You’ve put into words exactly how I feel about this show. The idea that Ricky is just living out those shower arguments you have in your heard is spot on. And your description of his new target audience as the “live, laugh, love” and “gin o’clock” crowd is incredibly on the nose.

@mankytoes

2 жыл бұрын

I like the woman who always gives the kind of straw man arguments atheists make for religious people, so Ricky can state basic atheist ideas like he's a genius. I'm an atheist too, but I try to be less obnoxious than Ricky. And I've never had a religious person in England get in my face about it. Maybe he should set his show in Alabama if he wants to be able to act like this.

@famalam943

Жыл бұрын

Yeah I thought exactly the same. Felt it was just self indulgent Ricky’s personal rants stitched together. Which is fine if it’s done well… but it wasn’t done well. It was literal cut/paste

"Live, laugh, love, prosseco party chocoholic, 'dogs are better than people' gin-o-clock type people" is a quote for the ages!

@eeZcrew

2 жыл бұрын

topshop

You have no idea how much of a relief it is to hear someone say this, I don’t understand why so many people think this is a good show

@cooolsimon282

Жыл бұрын

Season 1 was decent, 2 was ok. 3 was absolute dross

@PomBare

Жыл бұрын

@@cooolsimon282 I couldn't have loathed season 1 more, so I didn't watch 2 and 3 - if it gets worse then my god.

@buzzytrombone4353

Жыл бұрын

They claim it saved their lives

Great review as always. That Frankie Boyle joke from a few years ago gets more real after each one of Ricky’s new projects: ‘I don't watch Derek and think “this is terrible” - I watch it and think “Stephen Merchant is really funny”’

@kieranwhite6647

2 жыл бұрын

'I don't need Ricky Gervais to tell me that God doesn't exist when I watch Derek get recommissioned twice'

@TheLowest

11 ай бұрын

Funnily enough i usually think "this is terrible" when watching anything with frankie boyle in it. Guys got the humour of a 12 year old on call of duty. "Hey everybody, cancer. Get it!!"

@Skotswyrth

7 ай бұрын

@@TheLowest Yeah the guy is still riding his early Mock the Week fame/notoriety (if he's even still about) and to be fair he was very funny on that show.

@SpeedBoost

15 күн бұрын

Frankie Boyle is a has-been who walked back all of the jokes that made him famous and now is just bitter that no one cares about him anymore.

Back when I was on Twitter, I posted something along the lines of "I like Ricky Gervais, his shows are great, but he can be quite bullish and obnoxious sometimes". Within hours, Gervais himself liked my tweet. I was surprised and confused, so I checked his Liked Tweets and literally every one of them were negative comments about himself, ranging from genuine hatred to constructive criticism with clearly no malice intended, all lumped together. I didn't even include his Twitter handle in my comment, so there's no way he would've been notified about it, he would've had to have typed his own name into the searchbar to find it. Gervais was trying to prove how little he cares about other people's opinions of him by...actively rooting out their opinions and cataloguing them, whether or not they're actually negative.

The people who love Afterlife are the people who have barely seen anything of Ricky outside of maybe catching a few episodes of the office. A lot of Ricky’s material in Afterlife is playing on conversations he’s had with Stephen Merchant and Karl Pilkington years ago

@forestsunset9617

7 ай бұрын

i.e. not his ideas

Totally agree. One of the most overrated shows in recent memory. The lack of subtlety in cramming situations into the story for Gervais to repeat the same old monologues and debates he’s been having for a decade followed by swear words because they’re apparently funny are cringe inducing. Very good review

@mozb87

2 жыл бұрын

Agree except its been way longer than one decade at this point, check out his routines from the 11 o clock show...

@davidz3879

2 жыл бұрын

He's a great advocate for atheism & animal rights. He doesn't give in to the woke/PC brigade.

@mozb87

2 жыл бұрын

@@davidz3879 found Ricky Gervais

@davidz3879

2 жыл бұрын

@@mozb87 No, one of his millions of fans.

@ChaunceyPendicott

2 жыл бұрын

@@davidz3879 *coming home to find my wife has left me* I bet the so-called PC woke brigade are responsible for this

When you compare this to Stephen Merchant’s The Outlaws, you can tell who really was the brains behind The Office

@MinecraftClub1234

Жыл бұрын

who?

@Tomversal

Ай бұрын

​@@MinecraftClub1234 Stephen Merchant

@FutureAbe

18 күн бұрын

So true

@nkenchington6575

13 күн бұрын

@@MinecraftClub1234 Ronny Pickering

@davekennedy6315

2 күн бұрын

​@@nkenchington6575who? "Ronnie Pickering!" Who's that?

Like everyone else here, absolutely agree with you. Funny to find a community of people who have exceptionally similar tastes in comedy. I'd be willing to bet we all started out watching The Office/Extras/Peep Show, consumed the XFM radio shows/podcasts, as you said in the last video you uploaded, even listening to them as we fell asleep for months on end, returning on and off to that pattern. Give or take some comedy writers: Coogan, Iannuci, Morris/Beesley, Chris Morris, Fielding/Barratt etc., I'd bet 90% of us are all within maximum 5 years age of each other, mostly male, probably had about 4 mates in school being generous and felt increasingly disappointed with Ricky Gervais as time went on. Alright, maybe projecting a little. Regardless, hope all of your lives are/become nice as we grow older. Nailed it when you said it was pretty much the most expensive form of tweeting btw

@oORxAOo

2 жыл бұрын

You pretty much described me there so it’s definitely not all projection haha.

@elliotis24

2 жыл бұрын

Yup, and me!

@jakebarlow401

2 жыл бұрын

Fuck we should all go for a pint or something 😂

@GOSTDatingandLifestyle

2 жыл бұрын

You've certainly described my comedy tastes up until what I assume was the Mighty Boosh duo? I'm curious did you also like shooting stars? Do you listen to American comedy like A&O? Cum Town, Bill Burr, Patrice O'Neal?

@frixosfriedman7813

2 жыл бұрын

Me too!

That final scene of the Office kinda indirectly ruined Gervais. The Office Christmas special is brilliant, and its last scenes (with Tim and Dawn getting together, and David telling Finchy to fuck off and making people laugh with a joke) are genuinely quite emotional. But I think the strong reaction to that has made Gervais try and lean in harder to tugging on the audiences heartstrings, and he’s tried that with every show he’s done since to diminishing returns

@eadweard.

2 жыл бұрын

What was Brent's joke?

@jamesatkinsonja

2 жыл бұрын

@@eadweard. He does a Frank Spencer impression and everyone laughs which is in contrast to his introduction to the Swindon staff speech where all his impressions/jokes fall flat.

@eadweard.

2 жыл бұрын

@@jamesatkinsonja Oh yeah thanks. I don't think I ever noticed that.

@mankytoes

2 жыл бұрын

The Office ending worked so well because we genuinely didn't expect it, season two ended pretty downbeat and the general style of the show was quite cynical. A trick that could only be played once.

@kappa2275

2 жыл бұрын

@@mankytoes I feel like a lot of shows try to be really cynical most of the time and then randomly try to make you actually care about the characters. It worked in the Office because, as you say, it was *once*, but also the show was grounded enough to have the characters feel like real people

It’s sad that this will have a hundred times the audience that Detectorists has and it shows the huge difference between Ricky and Mackenzie Crook and their ability as writer/director/starring. I’m glad you called it for what it is. The worst thing for me was the series arc of him coming to terms with it and getting better, only for the first episode of the next series to send him right back to the start. A clever writer manages to build on the previous series, not forcibly return to it as though it never happened (another high point of detectorists is that the characters never go backwards and that the final episode is the peak of the entire programme and that’s how a perfect ending should be).

@SmilingOrange

2 жыл бұрын

Detectorists is one of the best shows I've ever seen

@ChaunceyPendicott

2 жыл бұрын

I think that even going back to the Office Ricky Gervais has struggled with having satisfying character arcs - it feels like he's always very concerned with having a complete character journey over a single series of a show, which leaves him nowhere to go when a second series gets commissioned. Like his character in After Life becoming a warm, friendly and well-adjusted guy by the end of each series, only to mysteriously revert back to his old ways so he can have the same contrived journey all over again next series. Or at the end of the first series of the Office, which was obviously much better written, where Tim tragically abandons his dreams and identity, only to have snapped straight back to the old Tim by the start of series 2.

@tomwright4969

2 жыл бұрын

That short sitcom Sick of It that Karl Pilkington did is basically Afterlife but way shorter and way better. Yet barely any viewers at all.

@SongBillong

Жыл бұрын

Well said! Detectorists is phenomenal

@nmp290765

Жыл бұрын

Detectorists is brilliant. It shits all over Afterbirth and Derrick

Fantastic video! I interviewed Ricky when season one was coming out and I asked him about the part where his character basically kills a guy (which I thought was nuts) and he was visibly taken aback by the question, I genuinely don’t think he had thought it through at all.

@BenedictTownsend

2 жыл бұрын

Also could you please look at Stephen Merchant’s new show The Outlaws because the contrast in quality is STARK

@Owen-wc1wr

2 жыл бұрын

@@BenedictTownsend I second this. Lots wrong with it and I can see why some people aren't into it, but I absolutely loved it

@JamEast

17 күн бұрын

Was it the popbuzz interview?

Stephen Merchant's 'The Outlaws' was a pretty enjoyable comedy drama and he showed a refreshing lack of ego [he's often the butt of jokes, fails at most things and is very much part of an ensemble] and works with many different people behind the scenes. My parents got into it even though there not into the earlier Gervais/Merchant comedies [not there sense of humor].

@DavidWatts505

2 жыл бұрын

Outlaws was terrible

@happytime11

2 жыл бұрын

Totally agree but please sort out your there/their/they're issue.

@Owen-wc1wr

2 жыл бұрын

I loved it and thought it was great fun. Bits were very cheesey or obvious etc., but it didn't feel cynical and I couldn't recognise every joke and idea from previous work like I can with Ricky's solo stuff.

This is exactly how I feel about this show, spot on video.

Gervais is one of those writers that strives for pathos, and pathos is one of my favourite things in stories. However, Gervais thinks the only way to achieve pathos is to make a character's situation really sad and it comes off as sickeningly simpering. I knew Gervais was nosediving when he used a Coldplay song to achieve sympathy in the scene where Derek reunites with his father; when only years before he was directly taking the piss of this kind of stuff WITH Coldplay in Extras. It was so stunningly unaware.

@nonbeliever3745

9 ай бұрын

Bang on. That Derek scene with that song had me dumbfounded by how far RG has regressed.

The really striking thing is that Karl Pilkington of all people managed to create a television dramedy that was much more engaging than Gervais' efforts. Sick of It isn't perfect, but the central concept of the main character interacting with his own internal voice is funnier and a lot more novel than most of Afterlife. Moreover yes the show will certainly will have scenes based around Karl being put off by annoying people; it also very often makes his own idiosyncrasies the butt of the joke, and the program genuinely explores how much of his flawed life is the result of own choices. Even the romantic subtext he has with a younger woman in the second series rarely ever feels over idealized or saccharine in its execution. Not every character in Pilkington's show is necessarily complex mind you, but there's at least a sense that they have lives beyond the show, Afterlife's cast feel like they exist either for him to lecture against, insult, or hear about his late spouse. Its one thing for the story to revolve around him, its quite another for the story's universe seeming to as well. That simplistic characterization makes the its already manipulative attempts at pathos feel even less genuine because nothing at all feels relatable. Finally the lack of anything resembling subtlety in Gervais' current work compounds the aforementioned issues. The constant footage of Lisa eventually has little emotional effect because its use just beats the viewer over the head in its one dimensional depiction of grief. Sick of It doesn't force itself into efforts at tearjerker moments nearly as often, and even then the occasional illustration of Karl's actual loneliness is done with much more restraint via the cinematography (which itself blows away any of the visual work in Afterlife). Essentially in terms of legitimately thoughtful character oriented television shows the one who co-wrote the Office and Extras has been outdone by a man who once did Monkey News. And that's sadder than any fictional dead wife.

@happytime11

2 жыл бұрын

Brilliant closing paragraph 😂

@leeroy265

Жыл бұрын

PLAY A RECORD.

Absolutely spot on. The only thing I'd add is another reason it doesn't work is because RG has clearly become so divorced from reality. No one expects comedies to be hyper-realistic but all the best ones work because they are rooted in places that are identifiable and people whose characteristics we recognise - the Office, Peep Show, People Just Do Nothing etc. The entire backdrop for After Life is just so ridiculous - that in this day and age a local newspaper still employs a whole bunch of people to sit around in a nice open-plan office and pays journalists full time salaries to go and cover local stories, in fact even pays someone to go and take photos with a shitty camera - this premise might have worked in the 1970s, but not now. And the awful psychologist ... Great comedy characters take identifiable behaviours and then exaggerate them - that's why David Brent worked so well, we all knew someone a bit like that, but no psychologist has ever behaved remotely like Paul Kay's character. Just awful ...

absolutely spot on. not sure you could've made this video better, i think this is genuinely your best ever video coming from someone who's watched your other ones several times

I thought it was interesting how they waited until series 3 to explain how Gervais' character can possibly afford to live in a nice, spacious two-storey house within walking distance of the beach when all he does is work at a free community newspaper where, in real life, the salary would probably only be slightly more than the dole? I'm thinking the script-writers decided they better explain it after hearing comments from puzzled viewers of the first two series.

So glad I'm not the only one that felt like this. I'm so sick of everyone and their nan gushing over this. It's beyond average and repetitive. Tony was just such a nasty person, I could not root for him in any kind of way... is comedy really calling an overweight child a "tubby little ginger c***'"??? OH, but its all 'okay' cause his wife died and 'he's not himself'. Let's not forget him giving money to a drug addict to kill himself and threatening a kid with a hammer. And we are just supposed to feel sorry for him... I just can't.

Ricky’s sense of humour on this show is like something you’d read off of those edgy Wattpad stories, and I’m a fanfic writer myself.

Pretty much spot on. I'll definitely be describing this show as "the world's most expensive form of tweeting" from now on.

Andrew your commentary has gotten so sharp and cutting. I love it ! Spot on as always mate.

This was the most cathartic video I've watched all year. Thank you.

I love coming back to this channel, still the best reviewer for British comedy.

I’m so relieved this reflected how I’ve felt watching After Life. It’s quite inexplicable how much some people seem to love it. The point about Ricky claiming to ‘not care’ what people think also rang true. He clearly does. I tweeted a criticism Derek a few years ago (I didn’t @ him) - and he blocked me for it. Definitely prefers his echo chamber of never-ending praise.

@jamesatkinsonja

2 жыл бұрын

Especially given he's jumped on the bemoaning 'cancel culture' bandwagon recently, the 'not care' comment really rings hollow.

@martinmcgrath1985

10 ай бұрын

Also blocked for criticising Derek..I did @ him haha

@lss2388

10 ай бұрын

@@martinmcgrath1985 As the famous saying goes: if Gervais you want a-blockin’, go Derek a-knockin’.

@martinmcgrath1985

10 ай бұрын

@@lss2388 true Geordie told him it was his best performance.. Thanks..Ricky said.. Not Brent….DEREK..he said fucking DEREK

can’t wait for after life series 4, where we find out tony’s opinion on pineapple on pizza

Thank god you did this, from following Ricky on twitter this is supposedly amazing and I always wondered if I was just going crazy about it, the way he talks about the show on twitter comes across as so desperate to me, its a shame cos the office is my favourite show ever and i listen to xfm basically every day

haha introduction seems spot on - a vanity project which Netflix has everyone hailing as a ground breaking series. Looking forward to listening to this at work tomorrow. Keep 'em coming!!!

Best takedown of this shambolic, sanctimonious, nine hour cry-wank of a tv show I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen loads and even written plenty, bravo sir bravo

As everyone's said, your thoughts are synonymous with mine. Would be interested to see your takes on Gervais' previous disasters like Derek.

@ivandunnachie1612

2 жыл бұрын

derek was good first season, probably just because of karl pilkington the legend. rest i cant really remember think it was a bit shit

@cags1987

2 жыл бұрын

Would also love to see a review on Derek!

@ineedmoreflavour1955

2 жыл бұрын

Derek was based off of a character called 'Derek' that Ricky invented used to wind people up back in his pre TV life. He once mentioned on XFM that he and a friend once wasted like £10 trying to phone up the Chris Moyles radio show as Derek, in an effort to embarrass Moyles and have a laugh at the awkwardness. So basically Derek is a half baked invention of Gervais from the pre-office days that he decided was good enough for an entire multi-season show. Spoilers - it wasn't, the show was abysmal.

@fantastic1921

2 жыл бұрын

@@ineedmoreflavour1955 well remembered. A couple of autistic notes to add. That " friend" was Steven Merchant I believe when they where doing character research for the office. Also "Derek" made an appearance on xfm when Ricky came in to do a voice over advert for xray magazine for xfm and Karl was annoyed as he'd just got back off holiday and found out Ricky was coming into the studio. He did the Derek character and then Dr frog.

Can we also talk about the therapist! One of the least realistic characters I've ever seen, with no subtlety whatsoever about him being not a great therapist. Love this channel, great review xx

Thank you for making this. It eloquently states the problems I have with Ricky's output over the past 10 years. I wonder why once Ricky stopped working with Stephan and Karl all his shows went to shit.

Ricky Gervais comedies are just too self-congratulatory to me. Lifes too Short, for example, was killed by it. Warwick's bumbling, self-importance, and his interactions with his PA and his accountant were fantastic comedy. But then they killed it with scene after scene of him walking into Ricky Gervais' office, while Gervais plays his own literal self as "the big man", the guy with the POWER who is disdainful of Warwick. Its just insufferable. Afterlife and Derek have the same problem. Gervais' character is a misunderstood Gary Stu and all the other characters are constantly telling us all, in borderline 4th wall breaking deliveries, how amazing, good, kind and incredible the character Ricky is playing is. Mate you're doing well at life. We get it. You don't need to be presented as some sort of modern-day messiah in all your post-Extras projects. Its boring, and really quite embarrassing.

People that like Afterlife also think the US version of The Office is the better

loving this series, top notch content.

This was more entertaining than 3 whole seasons of afterlife

Every time you've uploaded a video, I've wanted to leave a comment suggesting you review After Life but never did in case you actually liked it so hoo baby this is a special treat. I totally agree, it feels like Gervais is putting scenarios he wishes he could be in irl in his show which is annoying in and of itself but even worse when the narrative often has to grind to a complete halt so Gervais can deliver a speech on theism or something. And something else that really irritated me was that every time a character would express their own hardships to Tony, the conversation would always turn back around to the loss Tony's wife. It felt like the hardships of the other characters were just not allowed to matter and these conversations often made Tony even more unlikeable since it seemed as though instead of comforting whoever he was talking to, he would rather have them comfort him about his dead wife. Also funniest part of the show is that woman stuck on the bench like an npc. Let the poor woman leave the bench Ricky. It's really unnatural for the main character to rock up to this bench every day and there's always this woman there whose only purpose is to give him sage advice. I secretly wanted the first season to end with a moment where Tony turns away from her at some point and then when he turns back, she's gone and she was actually a ghost the whole time, having died in that graveyard and is now tethered to the bench for all eternity. It would have been a ridiculous direction for a realistic drama to go but it honestly felt like it was heading that way. I will say, one aspect that I can't comment negatively on is the depiction of grief. To me, it didn't seem like anything groundbreaking but Gervais retweets a lot of people saying things like the show really helped them deal with their grief and they could relate to the main character's situation and state of mind. Like I said, I don't see it but then I've never had to deal with losing someone close to me and I can't deny someone else's emotional reaction. If After Life is having this positive impact on people's lives then I don't think it's fair to write the show off as a failure (even though I genuinely hate it).

Love the content as always, thanks.

As someone who has suffered cancer-related bereavement I think the few parts of the show dealing seriously with grief are quite accurate. However the whole thing is so painfully saccharine, and the parts where Gervais is venting at strawmen of people who clearly just irritate him in real life are insufferably smug.

Absolutely perfect

Spot on. I’m the biggest office fan going, but this dross, is absolutely litter.

@animatechap5176

2 жыл бұрын

Same it's a shame how 'meh' this is

Stephen was always the real talent. Karl too.

That. Was. Brilliant.

This is exactly what is said!! About how he has written this character to project himself THANKYOU

Spot on, looking forward to more once overs

My word, spot-on, eloquent and succinct

my mother never got the office or extras. she mentioned she was really enjoying afterlife. all i needed to know really.

I absolutely loved this. Everything is spot on. That Urban Dictionary comment is so so true!

amazing. you took every word out of my mouth. i love ricky gervais in everything but i have to agree. the more he does the more obvious he needs merchant back.

Jesus, that was awesome. Super concise, but I hadn’t been able to put it together myself. Steve and Ricky’s solo stuff really makes me think that the best writing they ever did was shooting down the other’s stupid ideas.

Thank you so much for saying this! Andrew telling it how it is

Im a massive Steve fan so I am aware of my tendency to believe everything of worth Ricky has done has been because of Steve, and I try to not let that sway me. But, as you say, the more he does this kind of stuff, the more you cannot help but draw that conclusion. I don't *like* slagging off Ricky, but he really isn't making it easy for me to big him up these days. And the more you notice it, the more it starts to retroactively affect old stuff; I now listen to the XFM shows with this distinct 'ricky might actually be the weak link here, comedy wise, fuck Ricky is annoying, I wish Ricky would shut up' mentality whereas before I just took it as it was and didn't think that much on that. Meanwhile, Steve creates The Outlaws which, while Im sure has things to be criticised about it, was a world apart from After Life. Does Ricky just not realise all this shit, or does he not care? Has he surrounded himself with so many arse kissers that he has been convinced everything he does is golden? He needs Steve to create good stuff. Steve does not need him. That must irk him a little.

@forestsunset9617

7 ай бұрын

I think Gervais has always needed others to piggy back off. Suede, Steve, Jonathan Ross, Karl, Celebs on Extras, Hollywood stars, stand-up stars, little band of 2nd rate actors he keeps working with. The guy has little talent apart from being a ringleader and an annoyance. His laugh is funny but only from a distance, in real life he must drive people mad.

Perfectly done Andrew

I was literally just toying with doing a review of this myself, but as always, Andrew has taken my thoughts and added eloquence and wit to them.

god I love this channel

Great video, echoing my thoughts exactly. I have some suggestions for future one-shots: The good: people just do nothing, this country and stath lets flats (all of which owe a debt to the office) The bad: derek (if you dare), life's too short (importantly, including the one-off Easter special, which I think righted a lot of wrongs), and the witch finder (which is very disappointing, considering the talent behind it).

Thankyou for this

Ah man, everything about this is spot on 👏

7:18 I suppose I would actually give credit to Gervais for doing that despite the repetition [especially as I have platonic female friends in real life] rather than write him having much younger women who look like models throw themselves at him like Adam Sandler, Jerry Seinfeld or Larry David [including via his avatar George in Seinfeld], even if he did do that in 'The Invention of Lying'.

Ya know what? I binged watched After Life and I did enjoy it… but there always something that didn’t sit right with me.. and it’s everything that’s in this video. I totally accept all the criticisms. You are soooo right. There are serious short comings in After Life… there is one scene where he’s walking down the street with that woman from Extras and he’s even dressed the same as Andy Millman from Extras ( I thought he was taking the piss out of himself?) congrats on a brilliantly accurate video!! You have well and truly exposed Ricky and I really hope he’s sees this to give him the reality check that he so badly needs!! It’s not a good idea to keep bringing back the same old tired actors from the previous series either… it does the credibility of show no good whatsoever!!

God this was cathartic

Great critique honestly, you've pinpointed exactly how I was feeling about it. Definitely feel like a video critiquing annoying tropes in television would be a good idea for you maybe, as general as that sounds

Damn that was brutal...I love it!

You are spot on here.

This is outstanding

I literally couldn’t agree more. Perfectly summed up. 💯

Great video. This has me thinking about how none of the actors from The Office have returned to be in any of Gervais' later shows, as far as I can see. I wonder if there any explanation for that...

Great review, any plans to do that Mitchell and Webb look?

Please review your favourite Mitchell & Webb sketches.

You've more than earned a sub from me mate - this is like my dream channel, covering niche subjects with in depth analysis. I would absolutley love it if you made a video about the XFM series Ricky, Karl and Steve did back in the day. Kind of like a Documentary about everything we know about how it came together, what your personal thoughts are on each season and the legacy it leaves (as well as maybe your thoughts on why Ricky, Karl and Steve haven't done anything together since like 2011)

Thanks for reminding me of how much I fucking love this show.

Andrew, please listen to the "What's Funny About" episode for The Office on BBC Sounds. 28 minute interview with Ricky about The Office and literally not one mention of Stephen Merchant. It's as if Ricky thinks it was a solo project. It is genuinely incredible.

@Owen-wc1wr

2 жыл бұрын

Actually, reading some other comments I think everyone should listen to it. It'll make your blood boil.

@jamesatkinsonja

2 жыл бұрын

They both did separate interviews with the office podcast 'Wernham Blogg' last year and neither mentioned the other very much, almost if the interviewers had agreed with them that talking about the other one and 'the split' was off limits.

I miss Steven merchant

Andrew....I love everything you said. You hit the nail on the head. I want to see Steven Merchants new series. Bet its really good.

Andrew this is great, thank you. Could you please do Monkey Dust and some of Chris Morris' stuff?

As a contrast I'd like to hear your thoughts on Outlaws. Not perfect but really enjoyable overall.

Holy crap that was even more brutal than I was expecting xD... but well deserved.

Would love a Once-Over of Spaced. Watched it recently and it's real good.

Right from the Extras Christmas special I've noticed that Ricky's attempts at sentimentality come across as so shallow and insincere. Having the Coldplay song 'Fix You' playing for half an episode of Derek was dreadfully cheap heart string tugging, but it looks classy compared to the sickly sweet drivel in Afterlife. Ricky is guilty of falling in love with his characters too much. One dimensional support characters telling the Gervais character how brilliant and amazing he is has become a running theme.

Don't hold back, tell us how you really feel

Superb analysis Andrew and you’ve precisely articulated my own thoughts on this absolute dog turd of a show. It was like Gervais gathered all his usual cronies together to make a series and used his own tweet history as a script. The most banal, self aggrandising, cliched rubbish imaginable and a bloody tragedy that the man that gave us The Office should be responsible for it. Gervais is a Bowie fan, so he should know that this is the equivalent of the guy that gave the world Station to Station and Low then trotting out Dancing on the Streets with Jagger. I hope beyond hope he’s watched this vid, and it gives him the the kick up the backside needed to either retire or extend a dinner invitation to Steve Merchant before cracking the lap top open for his next project. Great vid from you though pal, well done👍

This is a superb summation of everything. One thing that isn't talked about in a lot of the reviews is the horrifically lazy set locations. The show is supposed to be set in a semi rural village but 75% of the show is shot in Hampstead Heath which for anyone who hasn't heard of this area, its a well-populated posh area in North London, which is LITERALLY WHERE RICKY GERVAIS LIVES. Yes you guessed it. Mr Gervais is so lazy in this show he doesn't even put effort into making the scenes and location seem semi-plausible for the plot its supposed to be set in.

I hate to say it, but even during his Office days, as much as I loved the Brent character I still found Gervais an insufferable, smug prick. I'm just happy that in recent years that's become even more apparent and most other people are coming around to see him that way too. Seriously, watch the special features, commentary and interviews on the Office DVDs, especially the Xmas special and his self-satisfaction is already very much on show.

Bravo

I'm so glad you put how shit this show was into words. I only watched Series 1 and that was more than enough for me. The whole Seinfeld-y way that he writes fictional characters in an annoying way just to dominate them in debates is horrifically cringe and every bit as self-serving as Patrick Stewart's film idea from Extras where he can make women's clothes fall off - but without any irony. The ending also was totally reminiscent of that Cliff Richard video Ricky and Steve took the piss out of back on XFM, where he's flying around bringing joy to all the children. Tony has a massive revelation about the depth and complexity of life then chooses to spread it to all the little people around him like some kind of saint? It's utter wank. It's not a show, it's a fucking relevancy chariot. Fuck off. Good video.

Would love to see you do a once over of The Thick of It

Spot on. You have summed up all the reasons a despise this show! Thought i was the only one as I always see positive reviews. And im a huge Ricky fan. Saw him live recently which was amazing. But afterlife is the worst thing he's done

Andrew, sometimes I think we were separated at birth. If I was ever asked one of those stupid "pick a dinner party guest, dead or alive" questions you'd be up there. Just quoting stuff and agreeing on things for 4 hours. Would be a good time 👍

Got more enjoyment from watching this than anything in afterlife

Loved the Mitchell and Webb reference

Yep. I watched the first one and a half episodes and it became pretty clear how the whole thing would play out, and I don't even mean the storyline.

Thank you, I've been feeling far too angry about this show/vanity project. Have considered doing my own video review, but I don't think it would top this, absolutely brilliant.

In words of Mr Burns to Homer "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you"

Can you PLEEEEEASE do Hello Ladies!? Basically proves your Ricky vs Merchant talent pool

Nailed it.

Completely agree.

Would love to see a review of Sick of it

The bit with the therapist in the disabled bog is gold imho

Hmm, I've heard mostly good things about this from people I otherwise trust. I'll reserve judgement until I watch it myself, but if Andrew doesn't like it, I have my doubts that I will either as I pretty much feel like we're the same person based on what I know about your tastes