What I'm Watching: Derek

So. Ricky Gervais has a new mockumentary series. In which he plays a (possibly) mentally-handicapped/developmentally-disabled character. Without any sense of irony. Set in a nursing home. It's not a comedy (though there is plenty of humor). And while the trailer makes it seem eccentric and poignant, many of the episodes revolve around death, aging and disappointment.



Let that sink in for a minute, because casual Ricky G fans will probably stop reading now and never look back. If you only know him from The Office (British version), hosting The Golden Globes or maybe Extras, then you never saw this show coming. But if you've seen all the other random series he's experimented with (Flanimals, his stand up routine on Noah's Ark, Life's Too Short, etc.), you might get how this could work.

This show is odd, in the sense that it's very hard to place within a traditional tv show genre or structure. Gervais's keen insight into life and people is what drives it forward, and Karl Pilkington's brilliant caretaker character carries it home. But it's fairly uneven... Witty, touching and downright revelatory at times — and then at other times it swings back around and smacks you in the face with its sappiness and predictable "lessons." I cried sentimentally and cathartically as much as I strained my eyes from the rolling. And don't even get me started about the amount of Coldplay used. The fact that the final scene of the season finale is set to "Fix You" should give you a good sense of the level of emotional manipulation we're dealing with.

That said... it was strangely compelling, and I blew through all 7 episodes of season 1 in an evening. Make no mistake: this is the Gervais deep cuts. Not everyone will like it, but I really think those brave souls willing to set aside judgment and just watch with an open mind will be glad they did.