I believe Ricky Gervais is an intelligent performer. This made watching him mimic a character with social and intellectual impairments somewhat painful. It reminded me of Sean Penn's foray into a similar quagmire in "I Am Sam". The simple reality is that impaired characters are who they are and do not travel much of an arc or get more complex. They can be lovable. They can be quirky. They can be humorous in sketch comedy. They cannot carry a series along a time line.To its credit, the show conveys accurately the bittersweet atmosphere of a small nursing home. This makes the series somewhat educational for the uninformed. The documentary format suits it, but to return to it from episode to episode is no delight. Just as visiting a real nursing home week in and week out is also no delight. I have had the experience.Those who are new to the trials of care of the very old may be intrigued and enlightened. Those who think that limited people have no value in society may be educated. Those who have lived the issues and are looking for comedy will probably be disappointed.

Derek is one of those series where you watch a couple of minutes and have a laugh, but then get bored quite easily. The majority of Ricky Gervais's stuff I rate highly but Derek is bang-on average and not one to be memorable in the future. Karl Pilkington's character Dougie was probably the best character in the series, but they had to drop the character due to Karl's request which was bitterly disappointing. The comedy is also mixed up sometimes, especially due to the environment being an old-peoples home and the majority of the humour has sexual references which doesn't really match. This may surprise a few users.However, lets get on with the positives. Some parts of the series are hilarious and really drag you in. I've shown this series to other family members and they find it much more enjoyable than myself, so obviously they rate it highly. Some moments are well written such as emotional moments or even bizarre moments such as sucking alcohol off the carpet, which is obviously great.Overall, I would recommend you try this series out because I believe the majority of you won't mind it especially if you enjoy other Ricky Gervais material, but it's not really my cup of tea.

How much serious a comedy series have to be to make you laugh? Does it take you to laugh about something that is not so funny after all in a real world? I just watched the opening episode of 3. season of Derek. Jokes are sometimes something that you go sometimes back to understand at, if those were even jokes. Every line is, well you'll be disturbed about if there was a joke or not, anyway you'll laugh all the time. When most of us are getting older, it would be someone like Derek to take care of us, well, not to actually nurse, but to make us happy and comfortable when we are vegetables. This series is brilliant and touching and funny as hell, and I'll be waiting for the next episodes.

Derek is about a man played by Ricky gervais who works in a nursing home along with Hannah and Dougie and he has a best mate called Kev who is so so funny, you will roll on the floor laughing!!:) When you see it don't think Gervais is playing a handicapped person because he isn't in my eyes or Gervais' eyes, think that he is playing a person who is too kind for his own good.When I rate shows and films on IMDb I rate them on what I think they should be rated, so thats why I have given Derek a 9 and not a 10. This show is hilarious, extremely sad in some parts like S1 ep6 and S2 ep5, if you do not cry or get emotional in these episodes you are not right in the head sorry to say!!;) I would recommend this to anyone who is a Ricky Gervais fan, I am getting into The Office but Derek I have to say is much better at the moment, but my mum said that the office is very slow and it takes time for you to get into the characters.Derek=9/10 from me!!!!