It's the kind of show you'll want to scream about with friends, chiefly because every episode gives new information to sift through and square against what's transpired so far. Like the best murder mysteries of recent years - Knives Outand Only Murders in the Buildingimmediately spring to mind - The Afterparty is awash with addictive intrigue. Apple's weekly release strategy is an asset here, creating space for viewers to spend time thinking, rewatching, and theorizing. Because jokes aside: The Afterparty is a bonafide whodunit, delivering a growing pile of clues that challenge viewers to develop their own theories. Even the kindest person you know is someone's enemy, and that dichotomy is what makes this mystery tick. It makes sweet, lovable, and kinda corny Aniq just as likely a murder suspect as Brett, or Yasper, or anyone else. And because every character has a role to play in their classmates' stories, we develop an increasingly complex understanding of The Afterparty's spread of personalities as the eight-episode season unfolds.Įven the kindest person you know is someone's enemy, and that dichotomy is what makes this mystery tick.īuilding character development through different firsthand perspectives is a genius approach. The genre-centric flashbacks peel back surface impressions to reveal the inner workings of each protagonist. It's The Afterparty's flashy and thoroughly engaging way of reinforcing that old adage: We're all the heroes of our own story. Then, when the focus shifts to Yasper (Schwartz), his dreams of making it big in the music industry come to life as a musical. In the second episode, when we hear about Brett's night, the former high school tough guy transforms from rom-com antagonist into the macho hero of a Fast and Furious-style flick. The former is an ex trying to win back Zoe and the latter is a swaggering celebrity, who oozes sex appeal. Aniq's old pal Yasper (Schwartz) is the "obnoxious but well-meaning bestie." Meanwhile, Brett (Barinholtz) and Xavier play rom-com antagonists. There's a meet-cute and a cast of supporting players, all pulled from the ensemble, who fall into archetypical rom-com roles. Every murder suspect's story is presented as their own, personal "mind movie." The extended flashbacks that dominate The Afterparty's individual chapters are fashioned after whatever Hollywood genre best fits the character's point of view.įor instance, Aniq's (Richardson) lovelorn hope for reconnecting with his old crush Zoe (Zoe Chao) turns him into the leading man of a rom-com. Detectives Danner (Haddish) and Culp (Early) are on the scene, and their investigation hinges on hearing each suspect's version of what happened.Įvery episode focuses on a different recounting, but they're all defined by an artful twist conceived by Chris Miller of "Lord and Miller" fame (aka The Lego Movie, 21 Jump Street, etc.). Now, his former classmates are all suspects. Beyond being hilarious, The Afterparty offers a novel structure that mixes Hollywood blockbuster sensibilities with the " Rashomon effect."įollowing a high school reunion, the afterparty at a palatial cliffside mansion becomes a crime scene when nerdy ska kid-turned-movie star Xavier (Dave Franco) dies under mysterious circumstances. ![]() Watching The Afterparty is like a game of "spot the reference" built around an ensemble of the greatest young comedic minds of this moment.Īpple TV+'s murder-mystery series forms a veritable Voltron of comedy stars made up of Tiffany Haddish, Sam Richardson, Ben Schwartz, Ilana Glazer, John Early, Ike Barinholtz, Tiya Sircar, Jamie Demetriou, and Dave Franco.
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