Ricky Gervais gets serious in 'After Life'

Doesn’t sound very cheery, does it? There are laughs in this six-part dark comedy, however. After Life is peppered with scenes in which Tony dispenses with social niceties and says exactly what he thinks – the type of well-articulated burns you get if you follow creator, writer and director Gervais on Twitter.

Tony’s combative – it is as if he wants someone to put him out of his misery since he can’t bring himself to do it – and self-destructive behaviour drives initial episodes, as he goes about his day-to-day routine in a fog of negativity.