Review: The Afterparty Offers Up More Creative Genres in Season Two
Wednesday, July 19, 2023 at 10:30AM by Christopher James
How often can one person stumble into a murder? This question plagues the comedy Only Murders In The Building, though it has the conceit of a murder podcast to justify it. Season one of The Afterparty has a similar problem to solve but it won many fans thanks to its multi-genre Rashomon style while capitalizing on the murder mystery craze of the moment between The White Lotus and Knives Out. Still, the modular design of the show - changing tone every episode - kept it from being a runaway success like its fellow murder mystery projects.
Season two presents a brand new mystery, but the same episode structure. Does it work better the second time around?
The short answer is Yes.
The central mystery this time around features more interesting twists and turns over the nine episodes screened for critics. Additionally, the genre mashups this season are more specific. This makes them not only funnier and more satisfying, but gives The Afterparty a more distinctive tone, particularly necessary at this time when abundant shows and movies are playing in this same field.
After driving off into the sunset at the end of last season, Aniq (Sam Richardson) and Zoë (Zoë Chao) are happily together and driving to Zoë’s sister's wedding, which will also be the first time Aniq meets her parents. There’s a variety of things that could go wrong, but the one thing most people don’t have to worry about when meeting their partner’s parents is a murder most foul. The wedding takes place on the palatial estate of Edgar (Zach Woods), the groom and a socially awkward tech billionaire. Beat by beat, Aniq gets wrapped up in wedding faux pas, upsetting both the grooms’ stiff family and his girlfriend’s parents. The next morning, Edgar is discovered dead and his family immediately accuses Zoë’s sister, Grace (Poppy Liu). This gives Aniq the moment to step up to save his potential future sister-in-law… by calling Detective Danner (Tiffany Haddish) to help him find the real killer and absolve Grace.
This Meet the Parents-like setup is a nice way to keep the always affable Sam Richardson involved in the proceedings early. However, Aniq is moved to the background for almost the entirety of the series, with Detective Danner taking more of the hard questioning. Haddish slips back into the role relatively easily. Danner has left the force to write a novel about the events of the first season, though she still carries guilt about a recent case she was unable to solve.
It’s not the leads that provide The Afterparty with the necessary wit and dramatic tension to keep people watching week after week. The suspect characters are each more arch and hilarious this time around, with the actors perfectly paired to their given genre. Paul Walter Hauser steals every scene as an ex-boyfriend with ulterior motives, as expressed in a black-and-white noir film. Meanwhile, as Edgar’s eccentric sister, Hannah, Anna Konkle expertly brings to life millennial malaise in a Wes Anderson inspired twee-fest. References to Pride & Prejudice, Basic Instinct, and even the sweeping romanticism of Out of Africa/The English Patient will keep viewers on their toes. In particular, an episode devoted to Edgar’s seemingly derisive mother, Isabel (Elizabeth Perkins), is a true winner. Taking from Douglas Sirk melodramas and 40s/50s tales of gaslighting, Perkins relishes the task of charting a dramatic older woman questioning her sanity at a wedding. The further the show pushes towards ultra-specific zaniness, the more fun it becomes, especially when the actors go full tilt into the absurdity.
One of the hardest things to pull off with a Rashomon style shifting perspective show is to make sure things don’t feel repetitive. Luckily, each new episode covers new backstory and twists alongside the same central story. This not only makes each episode feel fresh and new, but the repeated moments where characters interact with each other take on new meaning and present new facts. The writers on the show have woven an intricate web that is as fun as it is surprising. The Afterparty upped the ante successfully in season 2. B
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Reader Comments (1)
ARE WE EVER GETTING THE OSCAR PREDICTION ??