Life's Too Short: New Ricky Gervais sitcom

2nd episode was actually funny... somewhat, tho the funny bits were horrendously stretched out to make the most of them. Suprised I even watched it after the first one, struggling to find a reason to watch the 3rd tho.
 
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Yeh last night's episode didn't contain many lolz. Oddly I find myself laughing about the first two episodes waaaay after I saw it on TV, they seems funnier in hindsight :D
 
Probably because your remembering the "punchline" without all the extra fluff that drags it out - 2nd episode could have been condensed down into half the time and been funnier.
 
The only mildly amusing thing is when warwick looks directly at the camera in dismay at what's happening, which he does too much of.
 
Just seen this weeks episode and didn't laugh once :( not even when they put him in the bin, I just felt like it was so forced. It's going to take quite bit to top last weeks episode of Johnny Depp shouting "******* give me passion" while he does an Irish jigg.
 
The Gervais office, re-occurring in both Idiot Abroad and this series - what an odd setup? Two men sitting behind the same glass desk with a carpet space in front of them - like some sort of Tajikistan Idol audition room. Wonder how it works through the rest of the day - they google up you tube videos on the same screen?
 
Watched them both on iPlayer and laughed just a couple of times I think. Not great. I just don't think Warrick Davis is a particularly good actor and doesn't have what it takes to pull off a show that is centred around him like this one is.

I won't be making any effort to watch any more - shame, as I do generally really like Gervais and Merchant.
 
It's odd. I barely find it funny at all, yet I feel compelled to continue watching them. It's interesting viewing if nothing else.
 
v0n said:
The Gervais office, re-occurring in both Idiot Abroad and this series - what an odd setup? Two men sitting behind the same glass desk with a carpet space in front of them - like some sort of Tajikistan Idol audition room. Wonder how it works through the rest of the day - they google up you tube videos on the same screen?
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I've wondered this as well, seems a bit odd! Can't even imagine its how they would write together, so no idea what its for unless they just run to the desk when people come into the office to talk to them :confused:.

I'm sortof enjoying it anyway. Feel it needs more awkward moments like I'm Alan Partridge, as well as the kinda moments that get funnier the more you watch and remember/recite them, also ala Partridge.

David
 
I was watching the "wrap up" episode of Idiot Abroad, where they all sit in the white room, on the chairs, and despite of the honest and dry hilarity of the real life Pilkington poking his rather edgy/jitterry clever head through the "Pilkington Character" in commentary I noticed Gervais still doing the "look at the camera to indicate funny moment" shtick that reoccurs will all of his characters in all the programs. And for the first time in I don't know how long I felt this was just pure cheating.

We got used to getting involved psychologically, almost like first person witness to the prank, in this "pseudo documentary" type of filming and then in a moment right prior to what you know will be completely embarrassing hilarity character looks directly at you and you start getting "twichy", you feel like you are there, you don't want to witness this embarrassing moment, you are expected to be bursting any moment now. But then, in that short moment, at the end of season 2 of Idiot Abroad it all collapsed for me.

The years of David Brent looking at the camera and Michael Scott looking at camera before both did something stupid, Tim Canterbury and Jim Halpert looking at the camera before involving you in a prank, Gareth Keenan and Dwight Schrute looking at the camera seeking your approval for something cretinous they said, all "given away" by Gervais in Idiot Abroad S02E08 looking at the camera just because he was clutching at straws and desperately searching for the scripted "one laugh every 7 minutes". And once you "see through the curtain" into the kitchen, it reveals something suprisingly desperate - you notice he force cross eyed look every time he pretends to speak as real life person - in this case - when he mocked Pilkington, and he laughs with that annoying high pitch lol on queue in many cases before the "improv" joke he's supposed to be unaware of plays out for us. And all of a sudden he's no longer master of settle comedy but instead he's just a kid who was told once too many times "this is funny" at school and managed to figure out what made his schtick funny but still couldn't master the settle art of performing it every time without giving the recipe away.

And then you realise, once you see it - you can't unsee it - it's going to be like this forever - you will now know Steve Carell was good at doing this shtick, Ed Helms is bad, Pilkington can do it, Gervais mostly can not, Mackenzie Crook was excellent, Warrick Davis is not that good. The charm is gone. You'll be judgin them now on technique of the "look at the camera, make a fool of yourself" script.
 
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v0n said:
The Gervais office, re-occurring in both Idiot Abroad and this series - what an odd setup? Two men sitting behind the same glass desk with a carpet space in front of them - like some sort of Tajikistan Idol audition room. Wonder how it works through the rest of the day - they google up you tube videos on the same screen?
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Have you ever thought it is a setup since Idiot Abroad 1 & 2 had different Offices and Life's Too Short had a different 3rd office?

And just before you say that 2 of the offices are the same I'll point you to the X's that show major differences.
In one there is a wall/door to the right and double paned windows, a wrought iron fence is missing and if you zoom in one of the windows has 4 frosted panes.
Yes, definitely setup unless they have had 3 different valid offices over the 3 series.

gervaisoffice.jpg
 
Dimple said:
Have you ever thought it is a setup since Idiot Abroad 1 & 2 had different Offices and Life's Too Short had a different 3rd office?
(...)
Yes, definitely setup unless they have had 3 different valid offices over the 3 series.
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Wow. Superb work. Even "props" are mostly the same - ribbed glass with pens, chairs, glass ashtray, etc. As generic as flat pack "Idol" panels, with same chairs and coca cola glasses in every country.
 
The thing is I love Merchant & Gervais and I've seen through their material from day one.
Even the Pilkington character can be heard being created slowly in the XFM shows from just adding a quip in the early shows to being a full blown mentalist.
I have no doubts Karl has some extreme views but they have been moulded into comedy gold.
Even my daughters could be heard shouting in the first series 'That was setup' but still loved the show.
Little things give it away like when he was blind Thai boxing and he goes into the corner and starts fighting the ring making it look like a Norman Wisdom film.
And then the storyline that he hated the first series and they had to trick him into a second series as though he was a mental retard.
And of course he hates it so much that we get another 7 episodes when he could have walked after the first episode was shot.
I really don't know how people fall for Merchant & Gervais's writing but I think it's superb.
 
Makunouchi said:
I cannot believe you're still arguing about this. You've been at it for years.
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And I will still continue while people still think that Karl Pilkington actually believes his Monkey News stories.
I have noticed that people have started to 'get it' which is encouraging.
If you want to carry on believing that Karl is very thick and easily encouragable then continue :(
I've got a Nigerian mate who would like to email you about some lost money if you're interested.
 
Dimple said:
If you want to carry on believing that Karl is very thick and easily encouragable then continue :(
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I honestly don't care, I came into this thread by chance and was just genuinely surprised that you are still making the effort to move your hands over the keyboard in exactly the same patterns after such a long time for no readily apparent reason. I know that sounds like a dig but honestly I cannot work out why you're still bothering.
 
Makunouchi said:
I honestly don't care, I came into this thread by chance and was just genuinely surprised that you are still making the effort to move your hands over the keyboard in exactly the same patterns after such a long time for no readily apparent reason. I know that sounds like a dig but honestly I cannot work out why you're still bothering.
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If you can be bothered to read the thread I am replying to Von who has just caught on.
Nice one Von.

Johnz0r said:
Exactly, who cares if he is setup or not. He is the funniest thing with 2 legs as far as I am concerned.
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100% agree.
 
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