing back. The standout scenes will be the initial care home scene with Annette Crosbie and the meditation hilarity, but I just cannot not praise Penelope Wilton for her unparalleled acting at the graveside with Tony. She is so angelic that you would be forgiven to think she isn’t real and in his imagination. Their friendship is magical, and so the series kicks on.
 
Episode rating: 4.5 stars

EPISODE #2: “In pain but getting better every day”.
C**t count: 3
 
Episode two is as authentic as ever. The writing becomes more and more delicate as we see Tony even more fragile. This is much more of a ‘straight’ episode than a comedic one. Tony realises that it’s a much slower process to grieving than he first thought. Once again, we are treated to a graveyard scene where we see just how well Gervais can act.
 
The old folks home sequence with his father (David Bradley) is also a scene-stealing moment when we see the fragility of how an awful disease like dementia can take its hold. The lighter relief in the episode comes from the one and only Brian Gittins who decides to join the amateur dramatics group.
 
Episode rating: 4 stars

EPISODE #3: “Basically, an arse peg”.
C**t count: 2
 
In this episode, Gervais slowly starts to ramp up the sensitivity of the characters and the lives that entwine them. There’s a lovely touching scene with a lonely senior lady who missing her husband and daughter. She rings the paper to sell her story on her interesting cat, but she just wants company.
 
When it comes to character stories and developments, there’s new relationships formed when postman Pat (Joe Wilkinson) and sex worker Daphne (Roisin Conaty) go on a date. Plus, there’s bad news with the Tambury Gazette faces the axe. Plus, we are introduced to the most brilliant wannabe showbiz superstar played by Colin Hoult.
 
This episode is solely about love, and the realness of it. When Kerry Godliman is on screen, she steals her scenes. It’s the killer line by Tony though that plucks on the heartstrings… “I just miss doing nothing with her”.
 
Episode rating: 4.5 stars

EPISODE #4: “You should see me minge, it’s like a butcher’s bin”
C**t count: 3
 
And from here on in, episode four to six, is probably some of the best television writing you will see in years. We are treated to a café scene where Gervais takes a colleague to talk about shared woes in their lives, and how things do improve in time. These sections are perfection, with acting from Gervais being so raw and authentic – it’s mesmerising. He’s developed so well into a mature and talented actor.
 
The episode doesn’t leave out an amusing Gazette interview either as we see the return of Holli Dempsey (Derek) back into a Gervais project. She delivers a killer quip about a butcher’s bin that just about makes you spit your drink out. This episode is where the flawlessness begins.
 
Episode rating: 5 stars

EPISODE #5: “Shove it back flaccid, wait for it to get hard”
C**t count: 2
 
I can’t quite work out whether this is my favourite episode or the finale, either way, they are both stacked with tons of quotable lines, emotion and tear-jerking moments. In this episode, Tom Basden leads the episode when it comes to screen time as he tries to get his life back on track. Basden has a much bigger role in this series and he takes to the anchoring well.
 
The amateur dramatics night is upon us in episode five and it is quite possibly the funniest couple of minutes of the series. Brian Gittins (David Earl) is by far the quirkiest and quite frankly deserves a Netflix special for his routine. The episode then ends on a really touching note, as the camera pans out to the credits. This episode sums up After Life (and life in general) perfectly… it’s a laugh one minute, and then a cry the next.
 
Episode rating: 5 stars

EPISODE #6: “Anyone who doesn’t want to rape Hitler is a fucking bender”
C**t count: 1
 
And here we have it, the finale of the second series. I was writing notes for each episode as I watched them to make this review a lot easier, but I guess I was too engrossed with this one, as I simply had in my iPhone notes… “wow”. This is one helluva climax to a beautiful series. We have the brilliant Paul Kaye (Matt’s therapist) coming out with blinding quotes, we have Ashley Jensen tugging on our heart strings alongside Tony and we have Postman Pat making us cry with a doorstep scene.
 
The thing about episode six is the realness, just the pure poke-in-the-face-ness of it. It just simply says obvious things we all should know, but we don’t take the time to think about them in the hectic lives we live. Tony struggles with kindness, so when some simple sympathy comes his way, he doesn’t know what to do with it. His bottom lip quivers as he comments “it (life) goes on” - and may the show too.
 
Episode rating: 5 stars

SUMMARY
What more needs to be said really? I just want to reiterate the beauty and the authenticity of the writing from start to finish, it’s just compelling. Even with the cutaway Gazette scenes in each episode, they are astonishingly thought out. With each sequence we get comedy, but in reality, all those scenes have an undertone of sadness – all the people in them are not feeling complete.
 
The first series is about loss and grieving and coming to terms with the acceptance. Series two is about love and re-building, when life hits you with wobbles, it’s just about taking your time to accept them and carry on. But the whole show ultimately poses a question, will we ever be complete? Or do we just keep going to the best of our ability.
 
And if all that fails, we just call people c**ts! Every episode had it said, so I guess that’s the medicine for us all!
 
Cineroom’s official rating: 5 stars
 
After Life series 1 & 2 is out now worldwide on Netflix.