Join DEREK and Friends Again

Article originally published as TV Review: 'Derek' - Season Two Premiere on Blogcritics.

Netflix’s Derek is back for a second season beginning this Friday, May 30. The sweet tale of the odd nursing home caretaker, Derek (series creator Ricky Gervais), is set some months after the finale, but for the most part, everything remains the same. The setting, the characters, and the situations all feel familiar, which is a good thing for a show that is both unique and thought-provoking. There will be some new developments, of course, but for now, it’s status quo.

The character of Derek is not easily pigeon-holed. Some have wondered if he has some sort of disability, but whether he does or not is beside the point. This is a guy who would be looked down upon by much of society, writing him off for a lack of intelligence and weird mannerisms. Yet, for those who spend time around him and the viewers who observe Derek, he’s also one of the best people to ever walk the earth, generous and caring, positive and supportive of others.

Derek is genuine and honest. He certainly does what he does because he loves the residents, not because he wants anything from them, and he considers himself lucky to do so, believing he has a pretty good life. In the premiere, he watches a DVD highlighting one those that passed away last season, and it’s impossible not to be moved by the emotion in Derek’s eyes. These are his family, those he most values, and its admirable that he’s so good to them.

I think Gervais created Derek (and this is my personal opinion here) to make us reconsider our preconceived notions. After all, just because racism and homophobia is slowly fading doesn’t mean that we don’t make judgments about other types of people based on a number of factors. It’s not a good thing to admit about oneself, but everyone has their hang ups and assumptions. Derek turns some of those on their heads, not only commenting on society, but also prompting introspection, which will hopefully make those who watch better people overall. Derek considers himself lucky, what right do we have to say any different?

The setting of the nursing home can parallel many of the same things I’ve said about Derek himself. It’s a place most people avoid if they can, and certainly not one anyone would consider fun. But watching the interactions of those who live there and the dedication that the employees, such as Hannah (Kerry Godliman), Dougie (Karl Pilkington), and Vicky (Holli Dempsey), exhibit, presents a whole different view. This is a home, and like your own home, it’s meant to be a place of warmth and love. Derek and his friends do their best to make the residents feel comfortable and happy, and this is an admirable spirit, perhaps one that may even infect a few of those who pay attention.

To make the building feel even more like a family place, Derek’s father, Anthony (Tony Rohr, Les Miserables), moves in during the premiere. Anthony did not raise Derek, and it shows because they are two completely different people. However, it will be very interesting to see if Derek can help Anthony turn over a new leaf at this late stage in life, or if Anthony will be the one person that finally shakes Derek and makes him show a part of himself that isn’t so light.

There is one thing that happens in the first episode back that is more of a threat to the tranquility and smooth operation of the place than Anthony’s arrival. I won’t spoil what it is, but I am quite disappointed and hope it doesn’t stick. It’s not that the development is unrealistic or unwarranted, it does make sense for the story, but it is regrettable.

Derek‘s second season premiere is a great return of a terrific series. While I have only watched the first episode thus far, I certainly look forward to binge-watching the rest this weekend. The entire season will be available streaming to Netflix subscribers this Friday.

Meet DEREK

Article first published as DEREK Review on Seat42F.

Ricky Gervais has made a number of incredibly funny comedy series, from The Office and An Idiot Abroad, to The Ricky Gervais Show, Life’s Too Short, and Extras. Now, he has set aside all of those shows to focus on a single project, which aired in Britain last spring, and is currently available on Netflix in the U.S.: DEREK.

DEREK is somewhat like Gervais’ other works. It’s a mockumentary about misfits who don’t gel well with the rest of society. Yet, they don’t care, living their lives in their own way, happy with who they are.

DEREK is also completely different than those others works. It’s not funny, and I’m not sure why it’s labeled a comedy, because it doesn’t appear meant to be so. The lead character is earnest and nice to a fault, a departure from some of the mean-spirited roles introduced earlier. And it’s incredibly sad, set in a nursing home, a place that lends itself to death and grief.

None of these things are complaints. It’s a brilliant, original work, unlike anything I’ve seen before, and definitely worth watching.

The titular character is played Gervais himself, laying to rest any doubts one may think of his acting chops. At first glance, Derek is not someone you may want to hang around. He’s awkward, unattractive, and intellectually stunted. He hunches over, makes weird faces, and often doesn’t understand what is going on. Some have called the character autistic, including in the show itself, though Gervais has stated that Derek is not disabled, just different.

By the end of the first half hour, though, Derek will have won over the vast majority of viewers. Those who would dismiss him because of physical appearance or lack of conversational skills only need to watch him interact with the residents of the home for a bit to understand Derek’s gift. He is generous and kind, really caring about those he serves. He is earnest and determined and comfortable with who he is. In short, he’s someone we should all aspire to be.

The genius of Gervais is forcing a new perspective. He really makes the audience examine judgments and preconceived notions, turning them on their heads. DEREK promotes social acceptance and understanding of others, and does so without being preachy, on its surface just telling one specific story of an unexpectedly noble man.

Derek is surrounded by others like himself. His best mate is Dougie (Karl Pilkington), and his other friend is Kev (David Earl). Kev is creepy and hangs around the home just to argue with Dougie, as he doesn’t work there. It’s sort of a Spock/McCoy relationship, where the men enjoy their discussions, even if the casual observer would not think so. Dougie is the jack-of-all-trades at the home, who hates being annoyed, but finds pleasure in fixing things, and liked because of what he does, not how he acts.

DEREK leads one to believe that Pilkington is not an actor. While featured in Gervais’ podcasts and reality fare, this is really Karl’s acting debut. However, his limited skills are fine for the part, which Gervais has crafted very close to the real man, thus making Karl feel like he fits in the show as much as anyone else.

Rounding out the cast is Kerry Goldiman as Hannah, the manager of the home. Derek likes her a lot, and she likes him, but in a platonic way. Hannah is just as good a person as Derek, working tirelessly and far more hours than she is paid for to make the resident comfortable and happy. In this, they are kindred spirits, even if they are not a romantic pairing. If DEREK were any other series, Hannah and Derek would grow closer over time, eventually leading to a relationship, but I don’t think this show will go down that predictable path.

I wasn’t sure what to expect going into DEREK, and to be honest, I wasn’t looking forward to it much, despite loving Gervais’ other work, based on small glimpses of the lead. However, having watched two episodes, I am starting to think this is the best thing he has done to date, certainly a touch deeper and more sophisticated than his other shows, and I greatly look forward to viewing the rest of the series.

If you live in the United States, check out DEREK on Netflix now.

Will Netflix Change Television?

 Article first published as Will Netflix Change Television? on Blogcritics.

Netflix has long been thought of as a minor threat to traditional television, and a little bit bigger danger to DVD sales. Launched in 1998, its streaming service is super convenient, available on a wide variety of platforms such as game consoles, smart TVs, blu-ray players, and, my favorite, TiVo. It also offers a disc service where you can get films and shows delivered straight to your door. It may not have new episodes of stuff currently running on television now, but it's far cheaper than cable, and it's content library is large enough to keep fans happy for a long time.

With this model, Netflix makes a dent in the entertainment industry, but it doesn't throw it on its head. After all, many people will still turn to the channels offering fresh content, rather than switching to a subscription service that features last year's episodes.

Especially when said provider almost doubled its prices two years ago while splitting the disc and streaming services, which angered many, and sent lots of users packing. This was a terrible business move, and I admit, I left them for awhile. Honestly, I suspected an end to the company. How wrong I was, as Netflix recently has bounced back, stronger than ever, mostly in its streaming side, making the disc business a holdover for older users.

And now Netflix has expanded its operation to be a content maker, not just a content provider. Last year's first Netflix original series, Lilyhammer, was well regarded, but posted to little fanfare, and was not widely watched. Now, with the launch of House of Cards last weekend, Netflix has put itself on the map as a destination for great new television.

For those who haven't yet tuned in, House of Cards is an exciting political thriller starring the great Kevin Spacey as a manipulative Congressmen who has a beef with the president. The outstanding supporting cast includes Robin Wright and Kate Mara.

If House of Cards were to air on television, it would be on HBO. It's dark and gritty, but not really violent. It features A-list movie stars and incredibly intelligent writing. The engrossing plot keeps one guessing, and the characters are both deeply flawed and highly intelligent, with their power struggles and influence games having far-reaching effects. It's a character study in power, and also a great way to spend a few hours.

This puts Netflix on par to compete with other pay cable channels. I will be shocked if Spacey doesn't get at least an Emmy nomination, if not a win. It's premium quality entertainment, and the series has single-handedly made Netflix a formidable player in the television landscape.

Rather than rest on its laurels, though, or continue a slow dip into this side of the industry, Netflix has a slate of more programming coming soon. Second seasons have been ordered for both Lilyhammer and House of Cards. The cult favorite Arrested Development, canceled years ago by FOX, will find a new home on Netflix with a brand new fourth season, before moving to the big screen. Ricky Gervais's British hit Derek is coming, as are two more original series, Hemlock Grove and Orange is the New Black, which star the likes of Jason Biggs, Laura Prepon, Kate Mulgrew, Taylor Schilling, Bill Skarsgard, and Famke Janssen. And this is just their 2013 lineup.

It's a slate of comedy and drama, new stuff and revered favorites. It's an impressive batch for a first year, and it means that Netflix is willing to put forward the capital to make a name for itself.

If Netflix begins serving up more new shows, maybe more of their subscribers will flee cable and broadcast. After all, it's cheap, and the quality is high. It will satisfy their urge to watch shows before they age, and it makes more competition for already established networks. If Netflix were to add in-season episodes of other channels' lineups, it would quickly dominate.

One advantage Netflix series have over their peers is that Netflix has decided to drop the entire season's worth of episodes at once. I've only made it halfway through House of Cards in the past week, but for many who use Netflix to consume marathons of episodes, watching them back-to-back, they don't expect to have to wait a week for the next installment, and Netflix doesn't make them do so.

Yes, this makes sense for Netflix subscribers, but will more traditional viewers embrace such a shift? Absolutely. They can still watch weekly, if they prefer, but if one episode ends on a cliffhanger, they have the option to continue viewing the story. It's a brilliant stroke.

Now, I'm not saying that this model makes sense for all channels. While cable may order a season at a time, broadcast still often pulls under-performing series after just a couple of episodes. They would not have this option, making more of a financial investment if they were committed to thirteen or more outings.

However, it could raise the content quality overall. If FOX, ABC, NBC, and CBS knew that they had to pay for an entire season before they could even find out if people would watch, would they continue to deliver some of the low hanging fruit that they currently do? This bigger gamble might mean a more careful consideration of what makes it to release.

I'm not saying that Netflix has presented the television model that will dominate going forward, but it has presented one such option. With declining viewers numbers on regular television, and many hating Hulu Plus's commercials for even the paying subscribers, Netflix is a big player in streaming and Internet-based programming, which is what many young people are interested in. There will be similar competitors, but Netflix has arrived first.

Is this a good thing for television? I think so. Any player that goes after worthwhile stuff, and forces others to rethink or reorganize, is welcome in the marketplace. Competition is good, and Netflix is performing well. I look forward to finding out the next development in this course change.

Want to read some of my fiction? It's on my website, JeromeWetzel.com! Also, for the latest updates and article links, as well as commentary on episodes I don't fully review, please follow me on Twitter.