I enjoyed The Office and Extras but I think Derek is awful. Ricky Gervais is a poor actor who is only watchable when he's playing a version of himself (David Brent and Andy Millman). Whenever he tries to play someone very removed from his own persona, he struggles. His portrayal of "Derek" is like a kid in a playground mimicking a person with learning difficulties and it's actually borderline offensive.
A good friend of mine worked with him on the Muppet Movie and says he's an arrogant knob who was universally disliked by cast and crew, I've no reason to disbelieve him.
I think Derek is better than The Office and Extras because, occasional lapses into sentimentality apart, it holds a mirror up to life in care homes and the awkwardness of relationships without being arch. He has had to make a number of compromises in his portrayal of Derek but overall it pays off.
I think Derek is his best work outside of the Office (which is one of the greatest TV achievements of all time IMO). Extras felt rather ill-focused at times and often was just a series of funny scenarios linked together with some filler inbetween.
Derek has real depth to it. Quite brave of Gervais to actually go down that path actually.
I'm sort of looking forward to this. The first series had a lot of good elements, but also many that I found fault with.
I think this has been the weakest series that Ricky Gervais has done - he seems to have lost the subtle touch he brilliantly displayed in both The Office and Extras. Derek, in comparison, was about as unsubtle as comedy/pathos could get.
I'll give the first episode a go to see whether it's improved or not.
Maybe that something lost is Steve Merchant, He could be the writer of the subtleness in the scripts.
A good friend of mine worked with him on the Muppet Movie and says he's an arrogant knob who was universally disliked by cast and crew, I've no reason to disbelieve him.
I can't stand the "my friend" stories when that's clearly all they are, stories.
Gervais is an enigma to me, his stand up routine can be cruel & nasty, so I don't know if he's being sincere about his portrayal of Derek or is it one big piss take on special needs people?
watch this does the autograph hunter remind you of anyone??
Gervais is an enigma to me, his stand up routine can be cruel & nasty, so I don't know if he's being sincere about his portrayal of Derek or is it one big piss take on special needs people?
watch this does the autograph hunter remind you of anyone??
There's been 60 pages of this throughout the first series
I can't stand the "my friend" stories when that's clearly all they are, stories.
Sigh, does it not occur to you that people who work in the entertainment industry have a social life?
Personally I can't stand people who cannot comprehend that some people live different kinds of lives to them and seem to assume that everyone is "lying" because they're not a sad, friendless article like you.
Gervais is an enigma to me, his stand up routine can be cruel & nasty, so I don't know if he's being sincere about his portrayal of Derek or is it one big piss take on special needs people?
watch this does the autograph hunter remind you of anyone??
He's cruel and nasty if you take everything literally. My own sense of humour is completely separate to my own moral compass, but I'll cross the line to get a laugh and couldn't give a shiny shite what certain people think. RG does exactly the same to a worldwide audience. Who doesn't get a kick out of annoying folks with a pole up their arse?
Derek for me was and is a feel good programme. Choose to be cynical if you want, your loss.
Sigh, does it not occur to you that people who work in the entertainment industry have a social life?
Personally I can't stand people who cannot comprehend that some people live different kinds of lives to them and seem to assume that everyone is "lying" because they're not a sad, friendless article like you.
Comments
A good friend of mine worked with him on the Muppet Movie and says he's an arrogant knob who was universally disliked by cast and crew, I've no reason to disbelieve him.
In your opinion.
Derek has real depth to it. Quite brave of Gervais to actually go down that path actually.
Maybe that something lost is Steve Merchant, He could be the writer of the subtleness in the scripts.
I can't stand the "my friend" stories when that's clearly all they are, stories.
watch this does the autograph hunter remind you of anyone??
Sigh, does it not occur to you that people who work in the entertainment industry have a social life?
Personally I can't stand people who cannot comprehend that some people live different kinds of lives to them and seem to assume that everyone is "lying" because they're not a sad, friendless article like you.
He's cruel and nasty if you take everything literally. My own sense of humour is completely separate to my own moral compass, but I'll cross the line to get a laugh and couldn't give a shiny shite what certain people think. RG does exactly the same to a worldwide audience. Who doesn't get a kick out of annoying folks with a pole up their arse?
Derek for me was and is a feel good programme. Choose to be cynical if you want, your loss.
Insert devastated face here
Takes all sorts, I suppose......
As would be used in such a documentary...
That tweet was just sent when Vicky did it on TV. Very good.