Regular listeners to out sister Pilot TV Podcast will have heard Ricky Gervais recently talking up the second series of his comedy drama After Life for Netflix. He mentioned that he was looking to keep going with a third run of episodes as opposed to his traditional two-and-out, and Netflix has flashed the greenlight on that idea.
And that's not all: the streaming service has hatched a deal with the actor/writer/director/comedian that will guarantee his services for the next few years, which will included scripted series and stand-up specials. So no matter your feelings towards the man Gervais, he'll be around for a while.
After Life is set in the fictional town Tambury, and follows Tony (Gervais), a writer for the local newspaper whose life is upended after his wife dies from cancer. In series 2, Tony tries to become a better friend to those around him while still struggling with his own grief. Each character is grappling with their own problems and that’s only intensified by the looming threat of the local newspaper being shut down. It's loaded with a mix of newer actors and sitcom legends and isn't afraid to push the boundaries in places, especially where language is concerned. Gervais has been candid about the ideas he has around the show, so perhaps After Life will have a, well, afterlife of spin-offs.
You can hear Gervais' pod interview below.