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March 28, 2024, 05:09:58 PM

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Ricky Gervais's After Life series 3 [split topic]

Started by Cursus, July 23, 2020, 09:33:21 PM

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paruses

Quote from: Blue Jam on November 12, 2021, 12:46:05 PM
I hate-watched series 1 and it was bizarre but not quite Derke-level bizarre, not enough to be entertainingly "WTF?". I also sat through the opening episode of series 2 and that was enough, it was just a bit too dull to continue with.

Overall this show is really just too boring to inspire any strong feelings. It's more fun to hate-read all the inexplicable praise it gets from his followers on Twitter and see how they obediently dogpile onto any dissenters.

Same for me.

I did like the perversity of identifying where and why it's wrong /just not good enough but there was always something that eluded me. It's just occurred to me that it's like a comedy attempt at one of those Harlan Coben adaptations - set in England but at the same time not recognisable. It seems to be set in what Americans think an English town is like.

colacentral

I reckon someone will be a cunt and he'll call them a cunt.

Jumblegraws

Quote from: FerriswheelBueller on November 12, 2021, 01:25:15 PM
I couldn't even make it through the tedious insanity of Derke. Something this beige had no chance.

I've just remembered the gag where The Rickster sat in a pie and that was the whole thing. What a mess that show was.
How dare you. It was crumble.

Twonty Gostelow

Quote from: Jumblegraws on November 14, 2021, 12:18:16 PM
How dare you. It was crumble.

Pie wouldn't have been funny. And there was custard on top of the crumble as well!! Gervais knows what he's doing.

Blue Jam

Been listening to the Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend podcast lately and thought I'd give the Ricky Gervais one a hate-listen. I'm mildly annoyed to report that it was a good listen and he comes across surprisingly well. Lots of interesting stuff about the intricacies of constructing jokes and the reasons why things are funny.

There's a bit where he talks about Tony from After Life as this man who wants to lash out and be misanthropic but can't because he has a conscience and he's just too nice. I would have found that interesting if only I didn't know how at odds that desription is with the actual show that I have seen.

Always amusing to hear him talk about his great friend David Bough-ie as well.

frajer

Quote from: Blue Jam on November 18, 2021, 05:42:03 PMThere's a bit where he talks about Tony from After Life as this man who wants to lash out and be misanthropic but can't because he has a conscience and he's just too nice. I would have found that interesting if only I didn't know how at odds that desription is with the actual show that I have seen.

There's definitely a good version of After Life to be made from the concept, but the writing is the laziest boring shit I can think of in a modern sitcom.

It's just so limited in scope, and churned out in the most autopilot way possible. The constant straw characters he sets up just so he can "eviscerate" them and walk away going "thus I win" is painful but even worse is having every character he meets call him the kindest, most decent man they've ever met. It's bizarre, but not in a fascinating Derek way.

dissolute ocelot

Quote from: Twonty Gostelow on November 14, 2021, 12:22:39 PMPie wouldn't have been funny. And there was custard on top of the crumble as well!! Gervais knows what he's doing.
Crumble is funny if he stands up and you see his bum has crumble on it. Pie is funny if you see the busted pie afterwards. Choux pastries would be funny if he sat down and a jet of cream shot out. WHICH WAS IT?

Blue Jam

Quote from: frajer on November 19, 2021, 11:18:59 AMThere's definitely a good version of After Life to be made from the concept, but the writing is the laziest boring shit I can think of in a modern sitcom.

I remember Chris Morris coming up with an idea for a hidden camera show called "It's Alright, He's Got Cancer", in which a man would prank unsuspecting members of the public and at the point where someone lost their rageand was about to hit him the camera crew would jump out and shout those words in the title. I think that was in Second Class Male (FAKE EDIT: Here, and it looks like "It's OK, He's About To Top Himself" was another idea of Morris's) and Richard Geefe/The Suicide Jornalist himself was a not dissimilar idea.

The idea that staring death in the face gives someone the superpower of being able to do what they want without fear is an interesting one, but the reality of Tony using that "superpower" to... call a small child a cunt is so much less impressive. That's not fearlessness, it's pettiness. It's not even amusingly petty, in the way that George Spiggot in Bedazzled (1967) (for example) is.

Falling Down is almost certainly an inspiration for After Life, being about a man with nothing more to lose, but shooting guns and stabbing neo-nazis and stealing a rocket launcher is a lot more reckless and unhinged and interesting than bullying a stressed-out waitress into serving you some fishfingers.

frajer

Quote from: Blue Jam on November 19, 2021, 01:37:30 PMThe idea that staring death in the face gives someone the superpower of being able to do what they want without fear is an interesting one, but the reality of Tony using that "superpower" to... call a small child a cunt is so much less impressive. That's not fearlessness, it's pettiness. It's not even amusingly petty, in the way that George Spiggot in Bedazzled (1967) (for example) is.

Falling Down is almost certainly an inspiration for After Life, being about a man with nothing more to lose, but shooting guns and stabbing neo-nazis and stealing a rocket launcher is a lot more reckless and unhinged and interesting than bullying a stressed-out waitress into serving you some fishfingers.

Yeah it really is absurdly unimaginative.

Also there is the creepy idea that the Gervais character has gained a "superpower" beyond us mere mortals, and the implication that we'd all be calling people fat cunts and nonces if we didn't have to face consequences. Plus the fact he chooses to turn up to his easy job but do as little work as possible because if anyone dares ask him to put some fucking effort in, he'll just go and kill himself. Just don't fucking go into work mate! Oh wait, I forgot, he needs coins for dog food.

Anyway I digress, in summary he really is the kindest man.

idunnosomename

Maybe in this one he will discover Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Then call Him a nonce and tell Him to fuck off

frajer

I know he has said the dog won't die, but I genuinely can't think of what else could happen.

Series 1 had him being mopey and aggressive for every episode and didn't really feel it needed a plot because it was still a "novelty" so he just stomped around for 6 episodes bullying everyone and killing a drug addict and clobbering youths with tin cans but not getting in any bother somehow.

Series 2 had the businessman (in his suit and tie) threatening to close down the free local paper that somehow employs dozens of people, until Tony kindly educated him that it would be a really kind thing to keep that money-pit going where he regularly did fuck all for an apparently decent wage.

Series 3, he decides to master the dark arts and resurrect his wife and causes an apocalypse in Little-Richard-Curtis-on-the-Wold?

TommyTurnips

Quote from: frajer on November 19, 2021, 05:26:38 PMI know he has said the dog won't die, but I genuinely can't think of what else could happen.

Keep watching.



Nnnnnh, soul shriveling.
Too cringey for me, dad. Sorry, had to bail about a third of the way in.
Couldn't even be arsed to come up with a catchy tune or noffing. Prick just doesn't care nowadays.

Cuellar

[Peter Sissons voice]
Jeesus christ
[/Peter Sissons voice]

frajer

Haha bloody hell that's rotten.

Also the nerve of saying it was written by Ricky Gervais and Andy Burrows when it was clearly autogenerated by a beige robot.

Cold Meat Platter

From Chortle:

Speaking to The Sun about his new song, Gervais said: 'I'm worried about putting it out because I'm embarrassed as it's a real song.

'I can put out ironic songs as David Brent but I haven't written a serious song in 40 years, so I'm thinking, "What if it's crap?" — but it's not, it's really good.'

'You're worried about the critical reaction more than when you're being stupid, because when you're being stupid and somebody goes, "That's rubbish' you're like, 'I don't give a fuck". If you're being really serious and someone says, "It's rubbish', you go, "Fuck, is it?"'

Mobius

all of the replies on youtube saying how amazing it is...

unbelievable. how did this man create The Office....

Dickie_Anders

His Dad said "we're rich as hell"? Why does he talk like someone out of an American film?

I thought the joke with Brent was that he sings in cliches. His Dad told him "It's hard to fulfil your dreams", "you just need someone to love" and "happiness is more important than money". His Dad speaks like every popular song or film ever made. I hate his Dad. Get an original saying you poor cunt



BritishHobo

Holy shit that is wank. The guy who always used to smugly boast about not making your art middle-of-the-road really seems to genuinely believe Derek and this are his best work. I mean... 'I'm thinking, "What if it's crap?" — but it's not, it's really good.' Really good! It's half a fucking song! It dirges along for a bit and then just stops. I'm convinced that everything he's done since Extras has been first-draft-and-done. Polish is for people less innately talented than him.

Love to see Ricky Gervais smile sadly at a child with cancer before a scene where Brian Gittins looms over a bloke in a bath.

Ferris

Bloody hell that's poor. I went into this thinking "it'll be shit" but I had no idea. Incredible.

selectivememory


Ballad of Ballard Berkley

Holy mother of Christ. How can he think that's good? I know we're talking about a man who thinks Derek and After Life are good, but... how?!

I actually think some of the songs he wrote for Brent are pretty good. They're catchy, memorable. That's just a half-arsed sliver of generic, mawkish MOR crap.

Noodle Lizard

What on earth? Is that the full song as well? It's not even two minutes long (thankfully).

There also appears to be a line across the top third of the video, but that's the least of its worries.

Mr Farenheit

This has to be Christmas number one!

Is he doing this so it can be played on the show and he therefore gets more Netflix money for the licensing?

chveik


kalowski

When I was young I asked my dad
Why being poor didn't make him sad