Derek

[number8]

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It’s a new sitcom set in an old people’s home and it’s about the forgotten — everyone’s forgotten. Just like all sitcoms, when it comes down to it, it’s them against the world. It’s a family. It’s all these arbitrary people who didn’t know each other, and they’re in there now because they’re in the last years of their life. And it’s about the people who help them, who themselves are losers and have their own problems. It’s about a bunch of people with nothing, but making the most of it, and they’re together.

It’s a show about kindness. Kindness is more important than anything else. Kindness is more important than intelligence, than success, than rewards, everything. Kindness is the most important thing. And it’s about that. So, it’s a very good experiment for me, Twitter. Because you see the absolute worst and best in people.


The BAFTA listing describes Noakes as "a tender, innocent man whose love for his job and the people he cares for shines through. He's 49 years old and loves animals, Rolf Harris, Jesus, Deal Or No Deal, Million Pound Drop and Britain's Got Talent - but his main hobby is autograph hunting.”

Pikington will play Noakes' employer Dougie, in what will be his first acting role, with Sean Connery reported to appear in the first episode.

Interestingly airing in England on Channel 4, not Gervais' usual BBC.

[Henry Gale]

Not quite sure what to make of this, especially with it only being a 35-minute one-off for the time being. I hope there's more to Ricky's performance than him simply speaking oddly and looking like he does when he takes unflattering pictures of himself on his blog. The bits with Karl acting are surprisingly the most enjoyable there, particularly that clip of his character in his office.

Unlike a lot of people I was even fond of Life's Too Short before its last couple of episodes took an odd and contrived turn. And then there's something like Cemetery Junction, the most overtly dramatic thing Gervais has done, which didn't work for me. So this could go either way, but I'll remain hopeful and check it out.

[MadMan]

I was sort of hoping that they would have actually made a show about the Match-cut poster Derek, and his interactions with the message board and his everyday life. *Leaves thread*

[Qrazy]

It’s a new sitcom set in an old people’s home and it’s about the forgotten — everyone’s forgotten. Just like all sitcoms, when it comes down to it, it’s them against the world. It’s a family. It’s all these arbitrary people who didn’t know each other, and they’re in there now because they’re in the last years of their life. And it’s about the people who help them, who themselves are losers and have their own problems. It’s about a bunch of people with nothing, but making the most of it, and they’re together.

It’s a show about kindness. Kindness is more important than anything else. Kindness is more important than intelligence, than success, than rewards, everything. Kindness is the most important thing. And it’s about that. So, it’s a very good experiment for me, Twitter. Because you see the absolute worst and best in people.

Gervais is so deeply full of shit. It's a show about kindness but these people are losers? Fuck you Ricky, you don't know anything about humanity or caring about other people.

Your humor is about mocking people and you're very good at it and this show looks to be more of the same.

[Glass Co.]

I think he's saying "losers" in a somewhat endearing way, like those on the fringes of society. I agree though that his messages are occasionally hypocritical.

[number8]

This is now a Netflix exclusive in the US. HBO must feel cheated on.

[EvilShoe]

I thought the pilot was quite good. Rough around the edges, but it's nice to see Gervais tackle a different kind of character.

[EyesWideOpen]

Finally announced a month. It airs on netflix in september.

[Henry Gale]

I know I said I'd give this a shot before, but after putting it off for a while I saw bits of a random episode and it was shockingly mawkish, ineptly sentimental, overwrought stuff. It was unironically scored almost completely by Coldplay's biggest, most overused emotionally bombastic anthems, choosing to visualize every lyric completely literally with its characters in montage mode in the most cringeworthy ways. It was surreally awful. And I even like Coldplay!

Between this and some of Gervais' other more recent things, I'm starting to fear Merchant was the key tonal craftsman and filtration system to their collaborations. It might be telling that HBO picked up his show and Derek's going to Netflix. I know I'm definitely looking more forward to what he does there than I am ever catching up with the rest of this show.

[number8]

Just finished the first season. I think I kept going almost out of waiting for the other shoe to drop, not believing that this was actually going to be as sincere as it was all the way to the end. It's unbelievably, un-ironically saccharine. Holy shit, that season finale? "Derek took the best shortcut he can. The only shortcut that's good. The only shortcut that works. And that's... *cries* kindness." Eeesh.

Somewhat confused by its existence.

[EyesWideOpen]

So Ricky Gervais can only exist if he's cynical?

I'm four episodes in and think it's great. Gervais handles the Derek character quite wonderfully and more Pilkington is always a good thing and they give quite a few chances to shine in these first episodes. The character of Kev is the weak point so far.