Afterlife

This series has it all: excellent writing that is witty, terse, dramatic and thrilling. The direction is excellent too - edgy, scary, gripping with cinema-esquire cinematography. The acting is first class too - ordinary people dealing with affliction, emotion, death etc - much better than the US series full of models and glamour - in contrast this is earthy and realistic.

The story lines are similar to The Sixth Sense and are clearly derived from that concept, but each one is expertly handled. One of the best of the series involves a hoax supernatural experience - just wait for the ending! Top notch, hair-raising stuff.

This was truly the best drama of 2005. i was a huge fan of afterlife and i am extremely please that clerkenwell films have been commissioned to complete a second series, this time running for 8 shows instead of the previous 6. Lesley Sharp and Andrew Lincoln seem to have that perfect on screen chemistry which made the tension and shock factor a perfect combination. I would give this show 10 / 10. The show producers and writers etc, should be recognised for there work. Every episode had you hooked which was truly great and especially seems they answered the storyline on the same episode. perfect viewing recommend 100%. Excellent mixture of a paranormal show.

Afterlife is a series of un-realised potential. I watched two episodes and both adhered to the same odd mix: excellent set-up, surprisingly complex characterisation, but absolutely no time whatsoever to develop plot. Watching both episodes made me think that they must have been edited down from something much longer and more worthwhile.

What makes Afterlife worth grabbing, whatever its faults, is a remarkable performance from Lesley Sharp. The writer has given her a fantastic role - a medium who teeters on the edge of mental health - and Sharp fills the part with quite extraordinary humanity. It's a shame that Andrew Lincoln turns in such an unconvincing performance as a psychology lecturer. He seems to struggle to convince that he would even get into university, let alone be able to teach.

This is really outstanding - one could perhaps compare it somewhat to "Medium" however it's darker and perhaps with a sadder tone; very well put together with superb, believable performances that you probably feel more than just see.

The characters reach out to you rather than just appear on the screen; it explores the notion of the "unwanted special gift" well and explore ridicule, disbelief and skepticism without falling for the normal clichés that we so often expect in this kind of feature.

The stories have original structure and the ongoing component is wholly necessary and not trivial; I was impressed.

The worst part is that there are only five episodes – fortunately I feel the ending was wide enough open to easily permit a 2nd season to come along, I really hope they do this as it has at least the promise that Medium has and perhaps a bit more in some ways.

Easily 5 stars out of 5 for me – if you get the chance to see it do so, very rewarding viewing.

Despite writing this a few years after the show's release, I feel compelled to write a review after re-watching some clips.

The premise is simple. A medium, a sceptic, and a lot of paranormal activity. What sets this apart from other, similarly plotted shows and films is the incredible atmosphere and suspense built throughout each episode, and the fantastic performance of Lesley Sharp, whose depiction of depressed medium Alison is utterly compelling, powerful and, most impressive, very believable.

Never before had I seen such a moving, emotional, tense and creepy TV show, and never have I been more disappointed that a show has been stopped. That being said, the two series were beautifully wrapped up, with a neat story arc and a final episode that was quite simply perfect. After watching it, I sat there in shock for a good while, barely believing how beautifully written and presented it was.

I won't reveal the ending, but let's just say you may need a box of tissues on hand - I was sobbing! And for a few episodes, maybe a cushion to hide behind!