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After Life is a British comedy drama television series created, written, executive produced, and directed by Ricky Gervais, who plays lead character Tony Johnson. It premiered on…
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Investigate this subjectAfter Life is a British comedy drama television series created, written, executive produced, and directed by Ricky Gervais, who plays lead character Tony Johnson. It premiered on 8 March 2019 on Netflix.
After Life is a British comedy drama television series created, written, executive produced, and directed by Ricky Gervais, who plays lead character Tony Johnson. It premiered on 8 March 2019 on Netflix. The second series premiered on 24 April 2020. The third and final series premiered on 14 January 2022.
Set in the fictional town of Tambury, After Life follows local newspaper reporter Tony Johnson, whose life is turned upside down after his wife dies from breast cancer. He contemplates suicide, but instead decides to spend his life punishing the world for his wife's death by saying and doing whatever he wants regardless of how it makes other people feel. Although he thinks of this as his "superpower", his plan is undermined as he realises he does care about a select few people. Over the course of the series, he stops trying to be awful and, despite never really moving on from his wife's death and remaining suicidal, decides true meaning in life comes from helping and being there for others.
Ricky Gervais as Tony Johnson, head of feature stories at the local newspaper, the Tambury Gazette. Following the death of his wife, he is depressed and suicidal.
Tom Basden as Matt Braden, Tony's brother-in-law and boss of the Tambury Gazette
Tony Way as Lenny, the Tambury Gazette's photographer
Diane Morgan as Kath, the Gazette's advert manager
Mandeep Dhillon as Sandy, a newly hired features journalist (series 1–2)
Kerry Godliman as Lisa Johnson, Tony's deceased wife, seen in flashbacks and Tony's home videos
Ashley Jensen as Emma, a nurse at the nursing home where Tony's father is a resident
Paul Kaye as Tony's and Matt's unconventional and incompetent counsellor (series 1–2)
Penelope Wilton as Anne, a widow Tony meets at the local graveyard who dispenses sage advice for Tony's troubles
Joe Wilkinson as Pat, Tony's postman
Roisin Conaty as Daphne/"Roxy", a sex worker who befriends Tony (series 1–2)
David Bradley as Ray Johnson, Tony's father, who has dementia (series 1–2; guest series 3)
Tim Plester as Julian Kane, a drug addict hired by Matt to deliver the Tambury Gazette (series 1)
David Earl as Brian Gittins, a hoarder and self-professed puppeteer and stand-up comedian who wants to appear in the local newspaper (series 2–3; recurring series 1)
Jo Hartley as June, Lenny's partner and mother to James (series 2–3; recurring series 1)
Ethan Lawrence as James, June's son, who does work experience at the Tambury Gazette (series 2–3; recurring series 1)
Colin Hoult as Ken Otley, head of the local amateur dramatics company and would be showbiz superstar (series 3; recurring series 2)
Kath Hughes as Coleen, Sandy's replacement at the Gazette (series 3; guest series 1)
Anti as Brandy the Dog, Tony's and Lisa's dog
Michelle Greenidge as Valerie, the Tambury Gazette's receptionist
Tommy Finnegan as George Braden, son of Matt and Jill, Tony's nephew and godchild
Thomas Bastable as Robbie, a classmate and reformed bully of George
Laura Patch as Jill Braden, Matt's wife (series 2–3; guest series 1)
Tracy-Ann Oberman as Rebecca, a woman with whom Tony goes on a date and who later reappears at an amateur dramatics workshop (series 2; guest series 1, 3)
Peter Egan as Paul, the semi-retired owner of the Tambury Gazette (series 2–3)
Robert Woodhall as Colin, a self-made millionaire scrap metal merchant whom Kath allows to drive her around in his Rolls-Royce (series 2–3)
Bill Ward as Simon, Emma's new love interest, whom Tony dislikes (series 2)
Steve Brody as Jeff, a crematorium official (series 1) and swinger husband of Vera (series 3)
On 9 May 2018, it was announced Netflix had given the production a series order for a first series consisting of six episodes. The series was created and directed by Ricky Gervais, who is also executive producer, alongside Charlie Hanson. On 14 January 2019, it was announced the series would premiere on 8 March 2019. It was further announced Duncan Hayes would serve as an additional executive producer and that Hanson would actually serve as a producer. On 3 April 2019, it was announced the series was renewed for a second series, which premiered on 24 April 2020. On 6 May 2020, the show was renewed for a third series, the first time a fiction series created by Gervais had (excluding special episodes) been extended beyond two series.
Hanson was suspended from his position in the show during filming for the third series, due to eleven women saying he had committed sexual misconduct and assault against them between 2008 and 2015. Netflix said: "Whilst the allegations are unrelated to his time on the show, we immediately removed him from the production and referred the matter to the police." Gervais commented he was "shocked and appalled" to learn of the allegations, and Hanson claimed they were "demonstrably false" from the information given to him.
Alongside the series order announcement, it was confirmed Gervais would star in the show. On 5 July 2018, it was announced Penelope Wilton, David Bradley, Ashley Jensen, Tom Basden, Tony Way, David Earl, Joe Wilkinson, Kerry Godliman, Mandeep Dhillon, Jo Hartley, Roisin Conaty, and Diane Morgan had joined the cast.
Principal photography for the first series reportedly began by July 2018 in London. The series was filmed in Hampstead, Hemel Hempstead, The Royal Standard of England pub in and around Beaconsfield, and Camber Sands in East Sussex.
Filming for the second series began in September 2019 and wrapped in January 2020. The third series of After Life began production in April 2021 and wrapped in J
Source: After Life (TV series) (CC BY-SA)
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