Derek takes place in a home for the elderly where the title character (Gervais) works. He seems immediately to have some sort of mental disability though Gervais denies it and ultimately it’s irrelevant. He is at the very least naïve and honest to a fault. The show seems to explore the relationships of a small group of disenfranchised people cast off from society and left on the fringes.
The setup of Derek fits nicely with what Gervais has done in the past, maintaining his mockumentary style with cutaway interviews. While some say it’s a gimmick that’s getting tired, I disagree. It’s a signature style that works well with the stories Gervais wants to tell and never more so than here.
While it feels right at home in the Gervais-verse it also stands out and is possibly the most heartfelt thing Gervais has done to date. The characters seem sincere, and the subject matter hits home. It is at once funny and heart wrenching.
In one scene Hannah, the head of the home unexpectedly head butts a woman in the pub defending Derek, and in the next Derek deals with the death of a friend while dispensing simple wisdom.
“I miss, I misses her… and she’s not here to make me feel better. She used to make me feel better… she’d tap me on the head and say ‘It’s all right‘ it would make me feel better straight away, like magic. She’d say kindness is magic Derek. It’s more important to be kind, than clever or good looking. I’m not clever or good looking but I’m kind.”
In past roles Gervais has carried a character but never really seemed to stray too far from his true self. Even David Brent seems only to be a caricature of Gervais’ normal presence. But in Derek, Gervais seems to finally be stretching his legs. He’s truly acting and there are times when you can barely see him behind the mask he’s crafted.
The show also introduces Karl Pilkington in his first fictional role as Dougie, the homes maintenance man. You may know Pilkington from The Ricky Gervais Show pod cast or An Idiot Abroad. While Pilkington has little acting experience he feels entirely natural here and may be the breakaway character. He doesn’t have a wasted line, Pilkington seems not to try and while seeming simple both in character and in real life also seems quite lucid.
If the pilot is any indicator Gervais has crafted something truly wonderful in Derek, I hope it holds up.
All seven episodes landed on Netflix September 12 and are available for viewing, Derek has also been picked up for a second season.