I only watched for Karl Pilkington........He's not a comedian or an actor, he's just one of those dry humoured people where even when they don't mean to be funny they are. LOL i can imagine Karl being like the person he is playing in real life.
Although Kev made me laugh when he was in bed naked with that old woman.....what was that about:D
It was an enjoyable, easy watch. Not many laugh out loud moments, but Dougie and the carehome woman who I forget the name of were both really likeable, and Dougie's ending speech and confrontations with the inspectors were great - it made the episode feel like it had a point and a message to it.
Not sure why the sex addict is in the show, doesn't add that much, and it'll take me a while to get used to Gervais' performance, but I'll be tuning in next week for sure. Certainly better than Life's Too Short (though has not yet surpassed the Liam Neeson segment from that show).
He's not taking the mick out of the disabled but he does look like he's "spassing" as they called it in "The Idiots", I've seen the funny faces he pulls in the bath and it's not that different really, I agree that another actor in the lead or a different performance from Gervais would improve the show.
I don't think Kev is a sex addict either, I don't think he's getting any.
The care home manager has massive top bollocks as well, for fans of the "best boobs on TV" thread.
My mistake, I edited my post lol. I was watching Derek, talking about my boss Dave in work to my girl friend as I was typing the post, and for some strange reason I typed Dave instead of Derek through my post haha.
My mistake, I edited my post lol. I was watching Derek, talking about my boss Dave in work to my girl friend as I was typing the post, and for some strange reason I typed Dave instead of Derek through my post haha.
I watched it and thought it was very good. Its not meant to be such a hard level comedy, its more light hearted and with a more positive message.
For the people who are saying it mocks the disabled, clearly you havent watched it. If you did, you would see its pretty much the other way round. Dereks little comment about his test having no purpose was perfect. Why does it matter if he is handicapped, he will still be the same, which is a nice person.
In fact, it only really takes the piss out of people who have issues with disability.
I enjoyed this episode in a sad/truthful way,my mother is in a care home and the powers that be got rid of the previous/older manager for a younger woman and shes been sadder ever since,standards have dropped somewhat from what my mum tells me. Good episode I liked the manager she was funny and showed her fear and hatred towards the council.(atta girl) karl and ricky were funny I think this show is mainly aimed at telling the stories of the elderly and a manager that hates red-tape,from this episode,if it carries on like this I will cry my head off in the final episode.
I dont think he(gervais) is mocking people with disabilities at all,i think its mocking red tape and these official people that think they know better for these people.
I enjoyed everything about this with the exception of Kev. I just didn't like him one bit, and thought his contributions were unnecessary and a waste of time which could have been filled with more gentle humour. I did like Derek's take on the 'tistic' tests "Will it change me?" "no" "Then I don't wannit" (or words to that effect).
xx
I LOVED this line, in fact the whole scene. I think this may have been RG saying "Derek's not disabled, I should know because I invented him, however if you still don't want to believe that..so what if he is?"
There appear to be three basic responses to the show:
1. I loved it
2. I can't stand RG so didn't watch and therefore it's crap (not really a critique of the show then)
3. It was rubbish, it didn't make me laugh much at all (job done then, it's not meant to be laugh-a-minute)
I belive Ricky Gervais is a 1 horse wonder with The Office series 1 and 2 as the only thing on his c.v worth calling funny. I think he has belived his own hype to much in hollywood, which is why he is turning out shit like Derek.
Ricky Gervais is brave to go here as it wont please everyone but as many others have said it certainly is not taking the pee...some are saying Gervais would have been better getting someone else to play Derek..but I disagree..I have a marmite relationship with some things he does myself..either love,love,love him or cant stand to watch..but he plays "awkward" for want of a better word so well I cant imagine anyone else being able to play the character so beautifully.
Think back to David Brent..we squirmed,we wanted to hit him,we cringed,we hated him for being selfish,loved him for being thoughtful and sympathised with him..sometimes all in one episode..not many actors can bring all those emotions into a 30 minute slot..I know he can be a real #### sometimes but on screen he does get it right most of the time.
I also watched the pilot and watched last night. Pilkington steels every scene. And I wish they would drop the character of Kev. His crassness really grates but not even in a funny or awkward way.
Decently written, interesting idea but imo spoiled by the amdram 'acting' of Gervais. Put that character in the hands of a REAL actor and the results could be spectacular. Agreed about Kev as well - unnecessary, unsubtle, cringe worthy inclusion.
Ricky Gervais is obviously not playing a character with any learning, mental or physical disability.
Dustin Hoffman also played a perfectly normal guy in Rain Man. And the Black & White Minstrels were actually black people.
Just about sums it up perfectly imo. I'm a bit on the fence about Gervais, have no real axe to grind, he sometimes makes me laugh but I do find some of his more rabid supporters kind of scary :eek: They do tend to believe as gospel everything that comes out of his mouth, don't they?
PS One thing I'm not on the fence about are his acting skills - he doesn't really have any! As I said in the other thread there would have been far less controversy if he had got a REAL actor in to play Derek. someone like Toby Kebbell?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sRwUFob18A Gervais' attempt comes across as very amdram.
Why don't you stop being so aggressive? I may well watch it but I don't need to to discern that Gervais has a limited range. After seeing him in Cemetery Junction and The Invention of Lying it's clear to me that he's not got much light and shade.
Tend to agree with the highlighted bit. Gervais was ok in The Office, but for me wasn't even the funniest character in that comedy. In Extras, I found most of the other characters more amusing than him, in particular David Merchant. That said, Extras was pretty much forgettable. I doubt
Gervais insists on appearing in his own film projects which is a huge mistake, although I accept he is using himself to sell the film. I agree that he is incredibly limited, and Woody Allen he is not.
Why don't you stop being so aggressive? I may well watch it but I don't need to to discern that Gervais has a limited range. After seeing him in Cemetery Junction and The Invention of Lying it's clear to me that he's not got much light and shade.
Tend to agree with the bit I've highlighted. Gervais was ok in The Office, but for me wasn't even the funniest character in that comedy. In Extras, I found most of the other characters had more comedic value, in particular David Merchant. That said, Extras was pretty much forgettable. I doubt I would ever watch any repeats of it as I would other comedies.
Gervais, in common with some other recent Biritish comedians, insists on appearing in his own film projects which usually turns out to be a big mistake. I fully accept he is using himself to sell the film, but would also agree that he is incredibly limited, and Woody Allen he certainly is not.
Don't like Ricky Gervais. He takes the piss out of disabled people. He should be banned.
Karl Pilkington on the other hand is a bloody legend. I still listen to his XFM days where he was working with Gervais and Steven Merchant.
Well you should watch this, then, as Karl is brilliant in it. Also, you just can't say Gervais is mocking disabled people or anyone in a home in this episode, it's the complete opposite.
If he didn't find it funny he should have stopped him there and then.
It wasn't so much what was said, but the fact that it was said, Karl has no filter, he says whatever's in his head without thinking.
I am watching the programme now out of curiosity and it's not remotely funny, I will never watch it again and I don't for one minute believe Derek is not being portrayed as having some form of mental impairment.
If you've watched you'll know it was addressed in last night's episode.
Comments
Although Kev made me laugh when he was in bed naked with that old woman.....what was that about
You mention Dave quite a few times!
Who is Dave?
Not sure why the sex addict is in the show, doesn't add that much, and it'll take me a while to get used to Gervais' performance, but I'll be tuning in next week for sure. Certainly better than Life's Too Short (though has not yet surpassed the Liam Neeson segment from that show).
I don't think Kev is a sex addict either, I don't think he's getting any.
The care home manager has massive top bollocks as well, for fans of the "best boobs on TV" thread.
My mistake, I edited my post lol. I was watching Derek, talking about my boss Dave in work to my girl friend as I was typing the post, and for some strange reason I typed Dave instead of Derek through my post haha.
I'm sorry, but I found it amusing
For the people who are saying it mocks the disabled, clearly you havent watched it. If you did, you would see its pretty much the other way round. Dereks little comment about his test having no purpose was perfect. Why does it matter if he is handicapped, he will still be the same, which is a nice person.
In fact, it only really takes the piss out of people who have issues with disability.
Karl Pilkington on the other hand is a bloody legend. I still listen to his XFM days where he was working with Gervais and Steven Merchant.
Dustin Hoffman also played a perfectly normal guy in Rain Man. And the Black & White Minstrels were actually black people.
And the scene where they acted like Derek having his condition diagnosed would be a bad thing, even in reality it could help him a great deal.
I LOVED this line, in fact the whole scene. I think this may have been RG saying "Derek's not disabled, I should know because I invented him, however if you still don't want to believe that..so what if he is?"
There appear to be three basic responses to the show:
1. I loved it
2. I can't stand RG so didn't watch and therefore it's crap (not really a critique of the show then)
3. It was rubbish, it didn't make me laugh much at all (job done then, it's not meant to be laugh-a-minute)
"One horse wonder"...is that a thing?
Ricky Gervais is brave to go here as it wont please everyone but as many others have said it certainly is not taking the pee...some are saying Gervais would have been better getting someone else to play Derek..but I disagree..I have a marmite relationship with some things he does myself..either love,love,love him or cant stand to watch..but he plays "awkward" for want of a better word so well I cant imagine anyone else being able to play the character so beautifully.
Think back to David Brent..we squirmed,we wanted to hit him,we cringed,we hated him for being selfish,loved him for being thoughtful and sympathised with him..sometimes all in one episode..not many actors can bring all those emotions into a 30 minute slot..I know he can be a real #### sometimes but on screen he does get it right most of the time.
If you want to see how Gervais' character really should be played watch Toby Kebbell in Dead Man's Shoes.
I did find it funny, and cried
PS One thing I'm not on the fence about are his acting skills - he doesn't really have any! As I said in the other thread there would have been far less controversy if he had got a REAL actor in to play Derek. someone like Toby Kebbell?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sRwUFob18A Gervais' attempt comes across as very amdram.
Tend to agree with the highlighted bit. Gervais was ok in The Office, but for me wasn't even the funniest character in that comedy. In Extras, I found most of the other characters more amusing than him, in particular David Merchant. That said, Extras was pretty much forgettable. I doubt
Gervais insists on appearing in his own film projects which is a huge mistake, although I accept he is using himself to sell the film. I agree that he is incredibly limited, and Woody Allen he is not.
Tend to agree with the bit I've highlighted. Gervais was ok in The Office, but for me wasn't even the funniest character in that comedy. In Extras, I found most of the other characters had more comedic value, in particular David Merchant. That said, Extras was pretty much forgettable. I doubt I would ever watch any repeats of it as I would other comedies.
Gervais, in common with some other recent Biritish comedians, insists on appearing in his own film projects which usually turns out to be a big mistake. I fully accept he is using himself to sell the film, but would also agree that he is incredibly limited, and Woody Allen he certainly is not.
Well you should watch this, then, as Karl is brilliant in it. Also, you just can't say Gervais is mocking disabled people or anyone in a home in this episode, it's the complete opposite.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAhO9sfGwi8 It wasn't so much what was said, but the fact that it was said, Karl has no filter, he says whatever's in his head without thinking. If you've watched you'll know it was addressed in last night's episode. It's both.