Derek: The Special (Xmas Watchalong)

[Elderly Sumo Prophecy]

I remember Kev getting over his chronic alcoholism by cleverly switching to orange juice at the Christmas party, without any subsequent withdrawal symptoms like delerium tremens, despite nearly dieing in a skip a day or so earlier.

[TommyTurnips]

Remember when Kev went to hospital and his mad family turned up to visit him? His dad was being pushed around in a wheel barrow. Sat round his bed drinking turbo juice they all were. This post doesn't really have much of a point, just remembering the madness.

[frajer]

Oh yeah and they all just silently point at their crotches for what feels like hours. Because that's their "sign."

Feels strange that I'm not posting the above to HS Art but that's the power of Derek for you.

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

Remember when Kev went to hospital and his mad family turned up to visit him? His dad was being pushed around in a wheel barrow. Sat round his bed drinking turbo juice they all were. This post doesn't really have much of a point, just remembering the madness.

It really was an incredible show. A singular vision, the likes of which comes but once in a lifetime.

[Noodle Lizard]

The bit that sticks most in my mind is Derek getting all pissy about toast at the start of the second act. High-octane television.

Closely preceding this is a bit in a caravan where Derek gets briefly possessed by Ricky Gervais.

[Noodle Lizard]

I'm really sorry to say, but I will actually be up a mountain at the designated time. Last minute change of plans with the family, and for some reason they didn't seem to care when I explained that it would interfere with Derkemas.

Hopefully someone can take the reins, and I'll catch up later. It's really important that this happens.

[Catalogue Trousers]

Heh - it looks as though, in anticipation, some naughty folks have been amending Derke's Wikipedia page once more:

Derek forms an entertainment committee to plan a cabaret show at Broad Hill. Kev tries to produce Boys on Film, a play of his Duran Duran film script - casting himself, staff, and residents as the band. Kev and Derek tell jokes, although matters are derailed momentarily when, after impersonating a Dalek, Derek starts to banter innocently about mass murder. Deon, on a community service after his conviction for stealing shoes from a shop, performs 'rap music' about working at the home.

[Elderly Sumo Prophecy]

I'm really sorry to say, but I will actually be up a mountain at the designated time. Last minute change of plans with the family, and for some reason they didn't seem to care when I explained that it would interfere with Derkemas.

Hopefully someone can take the reins, and I'll catch up later. It's really important that this happens.

That's no excuse, you could take a tablet up there. If the mountain won't come to Derek, then Derek must go to the mountain.

[TommyTurnips]

Derek loves mountains. They're his favouritest thing after Robbie Williams and Jesus.

[Jumblegraws]

Heh - it looks as though, in anticipation, some naughty folks have been amending Derke's Wikipedia page once more:

The "rap-music" bit deserves to be bolded too

[Wayman C. McCreery]

Heh - it looks as though, in anticipation, some naughty folks have been amending Derke's Wikipedia page once more:

Haha! I only ever hatewatched a few episodes, so I was reading the summaries at 3am when I couldn't sleep and assumed the Dalek thing was real.

In my defence, anything is possible in a show with this in:

In the home's garden, Derek licks a toad after Kev suggests it. Derek wants to save the life of a baby bird fallen from a tree. He phones 999 for an ambulance. One of the paramedics tells him it is dead.

[Jumblegraws]

Haha! I only ever hatewatched a few episodes, so I was reading the summaries at 3am when I couldn't sleep and assumed the Dalek thing was real.

He actually does do a Dalek impression but  the punchline is that he anticipates the oldies' recognition and plays on it it by claiming the impersonation is meant to be Stephen Hawking. For you see, this quasi-disabled golem of kindness who is depicted struggling with the concept of object permanence two episodes previously is actually canny enough to do dark comedy about actually disabled people. This is definitely the skilful subversion of audience expectation and not just lazy, inconsistent writing.

[Ferris]

In the home's garden, Derek licks a toad after Kev suggests it. Derek wants to save the life of a baby bird fallen from a tree. He phones 999 for an ambulance. One of the paramedics tells him it is dead.

Literally no idea if this is real or not. Like... genuinely can't tell.

[Jumblegraws]

Literally no idea if this is real or not. Like... genuinely can't tell.

Yup, that all happened. I had more time for Kev in series 1 relative to other hate-watchers because he was the only character from the main cast who would openly mistreat and antagonise Derek. In addition to the toad-licking, he also taunts Derek in that ep by sneering "someone's going to jail" when it becomes apparent that Del has summoned an ambulance to tend to a (dead) bird. Genuinely makes me smile and it's the closest I get to sincere appreciation of the show.

[BritishHobo]

I'm so glad I'm not alone! I know I had clear bias because I was getting obsessed with David Earl and his Brian Gittins radio show at the time, but I maintain that Kev tricking Derek into licking the toad is one of the few unironically funny moments in the show.

[Jumblegraws]

I maintain that Kev tricking Derek into licking the toad is one of the few unironically funny moments in the show.

Something I don't think was ever mentioned in the original Derek threads: after licking the toad, Derek shuffles on over to Dougie and snitches on Kev in the most snivelling manner possible. Cunt. Derek is easily the fictional character I despise most. I wish he'd been eaten alive by starved dogs instead of Ramsay Bolton.

[easytarget]

Unless I've made a mistake, the original air time of 10pm GMT would be 2pm my time and 6pm yours. Works alright for me!

I'm up for this. I've never seen Derek and no almost nothing about it - so strap in for some ignorant opinions.

We're just going to shitpost in this thread? Or is there a clique chatroom/AIM/Slack/Telegram?

[Barry Admin]

This thread.

[easytarget]

Thanks boss.

All cued up.

Let's do this terrible thing.

[easytarget]

he really fancies himself as a musician doesn't he?

[easytarget]

If this is a prank to make me watch this maudlin, first-draft, bullshit on my own then... well played.

[drummersaredeaf]

I'm in too. First time I've seen it. Bailed after the first episode way back when, and after the song I feel 2012 me had better judgement.

[frajer]

I love how in the talking head bits Gervais almost entirely gives up the Derek voice and just rattles his lines out in a Brent/Millman/Gervais mash-up.

[easytarget]

I think Jasper Carrott hit the "moths during the day" joke better about 30 years ago, but I'm being very picky.

[Jackson K Pollock]

Oh crud, I thought this was tomorrow for some reason. And we just cancelled Netflix, so I'm having to boot up All 4 with all of its ads.

So I'm in, against my better judgement, but my comments will be about 15 mins or more behind everyone else.

Let the madness begin!

EDIT : which episode are we watching - the pilot?

[frajer]

First genuine laugh at David Earl miming tossing someone off while scrubbing shit off a toilet bowl. "It's coming off a treat that."

The rest has felt like a bizarre fever dream. Completely forgot Derek goes on a date with someone who isn't as, erm, kind as him.

[easytarget]

This is hard work.

Do you think they did any retakes for this or did they just capture all the magic first time?

Was the pitch "Curb - but no-one knows how to make a television program"?

[easytarget]

Oh crud, I thought this was tomorrow for some reason. And we just cancelled Netflix, so I'm having to boot up All 4 with all of its ads.

So I'm in, against my better judgement, but my comments will be about 15 mins or more behind everyone else.

Let the madness begin!

EDIT : which episode are we watching - the pilot?

xmas special chief - "season 3" according to Netflix.

There's only 12 episodes and a special because it's as valuable and respected and Fawlty fucking Towers.

[frajer]

That bread/toast bit is clearly an actual conversation Gervais has had with some long-suffering sod in his life.

Kindness is when you pedantically berate someone into making you toast.

[Jackson K Pollock]

xmas special chief - "season 3" according to Netflix.

There's only 12 episodes and a special because it's as valuable and respected and Fawlty fucking Towers.

Ah cheers, doesn't seem to be on All 4 so looks like I'm going to have to sign back up to Netflix...