Ricky Gervais.....

[osprey]

Is this untalented (in my opinion and that of nearly all my village of some 2,000) man the luckiest in the universe or not? How The Office managed to outsell all-time classics like Fawlty Towers and Blackadder to become the highest-selling DVD in history is baffling. I was unable to watch both series of The Office due to working abroad but watched it on my return after someone recommended it but spent the whole time staring at the telly wondering what all the fuss was about. I have worked in offices all my working life and didn't find anything remotely funny in either series. I know I'm not alone in my feelings and wanted to know what others on this forum think.

[purpose]

I liked The Office.

A lot.

So ner!

[spaced]

well its your personal opinion, and everyone is entitled to their own opinion which must be respected. Unfortunately I feel the total opposite. I believe the office to be extremely funny. I felt that the office environment created was true to form. The characters were believable, most of us have a David Brent or Gareth keenan in there office. Some excellent scenarios which were funny, clever and cringe worthy. I think you may find that there are a higher percentage of Office lovers than haters. Maybe it was becuase the comedy type was not your bag or you just didnt understand it?? Fawlty Towers and Blackadder were and still are very funny, but the comedy is different to the comedy used in the office, so you can treally compare. For me the best comedy ever is Only Fools and Horses, which beats everyone hands down. For you to say that Ricky Gervais is untalented, is unfounded drivel. Sorry but how can you say he is untalented?? confused at that statement. The man is a comic genius. Watch his standup, preferably Animals.

[ugly_bob]

personally, I think the office is great. Don't particularly like Extras or his stand up though.

[zipadeedodah]

My opinion is the same as ugly_bob - I did like both series of The Office, but don't find him funny when he's doing stand up - like the 'Animals' and 'Politics' shows. I didn't watch Extras, but saw a little bit of one and didn't think all that much of it.

[roomster]

I love everything he does. I agree that everyone is entitled to their own opinion but how you can call him untalented, I dont know!

[surfer mike]

Yep its about opinions, and i can see how many find his humour unappealing, but personally i think he's very talented a great writer and performer.. there's far more intelligence to his work than somebody like david walliams whose output is strictly 3rd form.

[robbo82]

I'm with roomster on this one, the man can do no wrong in my book. He's one of the only people who could have an entire half-hour radio show with just him and a couple of mates talking and make it essential listening. I agree with spaced that his humour is very different from many 'classic' comedies, but I think it is all the better for it. Comedy genius.

[hal]

I'm a big fan too. Your village isn't called Royston Vaisey by any chance?

[stoo_pid]

Personally I suspect Ricky Gervais is a bit of a one-trick pony but I found The Office to be a very funny, intelligent series which was extremely well acted.

There are various reasons why it has become the best-selling DVD to date, including marketing, price & target audience. Just because lots of people buy something though doesn't necessarily make it 'funnier' or 'better'. Fawlty Towers, Black Adder & The Office are all different types of humour. It's like saying I can't believe people bought more apples than oranges this year.

[spaced]

well osprey, do you have a comment on our opinions which are opposite to yours?? I did say that you would encounter more office lovers than haters.

[Dr Hungry]

If you listen to his podcasts, i think it shows just what a great comedian he is. Whilst they may not be to everyone's taste, they certainly demonstrate his talent at observational humour. The situation is similar with his XFM shows which are spotaneous yet just as good as The Office. Check them out at http://www.xfm.co.uk//Sectional.asp?id=4604 if you are a fan.

[josy]

Sorry osprey but Ricky Gervais is amazing in everything he does, and my partner was a director of a big office equipment company and thats exactly what some of the sales and engineers were like, thats why The Office is so funny.

[bellasasha]

well osprey i'm with you!! i hate the guy....the office was just plain stupid and boring....his simpsons episode was just as bad and the guy is just so full of himself it is painful to watch!!

i agree 90% of the population probably love him but i think he is highly over-rated and not worth paying my tv licence for!!

[unruliejulie]

osprey, i agree with you! You have shattered my reasoning behind its sucesss and my dislike for it though. I have NEVER worked in an office and thought that must be the secret. You had to know what the Office enviroment was like to appreciate the situation! Obviously not. The one and only time i loved Ricky Gervais was when he was a guest with the fabulous Jonathon Ross! Superb!!! The pair of them together was fantastic! The banter between them was hilarious and i was doubled up with laughter.. I could have watched them bouncing off each other all night. but no, i just don't get the Office, but different strokes and all that. i love little Britain but appreciate a lot of people can't stand it. It wouldn't be any good for us all to be the same really though would it?

[Wu Banger]

For some reason it seems that slightly more intellectual people are the people that actually 'get' the office! It's not about telling jokes, it's about all character traits and familiarising yourself with different situations within it. Maybe Bobby Davro might be more up your comedy street?

[unruliejulie]

i am intellectual enough thank you Wu Banger!!!! That has NOTHING to do with personal taste and i would suggest you are the lesser intellectual for suggesting something as silly as that! I like a huge range of comedy from the old greats right through to the modern stuff. To me, its just not funny, that is my taste.

[Sooper]

I too loved the Office and Ricky Gervais's stand up work and his excellent Radio show with Stephen Merchant and Crazy Karl Pilkington. I do however think that there are better comedies out there that got unfaily overlooked and deserved some of the limelight that was only reserved for The Office it would seem. I think Phoenix Nights was better and also Nighty Night and another gem that has never got the rocognition that i think it deserves is Coupling but thats just my humble opinion! and thats what it is all about at the end of the day i guess . I guess Ricky is a bit like Marmite you either love him or hate him!