Majikat As a huge Ricky Gervais fan, this was the one series, I was unsure could make a great comedy, given the subject matter. Somehow though, Gervais & co, manage to pull off some good laughter, among some really poignant moments

laura Bravo Ricky Gervais. The whole cast is brilliant. The show allows us to confront our own mortality in a way that is at times uncomfortable but mostly a good reminder that the only real super power is kindness. The rest is just noise. Thank you for the beautiful portrayal of an adult with cognitive disability - for highlighting that true beauty and possibility lies in the eyes of the beholder. Bravo. Hilarious and so emotionally moving. Watch at least two episodes.

Mathias Dubois I've been quite a fan of Ricky Gervais' work until I saw the pilot to Derek. I can see what he's trying to do: put invisible people into the focus of attention – the elderly, the disabled, the freaks (Kev). Unfortunately, it's mainly Gervais' own performance that ruins the show. The Character of Derek may be an interesting figure to develop; unfortunately, Gervais himself is completely inapt for the role. Derek's chin-tic, his awkward walk and his mental impairment give the impression of someone badly mimicking a disabled person. Karl Pilkington used to lighten up the show a bit until he quit at the beginning of Season 2. A wise decision, I'm afraid to say. All in all, I should point out that the show isn't all bad, it's actually quite watchable and even has its high that remind of the quality of The Office, but these are much more rare. The performance of all the actors is very good, except, unfortunately, for Ricky Gervais who really should have cast someone different for that role. He would have been perfect as the egocentric director or some selfish parent who comes on casual visits, but his rendition of a disabled man just isn't good enough to meet the standards of his earlier shows. In a nutshell: nobody else but himself would ever have cast Ricky Gervais for a role such as Derek.

Halorz This show is spectacular! To be honest I wasn't a big fan of Ricky Gervais before. I didn't really enjoy the office or extras but this show is absolutely perfect! It took me around 3 episodes to get into it, but after that I was hooked. All the characters are brilliant and so likable. It toys with your emotions more than any show I have ever seen. One second you could be sad and the next you could be in stitches laughing. It is fantastic! The whole cast work so well together. Ricky's performances are unbelievably good. The rawness and emotion he brings to his character Derek is something very special. That goes for the entire cast. Karl (Dougie) is brilliant and he is glue that holds everything together. He keeps the show grounded. Kerry Godliman (Hannah) is a revelation. Her performance of Hannah is spectacular. The development of her character has been exciting to watch and I think a lot of people will easily relate to her. Simplicity is what makes this show amazing. Each episode carries a real, heartfelt message. It deals with themes and situations concerning young and old people yet it finds commonality between them. No matter how old you are, what you look like or what past you have. Kindness conquers all. That is a great message that unfortunately doesn't get shown on TV much. Derek is funny, lighthearted, deep and thought provoking. Give it a chance. Trust me you will not regret it!!