Ricky Gervais

Derek splits judgment: some see it as heartwarming and touchingly witty, others as gormlessly mawkish and actionably insulting to the elderly and mentally challenged. I'm in the second camp. But this opener to the inexplicably recommissioned second series had some decent moments - the extraneous characters are well-drawn - and might grow to become something better than its genesis, if only bloody Derek wasn't clogging up the screen all the time with his idiot-savant saccharine bullcrap.

I happen to be one of the few apparent remaining fans of Ricky Gervais, but can today say, hand on heart, this would be a better series if Ricky Gervais wasn't in it.

'Derek' review, series 2 episode 1

Would this have been recommissioned if it had been anybody but Ricky Gervais behind it? Probably not. Is the TV schedule better for it being included? Definitely.

There's a massive spider on the wall in the men's toilet at the nursing home where Derek (Channel 4) works. Is it after the fly perhaps? No, because this is Ricky Gervais wobbly hand-held mockumentary style. Who is this camera operator supposed to be though? A recovering alcoholic? A resident? Maybe with Parkinson's? Certainly with no previous experience of camera operation - it's lurching all over the place, zooming in and out, I'm feeling a bit airsick to be honest. Oh for a bit of fly-on-a-wall steadiness.

And what are these amateur documentaries supposed to be, do you ever ask? I suppose a residential care home is a more likely subject than a Slough-based paper company, but I'm wondering if the whole mockumentary idea is a little tired?

Anyway, the reason for the big spider is of course to demonstrate Derek's nature. He's terrified of it but he certainly doesn't want it killed. "Go and get a cup, catch it," he tells Dougie (Karl Pilkington). "Make sure you catch it, and let it go free." Derek may not be the brightest tool in the box, or the bravest, but he's a good guy, kind and gentle, and he loves animals.

You can tell that Derek's not so bright, a bit backward, because of the way RG plays him. He hunches over a little, tilts his head to one side, darts his eyes around, grimaces idiotically, and he holds his hands in front of him, like some kind of rodent. Plus, he's not so good at declining his verbs. "Animals always tries their best," he says, demonstrating his selflessness and love of animals as well as confusion over the third person. It's the same on Twitter: "I loves animals," tweets @MrDerekNoakes. It's always a dead give away, poor verb declension ...

That's the biggest problem with Derek. Not, as some have said, that it mocks people with learning difficulties (it's too kind for that, and tries to be sympathetic). Just that it's a very crude portrayal. Gervais's previous characters - David Brent and Andy Millman - are not, I suspect, so very different from RG himself, kind of grotesque caricatures. Here he's trying to be someone else completely, and it's awful.

It may not be fashionable, but I'm a fan of Ricky Gervais. I used to like him on the radio with Stephen Merchant. Then The Office pretty much changed comedy on television, invented awkwardness. Extras was bold and bloody hilarious. I also very much enjoyed his Golden Globes hosting - baring a cheeky British arse to humourless Hollywood. But he's no Tom Hanks himself (and Derek's not Forrest Gump). Karl Pilkington also - I enjoy his Idiot Abroad show but he's no great actor.

Derek's father has moved in. He's a ladies' man, and he likes a drink (well, he seems to be Irish, maybe Derek isn't totally lazy-stereotype free). But the old man is a good 'un too. He's got a photo album, pictures of himself on holiday - France, Germany, Morocco, Spain - with a different lady in each place. "That's the point in travelling, boy: nookie." "Newquay?" says Derek, darting his eyes around, shaking his head. "I haven't been to Newquay."

A pun! Nookie, said a bit drunk and a bit Irish (same thing innit?) sounds a bit like Newquay. Especially if you're a half-wit ...

That's the other big problem with Derek. That it's not very smart. Or very funny. Or very good.

Derek; GameFace - TV review

Ricky Gervais is out of his depth playing a character that isn't based on his own worst foibles, and things are not helped by a script that is not funny or smart enough.

I've never watched Derek before, but I decided to dive straight into Series 2 which is currently airing on Channel 4. Normally I loathe skipping episodes, but I'd heard mixed things about the first series.

My initial thoughts aren't what I thought they'd be. I've always been skeptical about this show (for the obvious reasons) and was worried that the humour would be crass in an uncomfortable way. This wasn't the case at all. It's far sweeter than I expected and is not at all in your face. Obviously there were some good gags and I'm sure the sickly sweet moments were occasionally for comedic effect, but I genuinely found it endearing. I'd even go so far to say it was moving in places. Bear in mind that I am an incredibly soppy so and so.

I'm a sucker for Ricky Gervais and Karl Pilkington anyway, but I did think their acting was good. Yes, it probably wasn't as funny as I had hoped, but it is definitely different and that's what all comedies should be aiming for. To be different.

Derek, series 2, episode 1, review

There are reports that a third series is being considered. My advice, for what it's worth, is: don't do it. It is possible to have too much of a sloppy, sentimental, embarrassing thing, you know - even when it stars Ricky Gervais.

Why Ricky Gervais and Derek are Normcore but nice

Yes, Normcore. The 'theory' proposed by American trend forecasting collective K-Hole and picked up by New York Magazine as a fashion (or anti- fashion) movement that has become such a 'thing' that it's even been given a full page explanation in The Sun.

The idea is that rather than trying to be different with what you wear, you try to be 'ardently ordinary' or 'endearingly awkward', and, for a character rarely seen out of his zip-up polyester cardigan and sweat pants, it means Derek is not just riding a Normcore wave, he's the king of the movement.

Things we've learned in Derek Series 2 so far

Ricky Gervais and Karl Pilkington are back for the second series of Derek and we've already learned some pretty important lessons.

Ricky Gervais: I've attempted to be a good person

Ricky Gervais sat down with HuffPostUK's Culture of Kindness to talk about his motivation for his own favourite character.

Video: Ricky Gervais on David Brent and getting older

Ricky Gervais joined BBC Breakfast to talk about David Brent and getting older.