ST. LOUIS — "After Life" is a show about what happens after death ... for the living who grieve.
If there's one thing that Ricky Gervais' Netflix series, which released its second season a week ago, does well, it's balancing comedy and drama without overwhelming the viewer.
Tony (Gervais) finds his world crumbling inward when his beloved wife, Lisa (Kerry Godliman) dies after a fight with cancer. Once an optimistic mind, Tony descends into a cynical abyss of telling everyone exactly how he feels and often delivering the news in a mean-spirited way. He says all the things most wish they could conjure up and send out of their mouth. He's wicked, full of anger, and has grappled with suicide.
"After Life" is about Tony coping with the loss and trying to find his way back to being that person he was before Lisa died, if that's even possible. Instead of berating his co-workers at the local small-town newspaper where he works, Tony tries to mentor and guide them. Sandy (Mandeep Dhillon) is a newcomer in the small town in Hertfordshine, England called Hemel Hempstead. She is also a soul apart, trying to find her way. While he's raw and direct at first, Tony eventually warms to her.
There's Tony's boss, Matt (Tom Basden), who is having problems of his own, with his marriage coming undone, which sends him to the worst possible psychiatrist in the world, who also happens to be Tony's shrink. Anne (Penelope Wilton), a widow who spends more time at her late husband's grave site than anywhere else, becomes the unlikely good friend of Tony. Joe Wilkinson's Postman has his own issues, which include intruding on people's privacy and finding a girlfriend-and he engages in a wicked banter with Tony.
Over the course of two seasons, we watch Tony repeatedly fight the urge to find a new way after losing his old one. He struggles, getting knocked down emotionally every morning when he wakes up. Lisa left him a series of video messages to help him cope, but that only makes him miss her more. I can't forget about Tony's great dog, a German Shepherd, who comforts him on the dark days. Some of the best moments of the show happen between Tony and his dog, taking those long walks without a leash or care in the world.
Here's what I love about this show. It's uplifting without being melodramatic. It yanks on the heartstrings yet makes you laugh out loud minutes later. It doesn't manipulate your feelings, thus undoing your investment in the show's story. We don't get to see Tony rebound quickly in the end and find a new soulmate. Gervais, who wrote and directed all 12 episodes, doesn't allow his protagonist an easy escape from the glass case of emotion. He instead lets Tony wallow in the misery, finding new ways to live and deal. I believe there's a bit of Ricky in Tony, especially his wicked and sharp sense of humor. You can tell Gervais put some of his own personality not only in Tony but the entire cast and scripts. They are all very sharp.
"After Life" finds that creative sweet spot where a show is honest and pleases the crowd at the same time. The way it handles grief and its endless stages are authentic and never forced. By the end of the second season, Tony is still lost but slowly making his way to being found. He's still battling the urge to exit life, stage left. I like it when a show doesn't create a tidy and neat end, yet it allows us to watch the characters just continue to exist and try to make a good go of it.
Gervais is a master of his craft. There's patience and elegance in every scene, especially in Tony's interactions with his dad (David Bradley, aka Walter Frey from "Game of Thrones"). Suffering from dementia, Tony's dad doesn't have much left to offer, but the beauty of these scenes with Bradley and Gervais is the restraint shown. It's not endless monologues. Sometimes, they just sit there and ramble on about nothing. Other times, his dad is still giving him perils.
Throughout it all, Gervais is in total control. He imbues Tony with so much grace to go with the relentless venom. When Lisa dies, Tony refers to his newfound ability to say whatever he thinks and do whatever he wants as a "superpower." What's really happening is the guy was a different person before his wife died and he doesn't know where that nice guy went.
"After Life" is about what happens after a life ends and the other has to contend without that person. Heartfelt and sincere with a moderate dose of humor, the show endears quickly.
I hope there's more.
The first two seasons are currently streaming on Netflix. If you want a good show that offers something different, I'd trust Ricky and go with it.
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