The Afterparty Season 2 Episode 6 Review: Danner’s Fire
This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the series being covered here wouldn’t exist.
Erotic thrillers from the 90s are used as inspiration to provide more backstory for Detective Danner on The Afterparty Season 2 Episode 6, “Danner’s Fire.”
The basic instinct writers Anthony King and Christopher Miller had when penning this flashback story for Tiffany Haddish’s Danner is perfectly on point. The sexy neo noir vibes are off the charts and Haddish seems like she is having an absolute blast playing Danner in this setting.
She certainly looks the part. The slicked back hair and classic 90s combo of a fitted, ribbed turtleneck and leather jacket are particularly nice touches. And don’t tell me that white dress isn’t Catherine Tramell coded.
The chemistry Haddish has with Michael Ealy who plays psychiatrist/writer Quentin Devereaux (great name, by the way) is appropriately silly. They both go all in on the absurdity while keeping their characters serious throughout.
Although, how they got through that titty-slapping scene with straight faces, I’ll never know.
It is spoof comedy of a niche sub-genre done extremely well. References to cult favorites are used cleverly and with restraint.
The Afterparty Season 2 Episode 4, “Hannah,” showed a lack of restraint in regards to the Wes Anderson aesthetic, and, as a result, the theme oversaturated the narrative.
The scene with the candle wax is a direct nod to 1993’s Body of Evidence starring Madonna. However, it is not used simply for the sake of the spoof, it’s in relation to the story and adds to it as well. Believe it or not, but the following dialogue advances and enhances both the plot and the humor of the episode.
Quentin: I want you to tie me up so I can’t resist. I want you to pour that candle right here. One of my titties likes the smacks. The other one likes the wax.
Aniq: Okay, I can’t do this anymore.
Again, how did Ealy say that and not bust up every single time?
Sam Richardson reacting as Aniq is probably one of my favorite aspects of The Afterparty, and one that has been consistently funny throughout both seasons. That is especially evident on this episode as Aniq is forced to listen to Danner’s cheesy sexscapades with a serial arsonist.
“Do I really need to hear about this guy getting his titties slapped?” Yes, Aniq, you do. It’s actually vital to the storytelling.
“Cheesy” is an apt word to describe the erotic element, considering the ridiculous sex scene that takes place in the kitchen and the many double entendres and sexual innuendos that are peppered all through the episode.
In addition, interspersing scenes in the present day during the telling of Danner’s tale really highlights the strong story structure of the series overall. It flows exceptionally well, but also brings up more questions. That’s exactly what you want in a murder mystery.
The Afterthoughts:
- “I guess you can call me a pyromaniac. Only, instead of fire, I like sex.”
- I screamed when the pickle showed up.
- More Season 1 cameos from Walt (Jamie Demetriou) and Detective Culp (John Early).
- “Truth is I’m not really a pyromaniac but for sex. I’m a sex addict but for fire.”
What did you think of this episode of The Afterparty? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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New episodes of The Afterparty stream Wednesdays on Apple TV+.
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Erin Allen
Erin is a former script supervisor for film and television. She's an avid fan of middle aged actresses, dark dramas, and irreverent comedies. She loves to read actual books and X-Files fan fiction. Her other passions include pointing out feminist issues, shipping Mulder and Scully, and collecting pop culture mugs.