If fans are looking to fill the After Life shaped hole left behind after finishing the final season, here are some suggested binge worthy TV shows.
Ricky Gervais’ popular Netflix drama After Life reached a poignant conclusion in January. The three-part dark comedy takes a genuine approach to dealing with grief following the death of a loved one, handling themes such as depression and suicide, and friendship.
5 Shows to Binge If You Enjoyed After Life
If fans were quick to binge through the series’ third and final chapter, they might be looking to fill the After Life shaped hole left behind and where else better to start than a few of these TV shows?
Upload (2020)
Synopsis: A man is able to choose his own afterlife after his untimely death.
Death doesn’t necessarily mean the end in this not so distant dystopian sci-fi comedy. When computer engineer, Nathan (Robbie Amell), meets a premature demise thanks to a self-driving car, his conscience is uploaded into a virtual afterlife. Upload is a super fun concept to get behind and before long turns into a sweet blend of comedy, mystery and a smidge of romance. Plus, it even incorporates therapy dogs into the mix – what’s not to love there?
Stream Upload on Amazon Prime.
Related: Amazon Video’s Upload: A Hilarious Story of Love & Murder
It’s A Sin (2021)
Synopsis: Ritchie, Colin and Roscoe leave home at 18 to begin new lives in 1981 London, but they find themselves challenged by a virus that most of the world ignores.
Russell T Davies depicts the harrowing reality behind the AIDS crisis through the 1980s. Driven by lust and optimism, each of the characters signify various stages of sexual exploration; their view on the world is relatively similar to how most feel in the 20s – the thrill of independency with adulthood gives them an urge of innocence. The themes are poignant and powerful, highlighting segregation, ignorance and how cruel humanity can be.
Derry Girls
Synopsis: In Derry, Northern Ireland, a young girl and her cousin embark on many exciting adventures after they attend a Catholic girls’ school in the midst of a national conflict.
Set during the 1990s, five teenagers navigate the highs and lows within Catholic school amidst The Troubles of Derry. The series presents a fairly accurate representation of life in the titular city during the era; Derry Girls has been praised particularly for capturing and contrasting the innocence of the teens with the harsh consequences of The Troubles. Full of dark humor, the tone is kept lighthearted but retains somber elements of realism that serve as a reminder to what life was once like.
Stream Derry Girls on Netflix.
Ted Lasso
Synopsis: An American football coach is hired to manage a British soccer team; what he lacks in knowledge, he makes up for in optimism, determination and biscuits.
Jason Sudeikis headlines this comedy-drama as the ever-charming and optimistic Ted Lasso whose personable demeanour wins over his team of pessimists. Don’t be fooled by that first initial glance, Ted Lasso is far more than the average sports show. It’s an uplifting, wholesome tale delving into the hardships faced by the characters as they work to better themselves and their relationships with one another.
Related: Ted Lasso Season 2 Review: Even Better Than Season 1
Fleabag
Synopsis: A dry-witted woman, known only as Fleabag, has no filter as she navigates life and love in London while trying to cope with tragedy. The angry, grief-riddled woman tries to heal while rejecting anyone who tries to help her, but Fleabag continues to keep up her bravado through it all.
Similar to After Life, Fleabag thrives on dark, dry humor. Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s eponymous lead is struck with tragedy but rather than tackling any conflict head-on, she deflects with a sarcastic attitude. The series often breaks the fourth wall by addressing the viewers, bringing a greater depth to the connection between Fleabag – the only character on the show to do this – and the audience and provides a unique perspective on the genre.
Stream Fleabag on Amazon Prime.
About After Life
Tony had a perfect life — until his wife Lisa died. After that tragic event, the formerly nice guy changed. After contemplating taking his life, Tony decides he would rather live long enough to punish the world by saying and doing whatever he likes.
He thinks of it as a superpower — not caring about himself or anybody else — but it ends up being trickier than he envisioned when his friends and family try to save the nice guy that they used to know. Golden Globe winner Ricky Gervais stars in the comedy series, which he also writes and directs.
