There are two elements in The Afterparty—one, the murder mystery plot, and two, the genre episodes. Even if the murder mystery angle fails to deliver the punch, the genres make The Afterparty a fun watch. Also, do not forget the credit sequence. The music is addictive, and the visuals start to make sense once you watch all the episodes.
After the success of the first season, The Afterparty delivered a second installation. Danner, Aniq, and Zoe are the only characters from season one who made it to the second murder mystery. Situations have vastly changed after the first season—in season one, Aniq was single and desperately trying to get Zoe’s attention, and in season two, they are not only together, but Aniq also plans to propose to her. Danner’s life has also drastically changed since the Xavier murder. She resigned from being a cop and solely focused on writing her book. As much as Danner tried to convince herself that she was a writer, it was the last thing that she found interesting. While last time a celebrity was murdered, this time it was a tech billionaire. Zoe’s sister, Grace, was the primary suspect, and it all came down to Danner and Aniq to solve the confusing murder mystery.
In this article, we have ranked the episodes according to the visual treatment, the characters, and their contribution to the main plot. While all episodes are important in their own way, there are a few that remain memorable.
Spoiler Alert
10. Episode 1: Aniq 2 – The Sequel
The first episode was grounded in reality and did not have much to offer in terms of genre or characters. The idea was to introduce the audience to the plot and study each character through Aniq’s point of view. Episode one was a straightforward romantic comedy where Aniq messes up every chance he gets to impress his would-be in-laws. To make matters worse, there was Sebastian, who was giving him tough competition. From messing up Feng’s van to spitting out a drink on Vivian’s face, nothing was going according to Aniq’s plan. The only good thing that happened to Aniq at the wedding was Edgar. Even after all the mishaps, Edgar trusted Aniq, and judging by how nervous Aniq was, he already guessed that Aniq was planning on proposing to Zoe. Edgar liked Aniq, and his approval boosted Aniq’s confidence for a while.
9. Episode 6: Danner’s Fire
Episode 6 felt like a filler episode, meant purely for entertainment, as it does not contribute to the plot at all. Danner’s story turned from a detective thriller to an erotic thriller sooner than we expected. The episode explains why Danner chose to leave her cop life behind and also why she wanted Aniq to look at every person in the room with suspicion, including his girlfriend. While “You Go Danner” is all we had to say, the humor felt a little forced in this episode.
8. Episode 5: Sebastian
Visually, Sebastian’s episode was quite average. Inspired by Ocean’s 11, heist and crime thriller elements were added to his story. The genre complemented the kind of fraudster Sebastian was, and of course, the theft that he pulled off was a perfect blend of comedy and heist thriller. While the episode was not visually exciting, it contributed significantly in terms of character exploration. As Edgar’s confidant, Sebastian knew who he truly was and how brutal he could get if he wanted. Sebastian’s version helped us understand the kind of person Edgar was when it came down to business.
7. Episode 8: Feng
The idea of using found footage to tell Feng’s story was quite brilliant. As someone who desperately wanted to break the internet with his baobing, it only makes sense for us to understand his version through found footage. Kyler not only recorded promotional videos but also ended up shooting events that helped Danner and Aniq solve the puzzle. You can easily imagine internet sleuths digging up these videos and building a case on TikTok, explaining to their audience who they believe the murderer was. Episode 8 was visually interesting, and we also got to know a lot more about Feng, his baobing business, and his love for his wife.
6. Episode 10: Vivian and Zoe
Zoe’s camp horror was hilarious and stylistically perfect, with red and blue dominating the screen. With Isabel’s dog as the haunting spirit that refuses to let her be, it was just the right amount of campy. Vivian reimagines her conversation with Ulysses in the form of an 80s soap opera. It is perfectly over-the-top and dramatic, as we can imagine Vivian’s mind movie to be.
5. Episode 7: Ulysses
Ulysses’ mind film was straight out of Legends of the Fall. As a world traveler, Ulysses always felt the need to remind everyone around him of his many exotic life experiences. Ulysses romanticized his nomadic lifestyle and was pretty much living a character with the way he dressed and spoke. I think Ulysses breaking into a dance the moment Vivian decided to part ways was the highlight of the episode! Episode 7 took an interesting turn when Ulysses discussed the possibility of Grace being his daughter.
4. Episode 3: Travis
An internet sleuth who was convinced that he could do good detective work, Travis was the detective hero of a film noir. The black and white, the shadows, the lighting, and the set set the perfect tone for the unfolding of a noir. Travis is a funny character, and the fact that he imagines himself to be an intelligent detective who lives with his mother and relies on her to bring him messages adds to the humor. Grace invited all of her ex-boyfriends as a gesture, and she had never, in her wildest dreams, imagined someone would actually show up. But it was Travis, and he interpreted her invitation as a coded message asking him to rescue her from Edgar.
3. Episode 2: Grace
When Grace retold her story, she imagined herself as the protagonist of a romantic period drama. She owned a vintage store and was a complete romantic at heart, making the choice of genre obvious. Episode 2 gets the costumes and hair absolutely on point. The episode is also significant because we got to take a closer look at the prime suspect. The conflicts that she experienced, the way she viewed life, and the reason why she was not ready to sign the prenuptial agreement before marriage all contribute to untangling the murder mystery.
2. Episode 9: Isabel
There is no doubt that Isabel imagines her life to be like Hitchcock’s psychological thriller. After her husband’s death, Isabel did not feel quite herself most of the time. When things start to slip out of control, she tries to make sense of everything happening around her. The crushing weight of the world conspiring against her was a lot for Isabel to bear, but she stood her ground, trying to find ways to prove her theory. The best moment in this episode was perhaps when Grace mentioned she had no intentions of changing her surname to Minnows, and Isabel looked away, but her eyes clearly showed the horror she was experiencing within.
Episode 4: Hannah
Hannah was written keeping in mind the characters of Wes Anderson’s films. The reason why it is the most interesting, or rather exciting, episode is because of the importance given to developing the character. A lesson for all the TikTok creators attempting a Wes Anderson aesthetic. The auteur’s style is a lot more than just symmetry and pastel; without the typically complex characters, we simply don’t have a Wes Anderson film. It is not just about the characters replying in monosyllables but digging deep and finding out why they are the way they are. And when it comes to Hannah, Episode 4 tells us why her world was straight out of The Royal Tenenbaums. Not only is episode 4 a visual treat, but we also find out about Hannah and Grace’s romance. The character, the execution, and Hannah’s story contribute to making the episode the best one this season.
Season two of The Afterparty is enjoyable, though not brilliant. While most of the characters are peculiar, only a few tickle the funny bone. The ranking is purely based on personal opinion. Let us know which episode of season 2 left a lasting impact on you.
