The Afterparty proves that being a dream girl is more complicated than it looks
An animated episode journeys through Zoe's version of events.
TV Reviews The Afterparty
It’s pretty fitting that after multiple episodes of seeing different Zoes through the eyes of other people, The Afterparty’s eventual reveal is that she feels like a whole bunch of people fighting to discover which one of her is the real one. As the only one of these characters to stick around their high school after graduation, she’s on her home turf for the reunion, but she’s also emerging after years of being in a bad marriage, and doing it in front of everyone she went to high school with, who also all know her husband.
The situation is emotionally volatile, which is reflected in Zoe’s conflicted feelings about the whole night, and the different personas she keeps taking on. Does she want to make out with someone random to celebrate a night off? And if so, who? Or is she so off-balance from her divorce that she’s not ready to date yet? As a look into what’s been going through Zoe’s mind all this time, it’s illuminating (she does like Aniq, but she’s also so lost that it’s not really the point), but as a next step in the ongoing mystery of what happened at this party, it doesn’t really move a lot forward. We get yet another look at the Xavier/Brett/Aniq/Zoe love…square, but it doesn’t give us a whole lot we haven’t pieced together on our own. We already know that Zoe bailed on Xavier, and that she’s angry with Brett but on smoother footing now, and that she and Chelsea worked things out. As fun as the animation is, it’s hard not to feel like the show is spinning its wheels instead of moving the central mystery forward, especially after the Walt episode revealed so much about the history of these characters. How is it possible that someone as distant from the action as Walt was able to provide so many insights about these people and how they relate to each other, but Zoe, perhaps the most central character in all of this so far, doesn’t have much to add?
It’s not like the show isn’t entitled to take detours here and there, but for a character that has spent so much of the season being an object of desire rather than getting to demonstrate what she actually wants, it’s hard not to have higher hopes for the reveal of her role within the mystery. Even after an episode in her company, connecting her narrative to the investigation doesn’t totally work—it’s not clear why she felt compelled to leap up to defend Aniq, or why she was inspired to walk Danner through her pre-midlife crisis in this moment.
The episode ultimately makes for a somewhat frustrating viewing experience. On the one hand, it’s a glimpse into what it’s like to be everyone’s dream girl, and why she’s been chameleonic enough to be a dream girl for all of these people. But the leaps between different aspects of who she is lead to some disjointed storytelling, zipping from one thing to another without adding much to the overall narrative, with the result that her story, despite its web of connections to the prior episodes, doesn’t build much on the momentum of the season so far. It says something that the biggest reveal of the episode is that Jennifer 2 is the one who was texting Chelsea threatening things. It makes sense, as these things go—both Jennifers have proven to be somewhat fixated on maintaining the social hierarchy. And there is a certain frisson of there being a little more to that story, given that Jennifer 2 is also our missing partygoer. But at this point it would be nice to see each new episode providing some shading and nuance to who all of these people are, and as visually inventive as this episode is, it doesn’t really succeed at that. There are glimpses of some more intriguing paths here, like Zoe’s awareness of other people’s discomfort with her divorce, or her complicated feelings towards the Jennifers and Chelsea, but the show unfortunately doesn’t spend too much time on it.
Aniq, at least, finally acknowledges that perhaps pursuing a woman in the midst of a messy divorce might mean that the object of his affection could be going through some stuff. His hijinks with Yasper continue to be a fun framing device for each episode, as he reaches new heights of desperation to listen in on Danner’s conversations, and Yasper alternates between an impressive uselessness and the world’s most enthusiastic wingman. But their obvious ineptitude hasn’t gone as unnoticed as it appeared, as Detective Culp finally makes a move towards taking control of the investigation.
Stray observations
- Some great lip reading from Yasper, who thinks Zoe is saying “My teeth! My teeth!” to Danner.
- By far the most identifiable thing that’s happened on this show so far is Walt mistakenly thinking someone is talking to him and then immediately plowing into a chair in his effort to escape the conversation.
- Would love for Aniq to clarify which foods are wax-inducing, actually.
- The Zoe bear running around and yelling “Where is my human child” is the sort of whimsy the episode could have used a little more of.
- I’ve given it some thought, and I personally think 40% is a more acceptable cut off point for when you can take over someone’s charger, but also my phone is from 2017 and it’s possible I’m operating with a different battery life than other people here.
- Are we going to get more Indigo before the end of the season? She got part of one episode, and has otherwise drifted in the background trying to sell people on breast milk.
17 Comments
Musical theatre nerd me likes all the (spot on but easy completely random) references they’ve thrown into many of the episodes—the Bye Bye Birdie (whose male lead is really Albert) this week, Walt quietly singing a bit of Chicago’s Mr Cellophane last week…
“How is it possible that someone as distant from the action as Walt was
able to provide so many insights about these people and how they relate
to each other, but Zoe, perhaps the most central character in all of
this so far, doesn’t have much to add?”
I thought that was exactly the point of the Walt episode? We’ve realized Walt, in his attempt to be a part of the group, and due to the fact that no one notices him, *of course* is one of the few people who actually seems to see what’s really going on.
I liked the episode (and we now know why this segment of the opening credits had a bear chasing a woman) but I will agree that it did feel a bit like spinning its wheels at this point. The only real story reveal was who was actually texting Chelsea.
I’d say we get more Indigo through other peoples’ stories, and some more time with her in the present and at the finale, but that’s probably it. With 3 episodes left, I’d say one is Ned’s recalling, one is Jennifer’s, and the finale will be set in the present. I’d say Jennifer 2 could pop up at any moment between here and now, and she may or may not get her own retelling.As a mystery, this show has done a decent job at keeping me guessing at what actually happened. I’m leaning towards accidentally falling or suicide. Who knows, though?
Oh I’m certain next week’s episode is going to be based around the main cop (sorry, completely blanking on her name) and then I suspect the finale will be all over the place POV wise. Part of that is purely based on the opening credits which so far have shown, in sequence, what genre we’re getting and after having a cartoon bear chase a woman, the next sequence in the credits is all about police “thingies”. However, if we get another of the suspects’ POV episodes, Jennifer would be the one I’d expect. Ned seems a bit like a cipher character–there in a similar way to Indigo.
See? We’re both dumbasses wildly guessing at what will happen next. I dig my ideas, I dig your ideas, but I really don’t know. I’m just hoping this series concludes with a nice “wtf moment” that makes sense.
I’m cautiously optimistic that they will deliver just that (I know the reviewer here doesn’t seem confident about it at all, but 😛 )
I think more of Indigo would ruin the character. She’s a delightfully bizarre character who works best in small, unexpected doses.
She’s like the Ipecac of acting.
Yeah–I think that was the point as to why when we got her POV (done as an arty B&W film), which was the first, they just cut it off short. This seems like one of those complaints that have been made in these reviews where the reviewer seems to think it’s a mistake by the writers, but to me seems very much by design.
Yeah, this is the first episode that felt wheels-spinny. Especially after last week’s barnburner of an ep.We didn’t get too much. I mean, Zoe’s great. You can see why people would be enamored of her. She’s also written like, I dunno, a real person rather than a femme fatale or your average manic pixie dream girl. I like that she did think Aniq was cute and nice—albeit a little pushy and “safe”—, and I liked that Aniq was like, “I get it.” That’s smart character writing.We do get two red herrings shot down: Jenn #2 sent the texts, and Zoe shot the crossbow bolt that nearly killed Chelsea.But otherwise, it was kind of a let-down, mystery wise. Maybe it’s a breather for the next two episodes. I’m still thinking it’s Yasper.
This show in so bad I don’t care who did it. Also, I think it’s Yasper.
Indigo is the character who shows up just enough that it doesn’t come up as a complete asspull when she turns up as either the killer or the red herring, much like the red herring characters in Only Murders in the Building
I’ve given it some thought, and I personally think 40% is a more acceptable cut off point for when you can take over someone’s charger, but also my phone is from 2017 and it’s possible I’m operating with a different battery life than other people here.Right there with you. On all counts.
Do people… like, LIKE this show? These people are all annoying. Tiffany’s character is annoying. The dialogue is annoying. What the hell is that Walt weirdo? What the hell is the Indigo weirdo? Why is Richard Splett so desperate and hapless? It’s like it’s trying to be Only Murders but way more millennial and way less good. Someone tell me who did it when it’s mercifully dead like Xavier.
whole thing feels like a first draft that was rushed into production, and the cast is only as good as it is because noone was busy due to covid.
Love this assessment!
I am excited to potentially watch several things on Apple+. It is not impossible that this could be one
Not even sure how I feel about the content of this episode. I just couldn’t get over that animation style. Not my cup of tea, being ocularly assaulted like that.