+- Forums (http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomForum)
+-- Forum: Doom Arts (http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomForum/forumdisplay.php?fid=6)
+--- Forum: Doom Streaming (http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomForum/forumdisplay.php?fid=21)
+---- Forum: Netflix Streaming (http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomForum/forumdisplay.php?fid=22)
+----- Forum: Netflix Episodic (http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomForum/forumdisplay.php?fid=27)
+----- Thread: After Life (/showthread.php?tid=6783)
Pages:
1
2
After Life - Greg - 01-19-2022
Ricky Gervais stars as Tony Johnson a recently widowed newspaper writer struggling to come to grips with the death of his wife. Tony is at the bottom of the depression well and it is not pretty. He has embraced the philosophy of not giving a fuck about what people think and doing and saying exactly as he pleases. Which seems to be a tailor made role for Gervais. Maybe Gervais isn't as depressed as Tony. The only thing that keeps Tony barely moving along are his dog and messages his wife recorded from her sick bed to Tony.
S1Ep01 introduces us to Tony and his dog and his job at the free weekly paper he writes for. It's very depressing to see how Tony exists and how terribly he treats his coworkers and his boss, who also happens to be his brother in law. Tony also visits his father who suffers from late stage Alzheimers. The only light and it's not much is when Tony visits a man to get information about his birthday.
S1Ep02 Tony tries drugs to alleviate his pain. More depressing vignettes at the cemetery, at work and interviewing the man playing two recorders with his nose. This episode isn't quite as dark as Ep01 but it's close. I think that might be the trajectory for the show to see Tony crawl out of his wallow. But since they are up to season 3, the journey will be long.
I think Ricky Gervais can be hit or miss. I thoroughly enjoyed him in Extras but I've hated him in other things. He seems very abrasive and cruel but uses the umbrella of honesty to get away with it. He also thinks if you don't get his jokes you just don't understand humor.
I'm intrigued by the show and kind of want to see where it goes. tQ and I tried it because there is a lot of chatter about the show at the moment.
RE: After Life - Drunk Monk - 01-19-2022
(01-19-2022, 08:47 AM)Greg Wrote: I think Ricky Gervais can be hit or miss. I thoroughly enjoyed him in Extras but I've hated him in other things. He seems very abrasive and cruel but uses the umbrella of honesty to get away with it. He also thinks if you don't get his jokes you just don't understand humor.
truth. I don't care for him, although he was great in the UK Office. But that was about it. This doesn't sound like my cuppa tea...
RE: After Life - Greg - 01-19-2022
FOMO for me.
RE: After Life - Greg - 01-22-2022
S01Ep03 A slight return from the darkness, but still really dark. Taking heroin to ease the pain and another suicide attempt. But people are starting to push back against him being a prick; his therapist, his father's caregiver and his brother-in-law. Still some cringy humor but there was a funny bit in the cemetery where Tony talks with another widower who also comes to the grave site to talk to their deceased partner.
RE: After Life - Greg - 01-24-2022
S01Ep04 Wow. Just brutal ending which I hope isn't true. Tony has just a horrific date where his busts his balls for going through with committing suicide. Then Tony gives some terrible advice to his addict friend. We were going to watch two episodes of the show, but were shattered by the end of this episode, watched jeopardy instead. Still need to know where it goes. There are some signs of the grief cracking but it's a slow process. The best characters are the ones who push back against Tony.
RE: After Life - Greg - 01-25-2022
S01Ep05 Tony did do the bad thing and didn't do anything about it. Yikes. People around him are starting to be fed up with him and are calling him out on it especially his boss/brother-in-law. There is a slight crawl away from the anger as he learns about the consequences of his actions. Still a brutal show. But a few good laughs.
RE: After Life - Greg - 01-26-2022
S01Ep06 As a matter of fact, it is six episodes to the season and this was the season finale. I guess Tony has a come to Jesus moment about his behavior because he spends the entire episode apologizing to people and being a nice guy. The tone change is kind of abrupt. But there are some very funny moments.
RE: After Life - Drunk Monk - 01-26-2022
I dunno, man. Not sold on this series, given your reviews. But then again, this wasn't even on my radar - not my cuppa tea - so thanks for sharing.
RE: After Life - Greg - 01-26-2022
2 more seasons to go. It's rough. I don't how people didn't bale after the first episode originally. And how does the pitch work for this show to get the green light? We're making a comedy about grief and dying. The lead wants to commit suicide in every show. Sounds great. Roll cameras.
And yet, I'm still watching. The dog is really good. Have I mentioned the dog?
RE: After Life - Drunk Monk - 01-26-2022
Wait. There's a good dog? Maybe Yukz will like it.
Yuki likes All Creatures Great and Small because there are frequently dogs. Sick dogs, but dogs nonetheless.
RE: After Life - Greg - 01-26-2022
Big healthy German Shepherd. One of the things keeping Tony alive.
RE: After Life - Greg - 01-28-2022
S02Ep01 Back to the depression and sadness but we might have left suicide behind. Some really odd moments. There is a really noticeable pattern to the show. They have four set locations and they go to them every show. Also, the therapist, who was treating Tony and is now treating Tony's brother-in-law, is the absolute worst. And it is nice the show is telling more than just Tony's stories. A lot of the characters are getting fleshed out more rather than just being props for Tony. There is also the single most awkward sex scene ever.
"Can I call you Dad?"
"Not right now"
RE: After Life - Greg - 01-30-2022
S02Ep02 Everyone in this town has problems. Except for the dog and we don't see enough of the dog. The newspaper where everyone works is being closed. No one much cares except for the new girl who loves working there. It's the only job she has ever had that she doesn't hate. We get a lot of backstory about her in that scene. Tony continues to try and date the nurse at the nursing home. Tony's mailman goes on an awkward date with the sex worker. Tony's brother-in-law has another terrible session with the therapist then they see the therapist out with his mates at the pub. It's all awful. I think what helps to keep me going is know the series is short.
RE: After Life - Greg - 01-31-2022
S02 Ep03 and Ep04 More of the same. Some of it's funny. Some of it is very sad. Sad comes out on top in Ep04. More terrible therapy sessions. More interaction between the postman and the sex worker. It all kind of leads up to a variety show with the locals. Gervais loves uncomfortable situations and wants to see how far he can push people. I'm not a big fan of this but there is enough funny bits to keep me coming back.
RE: After Life - Greg - 02-02-2022
I guess I made it to S02 Ep06, the series finale. Just when you think Tony might be on the mend Tragedy strikes again. It pushes him right to the edge. Thank goodness the dog is there to save him. The thing Gervais loves the most is the whacky stories about the locals that Tony goes out to report on with his trusty photographer. They are all odd and none of the stories should be in the paper.
The season does shoot for a happy note at the end as you see all the couples progressing with their lives. But it is still dark before the dawn. The therapist still is the most ruined person on the show.