Apple TV+’s comedy murder mystery The Afterparty ended with an explosive, fans-heaving-a-sigh-of-relief bang as it unearthed the real killer in the finale on March 4..
Produced by directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, The Afterparty explores the murder of a famous star, Xavier (Dave Franco) at a school reunion party, with each episode focusing on a classmate’s potential murder motive and alibi.
The brilliant show tied all its loose ends in the finale when it revealed Yasper (Ben Shwartz), the songwriter – yes, the same Yasper who wanted Xavier to be alive in episode 3 – was the real killer.
While some viewers might have figured out Yasper was the one all along, he did his best to create a strong case of wanting to reunite and collaborate with the successful star for his music.
Like us, everyone will suggest that the viewers go back to episode 3 and watch the things unfold again – with a clearer picture in mind.
Detective Danner (Tiffany Haddish) revealing Yasper’s tricks one by one, even before naming him, is a slow burn that might be difficult not to fall in love with.
Here’s how the events unfolded: The songwriter snuck into Xavier’s room, hid in a closet, watched the commotion between Chelsea (Ilana Glazer) and him, waited for her to leave, punched him real hard and pushed him off the balcony.
Yasper’s gymnastic skills come in handy as he goes back to the party and gives an incredible performance of oblivious to the gruesome murder he has just committed.
On a side note: Viewers are loving the punch Shwartz threw at Franco.
But why did Yasper kill Xavier? What was his motivation?
The answer remains in the most basic human emotions – jealousy and regret. The show reveals how Yasper and Xavier were a part of a music band in school, but the former broke the band, believing it wouldn’t be successful.
Fast forward to several years, Xavier shines brightly as a famous pop star while Yasper is left with an unsuccessful career and a shattered dream.
Yasper even believes he should get a majority of the credit for his former schoolmate-turned-star’s stardom – all because he gave Eugene ‘Xavier’ Duckworth Jr. the idea to use his middle name as his stage name.
The build-up leading to the twist was full of adrenaline rush till Yasper confessed to his crimes. His best friend Aniq (Sam Richardson) and Zoë (Zoë Chao) were the only people who seemed heartbroken at his confession.
The incredibly talented (and new fan-favorite actor) Shwartz talked about playing the whodunit character to The Wrap. He shared how the ending was emotional for him and what it signified to his character, who basically lost his entire career being blinded by jealousy.
There’s a great moment in the end when I’m doing it (the monologue), and I’m starting to cry, and I’m like trying to snort back tears almost, and I look at Zoë Chao, who is acting the scene as Zoe, and she’s looking at me, and she has tears in her eyes because she’s looking at my character like, ‘Your life is over. You killed somebody. Your life is over.’ And it’s so sad.
Ben Shwartz
However, this not the end for the engaging murder mystery, The Afterparty. Apple TV+ renewed it for a second season which will focus on a new case and an entirely new cast around Haddish’s Detective Danner.
About The Afterparty
The Afterparty is an American comedy whodunit series created for Apple TV+ by the famous filmmaking duo Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. The show has a multi-star cast of Tiffany Haddish, Sam Richardson, Zoë Chao, Ben Schwartz, and Dave Franco, to name a few.
The Afterparty revolves around the murder of Xavier (Franco) at a school reunion party. With all the third-something former classmates a potential killer, each episode shows the story and point of view of one classmate. These episodes are filled with clues and give viewers an insight into the eight former classmates’ lives.
Apple TV+ has renewed the show for a second season and it will be based on another comedic murder mystery but with a new cast.
News Source: Apple TV+/The Afterparty
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