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.
Tend to agree about his acting skills.
I think Derek would have been better suited to someone like Dan Skinner ... Angelos Epithemiou.
It's no wonder Gervais thinks he can do and say what he wants regardless of boundaries when he's got apologists and sycophants like Digital Sid in tow with him.
The reasoning for Derek's posture, etcetera, Ricky's been doing Derek since about 2001, fans have been aware of him for over a decade, and he was portrayed as sad, socially awkward nerd who lives with his mum then. Was that him preparing an excuse and giving his fans false reassurance 11 years early?
Anyway, having seen the latest show, there's no way it can be denied any further, it's even directly addressed and tactfully acknowledged ffs!
No, it was basically, addressing the press about the pilot, said to be irrelevant. So what if he is, it's not making fun of his disability to portray a character that has one, Derek is not the butt of the show's joke, he's the heart, with the exception of Hannah, everyone else in the show is cynical or selfish, he and her are the only ones there out of genuine care for the patients.
Gervais' terrible acting as Derek sadly outweighted the positive points.
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.
Actually that is a very good point.
Also I think Derek would have been more suited to Dan Skinner ... Angelos Epithemiou.
Having said that I wouldn't mind spending my last years at Broadstairs.
I won't watch, purely down to the fact that Gervais seems to think it funny to take the piss out of people. I know that is his sense of humour, but it comes across to me, as mean and 'oh, let's make this controversial'. Why can he not just play someone who works in an old folks home, why does he have to pull that face and act like he has learning difficulties, to me, it is just taking the piss out of those who do have learning difficulties, then you have Karl Pilkington, just being Karl Pilkington, no acting required.
Try watching it before you get all sanctimonious:rolleyes:
It's no wonder Gervais thinks he can do and say what he wants regardless of boundaries when he's got apologists and sycophants like Digital Sid in tow with him.
Not a sycophant, I've been critical of a fair few of his projects, I'm just rebutting the tiresome, immediate writing off of everything he does, before it's even properly aired, because of some ill informed parroted rubbish about it being prejudiced or Ricky being stuck up or arrogant, both of which are bollocks.
Not to my taste either I am afraid,but
RG has legions of fans,so I expect my
abscence from the viewing figures won't
make any difference to his ratings!
Gervais' terrible acting as Derek sadly outweighted the positive points.
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 don't think the slimy inspector guy was suggesting it for Derek's own good.
I think the point was that if Derek had been officially diagnosed as having some sort of mental health problem or learning disability that might have meant he wouldn't have been able to continue working in the care home, or given the management another reason to close it down.
Whereas as things were he was a valued asset to the care home and enjoyed being there so why force him to take a test that might label him as unsuitable?
Yes, he's just been making it up since before extras, for his fans only :rolleyes:.
Hey Digital Sid why don't you start up a Ricky Gervais Appreciation Thread? I think it would be good for you.:D
From what I can gather from the OP comments they were asking about the character of Derek and David Brent and wether in fact David has basically changed his name to Derek and is now working in Broadstairs nursing home. I think that is the gist of it.
Pilkington is great when he's just himself , but he can't act . I don't know what Gervais is doing .
Karl is not an actor and arguably, Dougie is not Karl acting, Dougie's rants and phraseology Karl's own. He said in the making of that he was genuinely angry during them. Ricky describes Dougie as Karl if he hadn't gone into media and met Ricky.
And all this patronising twaddle about caring for the elderly and yet all the elderly were just background characters .
Derek is a mockumentary like The Office, the documentary in the show is centred around the carers not the cared for.
and the music !! f*ck!
The music in the show is meant to be that of the documentary, so the music used is your typical care-centred documentary. The first look video and making of used this.
Well I've got to compose myself here - beautiful. In every sense of the word.
Same here. I am glad it got such good reviews today.
Some (not most luckily) people on twitter last night thinking it was supposed to be belly laughs and wondering why it wasn't are totally missing the point. It has humour in it, with poignancy, as in Office, Extras and Cemetary Junction. He does this so well. Loved the bit with the animals, they are such a great tonic and Derek not wanted to be labelled as being 'Tistic!'
The character of Derek is absolutely nothing like David Brent IMO.
Brent was smug, egotistical, self important and self interested. Derek is nothing like that.
Any similarities are probably due to RG's limited acting skills so both characters might share some similar mannerisms he uses like grinmning and looking into the camera.
Hey Digital Sid why don't you start up a Ricky Gervais Appreciation Thread? I think it would be good for you.:D
Think Ricky's too lacking in Guardian reading, third-party offence taking, middle class angst too have many fans in this place .
From what I can gather from the OP comments they were asking about the character of Derek and David Brent and wether in fact David has basically changed his name to Derek and is now working in Broadstairs nursing home. I think that is the gist of it.
I know. My problem is not with the OP, but those using his thread and it's title for a chance to wheel out all the usual digs.
Not a sycophant, I've been critical of a fair few of his projects, I'm just rebutting the tiresome, immediate writing off of everything he does, before it's even properly aired, because of some ill informed parroted rubbish about it being prejudiced or Ricky being stuck up or arrogant, both of which are bollocks.
Well, I suppose if both you and him say it is, it must be.
Derek is a mockumentary like The Office, the documentary in the show is centred around the carers not the cared for.
The music in the show is meant to be that of the documentary, so the music used is your typical care-centred documentary.
Yes agreed, I'm surprised that those people criticising the music etc don't seem to appreciate this.
When The Office first came out the idea of the mockumentary was quite new, but there've been enough examples since then for viewers to understand what's going on surely?
Well, I suppose if both you and him say it is, it must be.
And I suppose because The Guardian and the like say it isn't, it isn't. Like Big Brother and Chris Moyles, Ricky's one of these national hate figures who, even those only marginally aware of his work, feel the need to slag off to earn kudos.
Yes agreed, I'm surprised that those people criticising the music etc don't seem to appreciate this.
When The Office first came out the idea of the mockumentary was quite new, but there've been enough examples since then for viewers to understand what's going on surely?
new ? mockumentaries have been around for decades .
if this music is supposed to be parodying the documentary genre then I'm not sure how that helps the show .
Karl Pilkington absolutely stole the show for me - I laughed at most of his lines. I know he's playing himself, but why not? Karl's a very funny man.
I didn't know what to expect, but I really enjoyed the balance of humour and poignancy. I thought it was very respectful of the elderly and the effort that goes into care homes, when most of the news stories relating to care homes are focussed on neglect.
Totally shocking ! I can't belive how atrocious and unfunny Derek was. Ricky Gervais has totally lost the plot. It all went down hill as far as i'm concerned after the 2nd series of The Office. The xmas specials were weak, Extras was average at best, Lifes To Short was a carbon copy piss take of David Brent with the filming style of The Office, but this time mocking a Dwarf, and now now we have Derek which is now looking like Gervais is out to mock retarded person with yet again the filming style of The Office as the backdrop.
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.
To be fair though, an Idiot Abroad thanks to Karl Pinkington is comedy gold. And by the looks of it, Derek is only worth watching yet again thanks to the comedy genius of Karl Pinkington.
Watch this space. Karl Pinkington is the new Ricky Gervais, and we will see more of this guy. In fact I think he has the potential to be bigger than Gervais and Steven Merchant put together.
The reasoning for Derek's posture, etcetera, Ricky's been doing Derek since about 2001, fans have been aware of him for over a decade, and he was portrayed as sad, socially awkward nerd who lives with his mum then. Was that him preparing an excuse and giving his fans false reassurance 11 years early?
Who ever asked him back then if Derek had a condition or not? And I find it funny that you think being a nerd who lives with his mum is a valid explanation for a hunch, bizarre shuffling walk,extreme low level intelligence and constant compulsive gurning.
No, it was basically, addressing the press about the pilot, said to be irrelevant. So what if he is, it's not making fun of his disability to portray a character that has one, Derek is not the butt of the show's joke, he's the heart, with the exception of Hannah, everyone else in the show is cynical or selfish, he and her are the only ones there out of genuine care for the patients.
I absolutely agree with the sentiment "so what if he is?", but he is making it more of an issue by denying the blatantly obvious.
The character of Derek is absolutely nothing like David Brent IMO.
Brent was smug, egotistical, self important and self interested. Derek is nothing like that.
Any similarities are probably due to RG's limited acting skills so both characters might share some similar mannerisms he uses like grinmning and looking into the camera.
That is not what the OP is saying
But this part that you said .. Quote[both characters might share some similar mannerisms he uses like grinmning and looking into the camera]Unquote.
So say David Brent had a nervous breakdown after his disaster from the Office .. Derek would be like how David would turn out like.
Comments
Tend to agree about his acting skills.
I think Derek would have been better suited to someone like Dan Skinner ... Angelos Epithemiou.
Actually that is a very good point.
Also I think Derek would have been more suited to Dan Skinner ... Angelos Epithemiou.
Having said that I wouldn't mind spending my last years at Broadstairs.
Try watching it before you get all sanctimonious:rolleyes:
Not a sycophant, I've been critical of a fair few of his projects, I'm just rebutting the tiresome, immediate writing off of everything he does, before it's even properly aired, because of some ill informed parroted rubbish about it being prejudiced or Ricky being stuck up or arrogant, both of which are bollocks.
Pilkington is great when he's just himself , but he can't act . I don't know what Gervais is doing .
And all this patronising twaddle about caring for the elderly and yet all the elderly were just background characters .
and the music !! f*ck!
RG has legions of fans,so I expect my
abscence from the viewing figures won't
make any difference to his ratings!
A point hard to argue against!
I don't think the slimy inspector guy was suggesting it for Derek's own good.
I think the point was that if Derek had been officially diagnosed as having some sort of mental health problem or learning disability that might have meant he wouldn't have been able to continue working in the care home, or given the management another reason to close it down.
Whereas as things were he was a valued asset to the care home and enjoyed being there so why force him to take a test that might label him as unsuitable?
Hey Digital Sid why don't you start up a Ricky Gervais Appreciation Thread? I think it would be good for you.:D
From what I can gather from the OP comments they were asking about the character of Derek and David Brent and wether in fact David has basically changed his name to Derek and is now working in Broadstairs nursing home. I think that is the gist of it.
Same here.
Some (not most luckily) people on twitter last night thinking it was supposed to be belly laughs and wondering why it wasn't are totally missing the point. It has humour in it, with poignancy, as in Office, Extras and Cemetary Junction. He does this so well. Loved the bit with the animals, they are such a great tonic and Derek not wanted to be labelled as being 'Tistic!'
Heartwarming stuff.
Brent was smug, egotistical, self important and self interested. Derek is nothing like that.
Any similarities are probably due to RG's limited acting skills so both characters might share some similar mannerisms he uses like grinmning and looking into the camera.
Well, I suppose if both you and him say it is, it must be.
Yes agreed, I'm surprised that those people criticising the music etc don't seem to appreciate this.
When The Office first came out the idea of the mockumentary was quite new, but there've been enough examples since then for viewers to understand what's going on surely?
And I suppose because The Guardian and the like say it isn't, it isn't. Like Big Brother and Chris Moyles, Ricky's one of these national hate figures who, even those only marginally aware of his work, feel the need to slag off to earn kudos.
oh my god you're brilliant :cool:
new ? mockumentaries have been around for decades .
if this music is supposed to be parodying the documentary genre then I'm not sure how that helps the show .
How many user identities has Karl Pilkington got on this site?
I absolutely agree with the sentiment "so what if he is?", but he is making it more of an issue by denying the blatantly obvious.
That is not what the OP is saying
But this part that you said .. Quote[both characters might share some similar mannerisms he uses like grinmning and looking into the camera]Unquote.
So say David Brent had a nervous breakdown after his disaster from the Office .. Derek would be like how David would turn out like.
Hope that helps explain