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Original poster

Ricky Gervais' 'After Life' on Netflix is truly awful

142 replies

Lottapianos · 18/04/2022 17:15

I'm halfway through series 3 - you can't say I haven't done my research ☺️ I'm hypnotised by the awfulness. I think it's the most overrated load of claptrap since Gavin and Stacey. There's the odd very funny line and some great performances but dear god 🤦🏻

Main problems with it:

  • obviously just a vehicle for Ricky Gervais' misanthropic worldview
  • trite and sentimental
  • doesn't go anywhere, same scenes repeated endlessly (sitting on couch getting pissed, lying in bed watching old clips on laptop)
  • non stop misogyny - endless c-words and some truly vile lines from one character about how badly women stink and graphic sexual stuff
  • he and his wife (seen in flashback) are bloody annoying, always honking with laughter at his tedious antics. Nothing like any couple I have ever come across ever
  • lots of pointless characters seemingly there just to create a short role for Gervais' mates

I could go on! And yes of course I could just switch the damn thing off, but indulge me. Anyone else just not get it?

OP posts:
redfairy · 18/04/2022 17:32

I loved all three series. I found the moving, funny but not overly sentimental. Just shows we can't all like the same stuff. What shows do you like OP?

Greensleeves · 18/04/2022 17:32

@Hoolihan

I watched the first series and agree with all your points. Plus totally unrecognisable/unrealistic twee English setting, a small market town which somehow supports a 1950s style local newspaper? And a friendly local prostitute, an angelic old lady who dispenses wisdom in a graveyard and one dimensional "perfect wife". Get to fuck Ricky.
Those tropes would indeed be depressing, if the series featured them at all Confused

Penelope Wilton's character isn't an old lady, she certainly isn't angelic and her role isn't really to dispense wisdom - their conversations are much more complex than that.

The "local prostitute" character is many things, but she isn't friendly.

Lisa isn't portrayed as perfect at all. She's quite spiky, and no more one-dimensional than any other character who is dead before the start of the narrative would have to be.

I am ambivalent about it, personally, it had high and low points, and I find RG problematic in various ways, but sometimes I think people really do talk utter bollocks in their quest to sound clever.

Original poster
Lottapianos · 18/04/2022 17:32

'Gavin and Stacey is amazing though so Yabu for that.'

I know, absolutely everyone seems to love it. I just don't get it. I think it's so bad, it's like a parody of what an actually funny comedy should be. Great cast, wasted on rubbish material - in my humble opinion!

OP posts:
bunpot · 18/04/2022 17:33

AGREED, especially the point about it being a vessel for his numerous opinions. Extremely self satisfied. Idk if he was ever self aware but he's so deluded and embarrassing now.

FrancescaContini · 18/04/2022 17:34

The character played by RG is a tedious, misanthropic bore, and yes, the repeated use of the C word is childish and grating.

Momicrone · 18/04/2022 17:36

I'm guessing the relationship with his wife is based on his own, maybe she really does laugh at all his shit pranks!

Saucery · 18/04/2022 17:39

Grief can be like that, I suppose. It’s not a steady climb upwards with cheery characters waving you on. It’s more like a game of snakes and ladders.
The thing I remember most about it is when he says suicide is like his Super Power. He can stop all the pain any time he wants, but he doesn’t. There’s always some little glimmer of humanity, some friend or acquaintance who stops him using that Super Power. The strength he shows is in persevering just with living without her.

I did skip bits where peripheral characters (Paul Kaye’s psychiatrist etc) do their misogynistic nattering. Reminded me of the bits in RG’s stand up (Humanity) where he drops the word ‘cunt’ into a routine about the children he never had. I like a well placed ‘cunt’ as much as the next sweary person, but he does seem to rely on it a bit much for shock value when his writing can be much, much better than that.

Original poster
Lottapianos · 18/04/2022 17:40

'I did skip bits where peripheral characters (Paul Kaye’s psychiatrist etc) do their misogynistic nattering.'

Oh gosh I had forgotten about him! Truly awful, offensive and unfunny

OP posts:
supersop60 · 18/04/2022 17:42

YABU for continuing to watch something you don't like.
I liked it.
I have no problem with the C-word - it gets used a lot IRL.
Maybe he and his wife had a similar sense of humour - married couples do. And she's dead, so we are only going to see one-dimensional videos of her.
I live near the town where it's filmed, and there are a lot of odd characters there.
OP - watch something else.

Saucery · 18/04/2022 17:44

@Lottapianos

'I did skip bits where peripheral characters (Paul Kaye’s psychiatrist etc) do their misogynistic nattering.'

Oh gosh I had forgotten about him! Truly awful, offensive and unfunny

I can see why the character was there, but I’m too old and jaded to voluntarily listen to that shit these days. Heard enough of it when I was younger,
pippinsleftleg · 18/04/2022 17:46

He’s so annoying in the home movie clips with his wife - I’ve often thought if I was married to him I’d be hoping to die so I could get away from him.

But I take issue with the PP dissing the local paper - I live in a market town and we have a thriving local paper, thank you very much!

Germolenequeen · 18/04/2022 17:46

YABU about Gavin & Stacey but YANBU about After Life Season 2 & 3

fluffythedragonslayer · 18/04/2022 17:49

Series 3 was awful. I am not offended by the c word but the overuse just renders it completely meaningless, just lazy writing. And I completely agree that it is just a way for Ricky Gervais to showcase all the things he hates about people and the world. Can't stand the man to be fair, nasty arrogant little twat. YANBU!

PAFMO · 18/04/2022 17:50

@Lottapianos

I'm halfway through series 3 - you can't say I haven't done my research ☺️ I'm hypnotised by the awfulness. I think it's the most overrated load of claptrap since Gavin and Stacey. There's the odd very funny line and some great performances but dear god 🤦🏻

Main problems with it:

  • obviously just a vehicle for Ricky Gervais' misanthropic worldview
  • trite and sentimental
  • doesn't go anywhere, same scenes repeated endlessly (sitting on couch getting pissed, lying in bed watching old clips on laptop)
  • non stop misogyny - endless c-words and some truly vile lines from one character about how badly women stink and graphic sexual stuff
  • he and his wife (seen in flashback) are bloody annoying, always honking with laughter at his tedious antics. Nothing like any couple I have ever come across ever
  • lots of pointless characters seemingly there just to create a short role for Gervais' mates

I could go on! And yes of course I could just switch the damn thing off, but indulge me. Anyone else just not get it?

I thought I was the only person on the planet to think what the fuck am I watching. I made it through one episode.

I've realised I like Ricky Gervais when he's on Graham Norton talking about dogs and the rest of the time he makes me feel a bit sick n

ParisLondonTokyoSlough · 18/04/2022 17:51

Yabu about Gavin and Stacey.

Haven’t watched the Gervais show as the trailer looked depressing and I don’t find depressing “humour” funny.

BotterMon · 18/04/2022 17:51

YANBU as anything featuring RG is an immediate switch off, but YABU about Gavin and Stacey.

Grilledaubergines · 18/04/2022 17:53

Loved it.

Sometimes you can just watch something and take it at face value. Not everything needs to be dissected.

I can’t believe someone who hates it has already invested over 12 hours watching it.

CrumpetStrumpet · 18/04/2022 17:56

YANBU.

I enjoyed the first series , but didn't watch series two past the second episode.

GenderCriticalTrumpets · 18/04/2022 17:56

I really loved it and I thought it was beautiful. We cried our way through the whole lot.

TheDuchessOfMN · 18/04/2022 17:56

I thought the therapist scenes were hilarious

I loved the relationship between him and his dog, but the dog was always on edge - but I appreciate that it’s a studio set and not easy to get a dog to relax.

I found his ex wife irritating, I mostly ff through her videos Blush I didn’t find their banter funny in the slightest.
Disliked his overuse of the C word.

Despite all that, I liked it and mostly liked his character. I could understand his frustration around his father, but he was loyal to him and visited him every day.

mum61 · 18/04/2022 17:57

@LovelyYellowLabrador
Not necessarily, being bereaved in the middle of life often leaves you financially better off and emotionally attached to the home you shared so many widows and widowers stay put for some time.

sophienelisse · 18/04/2022 17:57

I loved it. Laughed and cried sometimes at the same time.

I think it's one of the best things I've watched

AnyFucker · 18/04/2022 18:00

I thought it was crap too

I got sick of Ricky’s face.

Grandmum1 · 18/04/2022 18:00

Absolutely fantastic series . Ricky is a genius - you either get him or you don’t . You clearly don’t so would suggest you don’t watch anything else he’s done as you won’t like that either . Love him 💕

potofivy · 18/04/2022 18:00

@Guineapigssweak

I loved all three series. It was brilliant. And Ricky is also a hero to me regarding his work he does with saving dogs from the vile Chinese meat industry! I doth my cap to him ❤️
It's 'doff'!
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