How do you see it as mean spirited?
Just curious. I don't find it like that. I watched it thinking it would be utter shite, but I felt it was smarter than people gave it credit for.
For me the humour lies in getting to laugh at the dicks who treat the characters like dirt, as it shows them up to be utter cunts. I think it highlights a lot of prejudices and assuptions people make about the elderly and impaired and brings them out in the open.
I work with and I am also related to some of the most ignorant people who think mentally impaired people should be locked away, and I get to laugh at them cos they make themselves out to be cunts who aren't worth the time of day.
I guess I like Derek as it brings those assumptions out and shows everyone how stupid and damaging they can be.
Each to their own though.
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Bamboo Steamer, Fri 15 Feb 2013, 21:11,
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The mere fact that Gervais feels that what he is portraying
is a representation of people with mental disabilities is in itself utterly misguided at best and sneeringly patronising at worst. I'm assuming the former as I can't believe for a second that someone of Gervais' stature would intentionally mock the mentally impaired in portraying Derek however he is inadvertently mocking and deriding the real Dereks in this world with stereotypes and generic composites.
Sometimes, certain things are just not funny and even if you have all the greatest intentions in the world, the simple truth of a situation is just the truth and it cannot be parodied into light comedic entertainment.
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Hardfarter Following through since 1978, Sat 16 Feb 2013, 1:51,
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