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[Arthr2ShdsJcksn]

Just as a comparison of first episodes, Derek is stronger than Life's Too Short. I mean, Warwick Davis played a great David Brent-style prick, and there are some really funny bits, but overall it feels a little 'phoned in'. It's a little early yet, but I think Derek might be something special.

 

[shanshan310]

Well he is kind of awful, I'm not surprised he's in some kind of trouble over things he's said again. The invention of lying was the most unfunny "comedy" I've ever seen.


"Mong" isn't really offensive though right? It seems like in this case he wasn't trying to mock people with learning difficulties. I haven't seen the show though...

 

[Dragnet]

Wasn't sure how I felt about the show for the first half of the episode, but it got really deep and emotional really fast, brought a few tears up! The character clearly isn't meant to be offensive, and in fact in the grand scheme of things is far less 'retarded' than what journalists are saying he's basing his character off in the first place.

I'll keep watching. Love Karl too! When he fixed the photo and showed Derek, that was so touching.

 

[345triangle]

absolutely everything ricky gervais has done since and including the second series of extras has been spectacularly, irredeemably awful even before taking his reprehensible personality into account. talk about falling off the wagon.

 

[bomma_man]

This has potential but the actual character of Derek doesn't fit in at all, Ricky just plays him as a sketch caricature. The show also suffered trying to fit entire character arcs into half an hour, it made it feel a bit contrived and manipulative (plus the piano of course). The Office was so touching because it was subtle, but I guess that would be difficult to emulate in such a short time frame. The slapstick stuff didn't really fit either.

 

[Lord British]

Yes. It's not a comedy, people.

How's the new dictionary treating you? I think you'll find it's no substitute for having a real opinion.

My opinion is somehow illegitimate because I understand the words I used to express it? "Sappy" and "Mawkish" are interchangeable, I suppose, but "Facile", "Juvenile" and "Revolting" are all quite distinct, I thought. Please engage with the discussion instead of making snide personal comments, it's reductive and rude. I'd genuinely like to know why you enjoyed Derek.

Overall extremely poor, and very shallow in the way it played its emotional hand. The headbutt scene in particular was just cringeworthy. A very transparent attempt at giving this pilot its very own Chris Finch "Why don't you fuck off" moment.

The most frustrating thing about this show is that Gervais had the potential to do something new and interesting, but he just chose the most bludgeoningly predictable approach. Hopefully if/when it goes to series, the opportunity will afford some greater insight.

 

[ItAintEasyBeinCheesy]

Checked it out, wasn't too bad.

 

[shanshan310]

Also, many[not just Americans] are still angered over the implications of The Invention of Lying.

As an atheist I thought it was awful. It wasn't even an interesting or creative attempt at making fun of religion. It wasn't even implied. It was just 'hurr hurr religious people are so dumb". Frankly I was embarrassed watching it.

I can't say much about him overall, as my only experience with him is that and the oscars, but from what I've seen I don't much like him at all.

 

[Shotgun Kiss]

Should have been the first reply. Of course Ricky Gervais makes fun of people with learning disabilities.

 

[Balboa]

People are talking about Derek like there's a new episode next week, is that right? I thought it was just the single episode.

 

[Angry Fork]

As an atheist I thought it was awful. It wasn't even an interesting or creative attempt at making fun of religion. It wasn't even implied. It was just 'hurr hurr religious people are so dumb". Frankly I was embarrassed watching it.

I can't say much about him overall, as my only experience with him is that and the oscars, but from what I've seen I don't much like him at all.

Well as an atheist I loved it. There is no mainstream equal poking fun at religion so blatantly and it got a release in the US. I'm really glad he made it and I enjoyed it a lot.

 

[Always-honest]

Can i see a bit of it somewhere? I think Gervais is mostly a funny guy.

never mind, watchinh bits now

edit: meh.. can't find clips long enough. Didn't see anything shocking or anything really funny so far.

 

[AAequal]

I liked the pilot episode, wouldn't mind if there was more to come.

 

[Andiie]

People are talking about Derek like there's a new episode next week, is that right? I thought it was just the single episode.

I too am under the impression that the episode was just a pilot, a one off. Given that the show received quite a bit of positive reviews, though not without a hefty dose of negativity, I presume an inevitable proper full series will follow at a much later date.

 

[abq]

I liked it and I will watch anything with Pilkington in it so I hope it gets a full season.

 

[Phat Michael]

My opinion is somehow illegitimate because I understand the words I used to express it? "Sappy" and "Mawkish" are interchangeable, I suppose, but "Facile", "Juvenile" and "Revolting" are all quite distinct, I thought. Please engage with the discussion instead of making snide personal comments, it's reductive and rude. I'd genuinely like to know why you enjoyed Derek.

Overall extremely poor, and very shallow in the way it played its emotional hand. The headbutt scene in particular was just cringeworthy. A very transparent attempt at giving this pilot its very own Chris Finch "Why don't you fuck off" moment.

The most frustrating thing about this show is that Gervais had the potential to do something new and interesting, but he just chose the most bludgeoningly predictable approach. Hopefully if/when it goes to series, the opportunity will afford some greater insight.

You come off as a much more arrogant sod than Gervais. Seriously, I just saw this thread and you wanted to hate this show (and gervais) before it was even released.

Fair enough you didnt like it, I thought it was ok. However, you critique it like it was the worst show ever made.

Your attempt at using overly compliated words to describe the fact that you hate it isnt really helping your cause either.

 

[noah111]

I like Gervais, and this sensationalist headline stuff never really hits me tbh, he's a nice guy who doesn't take things seriously, and is funny for it. Though I need to see some long clips of this to judge.

 

[Emerson]

My opinion is somehow illegitimate because I understand the words I used to express it? "Sappy" and "Mawkish" are interchangeable, I suppose, but "Facile", "Juvenile" and "Revolting" are all quite distinct, I thought. Please engage with the discussion instead of making snide personal comments, it's reductive and rude. I'd genuinely like to know why you enjoyed Derek.

Overall extremely poor, and very shallow in the way it played its emotional hand. The headbutt scene in particular was just cringeworthy. A very transparent attempt at giving this pilot its very own Chris Finch "Why don't you fuck off" moment.

The most frustrating thing about this show is that Gervais had the potential to do something new and interesting, but he just chose the most bludgeoningly predictable approach. Hopefully if/when it goes to series, the opportunity will afford some greater insight.

This show is not intended to be a comedy. Channel 4's marketing of it is their failing, not the show's or Gervais's. Whether you think it's heavy-handed or not is your business, but it obviously is going for drama more than laughs. To criticize it by saying it's not funny is missing the point (as many in here did).

You can say I'm not contributing to discussion but I don't know how you think you are either. You clearly have some sort of problem with Ricky in general and you were in here talking shit before the show even aired. Then after it aired you post a bunch of three-dollar words in an ultimately meaningless string as an attempt to impress the rest of the internet or something. I don't come on GAF to flex my intellectual nuts.

 

[Lord British]

Your attempt at using overly compliated words to describe the fact that you hate it isnt really helping your cause either.

I don't have a cause, just sharing my views. I think my posts have been very reasonable.

Then after it aired you post a bunch of three-dollar words in an ultimately meaningless string as an attempt to impress the rest of the internet or something.

This is how I express myself. I honestly don't know why it has upset you.

 

[shanshan310]

Well as an atheist I loved it. There is no mainstream equal poking fun at religion so blatantly and it got a release in the US. I'm really glad he made it and I enjoyed it a lot.

That doesn't surprise me in the slightest. lol, "it even got a release in the US"? Wasn't it a hollywood film? The plight of the non-religious again right? Come on, you can make fun of people all you want, but spending millions of dollars on what was basically a circle jerk with masturbation jokes? The whole thing took itself far to seriously for a movie that was supposedly taking the piss. It was just... bitter.

 

[Sneds]

Your attempt at using overly compliated words to describe the fact that you hate it isnt really helping your cause either.

I don't think any of the words Stupacabra used were overly complicated. Facile? Juvenile? These seem relatively basic words to use in an adult conversation.

 

[Angry Fork]

That doesn't surprise me in the slightest. lol, "it even got a release in the US"? Wasn't it a hollywood film? The plight of the non-religious again right? Come on, you can make fun of people all you want, but spending millions of dollars on what was basically a circle jerk with masturbation jokes? The whole thing took itself far to seriously for a movie that was supposedly taking the piss. It was just... bitter.

I give a resounding 'u mad?' to anyone offended by it.

 

[shanshan310]

I give a resounding 'u mad?' to anyone offended by it.

I wasn't offended by it, it was just dumb. Nice response.

 

[Always-honest]

I like Gervais, and this sensationalist headline stuff never really hits me tbh, he's a nice guy who doesn't take things seriously, and is funny for it. Though I need to see some long clips of this to judge.

That's my conclusion also.

 

[SoulPlaya]

Can't stand Gervais. I thought Invention of Lying was good until it became an Atheist propaganda movie, and I had to roll my eyes at it. Although, that's not why I dislike him, for some reason his voice, and especially laugh, just grate on my nerves.

 

[IISANDERII]

As an atheist I thought it was awful. It wasn't even an interesting or creative attempt at making fun of religion. It wasn't even implied. It was just 'hurr hurr religious people are so dumb". Frankly I was embarrassed watching it.

I can't say much about him overall, as my only experience with him is that and the oscars, but from what I've seen I don't much like him at all.

I found that showing religion was founded as a white lie to a dying mother's appeasement was nothing short of heart warming. And then to show how that power quickly got out of hand was spot on. It was supposed to be embarrassing, obviously!

 

[Sneds]

I've just finished watching Derek. I thought it was by far the best thing Gervais has been involved with since The Office.

I think to say that it isn't a comedy is wrong. But, like The Office, it mixes comedy with touching moments of drama.

I thought the acting was great from everyone involved. Pilkington came across as a very naturalistic actor.

 

[Roto13]

Ricky Gervais is a dickhead? I am shocked.

Shocked.

 

[Mistle]

looks like it's getting a series: http://www.channel4.com/info/press/news/channel-4-commissions-series-of-derek-by-ricky-gervais

 

[ScreenSplitter]

Irritating man. His laugh in particular makes me want to skin puppies.

 

[Andiie]

looks like it's getting a series: http://www.channel4.com/info/press/news/channel-4-commissions-series-of-derek-by-ricky-gervais

I was confident he'd get it made but good to know it's now official. Hopefully he'll stick to what people enjoyed about the pilot and not go the slapstick approach.

 

[ReadingRambo]

His laugh makes me stop whatever I am doing, where ever I am doing it, and laugh along with him.

 

[hamchan]

looks like it's getting a series: http://www.channel4.com/info/press/news/channel-4-commissions-series-of-derek-by-ricky-gervais

Hooray. Focus on this instead of Life's Too Short please.

 

[Salvadora]

His laugh makes me stop whatever I am doing, where ever I am doing it, and laugh along with him.

Its infectious.

 

[Jay Sosa]

I liked the pilot episode, wouldn't mind if there was more to come.

Full season isn't confirmed yet? Boo-urns.

 

[aku:jiki]

His laugh makes me stop whatever I am doing, where ever I am doing it, and laugh along with him.

There was this TV special a couple of years ago with him and a few other comedians just discussing comedy (was it called Talking Funny?), and the damn thing is near unwatchable! Ricky just laughs his way through the entire hour, so I can't hear what anyone else is saying because he forces me to laugh too!

 

[ReadingRambo]

There's a whole outtakes reel from Extras about him being the worst at "corpsing" in the business. I'd provide a link but youtube is blocked at work.

 

[Andiie]

There's a whole outtakes reel from Extras about him being the worst at "corpsing" in the business. I'd provide a link but youtube is blocked at work.

I loved that.

I find his laugh infectious. It did irritate me at first but has grown on me.

 

[ScreenSplitter]

*Karl Pilkington says fairly average thing*
*Ricky squeals like he's having his lungs ripped out* WAAAHAHAHAHAAH WHAT A RIDICULOUS LITTLEE MAAAAAHN.

 

[ReadingRambo]

Here's part one of The Art of Corpsing.

This makes me laugh until I cry.

 

[POWERSPHERE]

Ricky has been slowly evolving into an absolute cunt. Evolution complete.

 

[Daft_Cat]

Gervais looks like Hitler in the picture. What an insult to the mentally handicapped!

Edit.

Since the passive aggressive poster below me sounds pissed, I guess I'll clarify that my post was just a sarcastic jab at the entire hypersensitive issue. Gervais' character does look a bit like Hitler, though.

Oh, and I've seen the pilot.

 

[ReadingRambo]

A month in and several pages deep and people can still manage to not read a word of the thread or watch a second of footage before passing judgement. Good job.

 

[Coop]

Full season isn't confirmed yet? Boo-urns.

He's writing it, said so on twitter

 

[IISANDERII]

A month in and several pages deep and people can still manage to not read a word of the thread or watch a second of footage before passing judgement. Good job.

+1
Where's my ignore list?

 

[ReadingRambo]

Gervais looks like Hitler in the picture. What an insult to the mentally handicapped!

Edit.

Since the passive aggressive poster below me sounds pissed, I guess I'll clarify that my post was just a sarcastic jab at the entire hypersensitive issue. Gervais' character does look a bit like Hitler, though.

Oh, and I've seen the pilot.

Wasn't for you Riddle. One post above.

 

[StrikerObi]

No judgement on this particular piece of Gervais' work. Just a statement on comedy:

You can make fun of everything or you can make fun of nothing. There's no middle ground.

I mean, you personally can choose to not make fun of people with a learning disability, or choose to not listen to other people doing the same. That's fine. But nobody can control what is and isn't allowed in comedy.

Now, if somebody makes an off-color joke and it's so incredibly offensive that millions of people are offended, I doubt that comedian will get much work. It's a self-policing system. On one hand, Michael Richard can go up on stage and say nigger and basically kill his career. But Louis CK can say "that nigger made the shit out of this coffee" and sell millions of DVDs on it. It's all about context, not topic.

 

[Daft_Cat]

Wasn't for you Riddle. One post above.

No worries. Also, it's ok to be passive aggressive to people who don't like Ricky Gervais. I'd encourage it, actually.