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Original poster

Unpopular opinion- Afterlife

38 replies

crochetmonkey74 · 16/04/2023 21:59

So I know it's critically acclaimed and for context, I'm a massive Ricky Gervais fan (The Office is my favourite ever TV xhow)
But I find Afterlife so overrated. It's heavy handed. Anyone agree?

OP posts:

NeedWineNow · 17/04/2023 22:20

It was recommended to us by friends who loved it. Me and DH both hated it. I appreciate that the Ricky Gervais character was grieving but we both found him irritating and puerile and generally obnoxious. We couldn’t finish the first series.

Original poster

crochetmonkey74 · 18/04/2023 07:33

I've been pondering it and I think none of the characters were fleshed out enough. They existed only to be caricatures for Tony to mock or us to laugh at. I agree about Diane Morgan being underused. Her loneliness story could have been so much more.
Brian was just Kev from Derek but with less heart if that's possible.
I genuinely thought some of the scenes were written so clunkily. There's a scene where Tony and the photographer are chatting whilst walking down the drive after interviewing an old couple who remarried and its so clunky the way they talk to each other

OP posts:

Xrays · 18/04/2023 07:38

It was okay but I didn’t relate to it either (several traumatic bereavements here too).

I actually prefer Fleabag in terms of grief experience. There’s a part in it where she breaks down and is talking to someone and says, “tell me what to do, what I’m supposed to eat, what I’m supposed to wear, how I’m supposed to be” (not quite those words) and it always makes me cry. (Her Mum died and she is feeling lost. I can relate to that, that feeling of being unable to navigate life. I don’t think Afterlife does that quite as well. But they’re different I guess.

Xrays · 18/04/2023 07:46

I think this is the scene I’m referring to (I can’t check with the sound on as Ds is next to me and he has autism and doesn’t like the sound on!)

Best Scene in Fleabag

Fleabag is perfect, but this scene gets me every time. Season 1, Episode 4.Music: Mirror Lake - Angus MacRae

https://youtu.be/Ev9JVzQey44

RichardsGear · 18/04/2023 07:48

UWhatNow · 17/04/2023 20:49

I was sympathetic to it because I think Ricky Gervais is a genius but by series 3 I’d had enough. The filth spouted by the character played by David Earl (‘Brian’) took away any pathos for me.

And the constant pranks he plays on the wife in the flashback videos makes him look like an complete irritant. When he throws water over her at the beach or a fog horn when she’s sleeping I started to think that death was probably sweet relief for her from the annoying prick.

Totally at odds with the sweet old lady chats on the bench and the depth of his supposed grief. So nah - by the third series I was over it…

God, completely! I don't really like Ricky Gervais anyway but quite enjoyed it at first, then I ended up thinking WTAF?! That character was just awful and he actually manages to connect with someone romantically at the end. How insulting to women to imply that they're obviously so desperate for any man that they'll entertain the thought of that disgusting article anywhere near them. Ugh.

RichardsGear · 18/04/2023 07:49

'That character' being Brian.
I do really like the editor brother-in-law though, he's lovely.

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 18/04/2023 07:50

Offthexmaslist · 16/04/2023 23:05

Honestly one of the finest bits of TV I have ever seen. But I lost a parent in early teens and I think you may have needed to experienced heart wrenching grief to really appreciate it for its genius.

I agree.

SissySpacekAteMyHamster · 18/04/2023 07:59

I hated the last series, I found it overly sentimental.

Loved Penelope Wilton.

JenniferAllisonPhillipaSue · 18/04/2023 08:00

I'm really not a Gervais sitcom fan - love his stand-up though - and this was the first series of his that I actually enjoyed and watched thru to the end. Different things suit different people, I guess

Original poster

crochetmonkey74 · 18/04/2023 09:09

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 18/04/2023 07:50

I agree.

Show quote history

But I have experienced this grief

OP posts:

Tidsleytiddy · 18/04/2023 09:10

It’s sublime

mrssanchez · 18/04/2023 13:56

DH enjoyed it and got me to watch but I really didn't like it tbh. Very overrated imo.

Workerbeep · 18/04/2023 19:01

I really didn’t like the character Brian, not funny or realistic at all.

it was tired by the third series and I didn’t see the point of replacing the really good character of Sandy, the apprentice reporter.

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