Derek (Ricky Gervais show on Channel 4)

Croydon said:

lordromford said:

North Lower Neil said:

Agree, Lord Romford - though two are fantastic. Gervais should have got someone else to play Derek, though, he's made him a caricature in my opinion.

I think you're right there. I can't help thinking Derek should be a peripheral character, but with Gervais taking the role himself, this has become impossible. Dougie is far more interesting to me. I'd like to know more about him.

Croydon said:

I hate it personally. IMO Gervais is just using a dodgy jaw and voice as a way of spouting his beliefs with awful child-like soliloquies. Unfortunately though, I think it's made in such a way that you feel if you slag off Derek you're slagging off people with disabilities,which obviously isn't the case.

I know what you mean Croydon, but disagree. I agree that Gervais' portrayal is not brilliant, but I think the ideas (beliefs?) that are put forward are simple and fundamentally right (look after your elderly relatives, back up your friends, don't be self centred etc). As for slagging of Derek=slagging of disabled people, I think the comedy is about misunderstanding, innocence, injustice and tolerance of others, that's all. I think there will be many that don't like the show because they don't think it's funny, and that's fine. If you feel it's pitched so that you feel uncomfortable criticising it, that's an issue for you, not the show.

I was referring more to his stance on religion and politics as opposed to how he feels about caring for the elderly. His "why can't we all just get along" speech in the an episode I saw just seemed so OTT to me knowing what his views on those particular issues are. I get the basic premise of highlighting the issues that are present amongst the elderly community,especially those in care,but I would give him a lot more respect for highlighting them if he actually gave these people some proper lines in his script. As someone said on this thread before,it's a show made to split opinions and it's obviously very popular so fair play to him.