Golden Years (Comedy Lab)
| "Golden Years" | |
|---|---|
| Comedy Lab episode | |
 Gervais in character impersonating David Bowie | |
| Episode no. | Series 2 Episode 6 |
| Directed by | Blake Bedford |
| Written by | |
| Cinematography by | Alastair Meux |
| Editing by | Richard Halladey |
| Original air date | 8 September 1999 |
| Running time | 23 minutes |
"Golden Years" is the sixth episode of the second series of the British comedy anthology series Comedy Lab. It first aired on 8 September 1999 on Channel 4. Written by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, it stars Gervais as the co-owner of a video rental company who has a David Bowie obsession. The episode follows him as he prepares for his appearance on the talent show Stars In Their Eyes.[1][2][3][4]
Production
[edit]"Golden Years" is filmed in a mockumentary style.[5] Certain scenes feature "talking head" interview segments with Gervais's character, interviewed by Merchant off-screen, which is a format similar to that used in The Office.[5]
Plot
[edit] | This article needs an improved plot summary. (May 2016) |
Gervais plays Clive Meadows, the main character who has a David Bowie obsession. Clive Meadows is the 32 (or 37, he is somewhat unclear) year old co-owner of 'Video Zone', a video rental company based in Reading. The show follows Clive as he prepares for his appearance on the ITV talent show Stars In Their Eyes.
Reception
[edit]Vulture's Ramsey Ess wrote that the episode is "mostly uneven" in its humour, feeling like a demo tape for Gervais and Merchant's later series, The Office. Ess noted that Gervais's character has no redeeming qualities, which makes sympathising with him when he reaches his lowest point a difficult task. He concluded by writing that, "Without this show, there probably wouldn’t have been an Office, so in that regard, it’s a good thing that it was made. But beyond that, Golden Years offers only the spark of what Gervais and Merchant would create together."[5]
Legacy
[edit]The documentary style of the show and in particular the behaviour of Gervais's character present like prototypes for The Office and its lead character David Brent.[5]
References
[edit]- ^ Guidry, Ken (18 July 2013). "Watch: Ricky Gervais Is A David Bowie Impersonator In 1999 Comedy Pilot 'Golden Years'". Indiewire. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
- ^ Haas, Rachel (19 July 2013). "Unearthed Clip Shows Ricky Gervais as Bowie Impersonator in 1999 Comedy Pilot". Paste. Wolfgang's Vault. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
- ^ Mellor, Louisa (26 June 2011). "Top 10 on-screen David Bowie impressions". Den of Geek. Dennis Publishing. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
- ^ Heatley, Michael (2006). Ricky Gervais: The Story So Far. London, UK: Michael O'Mara Books. ISBN 978-1843172376.
- ^ a b c d Ess, Ramsey (29 May 2019). "Before The Office, There Was Golden Years". Vulture. Archived from the original on 26 February 2024. Retrieved 24 November 2024.