Tim Plester

After Life is the latest offering from Ricky Gervais, where he plays widower Tony, a man corroded by grief (staying alive only to feed his dog) who decides to be as obnoxious as he likes and then kill himself, behaviour that he thinks is "like a superpower."

The cast includes Penelope Wilton as a widow, Diane Morgan as Tony's gobby co-worker, and Paul Kaye as a self-satisfied therapist. Apart from videos left by Tony's late wife (a touching Kerry Godliman), the heart is mainly provided by Ashley Jensen as a care-home worker looking after Tony's dad (David Bradley), and Mandeep Dhillon's rookie journalist at the local newspaper where Tony works.

The problem is the wildly swerving tone - from obnoxious to sentimental to caustic to maudlin to pointlessly vile. At one point Tony helps a junkie (Tim Plester) buy enough drugs to kill himself. Ho and ho. This just won't cut it as edgy comedy in the era of Succession, Russian Doll and so much more. After Life worked better during the running joke featuring Tony covering hopeless local stories, such as a boy playing recorders with his nostrils: "Why would people rather be famous for being shit than not famous at all?" This is Gervais's true superpower - as a carping, eye-rolling everyman.

Barbara Ellen, The Observer, 17th March 2019

Review: Gervais gets spiny & squishy in After Life

Like its snarky hero, After Life is essentially good-hearted.

Robert Lloyd, LA Times, 8th March 2019

Review: After Life could've been profound. It's profane

Ricky Gervais was once hailed as an innovator of comedy. Series like The Office and Extras sealed his reputation as a man who had changed the landscape of TV comedy forever. The Office became so popular it spawned a genre and a popular American remake. Sadly, the style that was once Gervais' hallmark seems to have become something of a curse. At least based on his new Netflix series After Life.

Will Barber-Taylor, The Custard TV, 7th March 2019