Derek Episode 3 Review

Get our take on the more emotional third instalment of the Ricky Gervais comedy-drama!

It’s a fine line, that balance that Ricky Gervais’ Derek is attempting to strike between the comedy and drama genres. Undoubtedly the show has struck such a balance magnificently before, especially last week, yet inevitably it can mean that at times one element or another is weakened as a result of a focus on the ‘other’ genre of the pair. That’s slightly apparent this week in ‘Episode 3’, where the increased focus on emotional turmoil makes the odd joke or two feel a little more out of place than usual.

Thankfully, the episode works for the most part. This week it’s Hannah’s turn to go under the spotlight, as the camera team investigate her relationship with her new boyfriend and indeed the place of the nursing home and Derek within it. There’s sadly no sign of Vicki to add surprising pathos and empathy to proceedings this time around, yet the storyline of an elderly woman meanwhile dealing with her financially-dependent cash grabbing family in the midst of this relationship conflict gels well with the overarching storyline. There’s even another chance for Derek’s reliability as an autistic member of staff to be thrown into the proverbial fray, and once again Ricky Gervais and Kerry Goldiman do the situation proud in a realistic manner.

Yet where the latest instalment from Gervais falters, then, is with the decreased-yet-notable presence of comedy among the more emotive highlights of the episode. Karl Pilkington and David Earl are easily the show’s best discoveries for sheer hilarity, however their presence here and the rather farcical nature of their portrayals often stands at stark odds to the more tear-jerking moments of ‘Episode 3’. There’s no reason to claim in any way that this ruins the whole viewing, because it doesn’t, and Pilkington and Earl do rightfully lighten the mood at times, it’s just that it places the Channel 4 programme in the occasionally awkward position of not knowing where it stands on realistic, controversial matters such as those dealt with here.

In spite of its shortcomings, though, this third episode remains a little joy to watch. Derek seems to be building in confidence as a show as it progresses through its first season, which should definitely get fans excited for what the remaining half of the six episodes have to offer. Given that the show’s ratings are amongst the most impressive the channel has seen in a while, it certainly bodes well for Derek’s future in subsequent seasons, and I for one couldn’t be more excited about spending further time at Bourne Hill come 2014 if that does indeed turn out to be the case.

4/5