Derek

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.

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.

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.

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.

Edit * I binged the whole series again this weekend ,still cried at parts and laughed as much as ever ,this gets better with age , it's innocence is lost nowadays ,2025 is not 2020 sadly ,if I could rate this 100 I would.

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 :)