After Life season 3 ending explained: Ricky Gervais confirms theory

19 January 2022, 14:24 | Updated: 20 January 2022, 15:40

Ricky Gervais stars in the final series of After Life. Picture: Netflix

By Alice Dear

After Life's season 3 ending has left fans asking what happened to Tony, if he died and what the scene really means.

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After Life has come to an end after Netflix dropped the third and final season earlier this month.

Ricky Gervais' dark-comedy-drama wrapped up with a highly-emotional yet mysterious scene which has left viewers with a handful of questions.

Does Tony die at the end of After Life? Does the dog Brandy die? What does the ending really mean?

The ambiguous ending has now been cleared up by series creator Gervais, who confirmed what the series ending really meant.

The final scene left many viewers unsure of Tony's ending. Picture: Netflix

How does After Life season 3 end?

The final scene of After Life is set at the Tambury Fair where the community have come together for a 500-year-old tradition.

Tony arrives with his dog, Brandy, after giving Lisa's insurance money to the residents of his town.

The ending sees Tony saluting to his colleague Lenny, before walking off across the grass away from the fair.

As he walks across the grounds of the park, he is joined by the ghost of Lisa for a short time before she fades away.

Brandy then slowly fades away, and finally Tony.

Ricky Gervais talks the third and final season of After Life

Ricky Gervais cleared up the intended meaning behind the final scene of After Life. Picture: Netflix

What does the After Life season 3 ending mean?

Ricky Gervais has now shared the message behind the emotional scene, and what it means for Tony.

Speaking to Radio Times, he said: "The fair is important because it’s been going for 500 years.

“It’s a place where people have been going for 500 years, different people. And the ending is saying that we all die, but not today. And life goes on. That’s what that ending is.

“I think it’s a good ending, I think it’s a hopeful ending, and I think it’s a real ending. And it’s just saying, that was that. What’s next? Because the whole show is all about endings and beginnings. It’s all about people thrown together randomly."

He continued to explain: “You can’t choose where you’re born. You can’t choose what brain you’ve got. You can’t really choose who you are, or who you bump into. We’re just souls floating on the breeze. That’s the theme of it.”

“And hopefully, you bump into someone that suits you. And [Tony] did, and it was perfect. And he knows he can’t have it again, and I’m happy with that. It asks the big question: if you lose everything, is life still worth living? And my answer is yes. If you’ve got something to do, if you’ve got something to get up for, then keep going, because you haven’t got long anyway.”

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