In Season 1 of After Life, we meet Tony, a grieving man overwhelmed by the loss of his wife, Lisa. There is a palpable difficulty for Tony to accept kindness from others. But this season is a bit different. Now Tony wants to be more helpful to his colleagues and friends, and he says as much in the opening episode. He clearly feels indebted for their support when he was at his lowest, and now he wants to return the favor, even for his usual punching bag, Lenny, the photographer from the Tambury Gazette. (Still, there are moments where Tony’s irritability gets the best of him. Who among us hasn’t felt the same, one time or another?) 

As the end of Season 1 suggests, a relationship develops between Emma and Tony, even though Tony is still having difficulty moving on from Lisa. Matt continues to have problems with his marriage, but now Tony is much more sympathetic to his brother-in-law’s troubles. An interesting twist: Tony ends up playing the role of matchmaker for his friends and colleagues. Also, Lenny’s got a girlfriend, and she’s got a kid who now works for the Tambury Gazette. He’s not a great employee. Here’s what else happens in Tambury in Season 2.

KEY PLAYERS:

Tony Johnson (Ricky Gervais): A widower and head of features at the Tambury Gazette. As prickly, sarcastic and short-tempered as he is, there’s a soft, animal-loving side to him, too.

Matt Braden (Tom Basden): Lisa’s brother and Tony’s boss. He’s got his own issues this season.

Paul (Peter Egan): The owner of the Tambury Gazette, a rich elderly man who’s unclear about what’s next for him in life. 

Lisa Johnson (Kerry Godliman): Tony’s late wife. Though she is dead, Lisa appears throughout the show via recorded video messages addressed to Tony, as well as home movies that Tony recorded and stored on his laptop. 

Ray Johnson (David Bradley): Tony’s father, who suffers from dementia. Ray stays in an assisted living home and often doesn’t recognize Tony, much to his son’s frustration. 

Lenny (Tony Way): The photographer at the Tambury Gazette who often accompanies Tony on his assignments. Their relationship has become more of a two-way street compared to last season, where Lenny was often the butt of the joke. 

June (Jo Hartley): Lenny’s new girlfriend. She adores Lenny to the point that it genuinely baffles Tony. 

James (Ethan Lawrence): June’s son and a new hire at the Tambury Gazette. He has a flair for theater, but office work, not so much. 

Emma (Ashley Jensen): Formerly known (mostly) as “the nurse,” Emma takes care of Tony’s father, but she’s also developing a more serious relationship with Tony. 

Anne (​​Penelope Wilton): A widow who Tony meets at the site of Lisa’s grave. The two strike up a relationship based on their shared experiences of loss and attempts to move on. 

Tony’s Therapist (Paul Kaye): The one person less equipped to deal with Tony’s emotions than Tony himself. His advice sounds like it came from a vintage men’s magazine, and he truly needs to brush up on doctor-patient confidentiality. 

Roxy/Daphne (Roisin Conaty): A sex worker who Tony now treats as one of his closest confidantes. 

Pat (Joe Wilkinson): Tony’s mailman. He’s been upgraded from “annoyance” to “mate” status. 

Brandy: Tony’s German shepherd. Still a good girl. 

KEY LOCATIONS:

Tambury: The small and quaint fictional town in England where everything appears to be walking distance. 

KEY PLOT POINTS:

1. At the end of Season 1, Tony tells Emma that he is still not over Lisa. This season, Emma tells Tony that she doesn’t want to be a second choice to him. 
2. Tony sets Daphne and Pat up on a date, and the two become a couple. He also tries to set up a meeting between Anne and Paul, the owner of the Tambury Gazette. 
3. The Tambury Gazette faces a financial squeeze, and the owner of the paper considers selling off the business, putting everyone’s jobs in jeopardy. Tony is uncharacteristically optimistic that the paper will carry on. 
4. Tony’s father passes away. He gets the news on a phone call with Emma and appears to take his father’s death in stride. At the funeral, Tony provides a eulogy for his father. After the service, Tony tells Emma that, maybe one day, he can be with another woman without feeling like he is cheating on Lisa. 
5. The owner of the Tambury Gazette meets Anne at the graveyard and reveals that he also lost his spouse. 
6. Daphne is concerned after she finds a bottle of sleeping pills at Tony’s house, and worries he might be suicidal. Tony denies this to her. But after watching a video of Lisa, Tony, in tears, grabs the bottle, and empties it into his hand. But he is interrupted by a knock on the door from Emma. She’s ready for a relationship with Tony.

Key Questions:

1. Will Tony slip back into using his old “superpower” (i.e., being a jerk to everyone) as a way to cope with the loss of his father? 
2. What will Emma and Tony’s relationship look like? 
3. Will Anne date the owner of the Tambury Gazette? 
4. Will Tony’s therapist get a therapist? 
5. When will Brandy finally bite someone?