After Life (Season 3)
Synopsis
After Life is a British black comedy-drama series created, written, produced, and directed by Ricky Gervais, who plays the lead character Tony Johnson. The show makes a comeback after a hiatus of almost 2 years and also marks the third and final season of Tony Johnson acting as the “therapeutic cunt” we all need in Tambury and in our lives. Most of the regular, adorable Tambury oddballs make a comeback for the final season but some key characters were missing in action. However, Ricky Gervais’ genius writing makes up for all of them by introducing some equally heartwarming characters. The premise and tone of the show remains the same as the previous two seasons where Tony is still trying to deal with life “After Lisa”. If you don’t understand the reference then you can check out my review for the first two seasons and get a tiny recap about the show.
My Take
“You see, you still think and listen and make people laugh, make them feel they’re worth something, worth listening to.” So, I don’t remember the last time I cried and laughed so hard after finishing a show but I was kind of prepared about what was coming because the third and final season of After Life turned out to be as brilliant as the first two seasons. Every episode is a mini therapy session that depicts a different perspective of seeing life with the introduction of every character. After Life isn’t just about Tony or Lisa or even the main characters, it’s the story of every Tambury resident who makes the show and the town so interesting and unique. I definitely missed a bunch of characters from the previous seasons because I wanted to see so much more of them and see how their story arcs aligned with the ending. However, Ricky’s writing doesn’t make you feel their absence for even one bit.
This season felt even more special because every character was given such beautiful moments of epiphanies which acted as a domino effect by the end of the show and made the ending so satisfying and emotional. I’m not actually sure how much of the story is inspired from Ricky Gervais’ real life but I surely would want to take a peek inside his mind or just grab a cup of coffee to understand his process of writing such a simple yet wholesome show that teaches you to deal with love, death and grief in such an honest way. After Life is filled with a series of life lessons across the three seasons but the key takeaway for me was to think of kindness as a superpower and just call out people who are acting like “cunts” sometimes. Just like Tony, the show also gave us a moment of closure to part with the city of Tambury and make peace with the fact that everyone dies eventually and death is inevitable but also it shouldn’t stop you from living life.
Disclaimer: The above review solely illustrates the views of the writer.