Cari De La Cruz

After Life's sublimely minimal vignettes deliver maximum profundity. That's my cerebral take on it, and what I mean by that is, what I experience as a tiny, episodic tremor from Tony's interaction with his Godson, registers as a earth-shaking movement in the episodic story of his life. Much like a seismograph that depicts earth's movement with needle strokes, those shaky little lines don't accurately translate the power of a shaking chimney collapsing into the driveway...Same with After Life: You think you're watching a needle, but you're really experiencing the shaking. To me, the simple beauty of this show is that a seemingly minor or insignificant exchange with a sex worker, heroin addict or postman results in a major revelation that makes me go, "Huh. I never thought about it like that." In my opinion, Gervais is a creative genius who makes deeply existential concepts palatable and accessible by weaving them into darkly humorous and occasionally sorrow-filled events...punctuated with terrible language! I'll admit it, I am f-bomb averse and will turn-off most programs after the 3rd bomb drops...but in this case, whether it's because the offensive words are delivered in the Queen's English, or the fact that...well...I think that IS the fact. Full stop. British Accent = Tolerable (still unacceptable) Cursing. I don't share many of Ricky Gervais' (né Tony's) existential views, but that's okay...we don't have to agree on everything in order for me to listen and agree on some things. And on that point alone, After Life (2-words, please -- there is nothing after death in Tony's/Ricky's worldview) -- After Life is out of this world. My singular negative comment would be that I binged all 6 episodes of season 1 and am bitter that I have to wait until 2020 for season 2. Where WILL he go with the show? Perhaps we'll see instances of Lisa not being so perfect after all...? Oh, and more Sandy.