“This is nice, just our two heads in this box.”—Edgar

Back in 2022, Apple TV+ offered a new comedy produced by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. It was set at the after party of a high school reunion where a murder had taken place. The reunited classmates were suspects, and the chief detective had to sift through their stories one-by-one to find the truth.

The Afterparty was one of the hidden gems of the last TV Season, so I’m pumped it’s back for a season two. This year, there’s a new party, a new murder and some familiar faces. I’ll be recapping the episodes weekly and tracking my Afterparty Suspect List. Let’s begin the ride together, looking at the two-episode premiere.

Episode 1: Aniq, The Sequel

As we begin, Aniq (Sam Richardson) and Zoe (Zoe Chao) are a couple. They’re headed to her sister’s wedding, and it’s a big weekend for Aniq as he wants to impress Zoe’s parents, Feng (Ken Jeong) and Vivian (Vivian Wu). Flash forward to the morning after the wedding and the groom, Edgar (Zach Woods), turns up dead.

When Aniq suspects it might be foul play, the suspicion turns to Zoe’s sister, Grace (Poppy Liu). To help get Grace off the hook—and curry favor with Zoe’s family—he calls Danner (Tiffany Haddish), who’s no longer a sworn detective but still interested in helping solve this murder. As she drives up, Aniq recounts the events of the weekend.

Since everyone’s story is told in the style of a film, Aniq’s comes across as a sequel to a romantic comedy. Naturally, for Aniq, it’s mostly a comedy of errors, especially when it comes to impressing Zoe’s parents.

But we do meet the guests who could be suspects. That includes the suave best man, Sebastian (Jack Whitehall), the groom’s sister, Hannah (Anna Konkle), the groom’s mother, Isabel (Elizabeth Perkins), and one of Grace’s old flames, Travis (Paul Walter Hauser). This also includes Zoe and Grace’s uncle, Ulysses (John Cho), who seems to have a complicated history with his brother.

Unfortunately, in addition to his charming antics, all Aniq manages to do is point some suspicion toward Grace by the time Danner arrives on scene. It’s going to be a long season for our hero.

Episode 2: Grace

In the second of this week’s premier episodes, we get the story straight from the prime suspect—Grace. Her story is told in the style of a Jane Austen romance, as she recounts the six-month romance, she had with Edgar. It’s a romance that begins when he visits her antique stall looking for a classic typewriter for his sister.

Through it all, we see how Edgar and Grace grew closer, and how she worked to bring him out of his shell some. We also see her friendship with Hannah, and the warnings Zoe gave that their marriage might not be right. Finally, we get to the wedding weekend.

Just prior to the after party, Aniq saw Grace crush a pill into Edgar’s drink. Rather than poison, it turns out to be Adderall, meant to help Edgar stay up later. But perhaps Grace’s biggest clue is who showed up first after she discovered Edgar was dead—Travis, a guest who wasn’t even staying on property. That, of course, is an exploration for another episode.

Suspect Board

Now it’s time for our weekly look at the suspects. Can we correctly identify the culprit before the end of the season?

No. 1: Sebastian. There’s something that seems off about the charming, best man, who’s also hooked up in Edgar’s business dealings.

No. 2: Hannah. The sister, who they make a quick point to note is adopted, seems to have a curious relationship with the family, and Grace.

No. 3: Isabel. Edgar’s mother is a cold fish.

No. 4: Ulysses. The fun uncle, but why would he do it? It’s the one you least suspect that often has the most to hide.

No. 5: Travis. As ex-boyfriend at the wedding… a possible red herring, but he’s on the list for now.

No. 6: Feng. I don’t think Zoe and Grace’s father did it, but we can’t rule him out.

No. 7: Grace. She had opportunity, but where’s the motive?

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.