I turned Derek on after watching the heartwrenching "Long Lost Families" expecting a laugh, i just ended up crying more!
I think it was wrong to promote it as a comedy, it was funny in parts but overall it was a poignant drama which i think was played out very well by RG.. he has said several times that the part of Douglas was written for Karl rather than Karl acting a part - i enjoyed it but felt slightly cheated out of a laugh!
I thought it got much better as it went along with a very strong performance from the actress playing Hannah. It felt more like a drama than a sitcom except when the legendary Karl Pilkington was in view.
That is actually a good point. I kept wondering why everyone thought it was pure comedy, but I guess I only knew it wasn't from researching the show. I guess it was advertised as comedy because that's what'll get the viewers in.
That is actually a good point. I kept wondering why everyone thought it was pure comedy, but I guess I only knew it wasn't from researching the show. I guess it was advertised as comedy because that's what'll get the viewers in.
It was advertised as a Comedy DRAMA from the start, its not their fault people are too thick to understand that.
I turned it off after a couple of minutes....watching it felt like bullying a disabled person. Very distasteful and disturbing
That's terrible that you judge a whole TV show on a few minutes. I hate all these assumptions that we are meant to be laughing at Derek. Was there anybody, anywhere, laughing at Derek's apparent deformities? No. Derek was a touching character, with a heart of gold. I think you have to be looking to be offend by it, in order to be offended. If Ricky made Forest Gump he'd have been crucified.
Mark Heap could have played Derek I reackon. I think that was the worst part of the programme the actual charachter of Derek was to hard to seperate from Gervais hamming it up in a skit.
I quite enjoyed this. Quite moving once I got my head around what it was supposed to be. Lots of well observed moments of people like Derek, I've definately met a few people like him. Just simple and uncomplicated people. The scene in the pub was moving, when Derek could overhear those girls laughing about him, and he was asking 'are they talking about me' . The head-but was satisfying lol. Him pecking at Karl on the coach was infuriating..and funny.and moving. The whole lottery bit towards the end was nice. The patting on the head and it making everything all right for Derek nearly had me. And at the end..'so which pub are we going to?' was funny and endearing.
There seems to be confusion about whether he was a patient or a worker..I assumed he was a worker there right? and he lives with his best mate Karl. Although they spend most of their time at the home. I'll probably re-watch it again
I really wish i had watched it. I was going to, but then decided to watch something else instead. I popped over for a few minutes and I thought it looked good ... and I regretted my haste in not recording it at the very least.
I only caught the last 15 minutes of the show, having turned it on by accident. Up until now I have intensly disliked Ricky Gervaise (especially after the "mong" thing as I have a son with Down's syndrome).
For me though, he has gone a long way to making up for that with Derek. The bit I saw was sensitive and moving. I can't believe I was almost in tears watching something with him in it.
I know I shouldn't but I really loved the headbutt! How many times have I felt like doing that?
I only caught the last 15 minutes of the show, having turned it on by accident. Up until now I have intensly disliked Ricky Gervaise (especially after the "mong" thing as I have a son with Down's syndrome).
For me though, he has gone a long way to making up for that with Derek. The bit I saw was sensitive and moving. I can't believe I was almost in tears watching something with him in it.
I know I shouldn't but I really loved the headbutt! How many times have I felt like doing that?
I enjoyed it, especially the headbutt. I didn't think for one minute that he was poking fun at learning disabled people either.
The only show I liked was extras, everything else he has done is bad.
You know this is your opinion right. You make that statement as if it is a matter of fact, when clearly the majority would put the Office above Extras, and most other things for that matter.
I enjoyed it, especially the headbutt. I didn't think for one minute that he was poking fun at learning disabled people either.
The show is in many ways the complete opposite. We are very much put on Derek's side in this one. This is not a show about someone with a disability, but a show with a simple, uncomplex, genuine character. You couldn't possibly portray anyone with intelligence so 1D and still create interest.
I really wish i had watched it. I was going to, but then decided to watch something else instead. I popped over for a few minutes and I thought it looked good ... and I regretted my haste in not recording it at the very least.
Comments
I think it was wrong to promote it as a comedy, it was funny in parts but overall it was a poignant drama which i think was played out very well by RG.. he has said several times that the part of Douglas was written for Karl rather than Karl acting a part - i enjoyed it but felt slightly cheated out of a laugh!
Who fed you that comment....Ed Miliband :eek:
I turned it off after a couple of minutes....watching it felt like bullying a disabled person. Very distasteful and disturbing
and here it is the autograph hunter which he finds f*cking annoying, so much for not poking fun at the vulnerable:rolleyes:
You should have Sky plussed it. It was only 24m long!!
Nobody scoffed at Dustin Hoffman in Rainman (ok Ricky isn't that good)
That is actually a good point. I kept wondering why everyone thought it was pure comedy, but I guess I only knew it wasn't from researching the show. I guess it was advertised as comedy because that's what'll get the viewers in.
It was advertised as a Comedy DRAMA from the start, its not their fault people are too thick to understand that.
That's terrible that you judge a whole TV show on a few minutes. I hate all these assumptions that we are meant to be laughing at Derek. Was there anybody, anywhere, laughing at Derek's apparent deformities? No. Derek was a touching character, with a heart of gold. I think you have to be looking to be offend by it, in order to be offended. If Ricky made Forest Gump he'd have been crucified.
Trailer content alone though mainly featured jokes, though you're right that the voice-over accompaniment told us it was a comedy drama.
Mark Heap could have played Derek I reackon. I think that was the worst part of the programme the actual charachter of Derek was to hard to seperate from Gervais hamming it up in a skit.
There seems to be confusion about whether he was a patient or a worker..I assumed he was a worker there right? and he lives with his best mate Karl. Although they spend most of their time at the home. I'll probably re-watch it again
I hope it gets shown again.
For me though, he has gone a long way to making up for that with Derek. The bit I saw was sensitive and moving. I can't believe I was almost in tears watching something with him in it.
I know I shouldn't but I really loved the headbutt! How many times have I felt like doing that?
I enjoyed it, especially the headbutt. I didn't think for one minute that he was poking fun at learning disabled people either.
You know this is your opinion right. You make that statement as if it is a matter of fact, when clearly the majority would put the Office above Extras, and most other things for that matter.
The show is in many ways the complete opposite. We are very much put on Derek's side in this one. This is not a show about someone with a disability, but a show with a simple, uncomplex, genuine character. You couldn't possibly portray anyone with intelligence so 1D and still create interest.
It's on 4 OD now.