............If I went on another programme thread and fired off a list of bile then I would expect to take a hammering from fans of the show................
Only if it were a programme which involved the holy trinity, gervais/walliams/lucas.
On any other thread people would mildly comment on the truth of any statements you made, and say that you were entitled to your opinions.
I've never seen any other threads on which those who don't like a programme are subject to such abuse.
derek doesn't actually say 'it's sickening' he says 'it's a signet' - as in, a young bird i believe.
On another note, i hope next week's ep has more laughs and less sentimential stuff. But knowing gervais, he'll do what he wants lol
Also lol, in the words of marcus brigstocke on that magician dude, gervais is a fearsome mumbler and his characters mumble too much. I love gervais but please, I can't get a word of it sometimes lol..
I am a big fan of everything Ricky Gervais has been involved in but after the pilot I wondered if he should just ditch this and after the first 2 episodes I was thinking maybe he should have. However last night's episode was a big improvement with a good mix of humour and social comment and it's good to see that Karl's 'Idiot Abroad' character is getting good screen time and plenty of opportunity to show off his own brand of telling it how it is. The whole frog thing was really funny.
I am a big fan of everything Ricky Gervais has been involved in but after the pilot I wondered if he should just ditch this and after the first 2 episodes I was thinking maybe he should have. However last night's episode was a big improvement with a good mix of humour and social comment and it's good to see that Karl's 'Idiot Abroad' character is getting good screen time and plenty of opportunity to show off his own brand of telling it how it is. The whole frog thing was really funny.
The frog thing made me laugh... My nan bought my mum an awful vase one birthday, mum had it up for a few months and got sick of it and shoved it away in a cupboard and told my nan she had knocked it over and broken it when hoovering...A few years later she gave it to the local church for a jumble sale.... You can guess the rest.
What happened during last nights epsiode sadly happens in real life, A family member who probably doesnt visit there relative very much, suddenly turns up, expecting that are gonna get what they deem as theres, the women who died, seemed clear in her mind, what she wanted to do with that ring, with giving it to hannah
I think that Tom was actually disrespectful for giving her the ring. I would have stood up to her and told her that her mother CHOSE to give the ring to me and therefore we should respect her wishes. It was her property and entirely up to her what she does with it. He cowardly gave up a dying woman's sweet gesture to him and Hannah. Hannah can do much better.
I think that Tom was actually disrespectful for giving her the ring. I would have stood up to her and told her that her mother CHOSE to give the ring to me and therefore we should respect her wishes. It was her property and entirely up to her what she does with it. He cowardly gave up a dying woman's sweet gesture to him and Hannah. Hannah can do much better.
He couldn't really have proved it though, a woman like that would not give up, it would cause more trouble than it's worth.
Could of been interesting if they had used the documentary side of the show and asked the producer to show them the footage.
Yeah, I suppose so but in real life this goes on a lot.
A woman I knew worked in an old peoples home and an old man left an emerald bracelet that was his late wifes to her in his will, it was very old and dirty but worth a lot of money, the owners of the home kept it in a safe.... When the old man died and she was given the bracelet it was sparkling, the owners had had the emeralds replaced with fakes... There was nothing the woman could do about it.
I was just about to post the same thing. I was bewildered by the posts accusing the show's critics of spite and looking down on those who enjoy it; I haven't seen any evidence of either on this thread. The point the critics are making is about RG's previous form as regards the Derek-type character and also the Susan Boyle incident. But definitely no spite or looking down on people.
The reason why I'm focusing on this accusation is because it's a similar response to the one we've seen from Ricky when criticised (as discussed a few posts back): i.e. painting the critics as somehow nasty or small-minded rather than listening to what they've actually said. (I must stress that I'm not referring to any poster in particular, BTW...just a general pattern I've often seen emerge when people post perfectly polite and reasoned criticisms of RG, and get accused of something much more extreme that they don't deserve.)
I enjoyed a lot of the show and will watch it again....I also loved Extras and The Office, so I'm emphatically not a Ricky-hater. But my liking of his work doesn't negate how I feel about the Susan Boyle thing and the previous, less compassionate, incarnations of the Derek-type character.
Forgive me for quoting my own post from a few days ago....But the reactions to Hankshaw's posts seem to me to be a perfect example of what I was talking about. Hankshaw posted a perfectly reasonable, well-argued critique of the show, not at all contentious, personal or emotional....just a well-expressed explanation of several points that jarred for him. In return he's been accused of "bile", being "bitter", "angry", "sad", and goodness knows what else.
Where do these accusations come from? Where in Hankshaw's post is there any sign of being bitter, angry, sad or full of bile, or any of the other personal jibes that have been fired at him? He pointed out what he considered to be some flaws in the show, and he explained clearly and rationally what his problem was with those points. Whether or not one agrees with them, there was certainly nothing in his post to justify the insults that were thrown at him in response.
Having enjoyed the show apart from a few reservations, I was pleased to read Hankshaw and Alrightmate's posts on this thread expressing similar reservations, because it's always good to see that someone else has had the same thoughts as oneself. Surely the point of these forums is that we all express our opinions and hear other people's...we don't have to agree, but why project so much highly-charged personal and emotional stuff into someone else's perfectly harmless and valid opinion?
I actually enjoyed the show a lot last night, except for a few things that jarred for me, including some of the points Hankshaw has listed. I felt uncomfortable about the scene with Kev and the large woman (especially after the later comment from Tom re Kev's track record). I remember having a similar feeling in Extras when David Brent was waiting for his blind date; a large lady turned up and he was horrified (I think he said something like "Oh, thank goodness for that, I was waiting for my blind date and I was worried you were it!")
I loved the story of the ring, although the daughter was such a cartoon baddie, she practically had horns and a tail! Dougie was brilliant as ever....but I didn't like the idea of him taking stuff from the old people's rooms for the jumble sale. Kev was ghastly (and I totally agreed with Hankshaw's point about Hannah not removing the scales and leaving Derek in charge to sort that out). The 999 call was very touching, especially when the guy helped Derek off the hook. The bit with the frog was wonderful, though; I loved Karl's world-weary resignation.
Loved Hannah as always. Fabulous actress; I liked seeing a bit into the character's personal life. At one point I thought Tom was going to be a sort of Dawn's-boyfriend figure from the office; a "bad" boyfriend just there to be got rid of, but hopefully it won't go that way.
Worth watching for Dougie and Hannah alone, anyway!
Apologies for the long post! This show certainly gets people talking...
the funny thing is, the daughter is being painted as the baddie. But how do we know that that old woman wasn't a horrible mother to her? Gervais, and I like his work, can be pretty simplistic in his writing. Maybe I'm playing devils advocate but it's a thought. And I also agree that Tom was wrong to give the ring back. The old woman expressed a wish and he should have stuck to that. Somewhat frustrating writing from Gervais. It's just goes to show...families are rarely simple and painting old people all as vulnerable and lovely is farcical, believe me.
the funny thing is, the daughter is being painted as the baddie. But how do we know that that old woman wasn't a horrible mother to her? Gervais, and I like his work, can be pretty simplistic in his writing. Maybe I'm playing devils advocate but it's a thought. And I also agree that Tom was wrong to give the ring back. The old woman expressed a wish and he should have stuck to that. Somewhat frustrating writing from Gervais. It's just goes to show...families are rarely simple and painting old people all as vulnerable and lovely is farcical, believe me.
You're right. I thought of this when reading a (news) story in The Mail today. To sum it up an ill old lady has been found by her daughter surrounded by her own.. erm.. waste. Turns out she had a council appointed carer come in daily but he did housework around her and didn't attend to her personal care. So she's been on her sofa unable to get up for three months before her daughter visits and unleashes all hell. The comments section, although criticising the carer, reserve their special condemnation for the daughter who didn't visit for three months. It's tempting to join them. But I dunno, maybe she lived abroad or she and her mother didn't get on, or it could be more complex than that.
I can also see where Gervais is coming from with this though. Possibly, in earlier times people may have felt it a duty to visit when their relative was dying regardless of whether they were 'horrible' or not.
Anyway, as you said, it's rarely 'simple' , so far from frustrating I found lasts nights episode particularly poignant.
Not bitter or angry. A little annoyed perhaps that Ricky Gervais has been able to take his offensive Derek character and put it into a prime time show without distancing it from it's origins as well as completely denying them at the same time. I'm waiting for a high profile entertainer or comedian to take him down a few pegs and shame him.
I'm just pointing out all of the inconsistent, hypocritical, lazy and bizarre elements of the show. Many people talk about how well written and kind and heart warming it is without actually explaining why they think this. So I'm just offering up reasons why I disagree with that.
If the show is so great and I am so wrong, anyone should be able to blow all of my points out of the water.
I don't think anybody's that bothered really, they just see it for what it is, a TV comedy/drama. I find its heartwarming at times, makes me think of my mum and dad and getting old and whats its going to be like when they pass away. Sometimes, especially with the Kev character, the sexual content is out of place and doesnt need to be in the program but certainly doesnt spoil my enjoyment. Its not up there with Office or Extras, and I dont find Gervais making fun of disabled people or elderly people at all. My point is really, you must be more than just 'annoyed' to want to take Mr.Gervais down a peg or two and shame him, or pick apart his writing like you have. Something must be driving it than being annoyed at a TV program. And if Mr. Gervais seriously annoys you why bother to watch his programs. I hate people like Peter Andre, the vacuous Katie Price and other such z-elebs but i dont watch their TV programs, read magazine they are in, disecting everything i dont like about them to post on forums and hoping someone shames them and brings them down a peg. They havent done anything to me, i just turn over, dont watch. Simples. Must be something more to it than being annoyed at Derek. You sound like the guy has committed a serious crime and is getting away with it and you want him punished and shamed.
Forgive me for quoting my own post from a few days ago....But the reactions to Hankshaw's posts seem to me to be a perfect example of what I was talking about. Hankshaw posted a perfectly reasonable, well-argued critique of the show, not at all contentious, personal or emotional....just a well-expressed explanation of several points that jarred for him. In return he's been accused of "bile", being "bitter", "angry", "sad", and goodness knows what else.
Where do these accusations come from? Where in Hankshaw's post is there any sign of being bitter, angry, sad or full of bile, or any of the other personal jibes that have been fired at him? He pointed out what he considered to be some flaws in the show, and he explained clearly and rationally what his problem was with those points. Whether or not one agrees with them, there was certainly nothing in his post to justify the insults that were thrown at him in response.
Having enjoyed the show apart from a few reservations, I was pleased to read Hankshaw and Alrightmate's posts on this thread expressing similar reservations, because it's always good to see that someone else has had the same thoughts as oneself. Surely the point of these forums is that we all express our opinions and hear other people's...we don't have to agree, but why project so much highly-charged personal and emotional stuff into someone else's perfectly harmless and valid opinion?
I actually enjoyed the show a lot last night, except for a few things that jarred for me, including some of the points Hankshaw has listed. I felt uncomfortable about the scene with Kev and the large woman (especially after the later comment from Tom re Kev's track record). I remember having a similar feeling in Extras when David Brent was waiting for his blind date; a large lady turned up and he was horrified (I think he said something like "Oh, thank goodness for that, I was waiting for my blind date and I was worried you were it!")
I loved the story of the ring, although the daughter was such a cartoon baddie, she practically had horns and a tail! Dougie was brilliant as ever....but I didn't like the idea of him taking stuff from the old people's rooms for the jumble sale. Kev was ghastly (and I totally agreed with Hankshaw's point about Hannah not removing the scales and leaving Derek in charge to sort that out). The 999 call was very touching, especially when the guy helped Derek off the hook. The bit with the frog was wonderful, though; I loved Karl's world-weary resignation.
Loved Hannah as always. Fabulous actress; I liked seeing a bit into the character's personal life. At one point I thought Tom was going to be a sort of Dawn's-boyfriend figure from the office; a "bad" boyfriend just there to be got rid of, but hopefully it won't go that way.
Worth watching for Dougie and Hannah alone, anyway!
Apologies for the long post! This show certainly gets people talking...
Thank you for that post cathrin. You have said everything I wanted to say but I find it hard to express myself. I'm not a fan of Ricky Gervais but I like this programme with the exeption of Kev who makes my skin crawl. Dougie and Hannah are great.
I think that Tom was actually disrespectful for giving her the ring. I would have stood up to her and told her that her mother CHOSE to give the ring to me and therefore we should respect her wishes. It was her property and entirely up to her what she does with it. He cowardly gave up a dying woman's sweet gesture to him and Hannah. Hannah can do much better.
but would Hannah have wanted the ring? She is a professional care worker, she has responsibilities not just to do the right thing but to be seen to be doing the right thing. I don't think a manager of an old peoples home would want complaints of that nature from relatives of residents. By accepting the ring, Tom would have put her job in jeopardy.
Although the ring bit was predictable, I still got a little teary eyed.
As much as I love the show, I think it should be a 1 or 2 series thing as in all honesty, it can't really go anywhere.
Ricky Gervais said there is definitely going to be a second series. I'm only guessing but I think it may be leading up to a heartbreaking cliffhanger where Derek could be sacked - the inspectors questioned him last week as did the daughter from hell this time.
Forgive me for quoting my own post from a few days ago....But the reactions to Hankshaw's posts seem to me to be a perfect example of what I was talking about. Hankshaw posted a perfectly reasonable, well-argued critique of the show, not at all contentious, personal or emotional....just a well-expressed explanation of several points that jarred for him. In return he's been accused of "bile", being "bitter", "angry", "sad", and goodness knows what else.
Where do these accusations come from? Where in Hankshaw's post is there any sign of being bitter, angry, sad or full of bile, or any of the other personal jibes that have been fired at him? He pointed out what he considered to be some flaws in the show, and he explained clearly and rationally what his problem was with those points. Whether or not one agrees with them, there was certainly nothing in his post to justify the insults that were thrown at him in response.
Having enjoyed the show apart from a few reservations, I was pleased to read Hankshaw and Alrightmate's posts on this thread expressing similar reservations, because it's always good to see that someone else has had the same thoughts as oneself. Surely the point of these forums is that we all express our opinions and hear other people's...we don't have to agree, but why project so much highly-charged personal and emotional stuff into someone else's perfectly harmless and valid opinion?
I actually enjoyed the show a lot last night, except for a few things that jarred for me, including some of the points Hankshaw has listed. I felt uncomfortable about the scene with Kev and the large woman (especially after the later comment from Tom re Kev's track record). I remember having a similar feeling in Extras when David Brent was waiting for his blind date; a large lady turned up and he was horrified (I think he said something like "Oh, thank goodness for that, I was waiting for my blind date and I was worried you were it!")
I loved the story of the ring, although the daughter was such a cartoon baddie, she practically had horns and a tail! Dougie was brilliant as ever....but I didn't like the idea of him taking stuff from the old people's rooms for the jumble sale. Kev was ghastly (and I totally agreed with Hankshaw's point about Hannah not removing the scales and leaving Derek in charge to sort that out). The 999 call was very touching, especially when the guy helped Derek off the hook. The bit with the frog was wonderful, though; I loved Karl's world-weary resignation.
Loved Hannah as always. Fabulous actress; I liked seeing a bit into the character's personal life. At one point I thought Tom was going to be a sort of Dawn's-boyfriend figure from the office; a "bad" boyfriend just there to be got rid of, but hopefully it won't go that way.
Worth watching for Dougie and Hannah alone, anyway!
Apologies for the long post! This show certainly gets people talking...
I was going to post this. You've saved me the bother
I do think that the episodes are being written by numbers.
Kev is seedy/disgusting. Derek is harmless but does something stupid. Hannah is devoted and obsessed with work. Dougie will have a rant at the end and be the hero.
Each episode, apart from Kev (character not actor), I have though that Derek and Gervais acting him has been the weak link.
Finding the series more enjoyable as it continues. You saw the best of Hannah even at the expense of personal happiness, both with the old lady's illness and Derek. Seems a theme now is Dougie's end of show rant, which you can assume will culminate with Kev being sorted.
Interesting to see the extent of Derek's condition showing him capable of deep emotion and compartmentilisation in dealing with such. Yet the frog issue suggesting lesser limit of function.
I really enjoyed the episode, the frog scene was hilarious. I would have liked them to have kicked up a fuss about the ring and not have given it back.
I think my main problem with Derek the character is that he's too much. If it was just him being a bit 'simple', or his speech problems, or his tics it would be fine, but all three together is just overkill and cartoon like.
Comments
I think you're a little naive if you don't think Hankshaw writes such entries without the intention of winding people up.
If I went on another programme thread and fired off a list of bile then I would expect to take a hammering from fans of the show.
Really don't understand people who waste precious time watching and criticising things they don't like. Get a frigging life.
Only if it were a programme which involved the holy trinity, gervais/walliams/lucas.
On any other thread people would mildly comment on the truth of any statements you made, and say that you were entitled to your opinions.
I've never seen any other threads on which those who don't like a programme are subject to such abuse.
On another note, i hope next week's ep has more laughs and less sentimential stuff. But knowing gervais, he'll do what he wants lol
Also lol, in the words of marcus brigstocke on that magician dude, gervais is a fearsome mumbler and his characters mumble too much. I love gervais but please, I can't get a word of it sometimes lol..
The frog thing made me laugh... My nan bought my mum an awful vase one birthday, mum had it up for a few months and got sick of it and shoved it away in a cupboard and told my nan she had knocked it over and broken it when hoovering...A few years later she gave it to the local church for a jumble sale.... You can guess the rest.
He couldn't really have proved it though, a woman like that would not give up, it would cause more trouble than it's worth.
Could of been interesting if they had used the documentary side of the show and asked the producer to show them the footage.
Yeah, I suppose so but in real life this goes on a lot.
A woman I knew worked in an old peoples home and an old man left an emerald bracelet that was his late wifes to her in his will, it was very old and dirty but worth a lot of money, the owners of the home kept it in a safe.... When the old man died and she was given the bracelet it was sparkling, the owners had had the emeralds replaced with fakes... There was nothing the woman could do about it.
Forgive me for quoting my own post from a few days ago....But the reactions to Hankshaw's posts seem to me to be a perfect example of what I was talking about. Hankshaw posted a perfectly reasonable, well-argued critique of the show, not at all contentious, personal or emotional....just a well-expressed explanation of several points that jarred for him. In return he's been accused of "bile", being "bitter", "angry", "sad", and goodness knows what else.
Where do these accusations come from? Where in Hankshaw's post is there any sign of being bitter, angry, sad or full of bile, or any of the other personal jibes that have been fired at him? He pointed out what he considered to be some flaws in the show, and he explained clearly and rationally what his problem was with those points. Whether or not one agrees with them, there was certainly nothing in his post to justify the insults that were thrown at him in response.
Having enjoyed the show apart from a few reservations, I was pleased to read Hankshaw and Alrightmate's posts on this thread expressing similar reservations, because it's always good to see that someone else has had the same thoughts as oneself. Surely the point of these forums is that we all express our opinions and hear other people's...we don't have to agree, but why project so much highly-charged personal and emotional stuff into someone else's perfectly harmless and valid opinion?
I actually enjoyed the show a lot last night, except for a few things that jarred for me, including some of the points Hankshaw has listed. I felt uncomfortable about the scene with Kev and the large woman (especially after the later comment from Tom re Kev's track record). I remember having a similar feeling in Extras when David Brent was waiting for his blind date; a large lady turned up and he was horrified (I think he said something like "Oh, thank goodness for that, I was waiting for my blind date and I was worried you were it!")
I loved the story of the ring, although the daughter was such a cartoon baddie, she practically had horns and a tail! Dougie was brilliant as ever....but I didn't like the idea of him taking stuff from the old people's rooms for the jumble sale. Kev was ghastly (and I totally agreed with Hankshaw's point about Hannah not removing the scales and leaving Derek in charge to sort that out). The 999 call was very touching, especially when the guy helped Derek off the hook. The bit with the frog was wonderful, though; I loved Karl's world-weary resignation.
Loved Hannah as always. Fabulous actress; I liked seeing a bit into the character's personal life. At one point I thought Tom was going to be a sort of Dawn's-boyfriend figure from the office; a "bad" boyfriend just there to be got rid of, but hopefully it won't go that way.
Worth watching for Dougie and Hannah alone, anyway!
Apologies for the long post!
As a few others have already said, sadly there are people out there exactly like that. :mad:
Anyone who has spent time in Nursing homes overs the years will be watching Derek with a wry smile
You're right. I thought of this when reading a (news) story in The Mail today. To sum it up an ill old lady has been found by her daughter surrounded by her own.. erm.. waste. Turns out she had a council appointed carer come in daily but he did housework around her and didn't attend to her personal care. So she's been on her sofa unable to get up for three months before her daughter visits and unleashes all hell. The comments section, although criticising the carer, reserve their special condemnation for the daughter who didn't visit for three months. It's tempting to join them. But I dunno, maybe she lived abroad or she and her mother didn't get on, or it could be more complex than that.
I can also see where Gervais is coming from with this though. Possibly, in earlier times people may have felt it a duty to visit when their relative was dying regardless of whether they were 'horrible' or not.
Anyway, as you said, it's rarely 'simple' , so far from frustrating I found lasts nights episode particularly poignant.
I don't think anybody's that bothered really, they just see it for what it is, a TV comedy/drama. I find its heartwarming at times, makes me think of my mum and dad and getting old and whats its going to be like when they pass away. Sometimes, especially with the Kev character, the sexual content is out of place and doesnt need to be in the program but certainly doesnt spoil my enjoyment. Its not up there with Office or Extras, and I dont find Gervais making fun of disabled people or elderly people at all. My point is really, you must be more than just 'annoyed' to want to take Mr.Gervais down a peg or two and shame him, or pick apart his writing like you have. Something must be driving it than being annoyed at a TV program. And if Mr. Gervais seriously annoys you why bother to watch his programs. I hate people like Peter Andre, the vacuous Katie Price and other such z-elebs but i dont watch their TV programs, read magazine they are in, disecting everything i dont like about them to post on forums and hoping someone shames them and brings them down a peg. They havent done anything to me, i just turn over, dont watch. Simples. Must be something more to it than being annoyed at Derek. You sound like the guy has committed a serious crime and is getting away with it and you want him punished and shamed.
Thank you for that post cathrin. You have said everything I wanted to say but I find it hard to express myself. I'm not a fan of Ricky Gervais but I like this programme with the exeption of Kev who makes my skin crawl. Dougie and Hannah are great.
but would Hannah have wanted the ring? She is a professional care worker, she has responsibilities not just to do the right thing but to be seen to be doing the right thing. I don't think a manager of an old peoples home would want complaints of that nature from relatives of residents. By accepting the ring, Tom would have put her job in jeopardy.
As much as I love the show, I think it should be a 1 or 2 series thing as in all honesty, it can't really go anywhere.
Ricky Gervais said there is definitely going to be a second series. I'm only guessing but I think it may be leading up to a heartbreaking cliffhanger where Derek could be sacked - the inspectors questioned him last week as did the daughter from hell this time.
I do think that the episodes are being written by numbers.
Kev is seedy/disgusting. Derek is harmless but does something stupid. Hannah is devoted and obsessed with work. Dougie will have a rant at the end and be the hero.
Each episode, apart from Kev (character not actor), I have though that Derek and Gervais acting him has been the weak link.
Sorry for the error, I meant The Office, of course!
Thank you for the kind words, degsyhufc and teabag444.
Interesting to see the extent of Derek's condition showing him capable of deep emotion and compartmentilisation in dealing with such. Yet the frog issue suggesting lesser limit of function.
I think my main problem with Derek the character is that he's too much. If it was just him being a bit 'simple', or his speech problems, or his tics it would be fine, but all three together is just overkill and cartoon like.