Common Sense Media Review
By Joly Herman
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Crime drama has booze, language: kills with comedic touch.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Afterparty
What's the Story?
In THE AFTERPARTY, a group of Bay Area natives attend their 15th high school reunion, aware that their classmate, a pop star named Xavier (Dave Franco, The Disaster Artist) was due to show up. He descends in his helicopter, creating a stir among friends and enemies alike. Little does everyone know, but Xavier will fall to his death at his Marin County house while hosting a reunion after party. Detective Danner (Tiffany Haddish, Girls Trip) rounds up the suspects and interviews them individually, hoping that she can solve the mystery before a big-time investigator from Los Angeles shows up. Will she discover who pushed Xavier to his death? And how will she use her skills to investigate new murders that come along?
Is It Any Good?
Boasting creative twists and great characters, this addictive, hilarious murder mystery is a gem. Each episode of The Afterparty is told from a different suspect's point of view, allowing the "mind movies," as Detective Danner (Tiffany Haddish) calls them, to be played out in different genres. A love-sick character named Aniq (Sam Richardson, Veep) recounts the evening leading up to the murder like a Cameron Crowe love story (think Say Anything). Brett (Ike Barinholtz, The Oath), who sees himself as a commando on a mission to keep his failing family together, has a much more aggressive take. The following seasons continue this structure, putting twists on signature aesthetics from Alfred Hitchcock, Wes Anderson, and more.
Each episode is a vignette that could stand alone; put together as a series, there are lots of Easter eggs and clever crossovers to keep viewers riveted. Teens and adults can compare notes, finding the intersections and contrasts of each episode's stories. Fans of true crime podcasts will love that this show both lampoons the genre while giving a nod to the importance of differing points of view.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about drinking and drug use in The Afterparty. What happens in real life when people get drunk to the point of passing out? What about when people mix drugs, such as Adderall with whiskey? What risks do people take when they're drinking and using drugs?
This mystery series revolves around murder cases. How do you feel that violence in media might affect you? Does it matter that it's presented in a comical way, such as in The Afterparty? How does it impact the effect of on-screen violence?
What types of Hollywood genres and signature techniques of iconic filmmakers did you spot throughout the series? Did it make you more interested in the source material? What did you think about the way The Afterparty puts a new twist on them?
TV Details
- Premiere date : January 28, 2022
- Cast : Tiffany Haddish , Dave Franco , Ben Schwartz , Zoe Chao , Sam Richardson , Ilana Glazer , Ike Barinholtz , John Cho
- Network : Apple TV
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : Friendship , School ( High School )
- TV rating :
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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