Afterlife (TV series): Difference between revisions - Wikipedia
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{{short description|British television series created by Stephen Volk}}
{{about|the 2005–2006 British television series|other uses|Afterlife (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2016}}
{{Infobox television
| show_nameimage = Afterlife logo.JPG
| image caption = Afterlife logo.JPG
| genre = [[Mystery fiction|Mystery]]<br>[[Drama (film and television)|Drama]]
| caption = ▼
| genre creator = [[MysteryStephen fiction|MysteryVolk]]<br>Supernatural drama
| starring = [[Lesley Sharp]]<br/>[[Andrew Lincoln]]<br/>[[Kate Duchêne]]<br/>[[Anna Wilson-Jones]]▼
| creator country = [[StephenUnited Volk]]Kingdom
▲| starring = [[Lesley Sharp]]<br/>[[Andrew Lincoln]]<br/>[[Kate Duchêne]]<br/>[[Anna Wilson-Jones]]
| country language = United{{Unbulleted Kingdomlist|English}}
| language num_series = {{Unbulleted list|English}}2
| num_series num_episodes = 214
| num_episodeslist_episodes = #Episode = 14list
| executive_producer = Tammy Chopling<br>Murray Ferguson▼
| list_episodes = #Episode list
▲| captionproducer = Don = Bell
▲| executive_producer = Tammy Chopling<br>Murray Ferguson
| producer runtime = Don60 Bellminutes
| runtime company = 60[[Clerkenwell minutesFilms]]
| companylocation = {{Unbulleted list|United = [[Clerkenwell Films]]Kingdom}}
| location network = {{Unbulleted[[ITV list(TV network)|United Kingdom}}ITV]]
| first_aired = 24 September{{Start date|2005|09|24|df=y}}▼
| network = [[ITV (TV channel)|ITV]], [[STV (TV channel)|STV]], [[UTV (TV channel)|UTV]]
| last_aired = {{End date|2006|11|11|df=yes}}
| picture_format = [[16:9]]
| audio_format = Stereo
▲| first_aired = 24 September 2005
| last_aired = 11 November 2006<ref name="ITV-9N">
Airdates refer to the UK broadcasts on the ITV network, although the series had its world premiere on Australia's [[Nine Network]] several weeks earlier, on Tuesday nights at 9:30 PM from 16 August 2005.</ref>
}}
'''''Afterlife''''' (stylised as '''''afterlife''''') is a British [[TelevisionMystery in the United Kingdomfiction|Britishmystery]] [[televisionDrama (film and television)|drama]] television series, producedcreated by independent production company [[ClerkenwellStephen FilmsVolk]] for the [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] network. The seriesIt follows theuniversity activitieslecturer ofRobert aBridge ([[MediumAndrew (spirituality)|psychic mediumLincoln]]) who appearsbecomes toinvolved havein thea abilityseries toof communicatesupernatural withevents thesurrounding spiritsmedium ofAlison theMundy dead([[Lesley Sharp]]). FirstThe broadcastseries inaired 2005,on the[[ITV show(TV rannetwork)|ITV]] for two series,seasons andfrom after24 theSeptember end2005 ofto the11 secondNovember series ITV decided not to renew it2006.<ref>Delgado,{{Cite Tony, [web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.ukcom/culttv/a61729/itv-axes-afterlife-after-two-series.html "/|title=ITV axes 'Afterlife' after two series"]|first=Tony|last=Delgado|date=18 June 2007|website=Digital Spy|access-date=21 June 2021|archive-date=14 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414052357/https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a61729/itv-axes-afterlife-after-two-series/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="ITV-9N">Airdates refer to the UK broadcasts on the ITV network, 18although Junethe 2007series had its world premiere on Australia's [[Nine Network]] several weeks earlier, on Tuesday nights at 9:30 PM from 16 August 2005.</ref>
==Plot==
The main characters of the seriesprogramme are the psychic, Alison Mundy (played by [[Lesley Sharp]]) and the academic who becomes involved with her due to his skeptical interest in the paranormal, Dr Robert Bridge ([[Andrew Lincoln]]). Set in [[Bristol]], each of the six one-hour episodes of the first series sees Alison become involved in the appearance of a spirit and attempting to discover why it has come back to haunt the living. Robert becomes involved in the first episode, when Alison first moves to Bristol and her activities inadvertently result in the suicide of one of his students.
Following this, Robert decides to study Alison for a book. Alison's interest in Robert stems from her ability to see the spirit of his young son, whom Robert cannot see. Throughout the series a recurring theme is Alison's attempt to have Robert fully come to terms with the death of his son so that the boy's spirit can be eased and he can fully move on. In the first series it is learnt that Alison was seriously injured in a train crash several years before. The other survivors of the train crash seek her out to contact their own lost loved ones in the final episode of the first series, almost causing Alison's own death. Later, in the second series, it is established that Alison had these powers since she was little, the first 'ghost' she saw was her grandfather. During the second series, Robert is diagnosed with cancer. He dies in the series finale, after having spent much of the series helping Alison to overcome mental problems brought about by the ghost of her mother. He also reconciles her with her father.
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| style="text-align:center" | 14
|- style="background:lightblue;"
| style="text-align:center" | Dr. Robert Bridge
| style="text-align:center" | [[Andrew Lincoln]]
| style="text-align:center" | 2005–2006
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| style="text-align:center" | 14
|- style="background:lightblue;"
| style="text-align:center" | Dr. Barbara Sinyard
| style="text-align:center" | [[Kate Duchêne]]
| style="text-align:center" | 2005–2006
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==Critical reception==
Previewing the first episode as one of "Today's Choices" for its day of transmission in the ''[[Radio Times]]'' listings magazine, television critic Alison Graham praised ''Afterlife'' as "[A] highly-promising mystery series... a taut and snappy spine-tingler, even if it does use some old-hat shocker techniques such as creaking floorboards, darkness, inexplicable noises and unexpected taps on the shoulder."<ref name=RT01>Graham, Alison, "Today's Choices: ''Afterlife''", ''[[Radio Times]]'', volume 326, number 4252, issue dated 24–30 September 2005, page 60</ref> Reviewing the same episode for ''[[The Guardian]]'' newspaper two days after its broadcast, critic [[Rupert Smith]] was also impressed: "What looked like being a deeply depressing hour was instantly enlivened by the appearance of Lesley Sharp, who has become in recent years television's favourite Everywoman... At last I can put my hand on my heart and give an unqualified cheer to a new primetime British drama series. Afterlife was scary without being over-gruesome, it kept a straight face while gleefully narrating a plot of pure old-fashioned hokum and it starred actors who are constantly, entirely watchable... ''Afterlife'' took the best bits of ''The X-Files'', ''[[Jonathan Creek]]'' and, yes, ''[[Most Haunted]]'', and turned them into terrific television."<ref name=Guardian01>Smith, Rupert,{{Cite [web|url=http://mediawww.guardiantheguardian.co.ukcom/broadcastmedia/comment2005/0,,1578467,00sep/26/broadcasting.htmltvandradio|title=Rupert Smith: "The weekend's TV"]|date=26 ''[[TheSeptember 2005|website=the Guardian]]'',|access-date=21 MondayJune 262021|archive-date=17 SeptemberJanuary 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210117165508/https://www.theguardian.com/media/2005/sep/26/broadcasting.tvandradio|url-status=live}}</ref>
The response remained positive through to the end of the series, with all subsequent episodes also being included in "Today's Choices" in the ''Radio Times''. Previewing the sixth episode, Alison Graham was again positive, describing the series as a whole as having been "[A] consistently high-quality supernatural drama."<ref name=RT02>Graham, Alison, "Today's Choices: ''Afterlife''", ''Radio Times'', volume 327, number 4257, issue dated 29 October – 4 November 2005, page 68</ref> ''Afterlife'' was also a success for ITV in terms of viewing figures. The first episode gathered an overnight average rating of 5.7 million, 25% of the total television audience for the time, winning its timeslot with nearly two million more viewers than the nearest competition on at the same time.<ref name=viewers01>Plunkett,{{Cite John, [web|url=http://media.guardianwww.cotheguardian.ukcom/overnightsmedia/story2005/0,,1578676,00.htmlsep/26/overnights1|title=TV "Theratings: XSeptember Factor23–25|date=26 getsSeptember its2005|website=the biggestGuardian|access-date=21 audienceJune yet"]2021|archive-date=17 [[GuardianJanuary Unlimited2021|''MediaGuardianarchive-url=https://web.coarchive.uk'']], Monday 26 September org/web/20210117162135/https://www.theguardian.com/media/2005/sep/26/overnights1|url-status=live}}</ref> The second episode improved to 6.2 million viewers, 29% of the available audience and again two million higher than its nearest competition on [[BBC One]].<ref name=viewers02>Day,{{Cite Julia, [web|url=http://mediawww.guardiantheguardian.co.ukcom/overnightsmedia/story2005/0,,1583962,00.htmloct/03/overnights2|title=TV "ITVratings: talentOctober spoils1|date=3 BBC1'sOctober swingtime"]2005|website=the ''MediaGuardian.co.uk'',Guardian|access-date=21 MondayJune 32021|archive-date=22 OctoberJuly 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160722213758/https://www.theguardian.com/media/2005/oct/03/overnights2|url-status=live}}</ref> Episode three gathered 5.4 million and a 25% share, which was identical to that gained by the BBC One competition (an edition of the semi-regular ''[[Test the Nation]]'' interactive quiz series).<ref name=Viewers03>Deans,{{Cite Jason, [web|url=http://mediawww.guardiantheguardian.co.ukcom/overnightsmedia/story2005/0,,1588861,00.htmloct/10/overnights|title=TV "Viewersratings: stayOctober loyal7–9|date=10 toOctober drab2005|website=the England"]Guardian|access-date=21 ''MediaGuardian.co.uk'',June Monday2021|archive-date=18 10 OctoberMarch 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160318075539/http://www.theguardian.com/media/2005/oct/10/overnights|url-status=live}}</ref> Viewing figures remained strong through to the final episode of the first series, which concluded the run by again winning its slot by two million viewers, with 5.8 million and a 28% audience share.<ref name=viewers04>Deans,{{Cite Jason, [web|url=http://mediawww.guardiantheguardian.co.ukcom/overnightsmedia/story2005/0,,1605458,00.htmloct/31/overnights1|title=TV "Theratings: SaturdayOctober night28–29|date=31 revival"]October ''MediaGuardian.co.uk'',2005|website=the MondayGuardian|access-date=21 31June October2021|archive-date=24 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160324104410/http://www.theguardian.com/media/2005/oct/31/overnights1|url-status=live}}</ref>
In April 2007 ''Afterlife'' received three nominations for the Monte Carlo Television Festival 2007. [[Lesley Sharp]] has been nominated as best actress, [[Andrew Lincoln]] as best actor and Murray Ferguson as best producer.<ref name=ttapress>Volk, Stephen, "Stephen Volk Forum", 6 April 2007</ref> Despite continued critical acclaim, a drop in ratings led ITV to pass on recommissioning the show for a third series.
==International broadcast==
In addition to broadcasts in Australia and the United Kingdom, the series has also played in Canada on the [[BBC Canada]] [[cable television]] network. [[People+Arts]], a cable television station for [[Latin America]], broadcast the show in early 2006. It also aired in [[New Zealand]] on [[TV One (New Zealand)|TV One]] in early 2006, and the first series playdeplayed in Spain on [[Cuatro (channel)|Cuatro]] during August 2006. The program premiered in the US in November 2006 on [[BBC America]]; however, only the first series was shown.
It also aired in [[Sweden]] on [[TV4 (Sweden)|TV4]]. Iceland's [[Stöð 2]] broadcast the last episode of Series 2 in January 2007. In [[Poland]] Series 1 started airing in June 2007 on [[TVP1]], and [[RTL Klub]] broadcast Series 2 beginning July 2007 in [[Hungary]]. In [[Hong Kong]], the show played from May 2008. In The Netherlands VARA aired Series 1 in June and July 2008. In France it was broadcast from January 2009. Belgian TV station Canvas aired both series starting December 2008.
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===Series 1 (2005)===
{{Episode table |background=#006080 |overall=7 |title=28 |writer=15 |aux2=18 |airdate=20 |viewers=12 |overallT=Episode |aux2T=Directed by |airdateT=Original airdate |anchor=s1 |episodes=
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="width:100%;"
|- style="color:#fff;"
! style="background:#006080;"| Episode
! style="background:#006080;"| Title
! style="background:#006080;"| Written by
! style="background:#006080;"| Directed by
! style="background:#006080;"| Original airdate
! style="background:#006080;"| Viewers<br />(millions)
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber= 1
|Title= {{va|More Than Meets the Eye}}
|Aux1= Stephen Volk
|Aux2= Maurice Phillips
|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2005|909|24|df=y}}
|Aux4= 6.00m
|ShortSummary= Alison tries to help a young girl, Veronica Vass, whose mother and father were killed in a suicide pact when she was just five years old. However, her tutor, Robert Bridge ([[Andrew Lincoln]]) is concerned that Alison's interfering is having a harmful effect on the girl's health. When Veronica has an out-of-body experience, imagining her parents death before her own eyes, the effects are enough for her to take her own life by slitting her wrists. Robert warns Alison to stay away from Veronica's family in the wake of her death.
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{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber= 2
|Title= {{va|Lower Than Bones}}
|Aux1= Stephen Volk
|Aux2= Maurice Phillips
|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2005|10|101|df=y}}
|Aux4= 6.50m
|ShortSummary= Alison has visions of a young schoolgirl, Carly Tufnell, who has disappeared without trace, and tries to convince DI Felix George ([[Adrian Lester]]) that the girl is dead and has been buried in a water grave. Despite his initial misgivings, George acts on Alison's information and soon a body is found in a nearby wharf. With the help of Alison, George tries to gather evidence through Carly, and arrests a suspect ([[Daniel Flynn (actor)|Daniel Flynn]]), but is soon forced to release him due to a lack of physical evidence to back up Alison's claims.
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{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber= 3
|Title= {{va|Daniel One & Two}}
|Aux1= Stephen Volk
|Aux2= Charles Beeson
|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2005|10|808|df=y}}
|Aux4= 5.54m
|ShortSummary= Alison becomes involved with a young Schizophrenicschizophrenic man, Daniel Rabey ([[Nicholas Shaw]]), in an attempt to discover whether he was truly responsible for a brutal assault on his girlfriend, or whether a spirit, known as 'Daniel Two', was the real attacker. Alison tries to discover exactly who 'Daniel Two' is, and why he has been haunting the frightened young man, but it is Daniel's mother ([[Saskia Reeves]]) who reveals that she believes the spirit may be that of an unborn child whom she aborted when she was just 19 years old.
|LineColor=006080
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber=4
|Title= {{va|Misdirection}}
|Aux1= Charlie Fletcher
|Aux2= Martyn Friend
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{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber=5
|Title= {{va|Sleeping with the Dead}}
|Aux1= Stephen Volk
|Aux2= Martyn Friend
|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2005|10|22|df=y}}
|Aux4= 6.00m
|ShortSummary= Alison moves in with a young woman, Sandra ([[Nikki Amuka-Bird]]), who claims that her flat is being haunted by the spirits of former tenants. Alison discovers that the young female occupant was savagely murdered by her partner, after he suffocated her with a pillow, and Alison attempts to retrace the events leading up to the murder. However, when Sandra turns out to be a local journalist called Nicola,Nichola who is writing a piece on how susceptible mediums can be, Alison and Robert realise they've been conned. At the end of the episode, unbeknownst to any of the characters, the couple Alison saw moves into the flat - it was a vision of the future, not the past.
|LineColor=006080
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber= 6
|Title= {{va|The 7:59 Club}}
|Aux1= Stephen Volk
|Aux2= Charles Beeson
|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2005|10|29|df=y}}
|Aux4= 5.91m
|ShortSummary= Alison decides to confront her own past by leading a seanceséance to contact victims of the 7:59 from Manchester train crash in 1999, which left herself badly injured and many others dead. Robert is torn and is unsure whether or not he should support Alison, but eventually decides to attend the seance. Alison manages to make contact with the relatives of those at the seance table, until the seance goes badly wrong when she becomes inhabited by the spirit of Robert's dead son Josh, which causes her to enter into a coma.
|LineColor=006080
}}
|}}
===Series 2 (2006)===
{{Episode table |background=#006080 |overall=5 |title=28 |writer=15 |aux2=19 |airdate=21 |viewers=12 |overallT=Episode |aux2T=Directed by |airdateT=Original airdate |anchor=s2 |episodes=
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="width:100%;"
|- style="color:#fff;"
! style="background:#006080;"| Episode
! style="background:#006080;"| Title
! style="background:#006080;"| Written by
! style="background:#006080;"| Directed by
! style="background:#006080;"| Original airdate
! style="background:#006080;"| Viewers<br />(millions)
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber= 1
|Title= {{va|Roadside Bouquets}}
|Aux1= Stephen Volk
|Aux2= Charles Beeson
|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2006|909|16|df=y}}
|Aux4= 4.43m
|ShortSummary= Alison's first investigation following her recovery from the traumatic seance is the investigation into a fatal car crash which claimed a young woman's life. Her three friends believe they are being haunted by her spirit, suspecting that she is trying to send them a message after her friend Darren ([[Ed Westwick]]) placed her at the wheel of the crashed car to make out that she was the driver. Alison soon discovers that this is not the reason for their haunting, and that they themselves are spirits looking to be reunited.
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{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber= 2
|Title= {{va|The Rat Man}}
|Aux1= Stephen Volk
|Aux2= Charles Beeson
|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2006|909|23|df=y}}
|Aux4= 4.42m
|ShortSummary= Alison and Robert investigate a series of suicides in a prison, but discover that a figure named 'The Rat Man' who has become friends with a dangerous inmate, Ian Garland ([[David Threlfall]]), is the cause of all of the recent deaths. Alison tries to work out whether The Rat Man has befriended Garland, or the other way around - and tries to discover what the secret behind their relationship is. Alison then has a visit from The Rat Man herself, which causes her to try and commit suicide - until Robert comes to her aid.
|LineColor=006080
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber= 3
|Title= {{va|Lullaby}}
|Aux1= Mark Greig
|Aux2= Charles Beeson
|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2006|909|30|df=y}}
|Aux4= 4.53
|ShortSummary= Alison comes to the aid of a young mother and father, Martin ([[Aidan McArdle]]) and Ruth ([[Zoe Telford]]), who believe they are hearing voices from the next life through their baby's safety monitor. Alison investigates and discovers that another baby previously died in the house, having been left to drown in the bath by its father, who also subsequently took his own life. Alison warns them that the man's spirit has returned to be re-united with his baby, but before they are able to move out, tragedy strikes.
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{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber= 4
|Title= {{va|Your Hand in Mine}}
|Aux1= Mike Cullen
|Aux2= Martyn Friend
|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2006|10|707|df=y}}
|Aux4= 4.25m
|ShortSummary= Alison investigates when a young woman, Lucy ([[Julie Graham]]), begins to show symptoms of a contractive skin disease which caused the death of her fiancefiancé Jonathan's ([[Liam Cunningham]]) first wife, Claire. Alison suspects that Claire is not at peace and attempts to discover the reason why Claire's spirit is stuck in limbo. Alison eventually discovers that Jonathan was not present at Claire's bedside when she died, and that all her spirit was looking to find was the final goodbye from Jonathan, which she never received.
|LineColor=006080
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber= 5
|Title= {{va|Mirrorball}}
|Aux1= Mark Greig
|Aux2= Martyn Friend
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{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber= 6
|Title= {{va|Mind the Bugs Don't Bite|Mind the Bugs Don’t Bite}}
|Aux1= Stephen Volk
|Aux2= Martyn Friend
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{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber= 7
|Title= {{va|Things Forgotten}}
|Aux1= Guy Burt
|Aux2= Ashley Pearce
|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2006|11|404|df=y}}
|Aux4= 4.08m
|ShortSummary= Alison investigates when a teenager, who is being haunted by the spirit of a masked boy, comes to her after his regular medium, Jennifer ([[Claire Rushbrook]]), is unable to make peace with the spirit. However, Alison is also unable to connect with the spirit, leaving Robert to try and identify who the spirit is and what it wants from the young boy. When the boy finally realises that the spirit is a younger version of himself, a tirade of abuse comes to light, allowing the spirit to finally rest in peace. Robert resolves to not finish the psychological report about Alison that Robert has been writing in past episodes. He puts his written work in an envelope and goes to Alison's place to give the unfinished report to her, but he collapses at a railroadrailway stopstation prior to reaching her house.
|LineColor=006080
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber= 8
|Title= {{va|A Name Written in Water}}
|Aux1= Stephen Volk
|Aux2= Ashley Pearce
|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2006|11|11|df=y}}
|Aux4= 4.62m
|ShortSummary= Alison launches a frantic search when Robert's spirit comes to her in a vision, but fears her efforts are too late when she discovers that he has been admitted to intensive care, unaware of the fact he has a brain tumortumour. Whilst at Robert's bedside, Alison has visions of the spirit of a night-nurse (Aislinn Sands) who comes to greet people seconds after they die. Alison tries to work out what she wants and tries to prevent her from taking Robert into the next life, even offering herself as a sacrifice to save Robert's life. The next day Alison visits Robert in intensive care. In the same room, Robert, as a spirit, stands next to her and asks her help, because he is scared of dying. He explains that everything he loves is where he lives. At first, she tells him that she cannot help him, because she does not want him to die. Robert asks her questions about his body and what will happen after he dies. Alison explains that Robert is out of his own body and is now free, and Robert feels better. The night-nurse reappears, and Robert dies. After Alison walks out of the intensive care unit, she sees Robert walking down the same corridor, ahead of her, towards light. Alison sees Robert reuniting with his dead son; after they embrace, they walk into the light together.
|LineColor=006080
}}
|}}
==References and notes==
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==External links==
*[http://www.clerkenwellfilms.com Clerkenwell Films official site]
*[https://archive.today/20121210082001/http://www.thewebsitez.com/cgi-bin/forum/Blah.pl/Blah.pl?b-afterlifeepguide/ TV Central's ''afterlife'' website, Recaps, News, Chat and more]
*{{IMDb title|0435937|afterlife}}
*{{tv.com show|afterlife|afterlife}}
[[Category:2000s British drama television series]]
[[Category:20052000s British televisionhorror programmetelevision debutsseries]]
[[Category:20062005 British television programmeseries endingsdebuts]]
[[Category:2006 British television series endings]]
[[Category:British drama television series]]
[[Category:British supernaturalhorror fiction television programmesseries]]
[[Category:British supernatural television shows]]
[[Category:ITV television dramas]]
[[Category:Television programmes shot in Bristol]]▼
[[Category:Television shows set in Bristol]]▼
[[Category:Television series by Clerkenwell Films]]
▲[[Category:Television shows set in Bristol]]
▲[[Category:Television programmesshows shot in Bristol]]