The highly anticipated season 3 of After Life has finally been released on Netflix to conclude the series and I was well on the ball to start watching it. For those of you who haven’t seen the show, it follows a middle-aged man called Tony (Ricky Gervais) who works as a journalist for a local newspaper, in the small community of Tambury. His wife Lisa (Kerry Godliman) sadly passed away from breast cancer and the show follows his struggles coping with her loss. It’s a heavy series , I won’t deny that, but in between the deep and thought-provoking moments you really get a sense that despite all the horrible things that go on in the world, the little things really can make a difference. In this season Tony admits he has come to terms with death and starts take a more optimistic perspective on life and viewers will be pleased to know that our favourite dog Brandy is still very much present. He is still his same stubborn self, ready to call people out and creating those uncomfortable moments you can’t help but laugh at, but this time round you see a softer side to Tony. A side that is less self-destructive and caring.
As a writer, actor, and director Gervais is able to capture the powerful and heart-warming feelings that life creates. One scene in particular comes to mind, in which Tony visits a children’s hospital and is asked whether he believes in heaven and honestly, it’s impossible not to cry. For a man who has been known to argue against God, faith and all the seemingly made up things of the world, he begins to realise that maybe there is value in having some form of belief. Viewers are treated with the usual characters like Kath, Matt and Brian along with the rest of Tambury, but we see the introduction of a few new faces to add to the mix.
Gervais takes the mundane and makes it funny in a way that no other comedian could. This is made easier with the support of an incredible cast. There’s no ‘big star’ nor is there a need for one, but the central narrative of Tony is what makes the other storylines come to life. I would say this final season wasn’t as hard-hitting as the previous two but it’s always satisfying knowing where each character ends up. No series can ever be perfect and neither can life, but that’s exactly the message that Gervais manages to convey.
There’s always a sad feeling when you finish a series, especially one you love so much but in one way, though I’d love there to be more, I appreciate quality over quantity. One things for sure, this series certainly leaves you wishing that one day you’d be lucky enough to experience that same capacity of love Tony has for Lisa.
