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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Entertainment
Kimberley Bond

After Life viewers hail Ricky Gervais as a ‘genius’ for hugely emotional season two finale

Netflix has released a string of unmissable dramas in more recent months, with Tiger King, Too Hot to Handle and Unorthodox all making for must-see viewing.

The streaming platform’s latest major release is the second season of Ricky Gervais’ tragi-comedy series After Life, which has lived up to fans' high expectations after the acclaimed first series.

The new episodes see cynical journalist Tony (played by Gervais) crumble back into his old ways as he struggles to cope with the death of his beloved wife.

However, Tony’s eclectic group of friends aim to help him see the positive side of life.

While the final episode of the new series sees Tony save the newspaper and unite the group at the talent contest, the series ends on one final tragic note as it is revealed that Tony’s dementia-stricken father Ray (played by David Bradley) has died.

Fans flocked to Twitter to praise Gervais for striking such a fine balance between comedy and poignancy.

Some even described the 58-year-old as a “genius” for his work on After Life.

Gervais’s sitcoms have famously drawn to a close after just two series, with The Office, Extras and Derek all without a third run.

However, with that ending, the comedian has been open about doing a third series should the second series do well.

Speaking to press, he explained: “For the first time ever, I would do a season three, because the world [in the show] is so rich.

“I love the characters. I love all the actors in it. I love my character. I love the town. I love the themes. I love the dog. So I would do a third one. But it's got to be a real – it's got to be a real demanded-for encore. I'm not going to just do it.”

After Life is available to stream on Netflix

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