If it was 1974 Gervais would be blacking up and making honky jokes to "explore" race relations.

I suspect in 30 years time Derek will indeed look as insulting and horrible as Love Thy Neighbour does now.

What absolute fucking bollocks.

You may disagree but I've spoken to a number of people, especially on Twitter, who hold the same view. My entire experience of watching it made me feel exactly the kind of unclean that I felt when I forced myself to sit through an episode of Love Thy Neighbour on Youtube.

Gervais aside, it might be well acted and well written but I have a major problem with it and what it was born out of. Always thought his comedy was cruel and he's very capable of making me uncomfortable in a bad way, but this time he's gone over the edge.

BTW I only learnt recently that the disabled lady who gets left in a stairwell in The Office was in Eldorado when she was a kid.

To be honest I think you and "a number of people, especially on Twitter" have missed the point by such a massive margin that there's no coming back. But I guess I'm the sort of cunt who probably likes "Love Thy Neighbour" too so I should just shut the fuck up

To be honest I think you and "a number of people, especially on Twitter" have missed the point by such a massive margin that there's no coming back. But I guess I'm the sort of cunt who probably likes "Love Thy Neighbour" too so I should just shut the fuck up

I don't think you could ever say the same about Love Thy Neighbour.

I quite enjoyed An Idiot Abroad even though it was as scripted as a Top Gear episode.

I haven't seen Derek much because, well, Ricky Gervais.

I'd like to say, I haven't seen this.

Indeed. Although in a clumsy kind of way it does manage to show that being a racist arsehole doesn't get you anywhere (which is always the writers justification for the show).

I dunno I thought Sheldon was meant to be a stereotypical portrayal of someone with Asperger's Syndrome, most of the "comedy" seems to come from his complete lack of self-awareness and inability to judge social situations as well as his strict attachment to certain routines.

I just don't understand whe you are getting the comparison from, beyond them being two programmes you didn't happen to like. Derek is far less offensive and sterotyped it its portrayal of disability than shite like The Big Bang Theory or Rain Man, neither of which I hear being frequently compared to some 1970s racist dogshit like Love Thy Neighbour. But, Ricky Gervais.

The problem with Gervais' characters (including Ricky Gervais himself) is that there are a significant number of fans who don't buy into the ironic nature of some of the things that they say/do. We also have to take his word that it is ironic, and not intentionally playing to that audience. We'll never be able to prove that.

Al Murray came across the same thing with the pub landlord until one day he realised that he was, in effect, playing to an Arena full of BNP members who were hanging on the every word of his character, stopped doing it for a while and readdressed the nature of the show.

Perhaps if he hadn't played the lead character? Because what Gervais brings to it is a total removal of any sensitivity in the writing and instead stamps all over it in size 10 boots with "playground depiction of the mentally ill". Perhaps if put in the hands of a proper actor it might work better for me. But as it is, it's a Gervais vehicle.



Gervais has been very careful not to say that Derek is autistic or mentally ill in any way. Because if he did there would be uproar about the portrayal. Instead it's worse because it's implied without ever being made explicit. I don't think I was left in any doubt from the portrayal I saw.

And perhaps its just me but I can't look at the picture above without thinking of that famous picture of Joey Deacon. Intentional? Dunno, perhaps its just me.

Right, so you think that some people are watching Derek and thinking what, exactly?

It's not like it's the true meaning of the show is hidden away behind a layer of irony.

Right, so it would be ok if it was someone else but because it's Ricky Gervais then it is cruel and is just the same as Love Thy Neighbour. Yeah.

Retardz are funny LOLZ

I think by playing the character himself he makes it far worse, yes. I don't think he has the ability and as I say he has so much baggage associated with him. He's also not a man who can blend into character in the same way someone like Ronnie Barker could.

I have only seen it for a minute or two, during which time Karl Pilkigton was stealing things to sell on at a car boot sale, and it was hilarious.

I can see why the portrayal might be initially seen as offensive, but from what I've read the show makes it pretty clear that Derek is the good guy. The only issue is, as APOD said, with people who will just laugh at the person who looks and acts a little different. Much as 'Joey' became an insult in the playground, so could 'Derek'.

That, of course, doesn't mean it is in poor taste.

I assumed it was aimed at me.

I cried.

"I know that guy!"

Al Murray came across the same thing with the pub landlord until one day he realised that he was, in effect, playing to an Arena full of BNP members who were hanging on the every word of his character, stopped doing it for a while and readdressed the nature of the show.

Putting aside the problem of Gervais playing the part and over-egging it, the real depth of it as a show is all to do with the residents still being real people, and not just old. I think it is very sympathetic in its portrayal of old peoples homes, my late mum was a carer in a home for many years, so I guess I might have bit more of a connection to a show about it. I'm not sure if I like it because of Gervais, or despite him

I spent a fortnight or so working in a retirement home with an occupational therapist. It was an awful place.

Sure the dwarf wasn't Warwick Davis?