Why you should be watching… After Life

Season 2 of After Life is out on Netflix on Friday. Here’s why you should be tuning in.

Considering we’re all spending a lot of time indoors these days, the JOE team has picked out viewing recommendations for TV series, old and new, to get stuck into to keep boredom at bay. Title: After Life Where can you watch it? Netflix Number of seasons: One (Season 2 coming to Netflix on Friday 24 April) IMDB rating: 8.4/10 Why you should be watching: Ricky Gervais is a divisive figure. His stand-up routines (and his Twitter) can often rub people up the wrong way, as he isn’t one to shy away from controversy. Often, it appears as if he desperately seeks it out. But while he may split opinions, more often than not, his work does not. His CV speaks for itself, and most recently, the brilliant After Life has been added to his impressive resume. The story focuses on Tony (played by Gervais), a once-nice guy who turns very cold when his wife dies unexpectedly. Instead of trying to cope with the tragic loss, or deal with it in a healthy way, he does the opposite. He says what he wants to whomever he wants, while also wallowing in sorrow and self pity, comforted only by his adorable dog. On top of that, his father suffers from dementia and regularly asks him how his deceased wife is, which enrages Tony, who seems to think the entire world is against him. So as you can imagine, it's not laugh-out-loud funny, and it's obviously not meant to be. But as heartbreaking as it can be at times, it makes for a powerful watch and an all-too real look at what life is like when you feel like you're at rock bottom. It may not have the hilarity that The Office or Extras had, but it does have the heart, and there are a few excellent jokes thrown in there for good measure. It's also quite vulgar, which you probably had assumed as a given when you saw Gervais' name attached. Give it a watch. You'll cry, you'll laugh, and then you'll cry a great deal more. But we swear, if ANYTHING happens to that dog, we're coming for you, Gervais. We do not need that shit right now. Clip via Netfilx