HBO - Life's Too Short

I've no idea why this series has gotten such middling reviews, it's fucking hilarious. If Extras were Seinfeld, this would be Curb Your Enthusiasm. Davis is brilliant as the delusional twat who can't catch a break & the comedy teeth-grindingly awkward & uncomfortable. A fantastic show.

Liam's comedy improv was some of the funniest writing Gervais has done.

Neeson destroyed ("I wasn't at the store yesterday. I was at the doctors. I've got AIDS."). I want more of him intimidating those two into hearing his stuff. Great detail of him not understanding why Gervais gets away with making "controversial" jokes.

A little underwhelmed by the rest of it. You can tell Davis is trying and the material is solid, but he's just not a particularly funny guy in my opinion.

I know only one episode has been aired but the one problem is that the dialogue seems like it is supposed to be spontaneous and improvised but it just isn't coming off that way, IMO.

While I like 'The Office', I am getting tired of the pseudo-documentary/Cinéma vérité style seems to be the rage these days.

That being said, I would like to see where it goes for at least 1 more episode.

Don't give up on it until you've seen the Helena Bonham Carter episode. It's just brutal.

Here's a good read analyzing the vastly different portrayals of "little people" on TV: Warwick Davis vs. Tyrion Lannister. 

The author of the piece seems to believe Game of Thrones elevates them, while this show - whether intentional or not - denigrates them. What do you all think? 

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackyShimSham 

Here's a good read analyzing the vastly different portrayals of "little people" on TV: Warwick Davis vs. Tyrion Lannister. 

 

The author of the piece seems to believe Game of Thrones elevates them, while this show - whether intentional or not - denigrates them. What do you all think? 

The guy comes off as a little tone deaf to me. I see the point he's trying to make, but I'm not sure he's on-target with his criticism. The Helena Bonham Carter bit, for instance - which, granted, I haven't seen -  strikes me as mining humor from prejudice against dwarfs, and not so much in humiliating one.

Ricky Gervais gets a lot of shit for being smug and mean-spirited, but people who accuse him of that must have never seen "The Office" or "Extras".  His shows treat their protagonists with absolute ruthlessness, and he doesn't pull any punches even when it's him in the role. To suggest that Warwick Davis can't take the piss out of himself for a laugh because of his dwarfism I find even more condescending and denigrating than anything that article was complaining about.

The cool thing about Davis in the show is that it demonstrates that he's just like every other asshole in the world. His wife leaves him, he's forced to deal with his incompetent accountant, he has to worry about bills, his clients, his office, his career, his dating life, etc. Show me another show where you see a dwarf have deal with normal, everyday bullshit.

Watch the Bonham-Carter bit before forming an opinion because it's off-base. The humor in that bit comes from Carter's crazy prejudice (against dwarves? against actors that are low on the food chain? who knows) & the set-up makes you, the audience, relate even further with Davis because he looks at the camera with a hilarious "Can you believe this crazy bitch?!" look on his face & you're laughing at it, thinking, "I know, right?".

One of the best lines out the whole series is, "...and I starred in Willow. It cost over 40 million dollars...and has made alot of that back".

I'm conflicted. I like Warwick Davis but loathe Ricky Gervais. I think my loathing may be greater than my liking and don't know if I can watch this because of that.

Been catching up with this show, and so far I think I like it more than love it. It's really the same format as Extras, only with Davis. He does a great job (Love the scene when he falls out of the Range Rover, dusts himself off and gives the camera a quick 'Fuck off' look before walking off) but agree with VTRan that the dialogue does feel very scripted. Also, the incompetent assistant feels utterly out of place here; there's nothing wrong with her performance per se, in fact she'd be great in a more traditional sitcom, but it's too broad for mockumentary and she sticks out like a sore thumb.

Nut fuck, can I not stop laughing at the thought of Neeson's scene. That was an instant classic.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Workyticket 

the incompetent assistant feels utterly out of place here; there's nothing wrong with her performance per se, in fact she'd be great in a more traditional sitcom, but it's too broad for mockumentary and she sticks out like a sore thumb.

You're probably right that she belongs in a different show, but still I think the gormless assistant is brilliant. They need to do a spin off romantic sitcom with her and Pilkington (trivia: knew I recognized her from somewhere, turns out she's "do you wanna suck me tits?" punk girl from the excellent Shane Meadows film This is England).

Second episode was much better overall in my opinion, loved the convention autograph stuff.

The washing machine scene alone justifies the existence of the assistant. That destroyed me the first time I saw it.

I did love watching Johnny Depp "observe" Warwick and take notes.

The convention scene was kinda brutal as it truly is the reality of many former scifi/fantasy 'stars'.

"I've got a tumor, too!"

Quote:

Originally Posted by Art Decade 

The washing machine scene alone justifies the existence of the assistant. That destroyed me the first time I saw it.

Has to be one of the oldest, most played-out gags in the history of comedy, without exaggeration.  But his fucking REACTION when he realises what happened . . . oh man, I seriously couldn't breathe, I was laughing so hard.

Exactly. His reaction is what I keep picturing when I think about that scene.

Haven't gotten to the washing machine scene yet, so will hold judgement. But Disciple, you might be onto a slice of genius there with the assistant/Pilkington romance. That's an idea that's hilarious and terrifying all at once.

Looking forward to the fabled washing machine scene. Changed my mind on Davis, he's no Steve Coogan or anything, but he is quite good.

Last episode I got was the one where he works with Helena Bonham Carter, and confronts his online nemesis. I pretty much saw the classroom scene coming, but still that's a pretty harsh place to go for laughs, even for Gervais.

Kind of a slow start but I'm really loving the show now. Davis has a great natural delivery, and pretty much nobody can do brutally uncomfortable the way Gervais and Merchant can.

"Will there be a ceremony?"

Cheryl trying to think on her feet with the estate agent made me cry with laughter.

I have to ask since I haven't seen everything Gervais has been involved with- is this show the darkest thing he's ever done? I mean that suicide discussion with the incompetent accountant, Dennis, Cheggers, and Barry from Eastenders was just cruel. And the dwarf material is so uncomfortably close to the line, I'm not sure if I should admire Davis for being brave enough to do it, or pity him. There's definitely something brilliant about this show, but the only time I really laugh now is when Cheryl is onscreen.