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Ricky Gervais - After Life [split topic]

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

Previous topic - Next topic

Mr Farenheit

#780
I thought it was great, you get the usual Ricky poignancy and laughs like in Derek but now he's added retching and murder to the mix

Made a tribute with some of my favourite bits https://vimeo.com/326710965

samadriel



Lisa Jesusandmarychain

Quote from: samadriel on March 27, 2019, 02:42:09 AM
I think you meant this:  https://vimeo.com/326710965

[chuckle]

That is quite funny, and highlights what an unpleasant programme 'After Life' is (I've not seen it, and have no desire too ). How well does benchwidow know Ricky Gervais' character? What's she doing calling him lovely? He might be a right cunt for all she knows (and , indeed, he proves himself to be in those clips. Way to throw the word 'cunt" around too, Gervy, you old Edgemeister ( I believe it was used six times in the first episode. Top sweary Politico-Satirical comedy show used it about three times throughout the whole fucking run of series, to far greater and funnier effect )).

Crabwalk


Twit 2

I've been off work for a couple of days looking after my daughter. I'm so bored I'm considering hate watching the rest. So far I've managed 5 minutes of episode 1. Looking back now, I've been fairly depressed all winter so, with the spirit of nothing to lose, I'm going to allow myself to be sucked off into Gervais's comedic black hole. I've cooked a chicken kabsah and everything. I'll report back from the vortex.

I'M GOING IN

St_Eddie

NARRATOR: Twit 2 was never heard from again.

Tairy_Green

I like the bit where he wears a black v-neck t-shirt and says, "Brilliant."

Except he looks grumpy or angry when he says it, so you can tell he doesn't really think it's brilliant.

McFlymo

Quote from: samadriel on March 27, 2019, 02:42:09 AM
I think you meant this:  https://vimeo.com/326710965

[chuckle]

This made me laugh heartily, not in the sneery insincere way Gervais laughs when he is once again disappointed by the failings of all the mongs, prostitutes, junkies and trans people who he encounters, but in a genuine way, that made me even more happy that I didn't watch beyond episode 1.


St_Eddie

Quote from: Tairy_Green on March 27, 2019, 09:48:35 PM
I like the bit where he wears a black v-neck t-shirt and says, "Brilliant."

Except he looks grumpy or angry when he says it, so you can tell he doesn't really think it's brilliant.

Layers.  So many layers.

phes

He's donned that black v and perfected Louis CK's walk

St_Eddie

Quote from: phes on March 27, 2019, 11:57:13 PM
He's donned that black v and perfected Louis CK's walk

He walks the walk but can he wank the wank?

Twit 2

I guess it's been mentioned but the bit where the 'character' explains his MO to the newspaper boss is word for word Gervais's actual sociopathic view of the world, isn't it. It would fit with all the other narcissistic and grandiose behaviour. Maybe putting it in was his cry for help.

Well, it was a large kabsa and there were a coupla glasses of wine involved so I fell asleep before episode 1 was finished. I got as far as him entering the care home. I'll try again later.

Did Gervais intend this to be a comedy-drama? Obviously I don't find any of it funny, but did he intend some of it to be? I genuinely can't tell which are the jokes or things that are meant to land as comedy.

babsed

The office and Extras are comedy gold.  The rest of Gervais' output is to my mind sub-par.  He's an unlikable presence, very smug and overbearing.  But, he's created one iconic character and two very funny series.  What have most of us done?

St_Eddie

#794
Quote from: babsed on March 28, 2019, 07:42:38 AM
The office and Extras are comedy gold.  The rest of Gervais' output is to my mind sub-par.  He's an unlikable presence, very smug and overbearing.  But, he's created one iconic character and two very funny series.  What have most of us done?

So, what would you propose?  That he be exempt from criticism?  Like you, I also love The Office and Extras.  They're two of my favourite sitcoms.  On the other hand, I hate Derek with a fiery passion and to a lesser extent, After Life.  I will and do happily express my love for the former two and I will continue to express my hatred for the latter two.  That seems fair enough to me. 

If an artist releases a commercial work, then it's fair game for being critiqued and should be judged accordingly, as its own work, separate from the works which came before it.  No artist should ever be given a free pass and made bulletproof from all future criticism, based upon what they've created in the past.  Aside from anything else, it wouldn't be constructive.

phes

#795
 
Quote from: babsed on March 28, 2019, 07:42:38 AM
The office and Extras are comedy gold.  The rest of Gervais' output is to my mind sub-par.  He's an unlikable presence, very smug and overbearing.  But, he's created one iconic character and two very funny series.  What have most of us done?

Hello and welcome to the forum! I've spent my life working in mental health, substance misuse and oncology. Coincidentally pretty much the exact subject matter of Afterlife given that these fields are filled with hope, grief and everything in between. Like many I've seen countless friends, family and partners become acutely and chronically mentally unwell, take their own lives, kill themselves accidentally, and have their lives turned upside down or ended (some would argue prematurely) by cancer. If I were to ask myself  what have I done and perhaps by extension what qualifies me to comment critically on this (and in particular media portals of this) then I guess I could give that answer and I'm sure Ricky could say the same. But given criticism isn't a competition with entry requirements and comedy shouldn't be an industry where your current work is judged by the quality of your former work, I'd probably just say that what I've done  is noticed AfterLife is comically shit :-0

Mobius


rue the polywhirl

I personally have not made After Life or Derek so if two negatives cancel out the positives of Office and Extras I can safely say I've done as much for the good of comedy as Ricky Gervais.

St_Eddie

Quote from: rue the polywhirl on March 28, 2019, 10:49:01 AM
I personally have not made After Life or Derek so if two negatives cancel out the positives of Office and Extras I can safely say I've done as much for the good of comedy as Ricky Gervais.

Good point, well made.  You can't argue with logic like that.

Lisa Jesusandmarychain

It's nice how everyone , fans and detractors alike, have been drawing a discreet veil over " Life's Too Short " in the current argument.

" The Office " was overrated, badly written, vulgar rubbish, btw; and " Extras" , with its " Curb Your Enthusiasm " without the impressively arcing storylines vibe and central, inconsistent character of dislikeable homophobe Andy Milman really wasn't much cop, either
( Also , forgot to write the title " The Thick Of It " in my previous post on 'ere, soz. )

St_Eddie

Quote from: Lisa Jesusandmarychain on March 28, 2019, 11:48:16 AM
It's nice how everyone , fans and detractors alike, have been drawing a discreet veil over " Life's Too Sort " in the current argument.

For me, it's because I'm so very ambivalent towards it.  For the most part it's inoffensive and low key.  Kinda bland and uninteresting.  Then something incredibility mean spirited will happen, which leaves me feeling uncomfortable but then the occasional scene will crop up which I find to be hilarious.  It was sort of difficult to include that kind of show within my summery of Gervais(/Merchant) shows which I either loved or hated because it's sits right between the two extremes; alone in a desolate no-man's land of comedy.

Bronzy

Quote from: babsed on March 28, 2019, 07:42:38 AM
The office and Extras are comedy gold.  The rest of Gervais' output is to my mind sub-par.  He's an unlikable presence, very smug and overbearing.  But, he's created one iconic character and two very funny series.  What have most of us done?

I'm assuming you mean Stephen Merchant?

RenegadeScrew

Quote from: babsed on March 28, 2019, 07:42:38 AM
The office and Extras are comedy gold.  The rest of Gervais' output is to my mind sub-par.  He's an unlikable presence, very smug and overbearing.  But, he's created one iconic character and two very funny series.  What have most of us done?

I don't personally agree with your first sentence but I'd imagine a lot of those who do would find Gervais' recent output and/or decline even more perplexing.  I wouldn't put The Office anywhere near my top 10 but I've never seen anything like Derek before.  To describe Derek as sub-par is a massive understatement.  It's not even a pisspoor sitcom like Lee Mack's thing or Mrs Brown's Boys, it's just completely bizarre.

This new thing (i've not watched it) seems to be much of the same really.  I think it's supposed to be a poor knock-off of Curb but who knows.

QDRPHNC

Quote from: babsed on March 28, 2019, 07:42:38 AM
But, he's created one iconic character and two very funny series.  What have most of us done?

Far more important things than that?

kalowski


phes

In one of my favourite pubs without my headphones and some actual grown ups on the next table, people with jobs and money and clothes and expensive spectacles, are singing the praises of the cathartic, artistic and very human AfterLife. Also Derek, and Life's too Short.

Pub is fucking ruined

Quote from: babsed on March 28, 2019, 07:42:38 AM
The office and Extras are comedy gold.  The rest of Gervais' output is to my mind sub-par.  He's an unlikable presence, very smug and overbearing.  But, he's created one iconic character and two very funny series.  What have most of us done?

Quote from: Bronzy on March 28, 2019, 12:06:06 PM
I'm assuming you mean Stephen Merchant?

I haven't done him.

Chriddof

Quote from: Mr Farenheit on March 27, 2019, 01:54:39 AM
Made a tribute with some of my favourite bits

I was inspired by that to make my own... tribute.

https://vimeo.com/327203214

Noodle Lizard

I'm watching Life's Too Short again, which I don't think I've seen since it aired.  Struggling to get through the second episode.  I hated it at the time, and probably hate it even more now with the hindsight of Gervais's career after it.  Although Derek is probably worse overall, it's so fascinatingly bizarre that it deserves attention, but Life's Too Short was just embarrassingly bad, and oddly grim as well.

#809
I think comedy fans expect too much of Gervais. It's like the rock band which begins it's career with the great debut album, you at best can hope for one or two good songs from subsequent albums but you're never going to be able to recapture the magic. The band will also sully that debut album by releasing mediocre material and tarnishing the debut album with Christmas specials and a movie spin-off. Later American bands will copy your template and at first reach the dizzy heights but soon over egg the pudding with too many albums.