After Life

After Life is a British black comedy-drama streaming television series created, written, produced, and directed by Ricky Gervais, who plays lead character Tony Johnson. It premiered on 8 March 2019 on Netflix. The second series premiered on 24 April 2020. The third and final series premiered on 14 January 2022. Premise Set in the fictional town of Tambury, After Life follows newspaper writer Tony Johnson, whose life is turned upside down after his wife dies from breast cancer. He contemplates suicide, but instead decides to spend his life punishing the world for his wife's death by saying and doing whatever he wants regardless of how it makes other people feel. Although he thinks of this as his "superpower", his plan is undermined as he realises he does care about a select few people. Over the course of the series, he stops trying to be awful and, despite never really moving on from his wife's death and remaining suicidal, decides true meaning in life comes from helping and being there for others. Cast and characters Main Ricky Gervais as Tony Johnson, head of feature stories at the local newspaper, the Tambury Gazette. Following the death of his wife, he is depressed and suicidal Tom Basden as Matt Braden, Tony's brother-in-law and boss of the Tambury Gazette Tony Way as Lenny, the Tambury Gazette's photographer Diane Morgan as Kath, the Gazette's advert manager Mandeep Dhillon as Sandy, a newly hired features journalist (series 1–2) Kerry Godliman as Lisa Johnson, Tony's deceased wife, seen in flashbacks and Tony's home videos Ashley Jensen as Emma, a nurse at the nursing home where Tony's dad is a resident Paul Kaye as Psychiatrist, Tony's and Matt's unconventional and incompetent psychiatrist (series 1–2) Penelope Wilton as Anne, a widow Tony meets at the local graveyard who dispenses sage advice for Tony's troubles Joe Wilkinson as Pat ('Postman Pat'), Tony's postman Roisin Conaty as Daphne/"Roxy", a sex worker who befriends Tony; a "tart with a heart".