Derek is a British comedy-drama television series starring, written by and directed by Ricky Gervais.

[3][4] Channel 4 describes the show as "A bittersweet comedy drama about a group of outsiders living on society's margins".

[9] In November 2014, Channel 4 announced that a 60-minute "final" special episode of Derek would air in the United Kingdom on 22 December 2014.

"[12] Gervais plays 50-year-old Derek Noakes, a care worker at Broad Hill, a home for the elderly; he has worked there for three years.

Hannah's rich, narcissistic, friendless former classmate Rebecca brings her mother Jill into the home to become a new resident.

After called to remove a large spider from the toilet, annoyed by Geoff, and electrocuted by an electric heater he wired incorrectly, Dougie quits.

Derek talks about Hannah and Tom's sex life in front of everyone at the home while keeping a written record of it.

Interviews are conducted at Broad Hill by Hannah and a colleague for the caretaker position vacated by Dougie, who is moving to Manchester.

On Rotten Tomatoes the first series holds a rating of 53% based on 32 critics, with the consensus reading: "Derek is as irreverent as might be expected from a show starring Ricky Gervais, but this time he brings a surprising amount of depth and empathy to the title character.

[21] Tanya Gold, writing for The Guardian, dismissed Gervais's claims in Derek, he was satirising prejudice against disabled people, instead saying it "feels more like lazy cruelty than satire".

Discussing the show's compassionate moments, he wrote "Derek's redeeming qualities are the hardest to take – a sense of self-congratulation at the refinement of its sentiments that has a little bit of the bully in it, too.

[26] Curt Wagner of Red Eye says Gervais "surprises with some tender, quiet acting, and obvious love of the character.

[27] Rob Owen of Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says "although there could be an ick factor to Mr. Gervais playing a character with developmental issues, that turns out not to be the case.

"[28] On the other hand, The Guardian's Sam Wollaston says "Ricky Gervais is out of his depth playing a character that isn't based on his worst foibles.

"[32] Kyle Anderson of Entertainment Weekly also praised the show, but says the absence of Karl Pilkington hurt the series, saying: "The second series mostly upholds the first's tricky precedent, but the absence of regular Gervais associate Karl Pilkington means the yuks are a bit less hearty."

Terry Ramsey of The Telegraph wrote, "We didn't need a second series of Ricky Gervais's comedy drama Derek.

"[35] Matt D of Unrealitytv.co.uk agrees, saying "The primary reasons for this are the imbalance in tone and Gervais' central performance both of which stop Derek from a truly enjoyable program.

"[36] AV Club says "Derek has all the creative ambition of [an online video of little piggies and bunnies doing cute things].

[39] Serena Davies, from the same publication, says "the show seems to have been devised by someone of Derek's limited intelligence... [I will not be] wasting any more of my time watching this rather flimsy, curiously pointless program.

The reviewer, Ed Power, criticised the episode for the "weak performance" from Gervais and the "sub-Forrest Gump sympathy milking".

[40] The Guardian reviewer Julia Raeside concurred, adding "I can find no comedy in it, and it lacks the emotional truth required for a drama.