Derek Trailer Starring Ricky Gervais and Karl Pilkington

Posted by on April 5th, 2012   Filed under: Comedy, Trailers, TV

Between Life’s Too Short, An Idiot Abroad and The Ricky Gervais Show, it’s pretty hard to keep track of everything that Ricky Gervais has going on nowadays — or at least it would be, if he wasn’t so damn good at promoting himself every chance he gets. If you follow him on Twitter, read his blog or watch any of his public appearances, his blatant plugs can be a little obnoxious at times, but he seems to have found a way to make it part of his comedic persona. Anyway, the point is, I was very surprised when a trailer popped up online this week for a new project from Gervais that I hadn’t even heard of.

Derek is a one-off TV special that he did for Channel 4 about a sweet, somewhat simple-minded man who works at a retirement home. It co-stars Karl Pilkington in his first real acting role as his landlord and buddy Dougie, which is more than enough to get me to check it out. Strangely, the main character seems to based on the various goofy faces that Gervais has been making in photos posted on his blog for years now. I would almost think it was a joke if it wasn’t actually listed on Channel 4′s website. Derek airs next Thursday at 10 pm on Channel 4 in the U.K.; check out a series of TV spots and outtakes after the jump and see what you think.

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  • kyri

    NEVER GO FULL RETARD.. they say.

  • Napalm

    He actually premiered Derek like 10 years back on a TV special or something. You can find it on YouTube.

    My first impression of this new trailer was bad. Mainly because it’s coming after the very disappointing Life’s Too Short. But after the initial disappointment sunk in, I actually can see myself enjoying this show a lot.

    Karl is pretty much playing himself, which is a GOOD THING. Plus I’m really digging the ultra-mundane atmosphere… which reminds me a bit of the The Office.

    I also like how Ricky Gervais recently in an interview described Derek as being more down to earth and selfless which is unlike most of his characters.

  • patrik

    That’s a good look for Karl haha. He’s an amazing man..

  • deadmic3

    this is weird. i’m a big fan of gervais’ work, but karl playing a caricature of himself? hurm.

  • deadmic3

    karl even says a line in the promo that they jacked right out of the podcast!

  • swarez

    With Karl being so good in this it makes me wonder if his persona isn’t all that real to begin with.

  • http://yo Nick

    He went full retard, yo. ricky gervais you went full retard, man. Never go full retard

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