Coogan has struggled to put Partridge behind him,such was the quality & depth of the character..........Gervais might have had the same problem with Brent..except he produced Extras...........could this make Gervais the greater of the two?.....I'm only playing devils advocate here-I think they're both quality performers & writers myself.
Quote: CHUNDA @ August 9, 2007, 2:55 PMCoogan has struggled to put Partridge behind him,such was the quality & depth of the character..........Gervais might have had the same problem with Brent..except he produced Extras...........could this make Gervais the greater of the two?.....I'm only playing devils advocate here-I think they're both quality performers & writers myself.
Good point but I would argue that all the characters in Extras are just the Office characters. e.g. Tim is Andy just older, Brent is the Agent, Gareth is Barry off Eastenders etc.
Bleedin' Nora guys!
My dad's better than your dad! My brother's gonna get your brother!
I think Aaron had it right regarding pointless debates. You may as well compare Abba with Metallica or Ricky Gervais with Steve Coogan for that matter.
Gervais would have Coogan in a fight.
Let's all us BSG members make a big circle around them just like we did when we were at school. The one left standing is the winner - not unless the headmaster catches them first. In which case:
This matter can be simply settled by taking my little quiz:
Q. What's better? (1) Something very good? or (2)Something very good?
A. Both!
Quote: David Chapman @ August 8, 2007, 8:02 PMThe Office was one of the best comedies this millennium.
Tell me a joke from it, then.
Quote: Wildjesusfishkid @ August 9, 2007, 5:53 PMGervais would have Coogan in a fight.
That would be a hilarious sight.
Quote: ajp29 @ August 9, 2007, 1:10 PMBut will it survive the next 993 years?
Will it survive the next 9.93 years is the real question.
Got to agree with you chipolata. Coogan does it better, "Jurrasic Park"!
"Back of the net!"
Gervais (I'll go against the general grain). I think he smashed the 'sitcom' genre and brought something not only new to the sitcom universe, but also it was fudging hilarious as well.
I respect Coogan a lot, and I think something like Coogan's Run is more a testament to his talents than Alan Partridge, but when it comes right down to it, I'd prefer to watch The Office or Extras over anything Coogan has done.
I don't understand a lot of the Gervais hate I see around, and there is a lot around. 
Tricky one - I think they're both great. Gervais hasn't done too much wrong in my eyes and is fairly consistent whilst Coogan has had some mighty ups (Paul Calf) and spectacular downs (Tony Ferrino).
But I think the great Partridge swings it. Coogan it is. Just. 
Quote: Mick Dolan @ September 13, 2007, 8:27 AMI think he smashed the 'sitcom' genre and brought something not only new to the sitcom universe, but also it was fudging hilarious as well.
Hilarious, perhaps. That's all a matter of one's personal taste. Not new though, not by quite a margin. Many people have cited shows like Operation Good Guys and People Like Us as working in much the same way, and they were in the late 90s. (I think. Certainly before The Office anyway.)
Yes, big fan of People Like Us and that was the first time I saw a tv Mockumentry.
You see that's why I need to stick around here: I've never heard of People Like Us. I'll have to check that out.
Ok, well, it's new to the people that matter (New Worlders). 
Have you ever seen Gervais' stand up? It's – and I quote – "lovely stuff". 