[VinoCollapso]

I've just finished watching it and I would like to see more of Derek. I found the character quite loveable and I do like Kerry Godliman.

[iampetesmith]

I liked it. Not laugh out loud funny but it wasn't supposed to be. The type of humour that makes you smile and laugh inside while also feeling sympathy for the character.

[flobadob]

Originally Posted by reglip

Also noone was doing any work. Are you telling me one support worker takes care of all those pensioners getting up and showered, cleaned, pads changed. Who takes care of the cleaning? Support workers in those places are understaffed and ran off their feet usually you have about 25 clients and 3 staff to get everyone ready in some places people arent out of bed till lunch time because it takes that long. The staff in derek seemed to be just hanging round and the oaps just background scenery. It also made us feel sorry for the staff because what a boring job they had and what a depressing place to work.

Would you want derek looking after you in elderly care lol? Also derek wouldnt be allowed to cut their toenails like that he is practically client status himself who would let him near your toes with a blade?

That's the way documentaries are made. There's always lots of selective editing. And Derek wasn't supposed to be a faithful representation of an old people's home, but a faithful representation of a documentary.
I quite liked it. Although I'm glad it was only 25 minutes, and I don't think it would stretch to a series.

[Lysandar]

mispost

[odz1]

Originally Posted by imnothere

It's spelt Ricky mate.

Would be interesting to know how your head works if you think he should be ashamed of creating something quite touching and sentimental, but then you've hardly articulating doesn't seem to be your strong point!

O sorry - I found the program so shit I forgot to spellcheck.

[revolver44]

I loved this, thought it was Gervais back to his best. I'm really hoping a series will be forthcoming.

[performingmonk]

Originally Posted by revolver44

I loved this, thought it was Gervais back to his best. I'm really hoping a series will be forthcoming.

I agree with this and I feel really bad about totally dismissing 'Derek' before I'd seen it. Everything missing from the dire 'Life's Too Short' was here with some of Ricky's best work in ages (the only thing I've liked since Extras ended was his appearance in Curb Your Enthusiasm last year).

I initially thought 'oh god' about the whole thing - Ricky's constant face-pulling, the looking to camera (again), Karl's involvement, yet again material about disabled people etc. but it just worked!

I only wish they'd had the balls to call it a drama...and also cut the headbutt because, IMO, that was the only moment that jarred. Everything else felt very real.

[Heavenly]

Originally Posted by performingmonk

I agree with this and I feel really bad about totally dismissing 'Derek' before I'd seen it.

That's the Gervais effect. Glad you enjoyed it.

[jsmith99]

Originally Posted by imnothere

It's spelt Ricky mate.

............... but then you've hardly articulating doesn't seem to be your strong point!

It's spelled "spelled" mate.

Could some kind person explain what the rest means? I find it impossible to understand.

I find astonishing the number and variety of insults hurled at those who aren't wildly enthusiastic about the programme. There are some people who just don't like it ... for any programme there are those who don't enjoy it. And they're entitled to say so if they wish. It's a fact of life.

[billykubrick]

I didn't think Derek was as bad as some of the critics made out, I only smiled once (the chatting up of the non gay man) and had a twinge of emotion when Karl Pilkington's character (quite well played actually) mends the broken picture. I also liked the use of Satie's piano music and the portayal of Hannah. Gervaise does do quite sympathetic and well written female parts. I think Gervaise's heart was in the right place but amazed he doesn't admit his character has quite strong learning disabilities. I did not rate his acting particularly and would certainly not want to see any further episodes (I might be tempted by Life's too short.) With a different actor doing Gervaise's part it would probably have been better. I found it irritating that the fly on the wall style is still being used by Gervaise and while I quite liked the ending we have seen this kind of thing before as in the Tim/Dawn relationship. I don't write this to particularly knock Gervaise. His Mckellan moment in Extras and Liam Neesan's moment in Life's too short as well as The Office, both UK and US versions, are reasons to be grateful to him.

[Lysandar]

Originally Posted by jsmith99

It's spelled "spelled" mate.

I find astonishing the number and variety of insults hurled at those who aren't wildly enthusiastic about the programme. There are some people who just don't like it ... for any programme there are those who don't enjoy it. And they're entitled to say so if they wish. It's a fact of life.

Would you really expect fans of the fake comedian Gervais to have developed critical faculties?
I think, perhaps, you're expecting too much.

[Hotgossip]

You have to wonder why Gervais chooses to do a prog like this. All the millions of things he could do a "comedy" about and he picks this.

I think it's because he wants to keep his name in the news and because he wants people to think "good old Ricky, he doesn't care what people think, he's a lad he is."

After all the upset he caused before to families who have a person with Downs Syndrome you would think he'd rack his brains and try and come up with something completely different, original, funny and which won't offend anybody.

I've just been reading what the father of an autistic boy thinks about Gervais and his need to do progs like this.

I can't imagine that anybody would want to breed with RG but in the unlikely event they did, I wonder how he'd feel if his child was learning disabled? Or if any of his family were to have an accident and receive brain damage. Happens to families all the time and they just have to get on with it. He must know that he is going to offend some people so why can't he go off and do a prog which won't do this.

[The Wulfrunian]

Originally Posted by Hotgossip

You have to wonder why Gervais chooses to do a prog like this. All the millions of things he could do a "comedy" about and he picks this.

I think it's because he wants to keep his name in the news and because he wants people to think "good old Ricky, he doesn't care what people think, he's a lad he is."

After all the upset he caused before to families who have a person with Downs Syndrome you would think he'd rack his brains and try and come up with something completely different, original, funny and which won't offend anybody.

I've just been reading what the father of an autistic boy thinks about Gervais and his need to do progs like this.

I can't imagine that anybody would want to breed with RG but in the unlikely event they did, I wonder how he'd feel if his child was learning disabled? Or if any of his family were to have an accident and receive brain damage. Happens to families all the time and they just have to get on with it. He must know that he is going to offend some people so why can't he go off and do a prog which won't do this.

I'm fairly convinced you didn't watch it. And Derek is a character he conceived years ago, the tiniest bit of research could have told you that.

And it's been said time and time before but if another comedian had done Derek, nobody would have batted an eyelid. Just another case of people needing to be offended.

[roger_50]

Originally Posted by Hotgossip

I've just been reading what the father of an autistic boy thinks about Gervais and his need to do progs like this.

Are you referring to that one sensationalist Daily Mail article?

There's been tons of positive reaction elsewhere from people who care for learning disabled - saying they admired the program.

[Heavenly]

Originally Posted by roger_50

Are you referring to that one sensationalist Daily Mail article?

There's been tons of positive reaction elsewhere from people who care for learning disabled - saying they admired the program.

The Daily Fail and a sensationalist article shocker.

[whedon247]

Originally Posted by Hotgossip

You have to wonder why Gervais chooses to do a prog like this. All the millions of things he could do a "comedy" about and he picks this.

I think it's because he wants to keep his name in the news and because he wants people to think "good old Ricky, he doesn't care what people think, he's a lad he is."

After all the upset he caused before to families who have a person with Downs Syndrome you would think he'd rack his brains and try and come up with something completely different, original, funny and which won't offend anybody.

I've just been reading what the father of an autistic boy thinks about Gervais and his need to do progs like this.

I can't imagine that anybody would want to breed with RG but in the unlikely event they did, I wonder how he'd feel if his child was learning disabled? Or if any of his family were to have an accident and receive brain damage. Happens to families all the time and they just have to get on with it. He must know that he is going to offend some people so why can't he go off and do a prog which won't do this.

i think you care too mucha bout ricky gervais

my fav line was "this is why im single by the way" lol akward

[ilovecorrie2]

Originally Posted by babba

What a load of pompus rubbish, this is fiction, its not about the old folks home its about characters. Are we all so self centered that we cannot think outside of the box? but instead, get bogged down with being anal...I pity you for not being able to enjoy this, it brought me to tears, im a cynical tough 51 yo man, so please appreciate this for what it is. I am no RG fan but this was well pased and observed if not painfully accurate about a care home..

-[]
It may well be about "characters" but I don't think the fact that it's set in an old folks home is completely irrelevant. Derek is portrayed as a caring character so where better to set it than in a care home. The fact that not everyone in a care home actually cares seems to have passed Gervais by because even the grouchy glass half empty Douglas relents in the end and fixes the picture he originally intended to throw in the bin. Nice to see the working class portrayed as the good guys for a change (as opposed to the odious Finchy and the loutish sexist Lee in the Office) but to reiterate not all people in care homes DO care so presumably if this does go to a full series we'll get a Chris Finch type character appearing before too long.

The fact that it is set in a old folks home tends to be incidental at times as the focus is more on Derek and the other helpers but judging by Ricky's comments about the way old people are treated in the UK it does seem as though he thinks the setting is highly relevant even though the programme's not 100% focussed on the residents.

[ilovecorrie2]

Originally Posted by The Wulfrunian

I'm fairly convinced you didn't watch it. And Derek is a character he conceived years ago, the tiniest bit of research could have told you that.

And it's been said time and time before but if another comedian had done Derek, nobody would have batted an eyelid. Just another case of people needing to be offended.

Very true. Had Stephen Fry produced this programme it would have been lauded as the best thing since sliced bread. Someone said earlier that Ricky Gervais was up his own orifice - certainly a description I would reserve for Stephen Fry (but then why wouldn't he be when there are so many others up there to start with).

[ilovecorrie2]

Originally Posted by whedon247

i think you care too mucha bout ricky gervais

my fav line was "this is why im single by the way" lol akward

Yes I liked that line too - the sort of thing people think but don't actually say (except in Hollywood films and brutally honest characters in a Ricky Gervais script).

[ilovecorrie2]

Originally Posted by Hotgossip

You have to wonder why Gervais chooses to do a prog like this. All the millions of things he could do a "comedy" about and he picks this.

I think it's because he wants to keep his name in the news and because he wants people to think "good old Ricky, he doesn't care what people think, he's a lad he is."

After all the upset he caused before to families who have a person with Downs Syndrome you would think he'd rack his brains and try and come up with something completely different, original, funny and which won't offend anybody.

I've just been reading what the father of an autistic boy thinks about Gervais and his need to do progs like this.

I can't imagine that anybody would want to breed with RG but in the unlikely event they did, I wonder how he'd feel if his child was learning disabled? Or if any of his family were to have an accident and receive brain damage. Happens to families all the time and they just have to get on with it. He must know that he is going to offend some people so why can't he go off and do a prog which won't do this.

I've just been mulling this one over. Why would he do a programme like this? Well it isn't really very different from what he's already done. He seems to like writing about life's misfits. David Brent was a manager who wanted to be a "chilled out entertainer" but was stuck in a job he had no real interest in. Tim was a 30 year old still living with his parents, Dawn was a frustrated artist and Gareth was perhaps the biggest misfit of all. Andy Millman wanted to be an A lister but never quite managed it and just as it looked as though he was accepted by the beautiful people he turned his back on fame altogether. So really Derek is just continuing along a theme that's always been there.

[Bunnyfoo]

It was ok.

[rwebster]

Staying completely out of the main discussion, here, but...

Originally Posted by jsmith99

It's spelled "spelled" mate.

spelt    [spelt]
verb
a simple past tense and past participle of spell.
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/spelt)


In varieties of English from outside the U.S., spelt and spelled both work as past-tense and past-participial forms of spell. They are interchangeable, and both are common.
(http://grammarist.com/spelling/spelled-spelt/)



...while you're right and "spelled" is correct, he can spell it however he likes! q:

[jsmith99]

Originally Posted by rwebster

Staying completely out of the main discussion, here, but...



spelt    [spelt]
verb
a simple past tense and past participle of spell.
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/spelt)

In varieties of English from outside the U.S., spelt and spelled both work as past-tense and past-participial forms of spell. They are interchangeable, and both are common.
(http://grammarist.com/spelling/spelled-spelt/)

...while you're right and "spelled" is correct, he can spell it however he likes! q:

How astonishing : I can only conclude that your dictionary is correct, webster. Thanks for that, and my apology to the earlier poster, whom I "corrected".

[thejel]

Loved "The Office, Ricky Gervais show"
OK "Extras"
Rubbish "Life's Too Short"

My expectations for "Derek" were low and while I wouldnt label it a comedy there were one or two mildly funny moments. In my mind it was a Drama and I must say the last 10 minutes or so were extremely poignant, well written and acted - poor Derek when he was told Joan was died i found it quite heart wrenching

[thejel]

Also there is no doubt (and I cant see how it can be argued) that Derek had learning difficulties