Culture

'After Life' Season 2 Netflix Release Date and Trailer for the Black Comedy

We know it's coming back, but when?

Netflix.

Ricky Gervais has always had a knack for creating surprisingly tender and funny television shows (see: The Office, Derek, etc.) and he knows how to make even the most unlikable character relatable under the right circumstances (except maybe himself). So is it any surprise that his latest Netflix show After Life, which features all of these winning elements, has been renewed for Season 2?

Figuring out how to move on with your life after the death of a loved one is never easy. For small-town journo Tony Johnson in After Life, moving on after his wife dies of breast cancer is a Herculean task that will require lots of bitter pills to be swallowed. But Tony’s not the one who suffers. Instead, he chooses to punish the world for the death of his wife and takes out his anger and sadness on his friends, family, and neighbors as he processes her death.

With After Life Season 2 on the horizon, here’s everything we know so far including the release date, casting information, plot details, and beyond.

Tony and Anne have a heart-to-heart.

Netflix.

When Is the After Life Season 2 Release Date?

After Life Season 2 will premiere in 2020, according to Variety. No specific month has mentioned, but Netflix could opt for late-winter premiere since they chose to do that for Season 1. (The show debuted on March 8.)

When Does Production Start on After Life Season 2?

The ball is already rolling on Season 2. Just a few weeks after Season 1 premiered on Netflix, Gervais confirmed in a tweet that he was already working on the script for Season 2.

“Thanks again for all the love for #AfterLife,” he wrote. “I have never had a reaction like this. The reviews have been great but the response from viewers has been fucking amazing. And that means so much more to me. You are the best fans in the world. Oh, and I’ve started writing series 2.”

No word yet on whether filming has begun or other Season 2 production details, but we’ll keep you posted.

How Many Episodes Will After Life Season 2 Have?

The Season 2 renewal announcement didn’t include an episode order. Season 1 was comprised of six episodes running 30 minutes apiece, so Season 2 could follow this formula.

Tony's over it. All of it.

Netflix.

Who Is Returning For After Life Season 2?

There’s been no confirmation on who is returning, leaving, or being added into the After Life Season 2 cast. Considering most of the characters live through Season 1 (Tony’s wife, Lisa, played by Kerry Godliman, will likely show up in flashbacks), we guess everyone, including Gervais, will be back.

What’s Going to Happen in After Life Season 2?

Tony really went through it in After Life Season 1. Over the course of six episodes, we watched Tony grieve the death of his wife and proceed to punish the world for her passing. Manifesting in a supremely prickly and brusque manner, Tony opts to take the low road in his encounters at work and in his personal life even after everyone tries to come together to help him heal. By the end of the season, Tony begins to feel like maybe holding onto anger isn’t the healthiest way to process the death of his wife and he begins to try and do better.

Gervais did reveal that one clue to what will happen in Season 2 is embedded in a Season 1 scene with Anne.

“I’m gonna carry on saying and doing what I want and punishing the world but I’m gonna punish people who deserve it. I’m gonna use my superpower for good,” Gervais said , touching on his character Tony calling his penchant for putting people in their place his “superpower”.

So even though Season 1 ended with Tony trying to not be a complete dick to everyone around him, we should expect there to still be plenty of awkward encounters between Tony and anyone who gets in his way. Hopefully After Life Season 2 also deals with Tony settling into his new normal as a widower, potentially offering new chances to rekindle workplace friendships and maybe find love again.

It's Tony and Brandy against the world.

Netflix.

How Can I Catch Up on After Life Before Season 2 Drops?

You can watch the entirety of After Life Season 1 on Netflix right now. There are six episodes and they’re about 30 minutes each, making it the perfect weekend binge. So get on it!

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