After his recent standup special on Netflix,Humanity,Ricky Gervaisis returning to for another collaboration. The streaming giant has order 6 episodes ofAfter Life, which will be a single camera comedy, and marks Gervais' second series to premiere on the platform (his comedyDerekas well as the movieSpecial Correspondentsalso debuted on Netflix). Gervais is best known and loved for co-creatingThe OfficeandExtraswith longtime collaboratorStephen Merchant, although fans who have followed the duo for a long time will also note that some of their best work was discoveringKarl Pilkingtonand bringing Monkey News to the world.
Here’s the official logline forAfter Life, which Gervais will write and direct, as well as serve as an EP alongside frequent collaboratorCharlie Hanson.:
Tony had a perfect life. But after his wife Lisa suddenly dies, Tony changes. After contemplating taking his own life, he decides instead to live long enough to punish the world by saying and doing whatever he likes from now on. He thinks it’s like a Super Power — not caring about himself or anyone else — but it turns out to be tricky when everyone is trying to save the nice guy they used to know.
… Which feels very much in line with the content from his latest standup specialHumanity. For some fans (like myself) there was something of a split between Gervais' collaborations with Merchant (and later Pilkington) and his solo work since then. I adoreThe Office,Extras, the XFMs shows and later podcasts, the movieCemetery Junction(an overlooked gem), as well asThe Moaning of Life(which features Pilkington being sent around the world) – and let’s not forget Flanimals! – but everything since then has not quite hit me in the same way. Merchant’s HBO seriesHello Ladieswas a little too caustic, and Gervais’Derekwas too saccharine. There was a particular alchemy the two stumbled on in working together (for the most part –Life’s Too Shortwas pretty forgettable) that produced some really exceptional things, but since then, well, your mileage may vary.After Lifealso seems like it could be another excuse for Gervais to push his new “don’t be offended” brand of humor that is never particularly fresh or provocative. But time will tell!
