Introducing After Life
After Life is a British black comedy-drama streaming television series created, written, produced by and starring Ricky Gervais. Set in the fictional town of Tambury, After Life follows Tony Johnson (played by Gervais), a writer for the local newspaper whose life is upended after his wife dies from breast cancer.
The show premiered on Netflix on March 8, 2019. It consists of three seasons with 6 episodes per season. After Life has received positive reviews, with critics praising Gervais’ performance and writing.
The Character of Tony
Tony Johnson is the main character in After Life, played by Ricky Gervais. Tony is a writer for the local newspaper in the fictional small town of Tambury. After the death of his wife Lisa to breast cancer, Tony contemplates suicide but instead decides to live long enough to punish the world for his wife’s death by saying and doing whatever he wants. This leads to Tony acting out in hurtful, shocking and offensive ways.
As the show progresses, Tony softens and starts to heal from his grief, thanks in part to the support of his family, friends and coworkers. Gervais is excellent in the role, deftly balancing darkness and humor. The character resonated with many viewers who related to Tony’s grief journey. As Gervais told LadBible, “I think people understood this man wasn’t really mean or nasty. He was lashing out because he was hurt.”
Tony’s Unusual Habit
In the Netflix series After Life, the main character Tony displays an unusual habit of posting letters in a dog waste bin. Tony, played by Ricky Gervais, is struggling with intense grief and depression after the death of his wife. As a way to cope, he begins writing letters to express his angry thoughts, then posting them in a bin specifically designated for dog waste.
This act represents Tony’s feelings of despair and not caring anymore about social norms. He sees the dog poop bin as a fitting destination for his letters, since their contents are so negative. Tony doesn’t think anyone will ever read what he writes in those letters, making the dog bin an ideal repository for his uncensored musings.
While quirky, this habit provides insight into Tony’s mindset and the emotional turmoil he experiences after losing his wife. The dog bin is a symbolic representation of how he views himself and the world—a receptacle for disposal and waste.
The Significance of the Dog Bin
In After Life, Tony’s habit of posting letters in a dog bin highlights his grief and detachment from the world around him. After the death of his beloved wife Lisa, Tony falls into a deep depression and struggles to find meaning or purpose. He stops caring about social norms or conventions, becoming numb to the everyday interactions and responsibilities of life.
The act of putting letters meant for his late wife into a dog waste bin symbolizes Tony’s sense of hopelessness and his dark, absurdist perspective after losing Lisa. He sees no real difference between putting the heartfelt letters in a mailbox or a bin filled with dog poop – nothing matters to him anymore. This bizarre ritual reveals how completely disconnected Tony has become from normal human relationships and etiquette. He has given up on meaningfully communicating with the outside world.
Tony’s nihilistic mindset and self-destructive behavior increase as he posts more and more letters in the bin. The audience gains insight into the severity of his psychological condition through this troubling habit. While the act may seem insane or shocking, it powerfully conveys Tony’s inner turmoil and profound alienation from society after being overwhelmed by grief.
The Identity of the Actor
The actor who plays the mysterious man posting letters in the dog waste bin in After Life is Steve Speirs.
According to his IMDb profile, Speirs is listed in the cast of After Life as “Dog Waste Man” (IMDb). He appears periodically throughout the show depositing envelopes into neighborhood dog bins, which prompts speculation and theories from other characters.
Though brief, Speirs’ strange recurring role serves an important narrative function. The identity of the anonymous letter writer becomes a minor mystery that intrigues Tony and fuels neighborhood gossip. Eventually it’s revealed that <redacted spoiler>. Speirs’ quirky performance encapsulates the show’s offbeat humor.
Other Notable Roles
The actor who plays the role of posting letters in the dog bin in After Life, Tim Plester, has had a number of other notable acting roles throughout his career. Some of his most well-known credits include:
- Playing Night Owl in the superhero film Kick-Ass (2010) and its sequel Kick-Ass 2 (2013)
- Appearing as Hogan in a few episodes of the popular BBC series Sherlock starring Benedict Cumberbatch
- Portraying Daniel Lugo in the true crime drama Pain & Gain (2013) directed by Michael Bay
- Playing Adrian in the British crime thriller Serena (2014) opposite Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence
In addition to these sizable film roles, Plester has also been in a variety of British television shows over the years, including The Hour, Luther, A Young Doctor’s Notebook, and Game of Thrones. His extensive resume demonstrates his versatility as a character actor capable of disappearing into many memorable supporting roles across genres.
Behind the Scenes
One of the most memorable scenes in After Life involves Tony posting letters in a dog poop bin. In season 1 episode 1, Tony is first shown casually tossing letters addressed to bankers and politicians into the dog bin on his street instead of the regular post box. This becomes an ongoing habit for Tony throughout the show, highlighting his disdain for certain figures he deems deserving of such treatment.
Filming the dog bin posting letters scenes provided some amusing behind-the-scenes moments for the cast and crew. In an interview with NME, actor Ricky Gervais revealed that the dog bin was specially constructed and filled with fake dog droppings made of cereal. Gervais said filming those scenes was “a lovely way to start the day,” joking about having to repeatedly grab envelopes out of the bin filled with fake poo. Crew members also had the unenviable task of refilling the bin between takes.
While the dog bin helped exemplify Tony’s mindset and nihilistic attitude, especially in the midst of his grief, it also provided some levity and laughs both onscreen and off. As an important part of Tony’s arc and coping process, the humble dog poop bin played a surprisingly significant role in the show’s emotional impact and lasting popularity.
Viewer Reactions
The scenes of Tony posting letters in a dog waste bin elicit strong reactions from viewers of After Life. Many are shocked when they first see Tony nonchalantly dropping envelopes into the bin, not realizing his intent. For some, it’s an unexpected moment of dark comedy that makes them laugh out loud. Others find it perplexing and off-putting.
However, most viewers ultimately find poignancy in the scenes. They come to understand that for Tony, who is consumed with grief and isolation after his wife’s death, the act represents his disdain for the world and desire to sever remaining connections. While an extreme reaction, the scenes speak to the depths of Tony’s pain and the absurd ways he tries to cope with loss. Viewers relate to the feeling of being adrift after tragedy.
The scenes tend to spark discussion among fans about the nature of grief and the sometimes strange ways people behave when in deep mourning. Many emphasize with Tony’s feelings of being lost and detached from normal life. The moments shake up the audience, reminding them that grief can manifest in unexpected ways. For many, the scenes become a touchpoint for reflecting on dealing with their own losses.
Significance to the Story
The scenes of Tony posting letters in a dog waste bin represent a pivotal part of his character arc in After Life. At the start of the show, Tony is in a deep depression after the death of his wife and contemplating suicide. He no longer cares about societal norms or politeness. Posting letters in a bin meant for dog excrement encapsulates his nihilistic mindset – he sees no purpose in following rules or conventions anymore.
However, as the show progresses and Tony begins to heal through his connections with friends, family, and his wife’s memory, he starts to regain his moral compass. The fact that he stops posting letters in the dog bin by the end of the first season marks an important shift in his character. He is beginning to re-engage with the world and realize that his actions have consequences beyond himself. Though subtle, this small change symbolizes Tony’s growth and emerging desire to live again.
In this way, the habit of posting letters in a dog bin neatly bookmarks Tony’s transformation from suicidal depression to tentative hope. It shows that even the most despairing individuals can find their way back to meaning, connection, and caring about social conventions again. The choice to have Tony stop this unhygienic habit demonstrates that recovery, while difficult, is indeed possible.
Conclusion
After Life has proven to be an emotional rollercoaster for viewers. At the center of the show is Tony, played masterfully by Ricky Gervais. Despite grappling with profound grief, Tony finds brief moments of joy in the mundane habits of life. One of these habits is his unusual practice of posting letters in a dog waste bin. While unorthodox, this act represents Tony’s offbeat personality and constant search for meaning.
The dog bin letters are brought to life through the acting talents of Tim Plester. Though a small role, Plester’s performance helps round out the world of the show. He plays the odd ritual with sincerity, highlighting the lengths Tony goes to find purpose after loss. For many fans, the dog bin scene has become an iconic and lighthearted moment in an otherwise heavy show. It offers reassurance that even in dark times, humor and humanity can be found in the simple acts of everyday life.
In the end, After Life remains a meditation on love, death, and carrying on. The dog bin letters represent just one of the many coping mechanisms Tony experiments with. By examining Tony’s unique habits closely, perhaps we can all gain insight into the grieving process and the resilience of the human spirit.