The Netflix series After Life follows Tony Johnson, a grieving widower who, following the
death of his wife Lisa, has become depressed and suicidal. Tony takes on a new worldview, thinking
that because he could kill himself whenever he wanted, his behavior would have no negative
effects on him. This leads Tony to constantly speak his mind in very blunt and harsh manners.
Tony’s only true friend is his dog Brandy, and everyone else around him must suffer
from his cynical worldview. Tony works for the local newspaper, the Tambury Gazette, where he
constantly takes advantage of his sympathetic boss and brother-in-law, Matt. Tony’s co-workers at
the Gazette include photographer Lenny, who Tony constantly mocks for his appearance, and Kath, who
Tony mocks for her boring interests and stories. When the Gazette hires a new, upbeat reporter
named Sandy, her positivity and passion for her job leads Tony to reevaluate some of his cynicism.
In his darker moments of depression, Tony befriends a drug addict named
Julian in order to try heroin. Tony learns that Julian had also lost the
love of his life and his own depression had driven him deeper into his drug addiction.
Tony ultimately supplies Julian with money to buy enough drugs to overdose.
Tony is seeking help for his mental health, but that does him little good, as his Psychiatrist
proves himself to be pretty incompetent. He does however receive some inspiring words of
advice from a widow named Anne he meets at the cemetary. As Tony grows throughout the season
and finds comfort in the support of his friends, he begins to reevaluate his cynical view on life
and realizes that a person’s limited time on earth meant they should spend it helping others.
Although Tony takes this a step further and vows to continue being cruel to those who deserve it.
With his newfound positive outlook, Tony ends season one performing acts of kindness
for those around him. He pays compliments to his coworkers, he writes a front-page story
on an eccentric local man named Brian who is obsessed with making it into the paper,
he leaves a gift for his awkward Postman Pat, befriends and shows respect to a
kind-hearted sex worker named Daphne, shares a touching moment with his ailing father, Ray,
who suffers from dementia, and even asks his father’s nurse Emma out on a date.
In season 2 of After Life, Tony is continuing his attempts at being a better person,
but his life is no less complicated. Although he genuinely likes Emma,
he still isn’t fully over his wife and wants to keep their relationship at its current level.
Emma, needing more from her relationship with Tony, decides to remain just friends.
Tony helps set up Postman Pat with Daphne and the two wind up complimenting each other perfectly.
Matt has separated from his wife Jill and in turn begins seeing Tony’s inept
former Psychiatrist who offers nothing but terrible advice. Kath tries to strike up a
relationship with Matt during his separation, but he constantly and awkwardly rejects her.
Lenny is now dating June and serving as a surrogate father to her awkward teenage son,
James. Lenny gets James a part-time job working for the Tambury Gazette.
Also newly hired to work for the Gazette is Brian, who delivers the papers.
But things are complicated for Tony at work when the Gazette’s semi-retired owner Paul considers
selling it. Tony manages to give a rousing speech to Paul and convince him to keep the Gazette,
offering up a similar perspective as Tony’s own view on suicide.
The option to sell will always be there, but why not try hanging on and doing some good?
In the season 2 finale, everyone comes together for a local talent show featuring performances
from Brian, James, and June that Sandy gives a positive review for in the Gazette. Matt invites
his estranged wife Jill and son George to the show, and the family reconciles. During the show,
Tony gets a call from Emma telling him that his father Ray had died. At Ray’s funeral,
Anne and Paul meet and bond over the shared loss of their spouses.
Still grappling with depression and suicidal thoughts,
Tony decides to end his own life by taking sleeping pills. But before he can,
Tony is visited by Emma who tells him that she wanted to be with Tony and was willing to move
at whatever pace he felt most comfortable with. All that mattered was that they’d have each other.