Tip jar

If you like CaB and wish to support it, you can use PayPal or KoFi. Thank you, and I hope you continue to enjoy the site - Neil.

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

Support CaB

Recent

Welcome to Cook'd and Bomb'd. Please login or sign up.

March 28, 2024, 07:10:28 PM

Login with username, password and session length

Ricky Gervais - After Life [split topic]

Started by ramsobot, February 22, 2019, 05:39:11 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

Ballad of Ballard Berkley

In vaguely related news, Stephen Merchant is playing real-life serial killer Stephen Port, aka The Grindr Killer, in a new BBC drama. His career and Gervais' have taken very different paths, haven't they?

https://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2019-03-24/first-look-at-stephen-merchant-as-real-life-serial-killer-stephen-port-in-bbcs-the-barking-murders/

The real reason I'm mentioning this, though, is to highlight how odd that Radio Times article is. You'd think the angle would be that funnyman Stephen Merchant is playing a dramatic role for the very first time. Not only that, he's playing a serial killer, but the article doesn't suggest that this is in any way out of the ordinary for him.

imitationleather

Quote from: Ballad of Ballard Berkley on March 25, 2019, 12:48:37 AM
In vaguely related news, Stephen Merchant is playing real-life serial killer Stephen Port, aka The Grindr Killer, in a new BBC drama. His career and Gervais' have taken very different paths, haven't they?

https://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2019-03-24/first-look-at-stephen-merchant-as-real-life-serial-killer-stephen-port-in-bbcs-the-barking-murders/

The real reason I'm mentioning this, though, is to highlight how odd that Radio Times article is. You'd think the angle would be that funnyman Stephen Merchant is playing a dramatic role for the very first time. Not only that, he's playing a serial killer, but the article doesn't suggest that this is in any way out of the ordinary for him.

On the face of it this might sound like a weird choice. But my word he is a bit of a dead ringer for Stephen Port, isn't he?

Ballad of Ballard Berkley

I dunno, there's a certain resemblance, but the real Port looked more like Will Self. Therefore they should've cast Will Self, as that would be amazing.

It's certainly an interesting career choice for Merchant, though. 

Mobius

It's nice to see Merchant doing things like that sweet Xmas special with Chabuddy G, a well received movie about an English wrestler and challenging roles like this Grindr killer, whilst Ricky creates total fucking shit

Ballad of Ballard Berkley

Quote from: Mobius on March 25, 2019, 02:38:13 AM
It's nice to see Merchant doing things like that sweet Xmas special with Chabuddy G, a well received movie about an English wrestler and challenging roles like this Grindr killer, whilst Ricky creates total fucking shit

And you can bet your arse that Gervais is acutely aware of the plaudits Merchant has received since their split.

Hello Ladies wasn't great - it was nice enough, fairly amusing - but no one watched it thinking, "This is fucking shit, the man has lost his mind." That recent Christmas special was, as you say, really quite sweet and entertaining, his wrestling film - which I haven't seen - has been a big critical and commercial hit, and he's possibly about to show off his acting range in a prestigious Jeff Pope-penned BBC drama about a serial killer.

It must boil Gervais' piss.

imitationleather

Quote from: Ballad of Ballard Berkley on March 25, 2019, 02:03:31 AM
I dunno, there's a certain resemblance, but the real Port looked more like Will Self. Therefore they should've cast Will Self, as that would be amazing.

It's certainly an interesting career choice for Merchant, though.

I dunno, when Merchant shaved his head for The Crystal Maze episode he presented he did look quite a bit like Port. Which I guess is me gently saying that the shaved head look didn't suit him at all.

Ballad of Ballard Berkley

The big question is this: will he shave off his hair again for this role? He's wearing a wig a la Port in that publicity pic, but it might be disguising his actual hair underneath. Will he sport a bald cap for certain scenes?

This is more interesting than discussing After Life.

olliebean

I'd have thought he'd be hard pressed to justify being willing to shave it for, essentially, a laugh in the Crystal Maze revival, but not for authenticity in a legit drama.

The Bumlord

He shaved it for Logan didn't he?

The Crystal Maze gig was a happy coincidence.

phes


Pancake


Sin Agog

Quote from: Ballad of Ballard Berkley on March 25, 2019, 03:11:22 AM
The big question is this: will he shave off his hair again for this role? He's wearing a wig a la Port in that publicity pic, but it might be disguising his actual hair underneath. Will he sport a bald cap for certain scenes?

This is more interesting than discussing After Life.

I know this is sub-Heat shit, but Smerch has definitely had plugs at some point in the last few years.  Got to spend that Office money on something.

madhair60

If it turns out he killed his wife I will be back on board.

Spoon of Ploff

Season 2: Opening Scene. We see Tony lying in bed staring at the laptop that's balancing on his gut. He is disheveled.  Cut to a view of the laptop screen. An Alsatian sits staring back at the viewer. It barks and whines as if imparting some doggy wisdom. There's a tube attached to it's shoulder, possibly delivering pain killing drugs. Cut to Tony looking up, his eyes are wet, he spots a dog collar and lead lying on the floor. He stifles a sob. There's the sound of post being pushed through a letter box. Tony becomes steely eyed...

madhair60

Christ, think about it though. Think about how little happened in After Life. And then think about how little will happen in After Life II. A second series. Of that.

BritishHobo

How the fuck is that a cliffhanger? Has he ever seen anything with a cliffhanger before?

St_Eddie

#766
Quote from: BritishHobo on March 25, 2019, 12:36:16 PM
How the fuck is that a cliffhanger? Has he ever seen anything with a cliffhanger before?

My thoughts exactly.  The Empire Strikes Back ends on a cliffhanger.  Yoda tells Obi-Wan that "there is another".  Han is frozen in carbonite and on his way to being delivered to Jabba the Hutt.  Luke has just found out that Darth Vader is his father.  The Empire still rules the galaxy and the rebels have suffered a major blow.

Whereas, at the end of the first series of After Life, Tony has realised the error of his ways, made amends with those around him and has started the process of moving on from his deceased wife, by way of going on a date with Emma.  It's all horribly executed but that's a textbook happily-ever-after ending.

A cliffhanger by definition should leave the audience hungry for more; a resolution to the dangling plot threads.

Gervais is clueless.

Sin Agog


marquis_de_sad

By 'cliffhanger' he means he got a second series.

St_Eddie

Quote from: Sin Agog on March 25, 2019, 01:32:00 PM
It could be a really low cliff.


Quote from: marquis_de_sad on March 25, 2019, 01:38:12 PM
By 'cliffhanger' he means he got a second series.

Yes, we're aware of that.  That's not what the definition of a 'cliffhanger' is though.

marquis_de_sad

Quote from: St_Eddie on March 25, 2019, 01:45:38 PM

Yes, we're aware of that.  That's not what the definition of a 'cliffhanger' is though.

Yes, I'm aware of that.

Cuellar

It should have ended with a shot of Tony as through a sniper's scope - the scope is lowered, we see not dead at all wife up a clocktower with a high-powered rifle trained on the troubled newspaperman. She gives a wry smirk as if to say, 'Not yet, Anthony. Not yet'. She then looks down and pats....

TONY'S DOG

phes

I Guess in Gervais mind the cliffhanger is whether that date will solidify the revelation and redemption and help him to claw his way out from grief and depression. The real cliffhanger is where is he hiding the water and when will he chuck it in her face.

I think he's been collecting his tears in one of those trendy water bottles. He'll buy her an ice-cream, ask her to pose for a photo then chuck it in her face. Who's the cunt now, eh

Pancake

The first episode of the second series begins with Tony date-raping the old peoples home girl, it turns out he's not as reformed as we the viewer was lead to believe.

He then learns the meaning of happiness via a succession of increasingly less violent prison based shower scenes, culminating in him finally learning to enjoy it and being taken as a wife by the hardest one.

kngen

Quote from: Pancake on March 25, 2019, 03:03:28 PM
The first episode of the second series begins with Tony date-raping the old peoples home girl, it turns out he's not as reformed as we the viewer was lead to believe.

He then learns the meaning of happiness via a succession of increasingly less violent prison based shower scenes, culminating in him finally learning to enjoy it and being taken as a wife by the hardest one.

I'm now imagining Gervais as David Mamet's Edmond, but giving a knowing, Brentian look to camera everytime he says something racist. It's a more enjoyable image than After Life or William H Macy's movie portrayal, it has to be said, and I kind of want to see it for realz..

St_Eddie


BritishHobo

It's just not a cliffhanger. He thinks it is, because Tony says he's got a superpower at the end. Gervais thinks it's like Tony Stark revealing his superhero identity at the end of Iron Man, but it's not. It's an ending, not a set up. A real, proper cliffhanger would be set-up. It would be Tony going to the old people's home to meet his date, but it's empty and all the lights are off. He wanders the corridors, skin crawling, occasionally turning at the sound of shuffling, just too late to catch a hunched shadow disappearing around a corner. He's not scared because he thinks he's being chased. He's scared because he thinks he's being led. A mouse in a maze. A lamb to the slaughter.

Eventually he finds himself in the lounge, a large room for all the residents to relax and enjoy themselves. But there's no enjoyment here. It's empty as well. Well - almost empty. There! In a chair, in the corner, there's a low figure, shrouded in shadow. Its head is dipped low. Next to it sits a large animal, and the figure pets it, in slow, steady rhythm. It's a dog. Except - no... maybe it's just the darkness playing tricks, but the dog looks off. Uncanny. It's too big, and it looks angular. It's a monstrosity. Dread runs through Tony, his stomach roils with horror.

"Who- who are you?" He stammers. Pitiful, pathetic.

The figure's head snaps up. "Tony," it booms. "You think you're the only superhero in the world? There are more superpowers than meanness. You're not the first."

"Wh- what do you want?"

The figure lurches to its feet. Tony flinches in fear. A tense, sinister music strikes up. The figure takes slow, shuffling steps forward. The light from a Mac computer falls across its face (a YouTube video is playing, of two hamsters sharing a grape). Its jaw juts out, its eyes hold him in their intense, unknowable stare. The music swells to a powerful crescendo.

"Tony," the figure says. "I wants to talk to you about the Kindness Initiative."

CUT TO BLACK

St_Eddie

After Life by way of M. Night Shyamalan.  The DCU (Derek Cinematic Universe).

BritishHobo

Fucking think of it. Derek has the power of kindness. Tony has the power of saying whatever he likes - a blunt honesty. The bloke from The Invention of Lying has the opposite power. He can say whatever he wants, because he can tell any lie, and folks'll believe it. Your ghost dentist man sees ghosts. Brent's on guitar.

I see Derek and Tony as the Captain America and Iron Man of the group. They both work for good but their conflicting methods cause friction. Derek's a boy-scout, he wants to do the right thing, but Tony's built to tackle problems with crassness, violence, an edge. It'll all end in tears come Civil War, when Derek twats Tony with a big metal spade from space.

BritishHobo

They tried to get Andy Milman but it's all a bit beneath him.