Ricky Gervais @ the Golden Globes 2011

Comedy genius or dead in the water pillock? You decide!

Frankly, I think Gervais has been a victory for smugness over humour for some time, and I'm delighted he's receiving some kind of backlash at last. I'd've preferred it to have been for his sanctimonious Extras Christmas Special or one-joke Karl-Pilkington-doesn't-understand-things Sky nonsense, but it's nice that it's started.

Agreed. I've long been distinctly unimpressed by both the man and his humour. IMHO Stephen Merchant is the real comedy genius behind the curtain.

C'mon Sid, that's like saying that all Doctor Who's worst bits were written by RTD: you've got no proof, it's just that from what little we've seen of Merchant he comes across as nicer or less annoying - which isn't a proper indication of greater behind the scenes genius.

Rich Flair wrote:C'mon Sid, that's like saying that all Doctor Who's worst bits were written by RTD: you've got no proof, it's just that from what little we've seen of Merchant he comes across as nicer or less annoying - which isn't a proper indication of greater behind the scenes genius.

Okay, I might well have been just a little knee-jerk in my initial reaction, Rich; but that doesn't lessen my personal feeling that it's Merchant who provides the all-important instances of genuine warmth in Gervais' work.

And I do stress that it's just a personal feeling. If I'm ever eventually proven wrong I'll bed the first person to stick my hand up for it.

Has anybody seen Cemetary Junction? I haven't myself, but it was well received and may contain some of Gervais' hidden warmth!

Personally I'm looking forward to Gervais' and Merchant's new series 'Life's Too Short' , a Curb-style sit-com starring Warwick Davis.