First off, I want to say that I am for all intents and purposes a Ricky Gervais fan, I like (most) of his stuff, and his other new series 'Life's Too Short' was, in my opinion, brilliant.
'Derek' however, is terrible. I mean, really bad. First off Gervais goes in for another of the 'mockumentary' style, a format of television he is pretty comfortable in, and has had spectacular success in with series such as 'The Office', 'Extras' and 'Life's too Short'. However whatever charm or resonance these series has, 'Derek' has a severe lack of.
Ricky Gervais performance as the titular character 'Derek' is laughably bad. Truly, its awful, he literally just puts on a greasy wig and screws up his face. Honestly, it reminded me of Ben Stiller in Tropic Thunder in his ill fated 'Simple Jack'. It really is that hilariously bad. I think disabled people should be offended, not that Ricky Gervais is portraying disabled people for comedy, but that 'Derek' is Ricky Gervais's perception and interpretation of a disabled person. Seriously? I mean just look at him in the promotional picture, i hope for his sake that Gervais will look back upon this series with a personal shame and disgust.
Karl Pilkington is fine, though really he only just plays himself, but he is the only part of the whole series which really works. He comes out with a few quips and Pilkington-esque rants which might raise a chuckle or too, but thats the only source of comedy.
What most annoys me, is what people have labelled as 'profound'. Putting some piano music over a sad scene is supposedly the source of this profoundness. Oh but wait, hes so friendly and simple isn't that wonderful that hes sad. My god people, a nutless monkey (another Tropic Thunder reference) could have written this television pilot, its simple, mushy, sentimental rubbish. Gervais has literally thrown together some 'profound' or 'tocuhing' elements together and made this monstrosity, i'll name them right now. Disabled, Old Age, Death, Stupidity, Poverty, social awkwardness, romance. Seriously, watch the episode (if you can honestly bear it) and see that the entire plot rotates around this sentimental mush.
Instead of making a funny, tongue-in-cheek, enjoyable and charming series, such as 'Life's Too Short', the result is this grotesque, laughable and embarrassing attempt at a television series. I'm really not surprised this hasn't been picked up for a full series, it is truly, truly, awful.
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