Derek

[batman]

"Ricky Gervais has defended his new TV show Derek over concerns the sitcom mocks those with learning difficulties.

The funnyman plays the title role in the series, which is billed as the story of a simple, vulnerable man working in an old people's home.

The show is yet to be broadcast but Gervais has already been forced to address critics who claim the comedy makes light of the mentally disabled, insisting the character does not have a specific and defined disability.

Gervais says, "Derek is a fictional character and is defined by his creator, me. If I say I don't mean him to be disabled then that's it. A fictional doctor can't come along and prove me wrong.

He's different. But then so are a lot of people. He's not the smartest tool in the box but he's cleverer than Father Dougal, and not as different as Mr. Bean. He's based on those people you meet who are on the margins of society such ... nerds."


Judging by the highlighted phrases it looks to me as if Gervais has realised how successful The Big Bang Theory is and has decided to rip it off.

[faginsgirl]

The last line of his statement won`t really help his cause. It`s probably made things worse.

I did see the trailer for this and having worked quite a lot with people like `Derek`, I won`t be watching it. But that`s just my choice.

[Freddy]

Having seen the numerous trailers it would have been better if Gervais had stayed behind the camera, it's just the mannerisms of David Brent mark 3.

[Steve Crook]

Having seen the numerous trailers it would have been better if Gervais had stayed behind the camera, it's just the mannerisms of David Brent mark 3.

The one trick pony (and it's not a very good trick) strikes again

Are reviewers finally realising that the Emperor has no clothes - and never did?

Steve

[Windthrop]

The one trick pony (and it's not a very good trick) strikes again

Are reviewers finally realising that the Emperor has no clothes - and never did?

Steve

Well said

I could stand The Office, though didn't agree with the 'instant classic' status, but simply haven't 'got' anything he's done since.

[Steve Crook]

Well said

I could stand The Office, though didn't agree with the 'instant classic' status, but simply haven't 'got' anything he's done since.

The one talent that I will admit that he has is self-publicity, and convincing reviewers that he is a comedy genius and the saviour of British comedy.
That's two things, our chief weapons are surprise and a fanatical devotion to the Pope

Steve

[ayrshireman]

Anything and anyone that irritates Stewart Lee can't be all bad.

Stewart Lee. Now there is the Emperor's New Clothes.

[Richard_in_wales]

The guy is a legend in his own mind...I won't be watching.

[Heinrich]

The Office and Extras were brilliant, different, funny, and ground-breaking.
His cartoon thing was a piece of junk.
I predict Derek will be too difficult for most people to watch and it will not last long.

[Marky B]

The saviour of British comedy.
Steve

Didn't realise it needed saving
Ta Ta
Marky B

[Windyridge]

Looks abysmal. Unbelievable dialogue, over the top styling and costume - it's bound to be a huge hit after the Gervais PR machine has swung into action.

[Steve Crook]

Didn't realise it needed saving
Ta Ta
Marky B

Nor did most of us. But that's how he's been praised by many reviewers (who are probably repeating his own descriptions)

Steve

[Steve Crook]

The Office and Extras were brilliant, different, funny, and ground-breaking.

Heinrich, your English is usually quite good but I think you might have got two pages of the dictionary stuck together
I think the words you're looking for were more like unoriginal, derivative, unfunny, and the same old stuff

Steve

[Moor Larkin]

This sort of thing used to be quite popular.

[Mervyn2]

I work with learning disabled adults and will watch it carefully, but if the trailers are anything to go by I might find it difficult to smile at.

Part of the problem for me would always lie with Ricky Gervais however - odd perhaps, but he appears to have an "uncertain" mouth to me, you know, a look that suggests he's constantly worried that one day soon a grown-up is going to tell him "the game's up, you've been lucky to get this far, but it's all over now"...

[Marky B]

I won't be watching!
Ta Ta
Marky B

[Windyridge]

Part of the problem for me would always lie with Ricky Gervais however - odd perhaps, but he appears to have an "uncertain" mouth to me, you know, a look that suggests he's constantly worried that one day soon a grown-up is going to tell him "the game's up, you've been lucky to get this far, but it's all over now"...

His mouth in the trailer is doing some very hammy acting indeed.

[Mr Sloane]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisf...?newsfeed=true

[captainhaddock]

very good !
that moment when his carer went back and headbutted a bully i bet has happened before in real life

but not if youre a stick in the mud labour type where you probably seen a crime being committed
in that case take your diversity and feck off

i think that gervais knew what he was writing and he is a very clever man
as i said originally
it was very good

[Moor Larkin]

I remember that the very first time I saw Gervais, was on the 11-o-clock Show (or somesuch name) and he was doing a routine "attacking" people in wheelchairs, with his humour aimed at the sacred cow of 'disability', so it does seem to have been a career-long fixation of his. In some ways I'm a bit disappointed that he feels the need to defend himself these days, rather than letting his material speak for itself. It's clearly been deemed *decent* by the TV channel - the big question only remains about whether it's funny or not, and perhaps the real test is what it is about it that makes it seem funny, and whether that something has some depth of meaning to it, as opposed to just being a Gumby stand-up routine.

One of the things that fascinated me about the criticism of his recent dwarf show was that he was somehow mocking small people, but nobody seemed willing to address the fact that a dwarf was playing in it, and why that man took the role. I found it equally interesting that the old people were willing to be portrayed in this show, as slightly disabled by age. Perhaps because they know this is a reality.