Derek - Ricky Gervais - Channel 4 - 10 pm tonight

[Acker79]

I didn't find it funny, at all, but it didn't feel to me like it was meant to be funny. As Trigaaar says it was sweet, and as CP 0 3 BHA says, it does have a fair bit of truth to it, but I'm not sure it really raised issues that it properly addressed (and not sure it would ever have been able to in 30mins). The closest was Karl's moment about when does life end.


Did I miss a revelation, was it meant to be unsaid, or am I completely wrong, but was Derek actually a resident? He clearly has mental health issues, and never wore a name badge like the other staff (a requirement in homes, actually). I know first hand that some times residents think they work in the care home they are a resident in, sometimes because they used to work in such environments. We never see him go home, he is always accompanied when he goes out - why was hannah in the garden with him?

 

[CP 0 3 BHA]

I was having this discussion with my better half. We weren't quite sure what it was supposed to be. It wasn't very funny, it was sweet, but sweet isn't a genre. No one wants to watch something just because it's sweet, it wasn't a real life documentary.

So you thought that was evidence that Ricky is a comedy actor at Atkinson's level? Ricky can write, and I never had him down as some out of touch celebrity, so having some awareness of life in a residential home is no surprise to me. But although his character was different, it always seemed like David Brent was trying to pop out.

I didn't say that did I? In the bit you didn't quote I said "any comparison to Atkinson is pretty pointless - different styles in different eras"

In fact the more I think about it, I'd say that the thing they do have in common is that they are comedians who act rather than true character actors - whilst they can be very funny (certainly in Atkinson's case) they rarely inhabit a character to the point that you move on from who they really are.

 

[The Antikythera Mechanism]

If they need a doppelganger for a Hitler sitcom, Gervais is the man.

 

[Triggaaar]

I didn't say that did I? In the bit you didn't quote I said "any comparison to Atkinson is pretty pointless - different styles in different eras"

I know you said that, but this is how the conversation went:

The Office is legendary, but compare Gervais to someone like Rowan Atkinson as a comedy actor. Gervais has so far only successfully played versions of himself, whereas Atkinson is convincing & hilarious in every role he has ever played.

Atkinson has more talent in one of his toenails than Gervais will ever have. Gervais is totally cringeworthy talentless turd

you said:

You presumably didn't watch this then?

Your response to the conversation suggests that you think Ricky is a comedy actor at Atkinson's level. I think Ricky has talent, especially as a writer, but I don't think he's at Rowen's level in comedy acting.

 

[Triggaaar]

If they need a doppelganger for a Hitler sitcom, Gervais is the man.

When I saw Derek, I immediately thought of Hitler.

His dropped jaw seemed to come and go, which was a bit weird.

 

[CP 0 3 BHA]

I think Ricky has talent, especially as a writer, but I don't think he's at Rowen's level in comedy acting.

Fair enough - I wouldn't disagree with that.

The most I've laughed at either of them (with the possible exception of the Ross Kemp/Vinnie Jones confrontation in Extras but Ricky was only an onlooker!) was Rowan's one-man live shows in his early days.

 

[matthew]

Don't think it was meant to comedy there were a few subtle amusing moments but overall i thought it was a well thought out sweet type of documantary. Thought it was very well done, Gervais isn't all comedy.

 

[Jameson]

I thought it was brilliant. I loved the female lead, who is she? Nice line in head butting too

 

[Wilko]

I am surprised that so many people did not like it, humour does not have to be obvious or slapstick. What the Brits do well IMHO is mix pathos into their comedy, something that seems lacking in American comedy. Only fools and horses for example has an episode on the funeral of Grandad and an episode on Rodney losing his baby, I think what Gervais has done with Derek is come up with something that will both make you giggle and pull on the heartstrings, it does not have to be compartmentalised into a 'genre', it is just there to be watched.

I hope they do make more of them, those who are looking for more 'obvious' humour will ignore it and stick to watching 'Big Bang theory' and 'Mrs Brown's Boys' boxsets and that is fine with me.

 

[Simster]

Fair enough - I wouldn't disagree with that.

The most I've laughed at either of them (with the possible exception of the Ross Kemp/Vinnie Jones confrontation in Extras but Ricky was only an onlooker!) was Rowan's one-man live shows in his early days.

Good call. The ones where Angus Deaton is the sidekick?

 

[Nibble]

I like Gervais, LOVED the Office and appreciated Extras... but I have a nasty feeling this is going to be horribly cringeworthy & rubbish.

The Office is legendary, but compare Gervais to someone like Rowan Atkinson as a comedy actor. Gervais has so far only successfully played versions of himself, whereas Atkinson is convincing & hilarious in every role he has ever played. I think this Derek character will be too far detached from Ricky Gervais the person and be an absolute flop.



Gonna tune in, really hope I'm proved wrong

Really??!!! Bean? Johnny English? The thin blue line? All shite, all starring Atkinson.

 

[Nibble]

Gervais mis-cast himself in this completely. His timing was awful, his limp arms and distorted mouth just looked like someone doing a bad piss-take of a retarded person and for me it just didn't work with him in it. Some of it was funny and full of pathos but while I like Gervais when he get's it right he is a bad actor unless he is playing himself which you can't really get away with time and time again and especially not with this subject matter.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

I thought the least convincing thing in Derek was Gervais himself. The rest of the cast played a blinder.

 

[CP 0 3 BHA]

Good call. The ones where Angus Deaton is the sidekick?

My recollection was that he was working with Richard Curtis and Howard Goodall at the time but you could be right.

 

[Simster]

My recollection was that he was working with Richard Curtis and Howard Goodall at the time but you could be right.

I'm thinking of some of his sketches:
37-0
Tom, Dick, and Harry
The wedding speeches

I'm fairly sure Deaton was his side kick for that tour...

Really??!!! Bean? Johnny English? The thin blue line? All shite, all starring Atkinson.

Wise words, Nibble. Atkinson has been gash since Blackadder IMO.

 

[Meade's Ball]

I am surprised that so many people did not like it, humour does not have to be obvious or slapstick.

Yes, as a disliker of the show, i wish Gervais would dive stupidly into a pond or sit on a bowl of custard, or something childish like that. Only then would it become hibloodylarious.

I remember Dear John, and as crass a show as that was at times, it carried a greater deal of depth and realism than Gervais greasing up his hair and playing a spaz. It spoke of loneliness and desperation and the coldness of life when somebody leaves you. Last night's one-off tried to fit a series into 24 minutes. You get to pull off death in comedy and earnest outbreaks of emotion after years of character formulation and enough success to get away with making an episode without laughs. I found it all very unsubtle and rather sixth-formy.

 

[Marc1901]

I really enjoyed it.

 

[Seasider78]

Gervais mis-cast himself in this completely. His timing was awful, his limp arms and distorted mouth just looked like someone doing a bad piss-take of a retarded person and for me it just didn't work with him in it. Some of it was funny and full of pathos but while I like Gervais when he get's it right he is a bad actor unless he is playing himself which you can't really get away with time and time again and especially not with this subject matter.

Sums it up for me

 

[Stat Brother]

Really??!!! Bean? Johnny English? All shite, all starring Atkinson.

You wouldn't be saying that if you were his accountant, esp Bean.

 

[Stumpy Tim]

Just got round to watching this. I am a big fan of Gervais, though was expected to be disappointed here. I was surprised just how good it was. Some of his best work in my opinion, though in a very different way to his previous stuff.

I think he did Derek to show he can do other things, and he nailed it. Brilliant half an hour of television.