User Reviews

Derek is a comedy drama, about an odd but selfless worker at a care home played by Ricky Gervais, and the rest of his friends who work there.

I admit the first time I watched the pilot for Derek, I didn't think it was that great. I didn't laugh that much and I thought it was boring. However, watching it a second time, and watching the first 2 episodes, I think its fantastic. Like Gervais' masterpiece the Office, its something you have to watch more than once to "get", but once you do, its fantastic. The funny parts truly made me laugh out loud (very loud I may add) and its brilliant as a drama. The characters are funny, believable and likable. The character of Derek's disability is treated in a way that is funny, but still respectful. Karl Pilkington is hilarious (and especially brilliant at the end of the second episode). The episodes are very heartwarming, and each so far has given me a weird feeling of both happiness and sadness at the end.

Its not a blatant laugh out loud comedy like I and many may have expected, but so far its a fantastic comedy drama with a lot to say about whats really important in life: friendship (not trying to sound too soppy).

Definitely give it a chance, and you will be rewarded :)

My sons turned me on to this series, and it brings back truly funny, happy memories of working in a forensic mental hospital on Oahu. I had a fantastic time working there and sharing my days with the residents who were great company and very interesting. Even after I moved on, I was able to come back on holidays and share a meal with them in the cafeteria. I still miss them and love 💕 the great heart in this show.

I started watching this show because I was upset, I was angry, I was depressed, and I thought "Hey, it is Ricky Gervais, this has to be funny as hell." I was wrong, it is funny, but it is also sad, it is haunting, and it is beautiful as hell. If you suffer from issues of thinking you no longer have faith in humanity, or wonder why you should even try to be a better person when life is getting you down. This show, this amazing character that Gervais has brought to life will make you realize why it is all worth it. To quote the character from the Season 1 finale "I have met people who do not believe in God, somes good, somes bad. I have met people who do believe in God, somes good, somes bad. So just be good."

I suffer from several medically diagnosed mental illnesses, and this show treated the subject matter with respect, not becoming a blatant parody of the commonly thought stereotypes about mental illness, but becoming a rich three dimensional character who has a mental illness and how it affects his life and the lives of people around him.

It was not an uproarious comedy like I was expecting, but in the end, what it was, was everything I needed at the time, heartwarming and leaving me feeling a good mix of sad and happy.

This is one of the most sophisticated, deep, and emotional series ever made. It bittersweet and always brings out the light in the darkness that is life. It takes on heavy subjects and leaves you wanting to become a better person. Not too many shows I can think of affect lives like this. If you think you will like it, watch, if you think you will hate it, watch at least the first two episodes before you criticize it. If it leaves you with nothing, then fair enough, but I promise it will.

It's only flaw is that there isn't enough episodes to satisfy avid fans.

Ricky, you are an amazing writer and producer, and you made me want to be a better person.

I cannot speak higher of this series. It has made me laugh with unforgettable scenes and lines, and it has broken my heart with biting reminders of our society, mortality and reflections of our selfish natures.

I cannot thank Gervais enough for such a beautiful and poignant character.

A very pure and indomitable representation of the only people in our world that will ever know altruism.

Highly recommended for the highest highs and teary lows.

Jack

Recently watched Derek. I can't remember the last time I was so moved by art. Thank you.

I'm a 48 year old guy who was dragged up on a council estate where men didn't cry or show their emotions.

On watching this amazing, funny, heartfelt show I must of cried ten times, not teary but actually blubbed. This is the most touching piece of art I have ever watched.

On the flip side I also laughed until I nearly wet myself, a beautifully observed piece of life and Ricky should be proud of the best TV I have ever seen

10 out of 10 does not do this justice.

I've always known Ricky Gervais as a comedian. After I finished watching After Life 1 and 2 I discovered who he was as a writer. Now that I've finished Derek I love who he is as a human being. A lovely soul with a brilliant gift as a creator of characters that draw you into their world and make you want to be apart of it. There are no formulatic stereotypes in this place and nothing is candy coated . It's life with all its bumps and bruises, a moments of pure joy. Love and heartbreak, laughter and tears, The actors he uses in all of the series he writes are as talented a cast as you could ever ask for. I'm so glad I got to know them all, even if it was for just a moment

As a huge Ricky Gervais fan, this was the one series, I was unsure could make a great comedy, given the subject matter. Somehow though, Gervais & co, manage to pull off some good laughter, among some really poignant moments

Ricky Gervais is a comic genius the likes of which we haven't seen in decades. His comedy is somehow both universal yet specific, appealing to a worldwide audience yet never losing touch of his English heritage. But enough about that, this is about something more important.... Derek....

The Office was a brilliantly clever comedy, Extras was even better, Life's Too Short was criminally underrated and wasn't given a chance to find it's feet, An Idiot Abroad is a masterful use of a genuinely interesting and captivating idiot and then there's Derek....

Derek is a masterpiece. I have to qualms about stating that. In future years, maybe even five or ten years down the track, Derek will be the sitcom that all other sitcoms are compared to. The sitcom formula of a studio audience and general dumb jokes is already all but dead, and Derek is the nail in the coffin of such shows. In fact, it is the inevitable fresh step forward for sitcoms in general.

Derek lets go of the usual sitcom laughs and replaces them with real life giggles. Sometimes you're not even sure why you're smiling, then you realise it's because of the situation you're watching. Even worse, sometimes you don't even realise you're smiling.

But it's the emotion of Derek that sets it apart from other sitcoms. It's not lame, superficial, meaningless emotion either, it's real emotion, due in no small part to the brilliant supporting cast. In almost every episode I've watched so far I've gotten teary. And thats exactly where the future is for sitcoms. Real emotion. People are getting sick of cheap laughs and emotionless humor. The best comedy comes from tragedy, always has and always will. It's a shame it's taken TV 60 years to realise that. Derek, along with a select few other shows, may very well be the savior of the sitcom. Because if I the future of sitcoms is Two And A Half Men then I might as well kill myself now.

This is definitely not a Ricky Gervais comedy show that you'd expect to be watching after seeing The Office, Extras or Life's Too Short. I want to say, I appreciate the social awareness part of the project about elderly people and struggles in retirement homes. And I understand how the show is trying to give watchers some life lessons through Derek's words. But to be honest, that's all it is about the show, nothing else to watch there.

Ricky Gervais is trying to play a character who is having somewhat mental/social disabilities. Yet, he is failing so bad at it, he looks more like making an insulting mimic of someone.

Half of every episode is filled with cheesy TV commercial looking scenes, so cheesy even for the year 2012. Slowly moving cameras, sad piano/violin/guitar solo music in the background, one of the characters is talking to you about some life lessons. First time I saw a scene like that in the show, I personally thought it was part of some sarcastic joke of him, mocking with those type of cliché video clips. But appaprently, it wasn't a joke and in fact, it was the central idea of everything about the show. It almost felt like Ricky Gervais was forced to make this project as a community service punishment of some sort, so he was only trying to get it over with it.

Comedy-wise, there weren't any moments in the show that I could say it was really funny. Only maybe, some naive situations and conversations that Derek's got into made me smile. I would just say "this was never meant to be a comedy, so it's fine", only if they didn't put those extra dorky characters into the show like Dougie and Kev. It is very obvious it was meant to be more comedy than a drama, and they were failed so bad at it. Unless of course, you find it funny that a twisted minded freak character (Kev) making sexually perverted comments every once a while, then you might be okay with the show.

Basically, they made a very bad job at combining drama and comedy in this title. They could easily make a brilliant full-length drama movie out of the story itself, without Ricky Gervais in front of the cameras.

I am a British born cynic and lover of biting comedy and satire, that is what I love and expect from Misters Gervaise and Pilkington and I must admit that the first episode left me feeling less than impressed. I kept waiting for a knowing wink,the shoe to drop, everything seemed so heartfelt and schmaltzy, surely there was a punch line?

Giving in to sincerity and allowing ourselves to be emotionally exposed in life is where the magic can happen, like falling in love we have to lower our guard and put our cynicism behind us. Derek wears it's heart on its sleeve and if you are brave enough to watch with your heart you will be richly rewarded.

Can't say enough about how amazing this series is. Takes 2 or 3 episodes to get it, but this series works on many levels: amusing, reassuring and touching in equal measure.

I think many people jumped to the wrong conclusion when hearing about the premise of Ricky Gervais' new show and it takes a couple of episodes to realise the profundity lurking in the confines of such a brave issue to tackle.

This could have fallen flat on its face, however the end result is a masterpiece.

Must see.

In Derek, the acting is phenomenal, the story is phenomenal, and the characters are...do I need to finish that sentence? It'll make you laugh, and ACTUALLY make you cry. This show is an original (not just a Netflix original). When I first saw a trailer for this, it appeared to me that it was going to be a dumb sitcom that uses a mentally handicapped main-character for cheap laughs. I couldn't be more wrong, the character's are interesting, unique, likable (usually) and very real. The structure and style alone make this TV show unlike any other. I'm shocked that this show actually has a rating below 9 stars, the first four episodes I've seen have been perfect. Derek isn't good, it's not great, it's marvelous.

Firstly, I'm well aware that Ricky Gervais's humour is not at all for everyone, but please, if anyone let's this jewel of a program slip them by because of that reason it's a very great shame! Personally I was always a big fan of Ricky Gervais. I remember when The Office first came out and was thoroughly impressed by, not just the wit and humour, but the direction and three dimensionality of the characters. Extras continued to show just how brilliant he could be as creator of top notch comedy, but with Derek he's pushed the envelope several degrees further and in a strikingly different direction.

It's billed as a comedy but is a difficult program to classify. Some have called it a comedy drama but I'd have to say it's in a genre all of it's own, with more moments that force the viewer into deep reflection than any kind of laughter and few moments that I can honestly call "drama". Though certain films are able to pull at my heart strings enough to leave me with a runny nose and a very sore face under the eyes, this program is one of very few I've seen that's able to do so during most episodes. Perhaps "bitter-sweet comedy" is a better description.

What continuously strikes me most about it is how it draws attention, so vividly and on a weekly basis, to the terrible way we in the western world treat our aged. All of the acting is of an extremely high standard, particularly Gervais' Derek and the superb Kerry Godliman as manager Hannah, with Gervais' particular style of hands off direction (which worked so well in The Office) his actors play their roles in a sublimely naturalistic way. The tenderness with which each of the residents stories is handled is truly breath-taking, with small (what in other shows might be out of place) montages depicting to the audience memories of past youthful days, scattered throughout the series. The music used in the series is also worth a mention adding poignancy to many of the scenes.

I saw an interview with Ricky and Stephen Merchant and he was describing how, in contrast to the Office consisting of in a large part, deception, Derek consists of sincerity. I can't ever remember seeing a more sincere television program, and have seen few films with a similar level of sincerity. If this program doesn't win numerous accolades then there's something very wrong in the world!

I know it sounds a bit cliché but it's the truth, and if that's what I feel then this series is very good indeed! I think that 'Derek' is very under rated, if people will give it a chance they will find all of the best that you can get from a TV series. 'Derek' is funny and touching just in the exact amount (I don't find it kitsch as some people may say). Ricky Gervais is doing a wonderful job with all the angles (direction, writing and acting). I personally enjoying mockumentary format such as: The Office (Gervais), Modern Family and I think that he did a great job here as well. The acting of all the cast is very good and authentic - If I wouldn't known any of them I might think it's a documentary show. Karl Pilkington makes me laugh so hard !!! Well... I usually avoid writing reviews because my English isn't the best, but I felt the need writing a review for this series. If you want some thing refreshing and different this is your show.

I give it 10/10. Great job Gervais and the cast (Also the old people! Salute!)

We have been watching this in lock down due to SARS-CoV-2. After the terrible death toll inflicted in our care homes this show was even more poignant than it was originally. I was alternately laughing and crying my eyes out. My respect for Mr Gervais has increased even higher than it was after his wonderful Golden Globes speech. It should be required viewing for everyone who dismisses the old and the vulnerable as acceptable collateral damage. Oh, and #BeKind

I found the show funny and has a dry sense of humour. The show is really good because of Ricky Gervais and how he has portrayed Derek and how good of a character he is, heart warming and funny, it is a good watch.

Ok I'm not a critic or anything like that I really.did not think much of RG but my God after watching this I have become a different person . . Ricky Gervais is so talented it's so unbelieveable (or believable). . . this series made me laugh..it made me cry. . it maybe me angry. . it made me sad . . it brought back fond memories of the of loved ones that have now departed . . Ricky Gervais You . . ARE THE MAN

I have mixed feelings about Ricky Gervais' work. I saw trailers for Derek and decided not to watch. Then I read a positive review in the Sydney Morning Herald and gave it a try.

What a superb series. Those who think it demeans the disabled or aged aren't paying attention or do not have the insight to understand. In my view this show celebrates both groups, I have extensive experience working with both aged and disabled people. Gervais celebrates them for what they are and what thy were, entertaining the same time. Well done Ricky Gervais, this series cements your reputation as both a cultural commentator and comic icon, possibly unequalled in your generation within the English speaking world.

Derek is one of those series where you watch a couple of minutes and have a laugh, but then get bored quite easily.

The majority of Ricky Gervais's stuff I rate highly but Derek is bang-on average and not one to be memorable in the future. Karl Pilkington's character Dougie was probably the best character in the series, but they had to drop the character due to Karl's request which was bitterly disappointing. The comedy is also mixed up sometimes, especially due to the environment being an old-peoples home and the majority of the humour has sexual references which doesn't really match. This may surprise a few users.

However, lets get on with the positives. Some parts of the series are hilarious and really drag you in. I've shown this series to other family members and they find it much more enjoyable than myself, so obviously they rate it highly. Some moments are well written such as emotional moments or even bizarre moments such as sucking alcohol off the carpet, which is obviously great.

Overall, I would recommend you try this series out because I believe the majority of you won't mind it especially if you enjoy other Ricky Gervais material, but it's not really my cup of tea.

Loved Ricky in Extras, so I feel quite mean in rating this show so low, but, for me, it just didn't work. Just like "Life's too short" almost every character, except for the stereotypical sex maniac, sounds like they are saying Ricky's lines, and ironically enough, because I think the "Modern Family" docu/drama style evolved from "The Office", this show - "Derek" clones the "Modern Family" style but lacks the humor. Ricky playing a "disabled" person comes across as exactly that - playing, not being. Just having your mouth open a bit, all the time, doesn't mean you are suffering from a mental illness and confirms just how good Dustin Hoffman" is for his amazing portrayal of someone with autism in the movie "Rain Man". Please note that when evaluating this review, I was only able to manage watching half of the first episode before switching it off.