There's no law that says writers should jump about between genres.
Life's Too Short Page 12
I'm surprised no-one's mentioned that Warwick Davis sounds like David Brent.
No law, but possibly an unwritten one that says viewers will usually get tired of the same sort of thing all the time and won't hold you in great esteem if you keep doing it. In G&M's case it's much more the fact that people expect so much more from them everytime, with their amazing record. 2nd sitcom was a change from their first, and another hit.
3rd sitcom which they have billed as their funniest arrives to massive expectation and immediately seems to be a blaring mix of both previous sitcoms, with the mockumentary from The Office with the big celebs from Extras. That's bound to get a reaction on the negative side.
Then you have the main character being a carbon copy of David Brent. Fans don't want their favourite characters being copied by someone else! Also it means there has been far more focus on this than his shortness, which is the real point of his character. So far, it seems like an error on their part, or as some have said, just proof they can't do anything else but Brentisms. People were expecting more, I think, a new angle or two.
Quote: bob4apples @ November 15 2011, 1:14 AM GMTIt's called versatility and if G+M really had some, they would be doing something different instead of this. They did try to make a 'serious' non-mock feature film which was nothing special.
As I've said, before this the only mock-doc they had made was The Office; since then, as a duo, they made a second sitcom, which was not a mock-doc, and a film, which was also not a mock-doc. Gervais also wrote a film with someone else, which, again, was not a mock-doc. Deciding, after many years, to go back to the mock-doc is not in itself a problem or showing a lack of versatility; it's the contents that matter, not the wrapping.
Mock-doc mock-doc.
Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ November 15 2011, 9:11 AM GMT3rd sitcom which they have billed as their funniest
It would be odd if they marketed it as 'not their funniest', wouldn't it?
You have to get people to watch your stuff. You'd have thought cynics (especially like the majority of us here) didn't buy into any of that advertising bullshit anymore.
Dan
I really liked Cemetery Junction. Haven't watched all of this yet as didn't want to watch on laptop so seeing repeat tomorrow. What I did see I liked. Artists revisit the same territory all the time. People wouldn't like it if Banksy started doing traditional still lifes of bowls of fruit or if Katie Price started writing existential philosophy. They might like David Brent tap dancing mind.
Ricky described this as their funniest but not their best.
Didn't laugh once, raised a smile once but nothing more. To be fair it was only the first episode. I hope as the series progresses that it will grow from strength to strength.
Just watched episode 1 and found it very much like the Extras Christmas special; quite entertaining but not funny.
Ricky Gervais must be growing on me, I quite enjoyed this. Thought Warwick Davis was very good.
Watched it Tuesday night. Bit confused - did they accidentally show the non-broadcast pilot? Where was the plot?
I hated it, but just to be sure & fair, I shall try it again tonight.
I AM STARTING TO GET SICK OF THE TWO WRITERS I LOVED MOST!!! 
I'm laughing a lot more already.
Gervais and Merchant bit was again shoved in and not needed, but up until then I thought this was extremly funny. Tim Key as the manic reporter, suggestions for jobs Warwick could do, Depp taking notes, all very funny scenes. Not much in the way of a story, but it made me laugh hard several times. Didn't believe Warwick would get up and do that speech.
That was way, way, way better. Let's hope the standard doesn't drop now. Didn't notice as many Brent-isms in this episode - maybe because there wasn't as much of Warwick talking to the camera.