Ricky Gervais new comedy- Derek

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  • HeavenlyHeavenly Posts: 31,915
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    I've only just managed to catch up with this on 4 OD. I was curious after reading many negative reviews so wanted to decide for myself.

    I'm not a fan of Ricky Gervais and I am the mother of an autistic 17 year old.

    I feel that people were armed and ready to hate because a) it was Ricky Gervais and b) it was billed as a comedy by channel 4. I believe that channel 4 did this to generate publicity and boy did they manage that in abundance. I found the piece to be poignant and well acted throughout.

    I believed in Derek as a character and I think Ricky got it spot on especially the falling in the pond scene. I could see that happening with my own son and yes I would laugh. Anyone involved with those who have special needs has to have a sense of humour or it would all be too much. I enjoyed Derek and will be interested to see how a series would be developed.

    "Just because you're offended doesn't make you right" - Ricky Gervais

    Nicely put. :)
  • MR. MacavityMR. Macavity Posts: 3,876
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    I've only just managed to catch up with this on 4 OD. I was curious after reading many negative reviews so wanted to decide for myself.

    I'm not a fan of Ricky Gervais and I am the mother of an autistic 17 year old.

    I feel that people were armed and ready to hate because a) it was Ricky Gervais and b) it was billed as a comedy by channel 4. I believe that channel 4 did this to generate publicity and boy did they manage that in abundance. I found the piece to be poignant and well acted throughout. I believed in Derek as a character and I think Ricky got it spot on especially the falling in the pond scene. I could see that happening with my own son and yes I would laugh. Anyone involved with those who have special needs has to have a sense of humour or it would all be too much. I enjoyed Derek and will be interested to see how a series would be developed.

    "Just because you're offended doesn't make you right" - Ricky Gervais

    An excellent post, thanks.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,577
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    "Just because you're offended doesn't make you right"
    Excellent quote. And very true!

    Missing this programme already. Having listened to a documentary about Channel 4's history, I was all ready to dismiss it as a station for adolescents because of it's emphasis on being "edgy" (for edgy read attention seeking adolescent) but Derek is one of the few gems that Channel 4 throws at you once in a while. If/when the series does materialise I hope the quality is as good as the pilot. In the meantime I'm catching up on An Idiot Abroad which I was told is very funny and I haven't been disappointed yet. Isn't it wonderful that people are willing to post whole episodes and even series onto youtube for everyone to enjoy!
  • MrSuperMrSuper Posts: 18,471
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    Derek has been granted a full series order by Ch4 and will be on screens sometime next year along with a second series of Gervais' Life's Too Short which is shown on BBC2.

    http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a380706/ricky-gervaiss-derek-given-full-series-by-channel-4.html
  • DubDubDubDub Posts: 2,611
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    MrSuper wrote: »
    Derek has been granted a full series order by Ch4 and will be on screens sometime next year along with a second series of Gervais' Life's Too Short which is shown on BBC2.

    http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a380706/ricky-gervaiss-derek-given-full-series-by-channel-4.html

    can't wait :)

    ps: hope theres a whole dvd of the out takes :D
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,577
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    MrSuper wrote: »
    Derek has been granted a full series order by Ch4 and will be on screens sometime next year along with a second series of Gervais' Life's Too Short which is shown on BBC2.

    http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a380706/ricky-gervaiss-derek-given-full-series-by-channel-4.html

    Oh no! They're never giving Life's Too Short a second series are they? Why??!! To fulfil the political correctness obligation? Or simply because it's written by Gervais and Merchant and so is guaranteed a second series even when the first one was total and utter garbage. Croft & Perry had It Ain't Half Hot Mum and now Gervais & Merchant are following suit with this sub-standard tat. Hard to believe these are the same guys who brought us Extras, The Office and An Idiot Abroad. Sorry, Ricky, sorry Stephen but "Your sitcom's shit mate"
  • degsyhufcdegsyhufc Posts: 59,251
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    He might have a 2 series clause in all of his contracts since The Office :D
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,577
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    degsyhufc wrote: »
    He might have a 2 series clause in all of his contracts since The Office :D

    Well they're riding high at the moment but wait 30 years down the line and their sitcoms will end up like Only Fools and Horses with cuts made to them all over the place! They'll probably start with the music and go straight to the closing credits.

    Life's Too Short was so bad I didn't even bother watching til the end of the series whereas Derek's got me gripped from the outset. Maybe the only way for it to go now is down? How can they maintain that standard?
  • degsyhufcdegsyhufc Posts: 59,251
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    I watched the fist two of Life's Too Short. I think I half watched ep3 in the background. Gave up on the series though.

    I still haven't watched the Extras special. I have it on DVD somewhere.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,577
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    degsyhufc wrote: »
    I watched the fist two of Life's Too Short. I think I half watched ep3 in the background. Gave up on the series though.

    I still haven't watched the Extras special. I have it on DVD somewhere.

    You haven't watched the Extras special? Really?? What are you waiting for? It's like a Christmas Carol for the 21st century crossed with the Truman show! Amazing! More than made up for that lame ending at the end of series 2. Tbh I don't think they'll ever top the Extras special.

    Here's a taster:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQAr_AjZt-E

    Hey wadda you know - it's all on youtube. That should save you (and me) rooting out the DVD! :)
  • misha06misha06 Posts: 3,378
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    I like RG's work; his sitcoms and his stand up.

    | watched 'Derek' and I did think it had potential, some bits, like the girl headbutting the nasty girl in the pub had me smiling for more reasons than one.

    Ditto, the scenes with the caretaker.

    RG is not the greatest actor, but he is quite a generous writer; 'The Office' became a bit less all about him and you focused on the other characters.

    In the crimble specials I bet more people were focused on the Tim/Dawn thing than him, I am sure the moment Dawn comes back to Tim is what people remember. (perhaps maybe Brent finally telling Finchy to Fukc Off)

    I reckon RG knows this, and Derek may well go down similar lines; his mugging to camera and antics will provide a narrative, but the secondary characters will be what people watch for and wait to see if a resolution/happy end comes.

    This was the problem with 'Lifes too short'; we had one character that was in our face with his problems from moment one, and just him. If we didn't like him or couldn't engage then we didn't care, and there was nowhere for the show to go.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,577
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    misha06 wrote: »
    I like RG's work; his sitcoms and his stand up.

    | watched 'Derek' and I did think it had potential, some bits, like the girl headbutting the nasty girl in the pub had me smiling for more reasons than one.

    Ditto, the scenes with the caretaker.

    RG is not the greatest actor, but he is quite a generous writer; 'The Office' became a bit less all about him and you focused on the other characters.

    In the crimble specials I bet more people were focused on the Tim/Dawn thing than him, I am sure the moment Dawn comes back to Tim is what people remember. (perhaps maybe Brent finally telling Finchy to Fukc Off)

    I reckon RG knows this, and Derek may well go down similar lines; his mugging to camera and antics will provide a narrative, but the secondary characters will be what people watch for and wait to see if a resolution/happy end comes.

    This was the problem with 'Lifes too short'; we had one character that was in our face with his problems from moment one, and just him. If we didn't like him or couldn't engage then we didn't care, and there was nowhere for the show to go.

    Interesting point and explains a lot about the failure of Life's Too Short. I don't think The Office would have been as popular as it was without the Tim & Dawn storyline and the antagonism between Tim and Gareth (which showed quite a nasty side to Tim). As to the "mugging to camera", I think that's one of the reasons why I prefer Extras the most - no looking directly into the camera at all (unless you count the episode where Keith Chegwin's trying to act) :)
  • HeavenlyHeavenly Posts: 31,915
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    misha06 wrote: »
    I like RG's work; his sitcoms and his stand up.

    | watched 'Derek' and I did think it had potential, some bits, like the girl headbutting the nasty girl in the pub had me smiling for more reasons than one.

    Ditto, the scenes with the caretaker.

    RG is not the greatest actor, but he is quite a generous writer; 'The Office' became a bit less all about him and you focused on the other characters.

    In the crimble specials I bet more people were focused on the Tim/Dawn thing than him, I am sure the moment Dawn comes back to Tim is what people remember. (perhaps maybe Brent finally telling Finchy to Fukc Off)

    I reckon RG knows this, and Derek may well go down similar lines; his mugging to camera and antics will provide a narrative, but the secondary characters will be what people watch for and wait to see if a resolution/happy end comes.

    This was the problem with 'Lifes too short'; we had one character that was in our face with his problems from moment one, and just him. If we didn't like him or couldn't engage then we didn't care, and there was nowhere for the show to go.

    Nicely put, I agree. :)
  • HeavenlyHeavenly Posts: 31,915
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    degsyhufc wrote: »

    I still haven't watched the Extras special. I have it on DVD somewhere.

    :eek:

    Watch it, it's class!!! ;)
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,577
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    The other good thing about Gervais and Merchant's sitcoms is that (like Only Fools and Horses) they evolve but whereas OFAH had changes occurring over 10-20 years, The Office and Extras do so at a much faster pace. The Swindon branch move in by the second series in The Office and Andy Miman moves from being an extra to a scriptwriter by the end of the first and then back to being an extra in the Christmas special before packing it in altogether. We never have chance to think we've seen it all before because it's constantly changing. That said, Tim winding up Gareth did get a bit tedious and it was good to see Lee catch him out. Even though Tim and Dawn was shown as a good love story the way they treated Gareth, I think they deserved each other!
  • misha06misha06 Posts: 3,378
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    The other good thing about Gervais and Merchant's sitcoms is that (like Only Fools and Horses) they evolve but whereas OFAH had changes occurring over 10-20 years, The Office and Extras do so at a much faster pace. The Swindon branch move in by the second series in The Office and Andy Miman moves from being an extra to a scriptwriter by the end of the first and then back to being an extra in the Christmas special before packing it in altogether. We never have chance to think we've seen it all before because it's constantly changing. That said, Tim winding up Gareth did get a bit tedious and it was good to see Lee catch him out. Even though Tim and Dawn was shown as a good love story the way they treated Gareth, I think they deserved each other!

    I think all of the characters in an RG sitcom are a bit unlikable/annoying to a greater or lesser degree.

    He has caught on, in his shows, that most people, even the 'nice' ones can have a gitish/annoying side to them.

    It will be interesting to see how he plays out 'Derek' as a show, because it is a sensitive subject area, and people will be waiting to give him a shoeing.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,577
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    misha06 wrote: »
    I think all of the characters in an RG sitcom are a bit unlikable/annoying to a greater or lesser degree.

    He has caught on, in his shows, that most people, even the 'nice' ones can have a gitish/annoying side to them.

    That didn't happen quite so frequently in Extras and was more noticeable in the celebrities unless you count the constant sniping with Greg (but then that was a two-way street). But no-one was noticeably horrible to someone else and allowed to get away with it continually the way Tim (and, to a lesser degree, Dawn) did.
    It will be interesting to see how he plays out 'Derek' as a show, because it is a sensitive subject area, and people will be waiting to give him a shoeing.

    They have already!
  • HeavenlyHeavenly Posts: 31,915
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    Am really looking forward to the new series. :)

    @rickygervais

    Finished week 1 filming on Derek. The most fun I have ever had on any production. Many takes were ruined by laughter and sad bits made us cry.
  • liamhereliamhere Posts: 2,054
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    i saw the pilot...what a load of s*** that was
    and now a series....what are they thinking?????
  • southladsouthlad Posts: 1,140
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    liamhere wrote: »
    i saw the pilot...what a load of s*** that was
    and now a series....what are they thinking?????

    They were probably thinking...

    "The pilot attracted 3.2m viewers and its our highest-rated scripted comedy for two years. The Golden Globe/Emmy/BAFTA/Rose d'Or (etc) award winning comedian who wrote and starred in the BBC's most successful comedy of all time has offered us a full series if we want it. The other channels would snap this up without even giving it thought... Hmmmmm... decisions decisions..... OK let's do some more..."
  • HeavenlyHeavenly Posts: 31,915
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    I have read and heard several snippets about this new series, I can't wait. Supposed to be very moving which Ricky does so subtly well.

    Starts January 30, on Ch 4.
  • feckitfeckit Posts: 4,303
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    I watched Ricky Gervais talking about his new character Derek. I haven't watched the episode yet.
    I couldn't help thinking that after watching his intro to Derek it was just like watching David Brent with brain damage.
    Has anyone seen Derek yet?
  • Digital SidDigital Sid Posts: 39,870
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    By intro I assume you mean the pilot?

    And no, never has Ricky said that Derek is mentally ill or disabled, in fact, he's said the opposite:
    http://metro.co.uk/2012/04/06/ricky-gervais-derek-isnt-disabled-hes-just-not-that-bright-379149/

    People have ironically assumed so from the way he looks and acts, based their own prejudices.
  • Phoenix LazarusPhoenix Lazarus Posts: 17,305
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    feckit wrote: »
    I couldn't help thinking that after watching his intro to Derek it was just like watching David Brent with brain damage.

    Well, yes, you may have thought they looked rather similar.

    I've got news for you, it's because it's the same actor playing them both.
  • feckitfeckit Posts: 4,303
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    By intro I assume you mean the pilot?

    And no, never has Ricky said that Derek is mentally ill or disabled, in fact, he's said the opposite:
    http://metro.co.uk/2012/04/06/ricky-gervais-derek-isnt-disabled-hes-just-not-that-bright-379149/

    People have ironically assumed so from the way he looks and acts, based their own prejudices.

    Not the pilot, I have not seen that.
    This is just a programme about him telling us about his character Derek.
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