Ricky Gervais' comfort zone is the shock comedy, which he does better than most. Where he doesn't work as a writer/director/actor, IMHO, is with dramatic material which he hammers in with as much blunt force as his punchlines. I long for the bittersweet subtle touch of The Office, but I think I probably always underestimated the influence of Stephen Merchant back in the day.
Haha! To be fair, I looked at what you wrote and thought “Yeah, ‘lazy’ is the word I should’ve used.” I’m not saying he’s a lazy person per se - his body of work in the last few years demonstrates that he’s not - but he could’ve done more to make the material n After Life more original and less recycled. I can’t help thinking he should’ve given it a bit more time to polish it. Maybe it was a bit rushed?
Ricky Gervais is a divisive personality and many viewers decided fairly early on in his career whether they like him or not. They then became entrenched in this view and now either don’t give his work a chance or automatically like anything he does just because it’s him. I like some of his stuff - found The Office and the podcasts brilliant, thought Extras and Derek was ok. I thought After Life was pretty good, but the thing I disliked most about it was that he recycled quite a lot of old material. Lots of the jokes and situations he’d already done on stage or on the podcasts years ago - the breastmilk rice pudding woman being a prime example. Apart from that, thought it was funny and moving, but there were issues with characters being incomplete or miscast and some plot devices going nowhere, but overall, thought it was quite a nice, thought provoking piece.
Have you listened to any of his podcasts from the past year or so? As I mentioned earlier in this thread, I spotted 6/7 references per episode to things I'd heard on his newer podcasts.
Ricky Gervais is a divisive personality and many viewers decided fairly early on in his career whether they like him or not. They then became entrenched in this view and now either don’t give his work a chance or automatically like anything he does just because it’s him. I like some of his stuff - found The Office and the podcasts brilliant, thought Extras and Derek was ok. I thought After Life was pretty good, but the thing I disliked most about it was that he recycled quite a lot of old material. Lots of the jokes and situations he’d already done on stage or on the podcasts years ago - the breastmilk rice pudding woman being a prime example. Apart from that, thought it was funny and moving, but there were issues with characters being incomplete or miscast and some plot devices going nowhere, but overall, thought it was quite a nice, thought provoking piece.
Have you listened to any of his podcasts from the past year or so? As I mentioned earlier in this thread, I spotted 6/7 references per episode to things I'd heard on his newer podcasts.
Yup. There were more than a few nods to subjects discussed in his Deadly Sirius podcasts.
Just like the constantly returning guests on the podcasts - he is obviously comfortable in recruiting actors to take part in his tv work over and over again.
This is isn’t necessarily a bad thing but may be seen by some as playing it safe.
Have watched the first four episodes - the first one was okay but the next few have been pretty poor. There's no depth to any of the characters and all you seem to be left with is a self-pitying central character who has given up.
Certainly not his best work and I don't think he really has the capacity to stretch out a series on a subject like this.
I watched the whole thing. A few parts made me laugh. A few parts made me say "f--- off" out loud to the TV for just how hammy they were!
The part in the last episode where he's sat in the manager's office thanking each person outside it - when would that ever happen in real life? It was so cringeworthy.
The girl in the office with the big glasses is not believable. The bloke with the fat neck has had no depth added to him. He likes food and has a girlfriend and that's all we know about him.
Gervais going on not one, but TWO atheist rants really did it for me. That is not a character talking, that's Ricky Gervais's twitter feed.
The only character I really wanted to know more about was the guy who always wanted to be in the paper. And when that junior reporter did write a story on him, they didn't show what it was about. And Gervais' character managed to read the whole thing in 8 seconds, very impressive!
I don't get the praise this series is getting but that's fine, if people are finding enjoyment in it, great.
I watched the whole thing. A few parts made me laugh. A few parts made me say "f--- off" out loud to the TV for just how hammy they were!
The part in the last episode where he's sat in the manager's office thanking each person outside it - when would that ever happen in real life? It was so cringeworthy.
The girl in the office with the big glasses is not believable. The bloke with the fat neck has had no depth added to him. He likes food and has a girlfriend and that's all we know about him.
Gervais going on not one, but TWO atheist rants really did it for me. That is not a character talking, that's Ricky Gervais's twitter feed.
The only character I really wanted to know more about was the guy who always wanted to be in the paper. And when that junior reporter did write a story on him, they didn't show what it was about. And Gervais' character managed to read the whole thing in 8 seconds, very impressive!
I don't get the praise this series is getting but that's fine, if people are finding enjoyment in it, great.
I agree with you completely about the last episode, it felt like they wrapped everything up as quickly as possible just in case they didn't get a 2nd series
I haven't watched it yet, although I will. My cousin died, from cancer, last year, she was only 38. Her husband, himself only 33, has been interviewed about this show. Its here
I really like Ricky Gervais’ stuff generally, and was really looking forward to this. Whilst it has definitely made me think about, and reflect on, the content of the show for several days after, and whilst I thought it had some great moments, I personally really disliked the happy wrap-it-all-up-neatly ending. It suddenly turned into The Antichrist Vicar of Dibley meets Last of the Summer Wine and has a flirt along the way with 4 Weddings and a Funeral - all rather cosy, middle class and a bit divorced from the real gritty life it seemed to want to portray with the subject matter. It was a brave, great subject to make a series about. But the tart with a heart, the nosey postie, the cemetery chats ( just the one would have seemed less contrived) and the idle dabbling with heroin just felt like it descended into sit com luvvie land to me. I also felt the characters were sometimes merely spouting extensions of Ricky’s stand up material. This is probably just me, of course, and I’ll shut up now because most people I know loved it.
Really enjoyed it apart from the last episode which was far too cheesy for me. The series on the whole had a good balance of humour and pathos. Was very RG though.
Brilliant and well balanced between humour and sadness. Haven't really liked anything since he had done since The Office so this was a pleasant surprise.
Interesting reading the opinions here. By the way @stackitsteve - I haven’t heard his recent podcasts etc, but I’m not surprised there’s some recycled material there too.
Anyway... A lot of people are saying it lacked depth, but was moving and funny in parts. I think this sums it up pretty well. I did enjoy it, but felt it could have been so much more. The thing that I’ve been wondering about though, is the Ashley Jensen situation. (She’s the nurse - also played Maggie in Extras) In case you weren’t aware, her husband (actor Terence Beesley) commited suicide in late 2017. As far as I know, Ricky Gervais hasn’t said anything about this in public, but I can’t help but think he must have spoken to her about it - they clearly like working together and I imagine they are friendly, but this must’ve been a very difficult project for her to be in - unless she found it therapeutic in some way. And that’s the thing. If she did find it therapeutic, then if it helped her in some way, and if it helps anyone else to work through their grief then the show was good enough. My best friend Chris died of cancer in October. He was 47. When After Life aired, his girlfriend told me she found it an amazing piece of work that summed up and helped with so much of her grief. In some ways, I don’t think she necessarily noticed it was a comedy, but that didn’t matter. It makes me wonder if Gervais was aiming the show at those grieving like his friend Ashley, rather than the rest of us. Maybe the humour and character development were actually side notes to the work, which may explain why some of that felt rushed, forced or maybe a little underdone. It’s making me rethink my view on it, because it’s making me think about Chris and I appreciate that. I don’t know. Just putting it out there.
Enjoying it though don't find it as funny as some appear to. Regarding the C word, doesn't offend me in the slightest but do think it's been overused in this. It's a powerful word, use it too often and it loses it's impact.
I really like Ricky Gervais’ stuff generally, and was really looking forward to this. Whilst it has definitely made me think about, and reflect on, the content of the show for several days after, and whilst I thought it had some great moments, I personally really disliked the happy wrap-it-all-up-neatly ending. It suddenly turned into The Antichrist Vicar of Dibley meets Last of the Summer Wine and has a flirt along the way with 4 Weddings and a Funeral - all rather cosy, middle class and a bit divorced from the real gritty life it seemed to want to portray with the subject matter. It was a brave, great subject to make a series about. But the tart with a heart, the nosey postie, the cemetery chats ( just the one would have seemed less contrived) and the idle dabbling with heroin just felt like it descended into sit com luvvie land to me. I also felt the characters were sometimes merely spouting extensions of Ricky’s stand up material. This is probably just me, of course, and I’ll shut up now because most people I know loved it.
Agree with you. But oddly I still liked it, in the same way as I like Richard Curtis’ movies, while knowing they’re as corny as hell.
Enjoying it though don't find it as funny as some appear to. Regarding the C word, doesn't offend me in the slightest but do think it's been overused in this. It's a powerful word, use it too often and it loses it's impact.
I seriously think we are going to need some new swearwords soon. Too many people are too comfortable with top level swearing and, as you say, use it too often and it loses its impact. Us swearers need to really up our game if we are going to retain our ability to shock. As for people using the c word as a term of endearment, that's bang out of order; stop devaluing our swearwords! In fact, there's a word for the sort of people that do that, I'm just not allowed to use it here.
Just a side-note to this, the puppy dog used in this programme is one of mine. The show was filmed at Pinewood studios and when Mrs RM took the pup down for filming she was waiting outside the 'stage' giving the pup a break when she was stopped by Angelina Jolie (sp) who wanted to know about and cuddle him. She spent about 10 mins chatting to Mrs RM. Ricky Gervais was also really nice and made a big fuss of the pup on and off set. I've tried to get the next 'gig' down at Pinewood when we have to take another of our dogs....only to be told "no way you're going down there" ......can't think why!!!
Comments
I’m not saying he’s a lazy person per se - his body of work in the last few years demonstrates that he’s not - but he could’ve done more to make the material n After Life more original and less recycled. I can’t help thinking he should’ve given it a bit more time to polish it. Maybe it was a bit rushed?
Just like the constantly returning guests on the podcasts - he is obviously comfortable in recruiting actors to take part in his tv work over and over again.
This is isn’t necessarily a bad thing but may be seen by some as playing it safe.
I loved After Life though.
Certainly not his best work and I don't think he really has the capacity to stretch out a series on a subject like this.
Like his other series Derek I don't really think Gervais offers much insight. He seems to suffer when not writing with Stephen Merchant.
The girl in the office with the big glasses is not believable. The bloke with the fat neck has had no depth added to him. He likes food and has a girlfriend and that's all we know about him.
Gervais going on not one, but TWO atheist rants really did it for me. That is not a character talking, that's Ricky Gervais's twitter feed.
I don't get the praise this series is getting but that's fine, if people are finding enjoyment in it, great.
Overall, I thought AfterLife was really good.
It was moving and at times, it is and was really laugh out loud funny.
Everyone knows Ricky Gervais is an Atheist.
Deep down, most people are Athiests (in my opinion)
It is something that we can't get away from. It is why we are scared and terrified about the thought of being dead or our loved ones dying.
It is because we probably quite like and enjoy being alive. We don't just want to disappear and be gone forever.
What I sort of had a problem with....was when he was no longer actually "Acting"
For the 500th time, he was trying to explain the view of the world from the Ricky Gervais perspective...to an overly "dumb" character.
Only he can get away with doing that...because his work is honest, it is real and it's very nice sweet and good.
Just allow characters to be characters....don't just turn them into a miserable version of yourself.
David Brent is by far his greatest acting performance.
No need for a 2nd series that Gervais has mentioned imo
Check out @WidowedAndYoung’s Tweet:
https://www.unilad.co.uk/featured/ricky-gervais-after-life-is-painfully-accurate-portrayal-of-life-as-a-widower/
This is probably just me, of course, and I’ll shut up now because most people I know loved it.
By the way @stackitsteve - I haven’t heard his recent podcasts etc, but I’m not surprised there’s some recycled material there too.
Anyway...
A lot of people are saying it lacked depth, but was moving and funny in parts. I think this sums it up pretty well. I did enjoy it, but felt it could have been so much more.
The thing that I’ve been wondering about though, is the Ashley Jensen situation. (She’s the nurse - also played Maggie in Extras) In case you weren’t aware, her husband (actor Terence Beesley) commited suicide in late 2017.
As far as I know, Ricky Gervais hasn’t said anything about this in public, but I can’t help but think he must have spoken to her about it - they clearly like working together and I imagine they are friendly, but this must’ve been a very difficult project for her to be in - unless she found it therapeutic in some way. And that’s the thing.
If she did find it therapeutic, then if it helped her in some way, and if it helps anyone else to work through their grief then the show was good enough.
My best friend Chris died of cancer in October. He was 47. When After Life aired, his girlfriend told me she found it an amazing piece of work that summed up and helped with so much of her grief. In some ways, I don’t think she necessarily noticed it was a comedy, but that didn’t matter.
It makes me wonder if Gervais was aiming the show at those grieving like his friend Ashley, rather than the rest of us. Maybe the humour and character development were actually side notes to the work, which may explain why some of that felt rushed, forced or maybe a little underdone. It’s making me rethink my view on it, because it’s making me think about Chris and I appreciate that.
I don’t know. Just putting it out there.
fill yer boots
https://matadornetwork.com/notebook/18-foreign-curse-words-english-speakers-adopt/
Jebiesz jeze
And
Teonen al tmuna shel kalba.