Ricky
You seem like you’re on a tear with the show. You’ve already written Season 2?
G E RVA I S
★
★
★
★
★
Well, I’d say I was halfway through. I think of a first draft as being halfway through. But yeah, it’s incredible to be going into a second season with all the love for the first. You shouldn’t go into anything again if it isn’t at least watched and liked. But this has been extraordinary, I must admit.
As Netflix sitcom After Life strikes a chord with viewers, the comedian is ready to show his softer side BY J O E U T I C H I
I did finish the first so that it could be the only series. I always do that, in case I die tomorrow [laughs]. So I did it with The Office and with Extras. There’s always an ending. But as soon as you know you’re going to do another one, that’s
RICKY GERVAIS IS A PRIME PROVOCATEUR, at least if you ask the many critics he has drawn for his comedy, through shows like The Office and Extras, his stand-up, and a particularly active Twitter feed. But, as his new show After Life proves, the well of his compassion runs deep. On the surface, it’s the kind of show with which Gervais pokes at the easily offended. He plays Tony, a grieving widower who hurls insults and dabbles in hard drugs. But the show has been a hit because of what lies beneath: a sensitive, emotional, and often romantic look at what grief, depression and guilt does to us all.
not the ending anymore. It becomes a cliffhanger. That’s so lovely as well. The second series of anything should be the best. You’ve put all your eggs into one basket, you think, but how well do you know someone after three hours? Right? With a second series, you know who you’re writing for. You know what worked and what didn’t. I think I’ve also got the best cast of any comedy/drama in history. It’s incredible. And they’re all coming back. It’s just so much fun once you’ve already set up the world. It’s all set up for you.
Television and film has dealt a lot with
The scenes with Penelope Wilton’s
the sadness of grief. After Life deals
Anne are quite positive about religion,
Well, you say it did have a conclusion,
with the other emotions: numbness,
to be coming from an atheist.
and that’s true. There was a sense that
confusion, even guilt.
Well, it’s the difference between religion
Tony was on a journey and he reached
Because Tony says he feels guilty that he
and spirituality. Spirituality is a personal
the end of it.
resents going to see his dad every day,
thing that does no one any harm. If it
Right, but I’ve never been one to have it all end,
and that frustrates him. He’s frustrated
makes you feel better, good luck to you. I
“And they all lived happily ever after…” That’s
with his dad, and he feels guilty about that
don’t believe it’s true, but if you do, that’s
why I would never end a movie with a kiss.
because he knows it’s not his fault. There
great. Wherever you find it, whatever you
Because we never know if it’s happily ever after.
are so many mixed emotions with grief and
think—whether it’s a connection with
Most marriages don’t end in happily ever after.
dementia. With dementia, you try to get by,
nature, or you think there’s an Almighty,
by telling yourself, “That’s not the person I
whatever—that’s lovely.
knew,” but then you feel guilty about that.
Religion takes that and uses it as a stick
I think I’ve stolen everything for endings in everything I’ve ever done—from Ghost Town to The Office to The Invention of Lying—from [Billy
No, it is the person you knew. They just
to beat you with. Religion says, “Oh, you
Wilder’s] The Apartment. When she says, “Shut
don’t know you.
love God, do you? Well, I know Him, and He
up and deal.” I love that. They’re soulmates.
says if you give me money, I’ll get you into
They’re already friends. They know there’s more
death after a really long, terrible illness. My
People also feel guilty about the relief of
heaven.” Or, “If you do these things, then
chance of happily ever after. I’ve always tried
mum had lung cancer, and you think, Well,
you’ll get into heaven.”
to put a grownup romance in there, if I do put
she’s not in pain anymore. And then you feel guilty for thinking that. I’m quite militant about that now,
Religion’s a middleman, I suppose, for feeling good. That’s all it is. It’s a broker.
else is there but sharing your 80 years on this
You can have all the good bits of religion
planet with someone else?
because I’ve thought a lot about it. I’m
without religion. So much of it is snake
very pro-assisted suicide and Dignitas. We
oil salesmen.
know it’s a lovely thing to do to a Labra-
romance in, which I usually do, because what
I think that this is sort of like a fable along the lines of It’s a Wonderful Life. To prove to
Anne is just a good person. She just
someone that life’s worth living. There’s a bit
dor when they’re very ill. We know it. And
said the right things to Tony, and I liked
of Christmas Carol in it. He was Scrooge, and
yet we don’t want to be the person who
that intuition. I like the gut feeling she got,
kindness made him realize he was wrong. But
says, “It’s a fucking lovely thing to do to
when she said to her husband after Tony
of course, Christmas Carol ends on Christmas
your grandma if she wants it.” It’s crazy for
left, “He seems nice.” I just love that; a little
Day. What happens on Boxing Day? Or on New
people to think like that.
throwaway thing, and Tony hears it. Good
Year’s Eve? Does he keep it up?
People have asked me what my worst fear is. My worst fear is being told, “You’ve got six months to live, and it’s going to be the worst six months of your life.” Fuck.
PHOTOGRAPH BY
0605 E2 - 1 - Dialogue_Ricky Gervais.indd 25
David Vintiner
people have good gut feelings, because
So that’s Season 2. What happens the day
they’re programmed to be compassionate.
after? Because depression doesn’t just end.
Penelope’s an incredible actress. She
“Oh good, I have a date with a nurse, I’ll never
made my lines. That’s all you can ever ask.
be sad again.” Really? Well, we’ll see. ★
D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
25
5/31/19 3:38 PM